"Solefully" Challenged

Q: What shoes would you wear with this dress? Clueless? Me too! (I am supposed to wear this dress to my sister's wedding this upcoming February 2007.)

[<=No: this is not me!]

I think someone -- like Oprah -- should do a show on "shoes for women." Most women have millions upon millions of shoes: one pair for each outfit. It seems to be some inherited gene that most women have -- like the "shopping gene". These women, who have this "shoe gene", seem to know just which shoes go perfectly with which outfit. Up until now, I have pitied these poor fools who spend so much of their disposable income on just shoes (kind of like "Carie," from "Sex and the City")?!

Well, I am a woman and I guess that I just didn't get the "shoe gene"? I take a functional approach to shoes: I have a brown pair of shoes, a black pair of shoes, some boots, tennis shoes, and a dressy pair of black shoes.  I love being barefoot most of the time anyway, so shoes have never been a real priority for me.  This past summer, I am proud to say, I expanded my horizons and bought sandals and a thong type wedge shoe -- which was stretching it for me -- for a vacation to a beach area resort.

Despite my practical side -- which my husband loves, as I don't spend a small fortune on clothes (didn't get the "shopping gene" either) and shoes every season -- I will admit that there have been many times where I've been all dressed up and something just doesn't feel quite finished. I would love to have the perfect pair of shoes to complete my outfit, but I am too practical and quite frankly clueless.

And what's up with heels (even strappy ones?) and jeans? I just don't get that. I look ridiculous trying to wear heels with jeans. Maybe you have to have a certain personality type to pull this off? And I'm just too practical/down to earth to make it happen? Once again: clueless!

There are tons of shows on fashion as it relates to clothing, and Oprah has even done whole shows dedicated to bras and jeans, but rarely does anyone ever address what to put on your feet. Help?!!!!

Fortunately, in the meantime, I have a fashionable sister who loves to shop and she goes with me often to help me buy clothes, accessories, and sometimes even shoes. I even get her designer hand-me-downs in the shoe department. So I don't go around dressed like a slob or anything. I have a nice business and casual wardrobe. I know who "Maggie London", "DKNY", and "Jones of New York" are. Love Anne Taylor too. So my 5'8", 110+ frame is nicely dressed most of the time. Just need a little bit of help in the foot department. Maybe I'll send this plea for help onto Oprah for a show idea?

1/25/2010  I've come a long way since this original post!  This is where I'm at today ... according to Facebook quiz 'What Shoe Are You?'

Dolch & Gabbana

And they're not far off either ... weird?!  I almost bought a pair of shoes just like this the other day ... just for FUN ... ya never know when these might come in handy ; ).  Though ... don't think I could fork over that kind of money for just one pair of shoes?  Have to think for awhile on that one ...