When Good Shoes Go Bad, A Fractured Fairy Tale.

I love my shoes. I've long moved past buying shoes just because they are cheap or cute or sort of fit or seem "good enough." Shoes have to be perfect--perfect fit, perfect style and a price that I can actually afford. I clearly don't find an abundance of shoes so I cling to any pair I do find. I love them. I care for them. I wear them to death. Then, I do everything I can to revive them, and I wear my zombie shoes until they fall apart or start hurting my feet (or try to eat my brains).

Last year all of my sandals either fell apart or started hurting my feet. This year, I've been wearing a pair that hurt my feet because I haven't found anything that fits correctly. I'll also admit I'm really attached to these shoes.

Once upon a time (summer 2005, I believe), in a DSW down the road, I bought these shoes--Naturalizer Canary Leather Wedge Sandals in black (pictured above). Our friendship started slowly. I didn't wear them much as first, but as other comfort sandals fell apart we grew closer. Eventually, we fell in love, and they became my main summer shoe. They've probably served as that for the past three years, but this wear has taken it's toll. They squeak. It's a loud squeak--dirty looks at the library loud. They're scuffed. They're fraying. They're stretched out. They're almost without cushion. But I love them. I'm attached.

My feet, however, have fallen out of love. My perfect shoes have expired. (I got my $40 worth though!) I can no longer revive them. The fairy tale is over. I have to say goodbye, and do my best to replace them.

What do you do when a favorite shoe goes bad? Do you have any tricks for reviving old shoes? Do you have any expired shoes stashed in your closet simply because you can't bear to say goodbye?

Epilogue

My story has a happy ending though. While in my parent's basement, I spotted my shoes. I thought I was seeing a ghost, but I was actually seeing the pair my mom bought the same day I bought mine. She only wore them for special occasions, and they've been stashed in the basement for years. Mine were a size 11. Hers are a size 10 wide. I wear a size 10 1/2. They fit. My shoes have returned to me, and we will live happily ever after! (Until these fall apart too, but let's think happy thoughts...)