Buy the Shoes

Buy the Shoes

Jun 25, 2020Ann Steeves

Peeps, there has been little sewing going on around here of late, other than masks. I am working sporadically on my Style Arc Armidale Dress, but between doing a huge buying trip last week and the aftermath (photographing and cataloguing), I get home at night and all I want to do is eat dinner, watch an episode of "Avatar" or "Letterkenny", and go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat.

That, plus the mood of the country is pretty [insert negative adjective here] these days, and that doesn't make me feel very creative.

But two weeks ago, I got an email from my favorite shoe designer. The "cover photo" was a pair of bright red espadrilles.

When I say my jaw fell and I gasped, I am not exaggerating. I saw them and I was all

So, going against my combination cheap Irish and cheap New-England-Yankee upbringing, I actually paid full price for a pair of expensive shoes. And you know what? I'm REALLY glad I did. Every time I wear these shoes, they make me happy. People stop me in the grocery store and tell me how much they like them. My husband told me he loves the way I look in them. My son - who is a total fashion plate, btw - saw me heading to the office in them today and said, "Wow mom, you look good. Nice shoes." The first time I wore them, I walked out to my mailbox and the UPS guy, who was driving by, stopped and said, "Those are great shoes!"

What's the lesson from all this? Every once in a while, you have to say, "What the f***" and buy or do something that makes you ridiculously happy. It could be buying a pair of shoes. It could be buying some fabric that you've been thinking about. It could be calling a friend you haven't spoken to in ages. It could be going to the beach and contemplating the waves. It could be anything. But if it makes you happy in these dreadfully unhappy times, DO IT. You deserve it. 

And here's a picture of me, in the shoes. I picked the outfit to complement the shoes. And I am ridiculously happy with it.

Do something good for yourself. It helps, it really does.

Happy sewing,

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