A Force in Flats

A Force in Flats

I’m in Virginia Beach for Easter weekend and I’m noticing all the interesting fashion trends I’ve been missing out on in the burg. I mean in the past two days I’ve seen two people with their chests pierced. Their chests! Who does that? I’m told they are called ‘Dermal Anchors’, and yes they are very much a trend. But, that’s not what this blog is really about.  It’s about all the fierce new shoes I saw this weekend.

I can’t get my eyes off all the creative foot coverings people wear in VA Beach.  It seems the predominant walking apparatus of choice is high heel. Spiked heels, sparkly heels, peek-a-boo heels, you name it I saw it. I understand why woman gravitate to heels.  They exude confidence, power, and sex appeal. And, you have to give props to a woman who is balancing all of her weight, and will power on tiny, thin pieces of shoe material. I mean it requires some skill. High heel shoes make everything more fabulous, including the person wearing them.  Unfortunately I don’t know how that feels.

I cannot walk in heels. I truly believe there is a window of opportunity in a girl’s life where heel walking skills are developed.  You know how they say kids soak up language between certain ages I feel like there’s a time when little girls are more receptive to heel walking. It probably starts the minute you discover heels in your mom’s closet and stick your tiny feet in her oversized shoes. You clunk around her bedroom, and look in the mirror. Standing there looking at your reflection, you get that first surge of power, and sexiness. You feel more beautiful, more adult, like somehow you’re tapping into that elusive elegance you see your mom carry so well.  From there goes the practicing, and sneaking into heels when your mom is not home. Well I missed all of that.

During the time when most girly girls are in cultivating their heels skills,  I was scuffing up my new kicks on the basketball court with my cousins. Or I was kicking up dirt on our homemade baseball field in the backyard. I love sneakers and flats.  As a tomboy shoes were not fashion accessories they were game gear, work out gear, walking gear.  The only time I remember getting super psyched about shoes was when L.A. Knights came out with a light up shoes. When you walked, these lights would activate in the bottom of the soles, and sparkle. They were the must have shoe in my day. I remember begging my mom for a pair.  Then there were those kicks with the air pumps. They had this pump on the flap of the shoe that was supposed to give you more height in your jump, and game like Michael Jordan. I’m not sure this was actually true, but I wanted to find out. My parents forked over a lot of dough for to help me find out. Needless to say they did not improve my game, but I feel pretty cool sporting them around school.  As you can see I am a lover of functional not fashionable shoes.  But sometimes I wish I could master the whole heel thing. I just can’t get it right, and believe me I’ve tried.

Whenever I dare to put on heels for a few minutes I feel amazing, and sassy. Then, I feel agony, and stress. Is it this painful for every woman? My heels are rubbed raw for the back of the shoe; my toes are scrunched up and pinched. And, I can hardly focus on anything other than trying not to fall. Every step becomes a small victory. The whole time I’m thinking to myself, Yes, I made it. I didn’t fall. Now just 10 more steps until I can sit down. This is why I have embraced the fact I may never been sexy in heels, but I am a force in flats.

I love flats. They come in sparkly, bright, shimmery, colors too. They can add a splash of color to an outfit, and I can strut my stuff without worrying about falling on my face. Flats say this woman is cute and comfortable, this woman is practical. Sure they may not be head turners, and they don’t exude sexy.  Flats seem to epitomize the type of woman I am. I am not roll out the bed sexy, I am not what you would call gorgeous or head turning, but like flats when put together with a good outfit, I can be quite fierce.  I clean up real nice. Give me a splash of foundation, and high hugging dress, and a rocking hair-do and I’ll show you sassy. That is how I feel about my flats, they are the kind of shoes that may not look fabulous on their own, but sparkle when you see the whole package. Heels say I am fabulous, and sexy. Flats say look a little closer, I am cute, I am fun, I am spunky, and I a force in these flats.