Day 39---"Guess" Slip-Ons

"All that I am, or ever wish to be, I owe to my Mother."---Abraham Lincoln





HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO THE MOST AMAZING MOM IN THE WORLD....JUDY DAVIS!!!

Okay, okay, enough with the "mushiness"...let's get down to business. These shoes are RIDICULOUS. And NOT in a Fabulous way. They are ridiculous in a "Wow, you're wearing a pair of shoes dripping with the "Guess" logo" way. I am a firm believer in the concept that I refuse to pay hundreds of dollars for a purse, shirt, shoes (you get the point) that has the brand all over it (ie Coach, Louis Vuitton, GUESS...etc) They should be PAYING ME to wear their stuff. I am not free advertising here people. Am I right?

Therefore, these shoes are ridiculous. My sister reminded me when I bought them---and it is Textbook Me. I bought them, like I buy much of my wardrobe, based off of a feeling. I had this idea that I needed to buy "cool teacher clothes, shoes, accessories" right before I started student teaching. Hence, these sensible (and ridiculous) Guess flat tennis shoes. They are just HIDEOUS. And furthermore, they do not fit. They are about one whole size too big (I bought them in my pre-Weight Watcher days and my feet shrunk about one size when I lost weight), so they continuously slip off of my heel and rub the back of my foot in a totally uncomfortable way. WOW! I sound like such a complainer. But, if I have discovered anything from this 51 Day Shoe Challenge, it's that if I want to downsize my shoe "situation", then I need to more selective when it comes to choosing my shoes. And, I need to aggressively purge my closet of at least a few pairs of my shoes.

So, if memory serves me correct, I am now up to 3 pairs of shoes that I will get rid of at the end of this. It is also funny to think about why I bought these shoes and how my clothing decisions as I have become a more "seasoned" teacher have changed throughout the years. I have come to realize that I do not need to dress "like a teacher", but just as a more polished/conservative version of myself. Does that make sense? If I can't wear all of the stuff that I buy in all aspects of my life, then why am I buying it all?

Something to consider. I really need to stop shopping. The only problem is---gosh....it's just so fun. I love clothes. And duh, I love shoes even more. It's a sickness. Like flat shoes. Only not as serious.

Day 38---Brown Leather Knee High Boots

These are my "I Want to Look Like Megan Fox in TRANSFORMERS" Boots. I bought them on a whim, off of ZAPPOS.COM, the day after I saw TRANSFORMERS 2 in the movie theater. You know how Megan Fox's character is running all around the desert in white jeans and brown, knee high, leather riding boots? And she looks smoking hot? And all the guys just want her so badly? Well, I wanted to "channel" that vibe. Now, I know that I am NOWHERE near the hotness level of Megan Fox (married to David Silver aka Brian Austin Green) but I try nonetheless.

So, let me just telllllll you something! I wore these boots to THE PRINCE CONCERT LAST NIGHT!!!!! This is by far the coolest, most kick-ass place that I have ever worn these boots! Prince was amazing. He is playing a total of 21 shows at The Forum in Inglewood and I WANT TO GO AGAIN!!!!! I danced my BOOTY off all night long with these boots on!

I went with my friend Daniela and her husband Jeremy and his friend Mike. And we had a dance party for about 3 hours straight. IT WAS AWESOME. Prince is fantastic. He is such a cocky little man. I hilariously thought that I was the sassiest high heel wearer in the greater Los Angeles area, but that was before I was in the same arena as Prince. HE is THE MAN. Never has there ever been a man who wears high heels as well as The Artist does.

Ahhh....I will never be able to think of anything other than Prince when I wear these boots now. I am so happy that I got to go to this concert. I always ask people weird questions, and one of the questions is always "If you could be front stage, have a backstage pass, hang out with the band after their show, who would you choose?" I have always said Mariah Carey (circa the "Always Be My Baby" Era) but however, after seeing Prince, I think my mind has been changed!

Thank You Daniela and Jeremy! What an amazing birthday present it was! I love the Sancheelers! (and Prince)

Day 37---Dark Brown Ankle Boots

I have had these boots for a couple of years now and sadly I do not wear them often. I totally should! When I first bought them, they were sort of in style and then they weren't in style at all and now they are back in style. Phew! Just goes to show how "fickle" fashion can be! I'm never getting rid of anything! It might come back in style!!!!

Do you remember Sarah Jessica Parker's clothing line "Bitten" that was sold at Steve&Barry's??? Well, these are "Bitten" and I bought them from the Steve&Barry's at the Block. I bought them right before I started student teaching because I really needed to "class up" my wardrobe....aka....it was NOT going to be okay for me to wear flipflops or my FUGGS to class as a teacher. Dang!

These boots are super cool. They have a little side zipper with a bow detail at the top of the back of the boot. They have a round pointed toe and a totally acceptable Heel Height. (of the utmost importance, duh!) I love that they are now back in style! Even one of my cheerleaders told me today that SHE OWNS THESE SHOES! (she's super stylish and apparently has been since middle school...Middle/High School were not the "Fashion Show" back in my day that they are now!)

