100 shoes in 100 days – Page 9

Day 14

One of the most amazing things about international mobility is the fact that every couple of years or so, you meet up with groups of people with whom you don’t have regular contact but still melt right into.

Convening in Portugal this weekend is a group like that. Friends from school of Mr K, former boys who partied together and where wives and girlfriends have been welcomed in as they appeared. And now with the addition of a string of children of varying sizes.

Last night we made a new acquaintance of a guy from Karachi. In the back room of a smoke-filled bar in Lisbon’s Barrio Alto he told us of a business plan he has for Pakistan. “It’s fabulous – there’s a 90% chance I’ll get killed but there’s a 10% chance I’ll get rich. I’ll take the odds, I want to turn the country upside down and say fuck you and the culture you’ve built for the past 200 years. This is my country and I want to be the guy who changed it.”

In contrast, my own life is so vanilla I might as well put it in a milkshake and drink it.

My feet needed a break today. Hello Havaianas. They count as shoes, right?

Day 13

Hello Cascais! There’s something magical about waking up to a view of the ocean and a clear blue sky.

In Portugal this weekend for an old friends wedding. Mr K and I were both rather shocked to wake up at 10 this morning with no little people to cater to and enjoyed a very loooong breakfast overlooking the ocean.

Walk, walk, walk into and around the charming old town of Caiscais. Classic white converse.

Day 12

When Sex and the City exploded into pop-culture consciousness I had two reactions: A deep gasp of revelation at the world of Manolos, Choos and other high-heeled marvels, and a slightly award balking at the very graphic scene that I accidentally watched with my grandmother. I pretended I didn’t understand for her benefit and I think she did the same for mine.

Carrie Bradshaw’s completely unrealistic budget for designer clothing and ridiculous dogwalking in 11 cm heels did nothing to dull the shining allure of unboxing a brand new pair of proper designer shoes.

Today I wore nude patent leather Mary Janes to work. The same that the aforementioned Carrie proclaimed to be an urban legend. These are one of a few pairs that I have actually bought at full price and in the New York Manolo Blahnik flagship store.

A small unassuming hole in the wall between 5th and 6th avenues, the shop is an oasis of understated luxury in the middle of the bustle of midtown. I often went there just to look; to sit for a while and take in the feeling of cream leather couches and wall-to-wall-carpeting, just the right lengt to add a muffled elegance without getting caught in your stilletos.

If you can squeeze the budget, I really recomend the experience of becoming a first time buyer. If you can’t; dress up in your “richest” outfit, walk in like you own the place and spend an hour or so trying on some pieces of art. If you’re lucky you might at least get a glass of champagne out of it!

Day 11

It’s a glamorous life being a consultant. During the past year, I have spent almost half my time at one of our very large clients. On the fringe of their in-house digital comms team and in a role that ranges somewhere between project management, strategic advice and on-call therapist.

Some days are filled with joy and some days it’s just all a bit grey.

Boots from summer sale at Zara a couple of years ago. The 10 cm heels are really to high for me to walk comfortably in, but sometimes comfort has to take a back seat.

Day 10

In the summer of 92, I had an internship at a plaster/filler factory and research centre outside Örebro. Back then I entertained a notion that I might go on to study chemistry at university. which was very quickly quashed when I realised that math was not only a required part of the syllabus but constituted a very large part of it. I liked the mixing and causing reactions bit. Imagine my dissapointment when I realised how much of the course was balancing equations! Special credit goes out to my high school teacher Jim McIntosh whose patience with me will not be forgotten.

My role as a junior, junior research assistant – mixing plaster and testing the viskosity of grout – was actually quite fun even if it didn´t lead to much of a career. It was this summer, on a trek around the city centre, that I walked into a second hand store for the very first time. Something about the jumble of junk and treasure grabbed me immediately. The knowledge that every item has some kind of a story makes it even more interesting.

It´s an interesting process of going through rack after rack of clothes to find that one piece that not only fits you but that was meant for you (dramatic, moi?). There are amazing bargains to be had but also piles and piles of crap to sift through. I always try to imagine that the person in the shop unpacking the goods didn´t understand their value and magically I´ll have found a Hermes Birkin bag for next to nothing!

Maybe not quite a Birkin but these ankle boots were in the bottom of a big bin for approx 200SEK at Nu och Då on Norrtullsgatan in Stockholm.

Day 9

Come fly with me! Something about this dress has never felt quite right. And when put together with these rather unremarkable black boots I suddenly understand why.

It looks just like a British Airways cabin crew uniform! Closet clean-out is underway as a side project and I think this dress might be on sale at a website near you soon.

Adding insult to sartorial injury the boots are by Ecco and feature a perfect 7cm half-heel, shock absorbing foot bed and very propper rubber soles. We can’t wear stilletos every day!

Day 8

Work, work, work, work. I’ve had a couple of sensible and practical days so time to bring out a little colour.

And what can be more springlike than bright green? Another LK Bennett bargain. Purchased at lunchtime sale-run in the City (of London).

Our first years in London we lived rent free as part of the SEB relocation package. So even though we had relatively meagre salaries we felt like we were rich. My sensible husband made sure we put away a good chunk of this in saving for our first apartment, but there was still a decent amount left for somewhat of a champagne lifestyle. And my love of footwear…

Day 7

April has hit us full force with some kind of snow/hail/rain mix. Wonderful!

Rain boots

As I put on my rather beat up boots it strikes me I hardly ever wear rain gear anymore. During three years in New York, shell jackets (and sometimes pants) and good rain boots were my most important and prized piece of clothing.

Living in Manhattan sounds rather fab and glamorous. But my reality included a LOT of transport by foot. Since strollers aren’t allowed on busses and most subway stations don’t have elevators; we walked. And walked, and walked. Rain, shine, morning sickness or other ailments notwithstanding, I calculate that on an average day I did an effective 2.5 hours walking just to get to places. And that’s not counting the morning walk in the park with our dogs which was as important a morning ritual as my coffee is to me.

These Ilse Jacobsen half-boots are lined and have proper arch support so extra good for struggling through sleet storms up and down the avenues of the Upper West Side.

Ping New York City moms. My boots and I still miss you!

Day 6

The morning after the day before.

When I was pregnant, the only shoes I could comfortably wear were sneakers and these exact ballerinas from Tory Burch. They work today as well after a gruelling ordeal of beach volleyball and beach party (both indoors).

Day 5

There’s something very special about waking up at a conference. Uninterrupted sleep is always welcome, as is a long breakfast. A few too many glasses of wine last night is quickly compensated by the energy of 50 or so top talented colleagues getting together.

Shoes for the day are black adidas (Rizzo Biblioteksgatan). New for the season and both comfy and cool. I have it on good authority from some colleagues that I probably don’t qualify anymore to have an opinion on coolness but I’m going to put myself out there anyway!