Wow this is incredibly overdue - I've already worn 2 out of the 4 pairs I purchased!

So - where was I? I pushed through the door with Rachel by my side - the first stop? Shoes of course! The status? Racks of shoes with a signs everywhere with the statement "Additional 70% off" scribbled in red marker - music to my ears. Now Rachel and I, we're professionals, we know exactly how to do this. We each do a quick sweep in our own sizes and meet by the benches to try on and critique. 

Rachel's finds? Brown leather Givenchy wedges with an open toe. The perfect 3-season semi bootie - they were a site to behold. In my pile? A very cool pair of black very strappy leather black pumps (a total Bally knockoff - but still made by Barney's so quality is not under question here), pewter suede Manolo Blahnick ankle boots with chain-male detail, stunning black over-the-knee Sigerson Morrison boots made of the softest leather and a pair of black suede Sigerson Morrison flats (those are for Mom). 

As I work through my pile, Rachel gets us a spot in line to "pick up the shoes" - that's right for all of your BWS virgins, the shoes in the racks are all single shoes, if you want the matching pair to try on, you have to wait in line. By the time I'm done and on to my second loop, Rachel has a spot in the front of the line. She tosses my shoes up there and we patiently await their retrieval. Whilst trying on the full pairs of shoes (still camped out by the shoe distribution hub (you don't give up a spot like that) what I can only describe as a guardian shoe angel taps me on the shoulder. 

"Excuse me. Are you a size 7?" It was like a symphony. I nodded to her. "Well, I'm not going to get these," she said pointing to the boxes of shoes by her feet, "if you want to take a look before they put them back."  The boxes stared up at me - I recognized some of them immediately - Fendi, Barney's and Stella McCartney. Immediately I try on the Stellas - soft deep brown suede boots - hit about mid-shin. They were beautiful - especially with the hardware detailing around the base of the shoe by the platform. Next, it was the Barney's brand tan suede slouchy boots - they were perfect, just what I was looking for. Nice heel height and a good fit with a fabulous price tag of about $50 (now, you can't even get Nine West for that!)

After a lot of trying on and a brush with one of the most beautifully classic Christian Louboutin black leather pumps (about 2 sizes too big for me and a size too small for Rachel) - something I never wish to speak of again, we knew what we wanted (and I said goodbye to the oh-so-fabulous Manolos, and moved on to clothes - with my 5 boxes of shoes tied and by my side. 

Trying on clothes at BWS is kind of like being in a really angry gym locker room - some women are quick and modest coming prepared with a cami and leggings, others let it all hang out - I definitely saw a lot more booty than I was expecting. It's also amazing to me what some of the younger shoppers end up with - I saw one girl trying on a dress that was entirely see-through - she couldn't have been more than 15.

Moving on - after lugging around my shoe boxes as well as a trash bag (they use those as a substitute for shopping bags at BWS) I was ready to check out. I had my shoes and a sheer beaded top that looked fantastic on (something that's not always easy to find given my rather large... well let's say endowment. 


When push came to shove, it was the Stella's or the top, and unfortunately the top won this time (a rare occurrence as I'm sure you are all well aware of). Since this entry is a bit longer than others, I will leave you with some fantastic photos.

Enjoy and happy shopping!

I know what you're all thinking - it's been WAY too long since my last post! My apologies friends and fellow shoe-lovers, I've been WIPED out with all my travels. Between my trip to Utah, trek up to Vermont for the VT Wedding and whirlwind week in Miami (for a conference, not for fun - although we did try to squeeze in a little fun) I've been all over the place these past few weeks.

But - not to worry - I am back and here to update you on what's been going on. Even through my exhaustion, I knew that I was on a mission. The aforementioned semi-annual Barney's Warehouse Sale ended this past weekend, meaning I had to hightail by tush down to NYC for some last-minute deals. In order to do so, I had to arise at the CRACK of dawn - 6:40 AM, which is sacrilegious in the world of Sundays - throw on comfy shoes (this weekend it was Kenneth Cole pewter flats - that's right I said flats) and rush down to the train station to hop on the 7:12 into Grand Central.
 
Due to the rain, I hailed a cab outside GC down to Chelsea to stand on line. It was about 8:15 or so when I got there, Rachel wasn't far behind. Even though I was nearly 2 hours early for the sale, I was still not first in line (not cool), I was 6th. Luckily Rachel arrived on the scene (also from a cab - we're so lazy when it's cold and rainy) and we stood there huddled under my snow-leopard printed umbrella. Little by little the line continued to grow - we did our best to keep amused - until an intruder entered our territory.

A late-comer to the sale (not a true BWS die-hard) tried to weasel her fake-cell-phone-conversation bum into the front of the line. Those around us began to stare as she crept close and closer to Rachel and I. Once I realized that she was immune to our stares, I turned to her and said "If we're the same size, you're going to have to get behind us."

