100 shoes in 100 days

I have a serious confession to make- I’m all out of shoes. For the past three months I have worn a different pair every day and cleaned out both closets  and garage as I went along and I am happy to say I have found, or made, the opportunity to wear almost every pair of shoes I have ever bought.

Since I never throw out anything (or I didn’t until now) that meant undertaking a bit of a journey in time and fashion.

A fee unexpected things have happened along the way. Blogging and posting an image every day has been a real challenge at times but has also forced me to reflect and connect in a way that I hadn’t done for years. I have really enjoyed the writing and it has been amazing to receive so many positive comments from near and far.

The picture of the day is a sample of the shoes that I have put up for sale, or will be donating directly to charity. As I have been cleaning out my closets along the way I have already made 5.500 SEK that will be finding their way to Lidingö’s refugee centre and hopefully will add more to that soon.

I know that to some this challenge, and the fact that I actually own 97 (not the 100 I initially thought) pairs of shoes seems rather mundane and unnecessary, even undignified but I’ve opened myself up to that and I’m OK with it.

While I look forward to being able to use the same shoes two days in a row again, and to pick shoes after outfit and not vice-versa it has been really enjoyable to go through them all. Unexpectedly, and perhaps not the point, I have rediscovered the joy of following fashion, which I must admit I hadn’t been doing for a few years (most of my fancy heels are from pre-children years). Also, I now remember how to walk, and run in heels!

To all that have followed my journey a big thanks and virtual hug.

 

I know, I know – these aren’t really shoes either but today is a scorcher and will be spent between the tennis court and the beach. Keeping my toes protected from the barnacles with a pair of delightfully unattractive water shoes.

 

A typical Swedish summers day starts with clouds and a light jacket and ends with sunshine and lemonade sundowner.

Entertaining mother for dinner so no time to write more. Deep breath, silence, evening light, you get the picture…

When Mr. K proposed to me in February of 2006 we imagined we would have plenty of time to plan and arrange a wedding in September. Since we never do things the easy way, we decided we would have our wedding in Madrid, and not in a church. It turns out that non-residents are not legally allowed a civil wedding in Spain, all the venues were booked up a year earlier, finding a caterer was near impossible and the music choices we were given oscillated between bongo drums and techno beats.

The dress was a chapter in its own. After being nearly reduced to tears in several bridal shops I opted to have a dress made. By a flamboyant Latino in a basement flat on the Fulham Road. Let’s just say we had a few snags along the way and that the night before we flew to Spain for our wedding I was really not sure I’d have something to wear.

Tonight I am wearing my wedding shoes. They were the easiest choice I had to make for the entire wedding and spoke to me instantly. I knew before I had any idea what my dress would look like that I wanted a statement shoe, but also something well made enough that I could dance all night. Also, a shoe I would keep forever.

Did I mention that in the end my dress was fabulous, the venue magical, the food Michelin star and that all or guests seemed to have a genuinely good time?

This week is tennis week for the whole family. The kids are in class between 9 and 10 and 10 and 11 and then their old mother is on at 4. So much fun! So much coffee drinking and gossiping among the parents and what a great workout. I had to suffer a little equipment embarrassment at first as I realised the raquet I was planning on using was actually older than our tennis teacher. New raquet purchased at club discount and ready to go. I wonder if this might be my new thing…..

Birthday celebration today in the house – Thing 2 is 6 today! At risk of sounding like a nostalgic fool it is sometimes almost painful to look at the boys and see how big they are becoming. Not that I would want another baby at this stage but I’m occasionally overcome by  feeling of mild angst over not being able to stop time.

May the request of the birthday boy we are heading out to dinner at a fish restaurant on the pier. It’s a very windy day so we’ll see if we manage to avoid being blown out to sea. Not grilled about my shoes but I’m really starting t scrape the bottom of the barrel now…

I might have mentioned before that summer in Sweden is a rather fickle affair, at least when it comes to the weather.

Every year we pack our summer dresses, tank tops and swimwear on our pilgrimage to the Swedish west coast. And end up wearing a lot of sweaters and jeans. Still it is rather amazing to be able to step out of your dorway and help yourself to berries, mushrooms and other things that grow wild and unpoluted.

And maybe, just maybe next week will bring a little warmer weather so we can take this family vacation out for a swim. Flip flops on and ready to go!

Dinner in town (at sisters house but still) calls for a change of clothes and shoes. Still going country chic but a little more emphasis on the chic than previous days.