January 6, 2012

The Great Flat Hunt

Yesterday I mentioned my constant hunts - winter boots, wool coats, monthly calendars, sofas, apartments,  and the list goes on. It's just an aspect of my personality that I can't shake. I am always searching for something.

The hunt that trumps all other hunts - so much so that it would really be better termed an odyssey - is for stylish and supremely comfortable flats.

I'm sorry, but sometimes being a woman is hard. Men's shoes are always comfortable. Always. They lace them up, and bam, good to go. On the other hand, women have to make a choice. 
Do we want to look nice and suffer? Or do we want to be comfortable and frumpy?
It's a terrible choice. A choice I'm unwilling to make. And hence the odyssey.

I never wear heels. My knees can't take it, and having part of my living come from teaching dance and fitness classes, it's simply not a risk I'm willing to take. So it comes down to flats.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many flats I have tried on, purchased, ordered, and returned over the past couple of years.
(Enough that I am now a VIP Zappos members, that's all I'm saying)

You'd think that by now shoe companies would have tried to make more of an effort to combine comfort and style for something as supremely basic as black flats. But not so much.

I need shoes for walking. I need shoes for booking it through the mall. Through the city. Across a parking lot. I want arch support and cushioning and unblistered heels.

The closest I've come are the flats above - $20 from I.N.C.
Totally flat with no arch support, but a teeny raised heel gives a little boost, and the pleather stretches to accomodate my wide little feet.
Sadly, both pairs have disintegrated into nothingness.

I also have a pair of the Air Bacaras - part of the Maria Sharapova Collection by Cole Haan.
These fluctuate between being wildly comfortable and digging into my foot with painful abandon.
They are definitely good for walking - they're relatively cushiony and sturdy.
But the tight elastic around the back sometimes leaves black and blue indentations around the back of my heel and my poor little bunion.

Today the shoe sadness reached it's climax when I found myself standing by the front door before work, barefoot, with no shoe options.
I didn't want to wear boots because they don't fit over my jeans (read: large calves). Jared had to put his foot down and tell me I couldn't wear my Toms to work (one pair is irreparably stinky. one pair just got a giant hole ripped in the canvas). My Air Bacaras were killing my bunions. I wasn't wearing my damn Uggs to the office.

It became blindingly clear. I HAVE NO SHOES.
So. I'm wearing my $20 hole-in-the-bottom flats. Because at least they're not squishing any toes.

2 comments:

jenny d said...

Before the picture loaded and all I could see was the post title, I thought we were going to see pictures from your apartment-hunting days. But I like the shoe angle, too. :)

Speaking of which, I have a pair of black Me Too flats that are super supportive. If this link works, you can check them out:

http://www.google.com/shopping/offerdetails?docid=13343142897997407535&sa=X&ei=tkkHT72EHdDirAeGoKwD&ved=0CHIQvxMwAA

Anonymous said...

sorry, but my computer has been on the fritz--so late getting to this
check out FOOT SMART - they carry all kinds of shoes designed for problem feet......I am confident you can find something with them.