A Kids Room Interior Design blog about How You Wear Your Shoes?  Have I gone mad?  No, but the truth is that this in related to design, in a sideways kind of way.  I am hoping that after reading this, you might be a little more informed in making shoe decisions, when traveling on business, around town or in your home.  You may even being walking into your kids room in those fancy shoes. See I can relate this to kids room design.

A few years ago I had to make a quick trip to Las Vegas for the ABC Kids buying event.  These events are where, we, the buyers go to find all the cool stuff for your kids. I had not planned on going.  I am a busy mom with 5 kids and planning a “quick” trip is no easy task.  Once it was decided to take this trip I made a few phone calls, booked the hotel and printed off my airline ticket.  I ended up being asked into FIVE really important meetings.  Companies that wanted to use my consulting services to help build their brand and products.  A “quick” run through this show, was now going to involve some fancy dinners out, some wining and dining and guess what?  I had the perfect outfit.  The kind that I could stuff in my carry on and wear three different ways. Sadly I did  not have the perfect pair of  shoes.  On my way to the airport I stopped at Nordstrom’s and bought lovely black pumps similar to this picture. Lovely as in stunning.  As in similar to these lovely shoes:

As women, it’s no secret what we put our feet through for fashion.  How many times have you gone to a convention, a long day of walking, meetings? Walking in the front door, after stopping at the grocery store on your way home from work and greeted with little people barely able to unlock your swollen feet from your shoes?  At the end of the day, if you are lucky, all you want to do soak your feet into a bubble bath.  I have even asked to change hotel rooms if there is not a full bath, just for my feet. (note I do not have large feet).

 I had a meeting within 45 minutes of my plane landing, so I wore my new shoes onto the flight.  I thought I could break these shoes in for the few hours in flight.  Truth be told, I had to take these lovelies off within five minutes of my flight.  My plane landed, feet back into shoes, walking the airport and into the cab, shoes off.  Shoes on, out of the cab, check into hotel, short walk to meeting, oh Lordy burning feet?  Thinking I will kick shoes off under the table at first meeting.  Shake hands and then informed “we are going to walk the show floor to get some insights and inspirations on this project.”  Smiling, gritting teeth and completely distracted by aching feet.  Sound familiar? Four hours later, finally sitting, shoes off and realizing that the blisters on my heals are beyond repair.  Crippled.  How on earth am I going to walk another foot in these shoes, let alone two more days.  Meeting over, shoes painfully back on, painfully fake smiling and now moving onto dinner meeting.  Shoes off under the table.

These really are very comfortable shoes, and it’s not often that my feet don’t have those sneaky breaks under a table.  Come on, we ALL do that. I know I am not the only one.  I am not a shoe horse. I am not really very fashionable.  Ask my family and friends, I take all the hints and pointers I can. I actually had a friend take me to Beverly Hills in the 90′s just to teach me how to dress for business.  I think I need her again, as I am certain my wardrobe is still mid-nineties. I shop at Nordstroms, when I can, because they do take notice of my fashion flaws a gracefully direct me.  I was informed by the sweet gal who sold me the shoes that “you want to spend a little time to break in your shoes.” Apparently in flight was a fail to breaking in my shoes.

I HAD to get replacements fast. I still had two days left in these shoes.  Some may be asking why I did not bring back ups.  This was to be a quick trip. I did not expect it to turn into meetings.  I just wanted to fade into the show, walk in tennis shoes and jeans and gather information needed to assist a client in buying decisions.  I was doing homework.

Did you know that hotels always have a boutique of fine fashions? I had only one choice. An open back shoe, a slip on.  Something that would not hinder my walking due to large quarter size blisters on my heals.  There was only one pair of shoes.  Prada was the answer.  This is not the exact shoe, but similar to the one I had found.

Only one pair of  slip-ons could be found for just over $800.00.  I called my executive director (my husband) and asked if I could write off a pair of shoes?  He laughed.  In the entertainment business it’s acceptable.  After my act of fake smiles, and jovial conversations  I felt like I should get an award and the entertainment value in just that.  I asked if we could open a file for a new client named “Prada” and she was already costing the company, big time.  Again he laughed. I had no choice. I bought the shoes.  I still have them and with working from my home office rarely wear them. Until one day I was out with my daughter and looked at her feet.  Wearing my client “Prada” and then just smiling.  Some one is getting some good wear in those shoes.

Moral of the story?  Yes, there is one, or two, or three.

1. Do not buy shoes on your way to the airport, if they are going to be your only pair of shoes to wear for long periods of time. Bring back ups, unless you want to fork out some serious cash, or open a new client named “Prada”

2.  If your feet are in trouble, grin and bear it.  You don’t want to report that you lost a client over poor shoe choices.

3.  Leaving your shoes out will result in your children playing dress up, and then you must go digging in their room to find that one shoe.  Once in that kids room, you notice how dull and boring your kids room is and think, wow I should decorate this kids room, to which you now have a source.  That Interior Designer who blogged about shoes.

I knew I could bring it all back to kids room design.  Take care How You Wear Your Shoes.

Dare I say you have your own way in How You Wear Your Shoes…..