Years ago, I subscribed to the following belief:
“Any shoe that doesn’t have a 4-inch heel is called a sneaker.”
Obnoxious, wasn’t I? Yeah, I was that 20-year old who teetered to work in stiletto heels, never stumbling or wavering. And after 8 hours at the office, I’d party it up at the club in a different pair of cute stilettos. Did I feel pain? Meh, I don’t remember. It was all about the shoes.
Well, I’ve since learned another saying. And it includes something about eating my words. Because the truth is, after five years, two kids and a work-at-home job (where I’m literally barefoot for 23 out of 24 hours each day), I’ve developed an aversion to anything that doesn’t feel completely, absolutely, persistently comfy. Reality: sneakers are my preferred mode of fashion these days.
So, rather than deny my need for comfort, I’ve decided to embrace it; setting aside my heels for special occasions and rocking flats whenever socially acceptable.
Which brings about another problem. It’s called #ShoeShame.
Shoe shame is a feeling most fashionistas have when they enter a room and are immediately confronted by a sea of stilettos – while they stare down at their frumpy, chunky flats. To experience shoe shame, one must be a) a former heels wearer, b) incredibly vain, or c) a combination of the two. Guilty.
Of course, there is a remedy to shoe shame. And that is to buy a few pairs of FUFs – also known as F-U Flats. FUFs are generally designer shoes that are sleek, sophisticated and convey a very strong message: “I didn’t feel like wearing heels today so F-U, I decided to throw on my (insert frivolous designer here) flats that probably cost more than your monthly car payment.”
I know, it’s silly. But there’s a reason why Tory Burch’s Reva flats are $225, no?
Hence, I decided that if I wasn’t going to put out, I might as well ante up. So I bought my own FUFs.
Sleek and sophisticated? Check. Frivolous designer? Check. Monthly car payment? Not nearly as much, but in the ballpark, so check. And the best part? I feel confident, put together, and most importantly, incredibly stylish when I wear them. However, there’s just one small problem……