What I love about ankle boots is that they can be worn with skirts (if you're daring, have long legs, and are not worried about looking like you have "cankles"---calf-ankles), they can also be worn with long pants and they look just like any other pair of boots, but they are not as restricting (nice!), or they can be worn how I chose to wear them today, with a slouchy pair of boyfriend denim jeans cuffed up, a loose t-shirt, and--as always--some cute accessories. These shoes are truly versatile. Too bad that the "Bitten" brand seems to have gone by the wayside; they had some really cute and inexpensive items.

I can't believe that I am ALREADY on Day 37! Wild! I am really getting down to the "nitty gritty" of my shoe wardrobe....yikes! You are going to start seeing some super interesting shoes---readers BEWARE!

Day 36---Cowboy Boots!

Yee-to-the-Haw. In honor of my AMAZINGLY fun weekend that I just experienced, and from which I am going to have total withdrawals, I wore my Brown Cowboy Boots today!

I just love these boots. They are so fun and cute. And, like almost every single pair of shoes in my closet, these are OF COURSE from a wedding! I wore these babies in my friends Stephanie and Anthony Garrido's wedding. It was a "classy country" themed extravaganza in Pala, California last October. SO MUCH FUN!!!! I had an AMAZING time in these shoes. Our bridesmaids dresses were SO FREAKING CUTE (navy blue, strapless) and we all wore (even the bride!) cowboy boots! It was the first wedding that I have been in that we wore FLAT SHOES! And, thank goodness we wore boots, because there were uneven surfaces GALORE (it was on a RANCH for goodness sakes!) and we really got our party on! (See Above Photos!) The Hinsbergers/Garridos really know how to throw a fun and fabulous party. We even took the after party to the Pala Casino and played the penny slots, ate at the buffet, and climbed over fences to sneak into the pool area. I keep it classy always.

I look down at the dirt that is stuck in between the leather and the sole of the boot and am just imagining where exactly it came from. Did it come from the Garrido Wedding? Did it come from Stagecoach? Did it come from today out at Cheer Practice? I don't know. All I do know is that these boots have stories to tell. You know how they say "If Walls Could Talk, the stories they would tell...."??? Well, if my shoes could talk, they would tell some crazy stories! Especially from Stephanie and Anthony's wedding! It was so fun to be a part of their wedding (and I know that I say that about every wedding I've talked about, but it's totally true)....they are such a cool, relaxed, loving couple. I really love and appreciate them. And I loved and appreciated them even more after I got to wear sweet Cowboy Boots in their wedding!

Also, please take note of my Shakespeare "Swag" (as my students call it) my "O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?" T-Shirt....It is my favorite time of the year in Freshman English; we are beginning to read "Romeo and Juliet"!!!! Love, Betrayal, Back-Stabbing, Family Drama, Murder, Double Suicide...ahhhhhh LOVE IT!

Day 35---Campagne Ruffly T-Strap Heels

Since I wore my "I'm Giving Up Shoes" from Bianca Arceo-Farina's Bachelorette Party yesterday, I thought it would only be fitting to wear the shoes from her wedding, today!

Now, it might seem as if I still have every single pair of shoes from every single wedding that I have been in, but that would not be the case. I got rid of several pairs that just did not have sufficient heel height right before I moved out of my parents house in December. Thank goodness I did that---or I would have to be wearing some pretty gnarly shoes! (I was not as addicted to heel height back in the day)

These shoes are from DSW and I bought them solely because I needed a pair of "champagne colored, not closed toe, not too high" heels for Bianca's wedding. (no big deal, right?.....as we know from the current "yellow heel" situation, finding a specific pair of shoes is not really my strong suit!) NEvertheless, I found these shoes after much searching at my usual "haunts" (Henry's Shoe Experience, Marshall's, Ross, Nordstrom Rack) but to no avail....my mom ALWAYS suggests DSW. Luckily we have one of those right here in good ole' D-Town at The Landing! And, I totally scored on these "Kelly&Katie" shoes! They are just TO DIE FOR! So adorable---I always get a lot of compliments when I wear them and, similar to my nude pumps from the other day, they pretty much go with anything and everything in my wardrobe. That very fact has made getting dressed for work when wearing these shoes very difficult! With other shoes, their color or heel height (so important) has made the outfits I can wear them with limited. However, these ones go with everything, so I just HAD to try EVERYTHING on in my closet this morning. NOT GOOD. When I left this morning for work, it looked as though my closet threw up on my bed. (gross analogy, right??)

But, it's okay....I'll do anything for fashion! These shoes helped me to navigate my way down the aisle in the beautiful chapel at Loyola Marymount, dance my way into the reception at Park Plaza, and even perform a choreographed "first dance" with the whole bridal party to "Thriller" for the Arceo-Farina Nuptuals. What a fun night! And a super special couple. Bianca and Danny are two of the most awesome, welcoming and kind people I know. I would search for shoes to wear in their wedding a hundred more times because I love them so much.

Here's to always being a Bridesmaid. Awesome.

Day 34---Yellow Beaded Sandals

I call these my "I'm Giving Up and Giving In to the Flat Shoe Disease" Sandals.




