My gold wedding shoes
Like music, a special pair of shoes can conjure – and even create – memories.
I have a habit of treating my clothes as others treat records, art or other kinds of collectibles – I have a story to go with each special find. And because we’re (usually) wearing clothes when life happens, clothing that is held on to can stir up memories from important moments.
I was drunk and disappointed when I ordered these chandeliers of the shoe world. It was January 1st, 2016, and an argument between two of my friends had precipitated an early end to my New Year’s Eve, while my boyfriend was still busy DJing in a bar – which would have been fine on a regular weekend night, but felt like a lame start to a new year.
Earlier in the evening, my expat Londoner boyfriend had been talking about a Boxing Day tradition he kept with his French mother. Every year, they line up early for the start of the Selfridges sale. Knowing what they want in advance, they divide and conquer the store, trying to set a new record time to get out with their haul.
So when I found myself home alone not long after the stroke of midnight, I decided I needed the kind of cheering up only shoes can provide.
With my wedding six weeks away, I had the motivation, and pretty soon I found myself deep in the Net-a-Porter sale. I distinctly remember allowing myself to pretend that the prices were in New Zealand dollars, not the British pounds they were really listed in. So I can’t tell you how much these cost. I know it was a lot, even by my standards, even though I got them for about 60 per cent off.
Surprisingly (given I was pepped up on champagne) the shoes ended up fulfilling my main goal. I wanted them to complement my wedding dress, but I also wanted to be able to wear them after the wedding. The shoes have so much going on that they can lift a plain dress or jumpsuit – they give the outfit a glamorous accessory. Even if the dress isn’t plain, or I have other accessories, there’s a good chance these will match.
The chunky low heel turned out to be the ultimate wedding heelel – immune to grass or stones and low enough that you can still be on your feet at the end of the reception. So much so, that I’ve started d a tradition of my own. I wear them to every wedding I go to.