> CD #27: A shoe story

Are you a shoe person? I wouldn’t describe myself as one, mainly because of this girl I once worked with who told me she lived by herself in a two-bedroom apartment and the second room was devoted entirely to housing her 75+ pairs of shoes. No judgment here, but that is who I think of when I think “shoe person.”

Still, I appreciate a good pair of shoes and the way they can elevate an outfit (or elevate my 4’11” frame when necessary). I also like how shoes are democratic in a way that clothing is not. A great pair of shoes will look good on anyone. You don’t have to be built like a model. All you need is some sort of foot-like appendages to put ‘em on and you’re good to go.

Unfortunately, my pandemic lifestyle gives me zero opportunity to wear my good shoes, and they’ve been sitting in a sad sack at the back of our closet for more than a year. I mean, I guess I could wear heels on the school run, but that seems kind of extra—especially when paired with a down jacket and windproof sweatpants. Or I could wear them at home, I suppose, but the Asian in me AND the Canadian in me (I contain multitudes) are both appalled at the idea of wearing shoes inside the house.

So I’m going to draw one of my favourite pairs here and tell you a little story instead.

These Chie Mihara heels are remarkably comfortable and go with more outfits than you’d think. As with many of my clothing items, they are stand-ins for an earlier version, lost when our house burned down. When I went to replace that first pair, the style had already been discontinued, so I wandered around the store for a bit and landed on this pair. More accurately, I spotted the right shoe of this pair on a plinth in the front window—and when the salesperson brought out its mate, it was clear the sun had faded the shoe on display. She offered me a discount, suggesting that I leave the left one out on my rear car dash for a month in the sun to make them match.

SOLD, lol.

Of course, it’s been almost nine years and I never did get around to putting the left shoe out to fade, partly because I have tinted rear windows and partly because I’m lazy. And you know what? Nobody has ever pointed out the difference. In fact, I hardly notice it. And even when I do, I don’t really care.

Nothing’s perfect, I tell myself, and perfection is overrated. If the shoes matched perfectly, I wouldn’t have this story. And what is a writer without a story?

:) Teresa

---

What is happening even?? Closet Dispatch is a free, limited-run weekly newsletter by Teresa Wong.