I feel like I have been looking up at people all day long today---I commented to all the boys in my 4th period class that they were looking rather TALL today...and one of the boys told me that it's because I'm not wearing my "crazy high heels" today. Haha...Love Them.

These Sandals, of course, have a story. And it goes out to any of you ladies who have ever gone out in Las Vegas for perhaps a Bachelorette Party. Now, if you know my friends, then you know that Bachelorette Parties in Vegas are an excuse to, as I like to say, "Rage Against the Machine" aka get wild and crazy. This usually consists, at least partially of, getting dressed up and putting on SUPER high heels and going out on the town. So, for my good friend Bianca's Bachelorette Party this past September, WE RAGED. In a serious way.

This leads me to these sandals. You might be thinking to yourself something like: "Gosh Ali, those don't look like Super High-Going-Out-Heels. Why ever would you be wearing them in Vegas of all places?" And I will tell you this: the weather was amazing, we sipped beverages by the pool all day long, got dressed up and went out on the town, and about 1/2 way through the night, I had to give up. Now, I am the first person to say that Flat Shoes are a disease and taking off your shoes before the night is over is like Giving Up and Losing the Fight. And usually I am a winner in that battle. I can Rock my Heels all day and all night, but this particular night, it was NOT happening.

So, I broke down, walked into a store in the Forum Shops (for all my people familiar with Vegas, you know where I'm talking about!) and purchased these lovely sandals. They felt like what I imagine Heaven will feel like when I put them on my aching feet...amazing. I have to admit that this is the FIRST time that I have worn them since that night---I know, I know....I have a problem---but they really are super cute and fabulous. My feet have been comfy all day long. It's nice to give my feet a little break from the Battle of the Heel every now and again. Today was one of those days. PLUS, I had to help with some ASB stuff today, so I wanted to wear my Warren Gear (blue and gold!) and these shoes went PERFECTLY! I also understand that....GASP! These are YELLOW SHOES, and I am currently in the market for YELLOW SHOES for Summer and Kelly's wedding, but these are not going to work. I must have a heel.

On a sidenote, I have a pair of heels that are taunting me right now from the top shelf of my closet. Every day they look at me, I look at them, and I decide that today is not the day that I will wear them. I am nervous to wear them. They are VERY high. They are VERY intense. I think I will keep my readers in suspense for a little while longer. I will say that they could potentially have been worn my Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman"...they are nothing like my innocent yellow sandals from today.

My shoes have personalities. Do yours?

Day 33---Nude Nine West Platform Heels

So, I took the weekend off...because I was with my friends at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, California! It was SO FUN! So HOT!(see my poor burned feet...apparently spray-on sunscreen is not as effective as I anticipated!) So CROWDED! (see the photo of the venue---55,000 people!) I had an amazing time! Since I was literally camping in the dirt, there was no way that I was going to be able to get my "BLOG on" over the weekend! SORRY! (I know, I know....there are SO MANY people who are checking their computers every 5 minutes to see what I've posted! haha YEAH RIGHT!)It was a great weekend, with great friends, great activities (kickball, flipcup, running around in the dirt), great music---Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Josh Turner...to name a few! I love my life.

ALSO I got the most kick-ass birthday present of ALL TIME....PRINCE TICKETS!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to go and see him shake his little high heeled wearing booty all over The Forum on Saturday night. Perhaps I will wear a Raspberry Beret and Party Like It's 1999! Thanks Daniela Keeler. You are awesome!

Fast Forward to today---Monday morning, after driving home and getting to bed around 3AM---I AM EXHAUSTED! I literally woke up, and put on the first thing that my hands touched in my closet. Thank goodness that I have this pair of Nine West Nude Platform Heels to wear in a clutch situation. They literally go with anything. They are "sexy" as one of the Special Ed aides told me today at work! HAHA LOVE IT! Nude heels are a "must have" in anyone's shoe collection because they not only go with every single item in my wardrobe, but they alse create the illusion of LONG LEGS! And let's get serious here people, I am a DAVIS. I have SHORT LEGS. God did not bless us in that department.

As with most of my shoes, these have a history. I bought them to wear with my bridesmaids dress for Brittany and Isaac's wedding last February. And I have consistently worn them on an, at the very least, weekly basis. They are THAT great. Sure, they are a little bit too big (I bought them from Henry's Shoe Experience---on Telegraph by Downey Frantones) and I kind of had to settle for whatever nude shoes they had...and I got lucky with these ones. MY only complaint with these shoes is that whilst I was wearing them at Britt and Isaac's wedding, I slipped and "took a knee" in the lobby of the venue....I maintain to this day that someone (not sure who exactly) spilled a drink on the tile floor right before I walked through---THAT is why I fell---it most definitely did NOT have anything to do with the Open Bar. Absolutely not. :) Being a part of Britt and Isaac's wedding was such an honor---Britt is one of those really special friends. She has ALWAYS been such a blessing in my life and being able to wear these amazing shoes in an amazing wedding for such an amazing woman and the amazing man she loves was an HONOR.

Now, I will never put these shoes on without remembering WHY I have them, and also without remembering that the special ed aide told me that they are "sexy". Ahhh...not exactly the look I'm going for at work!