Pollyism of the week
What do you do when you have no money readily available (the credit cards are shrinking away at your touch), but you suddenly have an overwhelming desire for white ankle boots?
Rachel Zoe, stylist to the very, very, very hungry stars, has announced that white ankle boots are “it” for autumn-winter. In Europe and North America, it’s all anyone is wearing. Well, along with warm clothes and jackets. Although initially I was a bit “meh” about them, the more I looked at Scarlett Johansson (practically my twin) wearing them, the more I knew I must have them.
So began my quest to buy a pair of fairly flat (I’m fairly tall and fairly clumsy) white ankle boots. First I looked at every New Zealand website. Nope. Then every Aussie website. Nope. Then ASOS and Net-a-Porter. Oh, they had lots available if my feet were the size of a five-yearold’s. Yes, here is where the great white boot search gets trickier. I wear size 42 shoes.
In France, they laughed at my feet. I’ll not easily forget my French friend Maria saying to my pal Fiona and me, “Such big feet! Such big boobs!” We were like freak people in Paris. So buying white ankle boots online from the Northern Hemisphere was impossible.
I resigned myself to the fact I’d have to wait ’til they come into fashion here. Which annoyed me. I’m competitive. I’m not a kooky trendsetter, but I like to be an early adopter.
I had accepted I would remain large hoofed and white-bootless until I passed a shoe shop (a very nice one too) and spotted a pair of perfect off-white flattish boots right there in the front of store. I eagerly trotted to the counter with said boot and asked, “I don’t suppose you have these in 42?”
The very nice woman looked on her computer and her expression said it all. “No 42s anywhere in New Zealand and only one pair in Australia, in Melbourne. Sorry.”
Hmm ... I was gonna get these elusive Melbourne-only last-pair-in-the world white boots I couldn’t afford. “May I have the phone number for the store in Melbourne please?”
One of the girls was very helpful when she realised my desperation. The other, who’d been looming in the shadows, looked at me like I was an alien. I got the number. The shoes were only across the sea and a maxed-out credit card away.
I called the store and this is what I love about Aussies. They are enthusiastic. They really are. I told the woman about my dilemma and she spent ages on the phone trying to come up with a plan. The company didn’t take NZ payments over the phone, you see. After a few ideas, she suddenly struck gold!
“I have a friend coming to New Zealand next Tuesday! To your city! I’ll send the boots with her. You give her the Aussie money and you’ll have your Cinderella moment.”
Now that, my friends, is the ANZAC spirit!