SHOE OF THE WEEK

Okay, these are sweet little numbers I bought approximately 1 1/2 weeks before giving birth to Little Man. At the time, they were THE MOST EXPENSIVE SHOES I had ever bought in my life (and I bought them for half price!) I bought these in an Italian Boutique shoe store in Charlotte at Phillips Place (girls, you know what I am talking about)...and these are Claudia Ciutti's...I deserved them...I worked up to the day he was born and I have never regreted dropping the dough whatsoever (and did I mention, I worked until the day I had Casey too...had I been working on a farm, I probably would've gone back to work immediately...in fabulous shoes)

Flashback to January 1998...I go into the store, country come to town and caught the suspicious glares of the staff...I am sure I was dressed appropriately and all but perhaps my round belly and puffy feet were a little alarming to sales clerks used to amaciated blonde bombshells that are 5 foot 10 and husbands are NBA or NFL stars...I spotted the shoes and immediately was lured by the animal print and their classic style (WHAT? ME? CLASSIC AND NOT TRENDY? Okay, I was working in a "corporate environment" - or at least they thought they were - and I thought these would "work it"...

Back to the stares and guffaws at said shoe store...my "plastic" worked and I carried those shoes like they were a piece of DaVinci artwork...I almost couldn't bear wearing them but I got over that quickly...Had a wonderful black pants suit with silver zippers that was fierce that looked awesome with those masterpieces -- it had a matching collar and cuffs that were the same print as the shoes...I resisted the urge to wear them too...Coco Chanel says the rule of thumb is to accessorize and then take off one piece so as not to go overboard...Well, I took off the collar and the cuffs...(technially three pieces)...

So I wear this fabulous outfit and the awe-inspiring shoes my first day back to work....Uh, did I tell you I got laid off the day I went back to work from maternity leave?...NICE! "Mary, we only have a part-time job for you now...(WHAT? How can I afford day care and parking in downtown Charlotte and great outfits and shoes that are required) To make matters more infuriating, did I tell you I worked from home for her from the day I got home - Little Man was 3 days old...up until 6 weeks when I darkened the doorway of the highrise office and then I went in only to be told I didn't have my old job back?-- I always have the GLOWING "SUCKA" on my forehead...This was my first layoff experience and I took it hard...I would experience another, by the way...So, I was wearing this fabulous ensemble when I was sobbing in the elevator -- Nolan at his first day of daycare (a dagger in my heart), Casey at pre-school and my raging hormones and wondering how we'd fare financially - not a good combination. But I didn't let the boss see me so much as sweat - she had a hugely inflated level of self-importance so I was not about to let that happen! I took my sassy self out of that office and never looked back....

And, I filed for unemployment (after being mortified about doing so but then remembered she'd have to pay for it and gladly did it...) Although I didn't have the Prada bag (Jen Lancaster), I wore my sassy suit, sweet shoes and towed my children (YES BOTH OF THEM...Nolan in a stroller and dressed in a matching outfit with Casey from Kelly's Kids - I am sure she had the obnoxious, coordinated hair bow to go with the outfit too) to the unemployment office. Their dad didn't want me to pay for daycare ("You can handle them...we're saving money." Uh, what about the therapy sessions that they both will have to go through having experienced such a trauma at an early age?...I am sure we will pay thousands for that day!) So a I schlepped them around for about 5-6 hours (yes HOURS!)...So Jen Lancaster, you say don't bring a Prada bag to apply for unemployment...I am with you and let's add, "Don't bring your children to the unemployment line with you..." Apparently, unemployment offices around the country do not take kindly to well dressed, fashion-obsessed people...But, I was fortunate enough to find a man who felt sorry for me and whisked me through the process (after 4 1/2 hours or so....)

WOW! Who knew shoes could conjur up such memories? Did I tell you the kids probably had on great shoes?...I am sure they did!

It's gloomy outside - break out the galoshes!