Hitting the Thrift Store Jackpot

The other day I was wandering around a thrift shop killing time and looking for nothing in particular.  I browsed rack after rack and found a few cute designer skirts, but nothing that was really worth buying.  My annual New Year’s resolution is to stop buying clothes just because I can get a good deal (unless, of course, I can get a really, really good deal), and strictly to buy pieces that I just can’t live without.  As I was walking toward the exit empty handed, I got distracted by something shiny.  A pair of gold stack heels caught my eye.  I examined the specimen with scrutiny—the top of the almond-toe pump had a woven metallic pattern with a thin gold platform and gold piping.  They were in great condition, and just like any metallic shoes, these really do go with everything.

I held my breath as I flipped them over to see if they were my size.  At this point I was already in deep and head over heels for them (ok, yeah, that was a terrible pun).  They might as well have said “eureka!” on the bottom of the soles because they were stamped with those two magic words, “vero cuoio.”  Translation: REAL LEATHER.  It's the stamp of the trade organization of Italian tanneries, indicating Italian-made leather was the material used to construct the sole.  In the current world of cheap, trendy, and disposable, I found quality metallic pumps in my size—I experienced the gold rush.

I just had to get over the fact that these shoes belonged to someone else first.  This thought alone totally weirded me out until I contemplated all the gross places my bare feet have been…Venice beach, sweaty dance studio floors, and of course, that time in college when I lost my flip flop at a foam party then walked the whole way home.  In the grand scheme of things, a lightly-worn “pre-owned” pair of fancy shoes isn’t that big of a deal. 

If you aren’t lucky enough to find your own pot of gold at the end of the thrift store rainbow, here is my pick for the best vero cuio pair of metallic pumps (JCrew Everly Mirror Metallic Pumps).  They are a significantly more than the mere fifteen buck bargain I found, but they pretty much go with everything.  You can pair these with skinny pants (of every color), pencil skirts, and even flouncy dresses.  Give your nude heels a break because these too go with every color and pattern!