Winter Fashion 2009: Shoes and Boots

If there is any more excruciating torture than having to choose only five styles of shoes to be the top five fall fashions, it would have to be like having my skin peeled, one strip at a time. I love shoes. They are therapy and a reward for me. Unlike most women, I hate to shop. Shopping leaves me irritable and exhausted, and I avoid it whenever possible. The only shopping that I truly enjoy is shoe shopping. When I bring home shoes, my husband groans, but in my defense, a lot of my shoes are given to me by friends and family, so he cannot complain about how much money I spend on shoes. That does not stop him from complaining about how many pairs I have.

I have looked for the winter fashion trends in boots and shoes through the websites of many stores. I find it more useful to know what shoes are going to be available in the chain stores that are common in most towns than to look at the style that the supermodels wear on the catwalk. Depending on your income, the trends will be easy to follow. I looked up shoes and boots on the websites of Dillards, J.C. Penney, Payless, Target and Walmart. Oh, baby! That was so much fun. I love to have an excuse to drool over shoes. I started with Dillards, since I was certain they would be the most expensive collection in my area. I was correct, but J.C. Penney was close behind them. While Target, Walmart and Payless do not have the name brands, I was glad to see many shoes that were excellent replicas of the beauties on the more expensive sites. There are fringes, ornaments, faux jewels, vivid hues and the good basic colors, too. I tend to prefer them in basic colors, and whether or not I like the ornamentation depends on the shoe's overall style.

First, I chose to look at the boots. I could not choose any one pair, but I did choose my favorite style. I like the boots that are straight-leg, so my feet and legs do not feel as if they are being squeezed out of a tube. There are a lot of gorgeous boots that I cannot wear because my calves are not narrow enough. I would choose something that closely replicates the western-style low "Harness 8R" by Frye at www.dillards.com. The shaft of the boot is eight inches tall, open enough to not squeeze the calf, and the heel is low enough to be less of a hazard. However, I would not be able to bring myself to spend two hundred twenty-eight dollars on a pair of boots, so I would look to the less expensive places or wait until the clearance to get a good price. Payless, Target and Walmart have similar styles at a fraction of the cost at approximately thirty dollars at any of the three.

Second, I love the style of loafers with high heels. The combination of class with the attractiveness of a woman in heels is a good balance between conservative and racy. I always feel much more feminine in a pair of heels. However, I am human, and my poor feet can only take so much abuse. High-heeled loafers are a great compromise, since they tend to be wider than normal pumps, I find them more comfortable. The pair I liked the most was Skechers "Theory" for fifty-five dollars at Dillards. I have had good experiences with Skechers, so I would be willing to spend that amount for them. However, since money is tight, I would more likely talk myself out of them and go to Payless to get the similar Dexter "Bristol Penny Moc" for less than thirty dollars or Walmart for twenty. Sometimes, it is no fun to be responsible and among the working poor. Really, the "Mocs" are quite cute, and I do love Dexters.

It is a little weird to me that I find the high-heeled Mary Janes to be so adorable. I used to hate it when my mother would not let me wear sandals in thirty-degree weather, so I would put them in my backpack, get to the end of our road, change shoes and put the MJ's in a ditch until I picked them back up on the way home. Yes, I was a sneaky and horrible child. I find it ironic that I think they are so cute, now. Penney's has a cute pair by Worthington, called "Trixie." At forty-five dollars for the sale price, though, I would look to Target for their Xhileration Sadira Mary Jane Pumps at twenty dollars.

Who does not love an easy pair of slip-ons? I especially love them when I can leave the house and have them feel like I never had to switch from my house shoes to my "can be seen in public" shoes. I do have a tween, after all. I really love the look of the Frye "Belt-Harness" mule. However, since it is a Dillards shoe, the cost of one hundred forty-eight dollars a pair just gives me angina. I have to say that the Women's Mossimo Supply Co. "Odelia" Clogs, are just as adorable, and since they only cost twenty dollars, I am more likely to be happy to make do. Clogs and mules are just a simple way to be comfortable and cute.

Now, for my final shoe style, I have a conundrum. Do I choose the really high boots, the high-heeled pumps, or tennis shoes? Hmmm. Oh, alright, I just have to go with the tennis shoes. We all need them. Also, to be honest I need to use them to try some walking. I recently heard about a new shoe that that helps a walker get the most benefit from the exercise. When I searched, I found mbt.com, and it had a Iarge assortment of styles. However, the price was my objection. The pair of shoes that I liked was two hundred forty-five dollars. I think not! I checked Dillards' website and found the Skechers Women's "Shape Up-Action Packed," walking shoe for one hundred dollars. It has the same curved sole. I could use the extra muscle tone and other benefits of continuous exercise. They are a bit goofy-looking, but the benefits outweigh the ugliness.

I will repeat; this assignment has been a strange combination of joy and pain for me. I love to see all the wonderful shoes and boots, but it is painful to not be buying anything. Well, it could be worse. I do have a lot of terrific footwear at my home. I could probably get a job in a shoe store or department, but I would be wasting my time. Every penny of my paycheck would be spent before I got it. I will continue working in education and sighing over the wonderful shoes. I hope I gave some ideas about what shoes are available and how to find more affordable shoes like the name brand shoes. If you visit any of the sites that I have listed as sources, you will be able to shop and compare for yourself. I always advise somebody to look around. You can find many near-replicas of the shoes that you like the most for a much more reasonable price. There are many shoes out this season, and every personality needs different ones. Good luck and happy hunting!

http://www.dillards.com

http://www.payless.com

http://www.target.com/

http://www.walmart.com/

http://us.mbt.com