A big reason for starting a blog was, regardless of my child or childless status, I wanted to find myself. Part of that was the style that got hidden under my gym shorts and mom jeans…figuratively speaking, of course… cause I don’t go to the gym and I only have ONE pair of mom jeans. 😉
Anyway, since I am always looking for chic, yet purse-friendly, items. I want to start posting my finds. I like to go by the ‘$20 and under’ rule. But there are SO many exceptions to this rule.

See the black under my toes.. those are Insoles I thought would help my situation!
See these cute Shoes from Hell?? I bought them for my friend’s wedding which SHE looked gorgeous in, by the way. But our bridesmaids’ dresses were $280. And with the cost of our flight, hotel, and so on, I was on a mission to find the least expensive accessories possible! Well, I found these at Payless Shoes for $20 + some change and they had a LITTLE scuff mark so they took 20% off. (Did I mention I am a coupon/discount-crazed woman??)
Well, its been 3 months since the wedding and I have forgotten how PAINFUL they felt while standing next to my ‘big sis’ (as I call her) during her 30 minute ceremony. I forgot how the straps cut into the middle of my inner foot like a dull knife as I deliberate on if I should take them off and stand on top of them or wait it out until, hopefully, my feet go numb.
I’ve forgotten….Until, I decided to wear them last night to a 4-hour concert!
Background: Ok, I am loving this new up-and-coming West Coast rap artist named Kendrick Lamar. I don’t listen to rap. I love R&B, Jazz, Pop, and the Oldies but Goodies. But they intro’d a few songs on Satellite radio and I was hooked. Hubby likes his music too. So, we found out he was in concert here and jumped on some VIP tickets.
#1 Why did I, a 33-year-old, decide to get dressed up for a concert that mainly 18-23 year-olds would attend?? (they were all in jeans and sneakers, some girls with no make-up – darn them, they still looked cute!!)
#2 Why did I think we would be able to sit down at this venue for a rap concert at a local club? (VIP was just a higher-level which we could see over the crowd)
#3 Why did I think it would be as punctual as, say, the New Edition concert we attended in the Seattle Area? (It started at 7 and ended at 9:30, on the dot)
Answer to #1, #2, #3: I DON’T KNOW, AND NOW I FEEL OLD!!
Back to the shoes… standing in these shoes for 4 hours brought all sorts of feelings: At first, I was working it, showing off my cute pedicured toes. They were comfy (as they deceived me at the Payless Shoe Store). Then I thought, ok a standing line down the block, no problem-o. I can lean on one foot let the other rest and vice versa. As we walked in, no seats, pain was not too bad, I can handle it. 1 hour later: I want to throw up, the room is getting dark, my feet are throbbing!!!
I ended up going for option #2 of my initial deliberation: take them off then stand on top of them. And that, folks, is how I got through the 4-hour concert.
Note to self: Write Post-It notes on all heels on how long I can stand in them. These will be “30-Minute” shoes.