The people around us found this hilarious, but she continued to pretend to talk on her phone, and slowly snuck her way into the line (lucky for her she stayed at least a few people behind us). Once the doors were open, all was forgiven because we had one mission and one mission only - find amazing shoes! And find them we did...

More in a bit...

Thanks to good friend and fellow shoe-lover Kelly's comment on my previous post, I've added a new feature to my site called "Shoe Shots" - this page will feature PICTURES. I've just posted a photo of my beloved Sergio Rossi pumps from this weekend's VT wedding adventure. The shoes were a BIG hit receiving compliments from several guests (including the blushing bride herself!) - clearly they were the right choice.

I hope you all enjoy the new feature and please - feel free to share your own Shoe Shots with me - I'll post 'em up on the site!

I’ve been thinking a lot about what matters and what is important; as much as I may joke about shoes being the end-all be-all in my material life, the truth is that it’s not the shoes themselves, but what I’m doing while I’m wearing them.

For instance, I remember the shoes I wore on my first “date” with the man I love, the shoes I wore when I interviewed for my current job, the shoes I wore when I graduated college and the shoes I wore the day I toasted one of my best friends as she stepped into her future with the man she loves. They are not just a fashion statement for me, they are what I live my life in – they define my memory and have set the scene for every major step (no pun intended) in my life.

Sitting on the plane, en route back to New York after a busy couple of days, I began planning my attire for the upcoming weekend. We’re going to a wedding, a Vermont wedding to be exact, and I realized the first thing I thought about was: what shoes would I be wearing? I know what you’re thinking: how is this different than any other day for you? The truth? It’s not, but for some reason when I thought about them tonight, the choice seemed to carry more weight.

My choice? Well, to start, it’s probably important to share the attire. For cocktails tomorrow night, I’ll be rocking a stunning fitted black DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg for those of you still learning) dress. It’s short, just above the knee, long sleeves (something I’ve recently come to embrace in a cocktail dress) with a high-neckline featuring a wide cutout just at the collarbone and a twist of cloth just at the nape of the neck. Did I mention the exposed full-length zipper at the back? (For those of you who don’t know – an exposed zipper is totally in right now). So, what kind of shoes do you pair with such an elegant yet stylish dress? This was not an easy decision.

I had to turn to a good and faithful friend of mine, Sergio Rossi. Now, if you don’t know who Serg is, then you should (Google him immediately) because he is brilliant. His heels are elegant and stylish (not unlike my dress) but also beautifully detailed and eye-catching. The shoes of choice? An off-white canvas with black hand-embroidered flower detailing; the heel is the perfect height for the leggy-dress but not so tall that I’ll be wishing (secretly of course) for my fast flats (thank you Dr. Scholls) after a few hours of mingling.

I love these shoes. These are the same shoes that graced the top of the bar on my 23rd birthday (thank you Jessica, Amanda and Rachel for hopping up with me), the ones that taught me to love skinny jeans again (and even embrace jeggings) and the same ones that I wore even as the metal spokes started to peek out of the heel. And someday, I’ll look back at these shoes when I open their box and remember the times I wore them and the adventures I had in them.

So, as the title of this post reminds you all, shoe repair is essential. Any shoes worth spending your hard earned cash on and welcoming in to your closet and your life is worth holding on to. I’d pay to have those shoes fixed 50 times before I’d trade them in for a new pair. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still planning on adding to my collection (so don’t freak out Nordstrom’s shoe salesmen), but I can’t toss out the shoes that got me where I am today.

Besides, who knows where they plan to take me next.

Everyone has that staple, that one thing in their closet that defines their style and ties everything together. I'm a firm believer in having a staple in every category, a favorite pair of jeans (which thanks to Gap's relaunched denim a few years back has gone from $150 a pop to a much less expensive $69), a blouse with a fantastic neckline, a dress that hugs every curve and, of course, stunningly sensible shoes.

And although my shoe staple has changed since my love of shoes began (mostly in shoe size, heel size and toe shape,) the premise has remained the same - basic black. Forget the LBD ladies (little black dress for those of you not up-to-date with the lingo) welcome to the LBPs - little black pumps. What little girl doesn't obsess over her patent-leather Mary Jane's? I had at least three pairs and even a few high-heeled pairs now (Mary Jane's are totally ageless).

Now, as a young professional woman trotting the globe (or at least the country) - on my way to Utah as I type - I'm constantly on the lookout for a sensible pair of LBPs. Best find so far? It was February of 2009, Barney's Warehouse sale (wow two mentions in two days) had me digging through piles and piles of heels discarding the size 9s some animal (or perhaps brilliant woman) had hidden in my "zone" - zone here means the sample shoe zone which, for any true lover of footwear is the range of shoe sizes they're willing to purchase, or at least try on - this has resulted in the purchase of several different forms of shoe inserts to make my feet fill a 7 1/2 suede Prada 3-tone pump. 

