I Have A Wardrobe Full Of Shoes I Don’t Wear
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love shoes. From the moment I started earning my own money, when I was 15, I began collecting beautiful shoes.
Forty years later, my wardrobe is full of shoe boxes that contain my history in heels, albeit with a few gaps since my mother wears the same size shoe as me and in her younger years, managed to prise a few pairs away!
My shoes tell my story. Each pair reminds me of wonderful moments in my life: the antique white linen Manolo Blahniks (my first ever pair of MBs) that I wore for my wedding 28 years ago, the yellow basket-weave Prada mules that I ran from show to show in at Milan fashion week 23 years ago, the YSLs with pale-pink enamel lips across the front and the most slender tortoiseshell heel that I chose for my university graduation 18 years ago, and the pale-grey patent leather Mui Mui heels that carried me through an ELLE international conference six years ago.
Over the years I have treated myself to exquisite designer shoes to celebrate a win, lift my spirits and sometimes on an impulse. Not all of my purchases have been practical, including a pair of crystal-studded Manolo Blahniks that are truly uncomfortable and also the most beautiful pair of shoes you will ever see. But I have never regretted a single purchase.
“I have always felt most comfortable in heels and could run as fast in heels as in runners. I accept that isn’t everyone’s experience, which probably explains why the older I got the more often I was asked why I continued to wear high heels.”
In fact, the only regret that I have when it comes to shoes is the pair that I didn’t buy. I still think about a pair of grey satin Gucci heels that I talked myself out of buying on a trip to Milan 14 years ago. I had just bought a pair of shoes in a neighbouring store when they caught my eye. It was love at first sight but for some reason I decided to sleep on it. I told myself that if I thought about them the next day I would go back and get them. Unfortunately I couldn’t stop thinking about them but there wasn’t time in my schedule to return to that store. And so, like many a love story, I will never forget the pair that could have been mine if only I had acted on instinct.
Two years ago I broke my right foot when I tripped on an uneven section of footpath while wearing my then favourite pair of black skyscraper heels, and, sadly, I have only been able to wear high heels sparingly since.
Until that terrible day I wore high heels everywhere and with almost everything. I have always felt most comfortable in heels and could run as fast in heels as in runners. I accept that isn’t everyone’s experience, which probably explains why the older I got the more often I was asked why I continued to wear high heels – the insinuation being that women of my age shouldn’t be running around in 10 centimetre heels. But if I hadn’t broken my foot I would be wearing them right now (regardless of the time of the day that you might be reading this).
I am in the process of renovating my wardrobe and my favourite shoes will have pride of place in custom-built joinery. Most people would define their favourite shoes as those that they wear most often. And, of course, it makes sense to have the shoes that you wear most in a position of easy access. But my favourite-shoe wall will be more like a museum and will contain the most beautiful pairs I own but no longer can wear, including some that I have actually never worn due to their impractical beauty.
The most divine heels are like art and I will treasure mine forever.
Words_ Marina Go
Photos_ Sourced Gucci