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!

Day 32---Dark Brown Flat Oxfords

I must really love this style of shoes for some unknown reason!

I grew to love them after going on vacation in Europe this summer. While were were traveling in France, England, and Scotland, I saw SO MANY people wearing this style and I totally adopted it for myself into my own wardrobe.

These particlar Oxfords are 1 out of 3 pairs of Oxfords that I own. I already wore my high heeled Oxfords earlier this week (see Monday's post) and now I have one last pair to wear at some point in the next 19 days! These shoes are from a fabulous place that I tend to buy most of my wardrobe from---Forever 21! LOVE IT!

I must begrudgingly admit that these shoes are NOT very comfortable. They actually pinch my poor little baby pinkie toesies a wee bit, but however, I will suffer for style. I love that they are Chocolate Brown---not tan---I think that I strangely justify owning 3 pairs of virtually the same exact shoes, because they are all SLIGHTLY different. Just ever-so-slightly different...as in one is high heels, while the other 2 are flats---one tan and one chocolate brown. The tan flats have purple laces (I did that myself...gotta spice things up a bit!). These shoes are popular with the teenagers today. For some reason they were all really into them.

I wore them with a colorful sundress (thank you, God, for this goregous weather!) and my yellow cardigan. I also took a picture so that you can see what kind of shoes 14 year old boys are wearing these days (see above) and also took a picture with my photographer, Karen, of my Oxfords and her AllStars.

I'm so glad it's Friday! I am going to the Stagecoach Country Music Festival this weekend, where I will play round after round of kickball, drink CoorsLight (gotta keep it just a little bit "white-trashy"), and probably sweat all day long out in Indio. Ahhhh....the joys of having a tradition with your friends. Here's to camping all weekend long and waking up with the sun!

P.S. I will take pictures, but I won't post til Monday for Saturday and Sunday....I will definitely NOT be posting while camping in the dirt! Yeehaw! :)

Day 31---Leopard Peep Toe "Flats"

Grrr, Baby, Grrr.



Ahh Leopard. I went through a period of time in my life where I wore SOMETHING Leopard print EVERY SINGLE DAY. It was my "thing", you know, like how some people wear all black all the time? Except I was this chubby woman (this was pre-Weight Watchers, people), trying to finish college, and wearing the LOUDEST kind of print there is....ANIMAL! Word to the wise: if you want to be a "wallflower", DON'T wear leopard print....it tends to DRAW attention to you, not repel attention! What can I say? I've always been quite loud, so it shouldn't be shocking that my clothes are even LOUDER!

Some days when I am leaving for work (not so often anymore) my sister will say "Oh, you're wearing one of your "special" outfits"....this means that I am mis-matched, wearing clashing colors, multiple prints, crazy tights, weird shoes, a crazy headband....you get the picture. I had a student tell me recently: "Miss Davis, what's up with your clothes? Like, all the time?" A less confident person might have been offended, but I however took this as the utmost of compliments. As the great Bonnie Rait once sang, "Let's give 'em somethin' to talk about"...if people are talking, then I'm interesting. Also, I am almost 100% certain that I have a deep childhood obsession with "Punky Brewster" and I just want to be the grown-up version of her. Goal achieved. (Plus, my sister used to walk ten steps---at the minimum---ahead of me into school when we were little because kids would point at me and tell their moms things like "Hey Mommy, there's the girl who never matches"....other kids would go home and cry, but I'm telling you, I love being the center of attention and I loved it...this all probably explains my profession.)

Anyway, these Leopard Peep Toe nearly-flat shoes are the spoils of my journey through the "Animal Print Era". I bought these shoes from Target, and unlike the White Wedge Sandals from Tuesday, these are actually quite comfortable. When I am not in the mood for heels, but I still want to look a bit dressy, I will throw these bad boys on---because they are the kind of shoes that I can wear with a dress or, like I did today, with shorts. I usually end up wearing them with another print, and looking what some people might call "ridiculous". I however, think I look amazing. :) LOVE the leopard shoes. I still love anything leopard. In fact, I just got a PURPLE Leopard Cardigan for Christmas this year from my parents. They're such enablers. :)

Day 30---Black Peep Toe Platform Heels

When I want to feel like "Jenny from The Block" I wear my hair in a French Braid and put on some Platform Heels. Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got :)




I must say that I just LOVE LOVE LOVE shoes that are random brands. You know, the ones you buy from like "Vision Shoes", "Price Shoes" (all my Downey Girls know what I'm talking about!), and even from Ross or Marshall's. Even more lovable are random brand shoes that are gifted to me from a friend whose feet they do not fit!

These shoes fit into both of those categories. They are some random brand ("Anna Michelle"????) and they were given to me by Stephanie Garrido because they did not fit quite right. Look at me now....super cute shoes which were....FREEEEE!!!!!!! LOVE IT! And I really like these shoes a lot. Admittedly they are NOT the MOST comfortable shoes that I have in my closet, but they are FAR from being the most UN-comfortable. Does that make sense? Unlike the only two pairs of shoes that I have posted thus far, I continuously wear these---despite their lack of being 100% comfortable. You know you ALL have "those shoes" in your closet. The ones that are just ever-so-slightly "off", but you continue to wear them because they are cute, dangit. :) That's these shoes for me.

I really like that they are Black and have a deceivingly "woven" platform heel (aka they are wood/plastic that are painted to look like they are made out of straw or something). Nevertheless, they are cute. These are a "power shoe". I am tall---but not too tall---when I wear them. I can walk comfortably, prowl about my classroom, run out to cheer practice in Bear Alley...let's just say that I am pretty much planning on achieving World Domination while wearing these shoes.

On a random note, I read in my Cosmo Magazine that while wearing very high heels was once considered to be a danger to women, we are now instead being encouraged to wear the highest of heels because they can be used as a weapon. I could not agree more Cosmo. Thank you for confirming the validity of my "heel height" obsession. I am only trying to be safe. Duh.

A special "shout out" to all of my random readers out there. Every day I have had at least one person---friends, long-lost friends, friends of friends, co-workers---tell me that they've been reading my BLOG. Random. But it is the kind of random-ness that I love. Not as much as I love Random Shoe Brands, like the ones I wore today, but loved all the same. Thank you for reading my ramblings. It means a lot to me.

And use a High Heel for protection. Cosmo says to do it.