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Shopping is like hunting, sometimes you return with significant
bounty, and sometimes you starve. The
most fertile of hunting grounds is Downtown L.A.’s garment district. In a random store off Santee Alley I spotted a
five dollar bin of sparkling shoes. It
was so unreal that I thought I had been entranced by some sort of shopping mirage. Could it be that these exotic creatures were
really only five dollars? It couldn’t be—they
were hand beaded and genuine leather. These
are the type of shoes that retail for at least $45 at Anthropologie. I was completely in disbelief. I crept up slowly to the vessel containing
the shoes as though rushing toward them would alert other size six shoppers of
my magnificent find.
Once I was face to face with the bin, it was like I was
staring at a gaggle of gazelles, cocked gun in hand, patiently waiting, eying
them to choose which one I wanted to take under my submission. I was searching for the right fit, and
suddenly it hit me. I knew exactly why
these exotic slippers had been relegated to the five dollar bin. Each shoe was truly unique. There was no standard size or even a left or
right foot. This was the type of
shopping akin to hunting rare birds while sitting in a camouflaged tree house
for days on end. My challenge was to
find two shoes that fit me, and that happened to be a true pair. In a bin filled with shoes of all sizes and
varying shades, this was exactly the type of shopping challenge that would
scare the average buyer away, but not me.
Rising to the occasion, I developed a methodical plan to
hunt down my perfect pair. I tried on
each shoe that looked like it fit until I found one that did. I discarded all oversized shoes in another
bin to avoid trying the same ones on over and over. It was so easy finding one shoe that fit,
which left finding its complementary shoe completely agonizing. After trying on virtually every shoe marked
size six in a fifty gallon barrel filled with imported, sparkly flats, I
managed to emerge victorious with one silver and one peach pair. When I came home with my bounty, my adrenaline
was still pumping after the thrill of the chase.
The next day I sported my silver beaded slippers with a pair
of jean shorts and a breezy, white button down shirt. I accessorized with a beaded teal statement
necklace to add color, but to keep that safari look. I also love the shoes with my silk, floral
flouncy skirt and just about everything else feminine in my closet. They are beautiful, delicate, and elegant, so
naturally I adore them. My mom took one
look at them and said, “Ooh, can you get me a pair so I can wear them around
the house?” “Around the house?!” I exclaimed. Clearly she did not recognize the painstaking
effort that went into finding these shoes.
Perhaps one day I will be that woman who only wears designer shoes and
sends her daughter articles entitled, “Spending more for good shoes saves in
long run.” Until that day, I will
continue to wear my five dollar shoes everywhere like a proud hunter displays
her conquered game.
