Three Summer Shoes

from here

I've been online shopping and in person shopping, buying and returning for a month now looking for my perfect summer shoe line-up.  Getting out a little every day with the baby has helped me so much and I do love a good shoe hunt.  

I used to think that more options was better but I actually don't like to have a lot of shoes anymore.  I still have plenty but I used to have more, many more.  I would go shopping with an open mind looking for a deal and the shoe possibilities would play out before me.  Now I need my shoes to fit into my real life and not my fantasy life.

 Of course I still would love to buy them on sale but I put them through rigorous testing now to see if they will come home with me.  Or rather I should say stay home with me since I return often after having them at home for a week or so.  I try them on with different outfits throughout the week to see if they are going to work for me.  

My Critera:

Comfort

Style

Multi-Use

Goes with almost everything

Will wear them a lot

Trying them on at home with different outfits is an important part of the process for me.  Obviously I like the shoes when I buy them, but that doesn't mean they are going to fit in with my lifestyle or clothes I wear.  Let me tell you my Converse story.  I have always wanted a pair and I got the dainty style of grey Converse that are so adorable.  They are the same Converse cool but less clunky.  

I tried them on with so many outfits and realized three things.  One, they pinched my little toes.  Two, they made my feet feel claustrophobic in the heat.  Three, I probably wouldn't reach for them that much to wear.  So instead of keeping them and wasting money on something I wouldn't wear often, I decided to return and maybe try again another time.  

So here are the shoes I finally decided on.  I know they won't make the pages of Vogue but this is what works for me.  I'm a pretty casual kind of girl.

First shoe is for all around comfort in my day to day life.  It's hot here in Houston and I need something that I can slip on and also lets my foot breathe.  I wanted it in yellow but they didn't have my size.  Aerosoles can be kind of orthopedic looking but I love the squishy soles.  I always look for their flip flops first.

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I have loved my winter Sperrys so much that I decided to get some summer ones.  All this shoe planning started because we have a vacation to Kiawah Island and Charleston coming up and we will be biking and walking a lot.  I got the classic ones so I wouldn't have to worry about coordinating them.  

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These are my dressier sandals.  I don't really dress up all that much but if I do wear a dress I think they'll be ok. 

 I rarely wear heels.  Have you got the message that I like to be comfortable?

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I wonder if all this analysis is too much?  I'm always trying to balance spending money on the right things with having the right things when I need them.  I want getting dressed to be easy and non-dramatic when there is a time crunch.  Anyone else know what I am talking about?  Closet meltdowns?   Yeah, I'm trying to avoid those buy proactive shoe hunting.  And that's how you sell it to your husband.