In that pile, staring up at me under a truly heinous pair of yellow Manolo sandles (sorry Manolo, you know I love you), was the perfect pair of black suede pumps. That perfect combo of not quite round-not quite pointed (what Rachel and I refer to as a "roundish" toe) with just a hint of toe cleavage (the little lines between your toes that peek out from the front of your pump) and a perfectly practical 2 1/2 inch heel was too much to pass up. The brand? Why Barney's own shoe, meaning quality without the enormous price tag. Those heels have been everywhere with me - countless conferences, meetings, dates and dinners - and work with everything. I've had the heel bottoms replaced at least three times and the inserts within the shoes redone twice - it's not everyday shoes like this come into your life.

The moral of the story here? Every woman has something that makes them feel beautiful, powerful and strong. For me, it's shoes (obviously) - they put that extra pep in my step and can take me from a simple t-shirt and jeans to a party-ready glamazon ready to strut her stuff on the scene. But for today, those sensible LBPs will bring me from the boardroom to the bar and back. They're the reliable friend that I can turn to anytime and know that they're gonna rock it.

We can’t always choose our lot in life (if we could, things would be a lot less interesting, mostly because we’d all be rich, brilliant supermodels with private jets and fast metabolisms), and one of the most difficult things to do is accept the things we cannot change and try to embrace them.

For me, this piece of advice has resonated throughout my life, mostly personally but also professionally, and I’ve begun to realize that embracing these obstacles, making the best of them and, at times, knowing when to break the rules, is something we all have to face.

The first time this really hit me was a little over a year ago when some unforeseen family stuff meant my boyfriend and I’s first few months of true cohabitation (I had finally decided to give up my lovely studio as we’d begun to refer to it as “the storage closet”) were going to be spent apart. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, and a little throwback pen and paper letter writing (that’s right we’re adorable and we wrote letters), we made the best of it and now we’re basking in the glory of cohabitation. (My apologies to any readers that don’t believe in premarital cohabitation, but considering how picky I am about my shoes, I find it truly important to know if you can stand to live with the person who you plan to spend your life with.)

So how does this tie into my love of flats, you ask? Well, I’ve never been a fan of flats (the whole premise of the blog should have tipped you off there,) but there are times when flats are the most appropriate (and comfortable) choice. For instance, air travel – no one wants to go through security or run down the tarmac in 3 ½ inch pumps. Not to mention the gross feeling you get walking barefoot through the metal detectors before sliding those shoes back on your feet.

I had been against the idea of flats from the start, blamed my high-arches (or as I like to call them “Barbie feet”) for having the natural shape of a high-heel. “They’re comfortable,” I’d shout with conviction from the corner of the ever-crowded Barney’s Warehouse sales (coming up in a few weeks!). Alas, I finally admitted defeat of my feet that one blustery day early last spring whilst rocking my gold sling-back, peep-toe Christian Louboutin platforms (they are truly a thing of beauty). I was walking in the city (NYC to be specific) to meet one of my best girlfriends, and fellow footwear connoisseur, Rachel for drinks. It was a little early in the season for these glorious shoes, but they were practically begging to be taken out of their box and onto the street, so I couldn’t wait any longer.

The chilling breeze makes my already narrow feet seem even smaller and the frozen pavement adds additional stress to my already tippie-toed tootsies. I didn’t make it more than a few blocks and an avenue before I was ready to run into the closest Duane Reade for some quick flip flops. In that moment, I realized the importance of a good pair of sensible flats. I mean why do I carry the big purse if not to tote around some additional footwear?

I currently own 4 pairs of sensible flats (not including flip flops or Uggs) and, although they don’t make their way out onto the streets as often as those Louboutins do, they have won a special place in my weekly rotation (usually as a temporary tide-me-over until I reach my destination and then they return to their own carrying case in my purse).

What woman doesn't love shoes??? They can make even the most boring of days exciting and most plain outfits shiny and new. They are what bring us from point A to point B - from Monday morning meetings to Saturday night dates; the shoes are what get us there.

Whether your favorite shoes are classic white Ferragamo pumps (a staple in my wardrobe) or last year's ratty Nikes, we are all deeply connected to the shoes that get us through life.

This site is about what happens in our lives, and most especially, my life and the lives of my fellow shoe-loving pals, young professional women trying to balance the careers we're building with the lives we're trying to lead outside of the 9-5 (or, in our case 9-7) and the shoes we do it in.

My name is Callie, and my closet features a collection of footwear envied by many, loved by those who share my size and feared by my boyfriend (who owns exactly 4 pairs of shoes). 

So sit back, kick off those shoes and relax with me.

Welcome to my closet