I’ve never worn those impossibly high heels and was so greatful when I was old enough that they went out of style for awhile. My aunt , who wore those stillettoes told me if your feet hurt, you hurt all over, so they may not be in fashion but I wear comfortable shoes when I can. Being diabetic never wear flip flops, but a lovely little ballet shoe or a shoe with an inch and a half heel is fine.

We never saw my mother as a rebel, but it turned out that she was. Her mother- our grandmother- was the Imelda Marcos of western Pennsylvania. She had beautiful shoes for every outfit- handcrafted of incredibly soft leathers and silks, always classically, subtlely stylish. She had worn heels for so long- even her slippers had heels!- that she could no longer walk comfortably barefoot because her achilles tendons had shortened over the years. But, with the obtuseness of the young, I did not realize that my apparantly utterly conventional, conflict-averse mother was in fact a rebel of the highest order! In our house we were all barefoot except when absolutely necessary- the depths of winter, going to school, that sort of thing. My mother kept a pair of sandals under the drivers seat of the car because she would often get to the shops only to find that she couldn’t go in because she was barefoot- so she would pull out her handy pair of sandals. Inside the front door of our house- in a very germanic or japanese way- there was (and still is) a row of shoes- everybody kicks the shoes off as soon as they come in the door. My mother changed many things about her life when she left home, and it started with her shoes.

I now listen to one man when it comes to advice for my shoes and the shoes make a difference in my crankiness hence my life. What man? you say. My orthopedist who tells me that Merrell’s are now the best for me. I have not had a pain in my feet since I started “Merrelling” . That same guy is smiling a lot these days, he tells me that the new rage of high heels gives him a lot of work. Young ladies be very kind to your feet, if you are lucky you will walk on them for many decades, remember that.

I never would have thought shoes would make such an impact on my daily living …………. that is, until I had back surgery last September! I have 4 pairs of Crocs now and always keep an extra pair in the car!

Yep. There is truth. I changed from sensible lace up oxfords to strappy dancing shoes. Now when I get dressed - the shoes are the first thing i choose!

Shoes are a necessary evil…I prepare to be barefoot. I hate to have my feet “enclosed” so I suffer through the winter in flats, longing for spring so I can start wearing my open toed shoes, my flip flops etc.

On my birthday (4/4/48) I mowsied on down to the Paniolo Western outfitter store at Ala Moana Center and bought myself a pair of $300.00 genuine leather hi-top fancy stitched cowboy boots (made in China of course) along with a black all wool Stetson with leather headband, and a shirt so colorful and precious even I might be embarrassed to wear it if I hadn’t invested approximately 1/10 of my entire savings account (what recession?) and didn’t already have an eye-popping turquoise bolo-tie and Western belt with a 3 inch polished opihi shell buckle to complete the ensemble. Depending on where I wear this get up, and I’m gonna wear it somewhere this weekend, I do suppose there’s a good chance something memorable might just transpire. Say a little prayer for me, please. ok, now I’m just about ready to quit you for tonite, wowOwow. mike/misha in honolulu

To think that everyday of my career I agonized over which pair of shoes to wear. I guess I must have thought that each person I met was going to judge me by my cute pair of shoes. And, maybe some did in the business world. I had pairs with buttons and others with bows. There were plain ones and spectators and pairs in each color of the rainbow. But no white ones because I thought my feet looked big in those. I always bought the most comfortable business dress shoes I could find, but at the end of the day even those began to feel like I had two sardine cans on my feet. Now I want comfort. I try to find the softest leather Dexter (not those ugly walking shoes either) shoes I can find. And my comfy old Isotoner house slippers for daily wear in the house. Tennis shoes make my feet hot and tired. Sandals make my heels turn hard and ugly with cracks. My life feels changed each time I put on my old comfy slippers. I feel relaxed and feminine. The next day, when I put on my soft Dexters I feel ready to meet the world. Because I know my feet and my shoes will help me walk to my day’s destiny.

Maybe the phrase should read, “your shoes change, your life changes.” Middle age first hit me in the feet — I went from a difficult-to-find 10M to an impossible-to-find 10.5W. I’m not kidding — check most shoe listings; half sizes stop at 10. Add to that the fact that shoe sizing isn’t universal, and most of the time I end up with an 11W, IF I can find one. I have enough room for the longer left foot, but the wider right remained a 9.5, so it takes creative lacing to keep that sneaker on. Dress shoes? Fogeddaboutit. When the rare occasion occurs, I strap on a 17-year-old pair of wedge sandals that are very forgiving. Men’s feet are traditionally larger, and drag queens can find dress shoes — I guess I’ll have to shop where they do (a solution already suggested on a “King of the Hill”)!

My choice in foot adornment is to the extreme. My favourite is a killer pedicure and bare feet, and living in Texas, that’s pretty much a year round option. I also love tall sexy evening shoes that have a rhinestone or twenty on them. Daily life calls for comfort as I am on my feet all day, every day at work. Shoes come off at the door, right before the bra and jewelry. I can’t imagine bringing in the outside world on the bottom of my footwear.

When I’m feeling ‘down,’ nothing cheers me up more than a pair of red shoes. I’m old enough now that stilletos and platforms are out of the question, but I did my share when I was young and thin and flexible. But red has always been my favorite. How can anyone be anything but happy when wearing red shoes?