My Life in Shoes

Getting an early birthday present led me to examine the shoes that I've had over the last 8 years. My life has gone through some pretty drastic changes in this time. I guess the last 8 years have brought me into adulthood. And it all began with hiking boots and a sunny stroll in a field.


These boots were a gift from my mom just before I moved out to British Columbia. I was proud of these boots. They signified my new life. A life of adventure, being an artist, hiking in the mountains, traveling to far off places and even marching for causes. They were the culmination of 4 years of Fine Arts education, feminist theory, and a renewed love and respect for nature. I don't consider myself much of a material possession obsessed girl but I remember taking a walk through a field on the farm I grew up on and looking down at these boots. The feeling running through me then was one of contentment and anticipation for my new adventure.


After several weeks in Vancouver without a single call from a coffee shop offering a job I tapped into an old dream. This dream left my hiking boots on the back burner and took my feet in an entirely new direction: Modeling. As I said, I had wanted to do this as a teenager and then had never pursued it. But opportunity knocked and I said yes please. So instead of hiking boots being the shoe defining my days it was high heels. I was now walking local runways, doing fashion photo shoots and having a great time. Some woman have difficulty walking in heels and I don't. I'm certainly not good at standing in them for hours on end but I can walk a 20 minute fashion show well. It was a great sense of accomplishment to be good at something that I dreamed of for countless years. Many circumstances led to modeling ending for me. My agent had hoped to get me modeling internationally but that was not meant to happen. And then my shoe selection changed too.


My Pumas! I saved up for these babies. And I've had them now for 4 years. So they were a great investment and are still the most expensive shoes I own. These shoes went to South Africa with Dave and I. They are comfortable, stylish and versatile. They represent a period of comfort to me. The days that Dave and I were in love and without obligations, the days leading up to our wedding and our honeymoon period, a time when I thought I was busy but really had SO much free time. They have transitioned well into the next phase of life too where comfortable and practical shoes are very important: Motherhood.


Here are the newest edition to my shoe arsenal. They allow for treks through suburban rain storms, muddy trails behind a stroller and most importantly jumping in rain puddles. Clothing and footwear have ceased to be primarily about style for me now. Action is what my shoes are about. Ease of use, comfort and fun. I want to have fun with Ky and jump and play and enjoy nature and these boots are perfect for this time of year in Vancouver. Since we don't get much snow here they will work throughout the winter and into spring as well. My life is now about the little guy more than me. My hiking boots are still in use from time to time, I wear my Pumas often, the high heels are used very rarely. So much so that my feet protest slightly and my back strains to remember the muscles used to stand in them. But I don't miss them that much everything has a season, especially shoes.