Incredible Shrinking Feet

Why does it seem that while my hips are expanding my feet are shrinking? Gone are the days when it was simple to buy a pair of shoes. I used to be a size 8 or 7-1/2. I never had problems buying shoes. I always had a narrow foot, but now my feet are slightly smaller than a size 7-1/2 and too large for a size 7. Now I have to buy a size 7-1/2 and add two Doctor Scholl's inserts to each shoe so the size fits. I also add heel grippers to compensate for my narrow heel. Next it will be the orthopedic inserts and then I'll need to add a podiatrist to my list of doctors. Shoe shopping is not a favorite pasttime anymore...wish I was like Carrie Bradshaw from "Sex and the City" whose foot fit every pair of Manolos or Jimmy Choo...not that I could afford to buy such luxurious shoes, so I guess it's just as well that I don't have perfect feet.

While I know Easy Spirits and Naturalizer are the "mature woman's" shoe, I don't like to admit that I actually have these shoes in my closet. If I do admit this... does it mean I'm now considered a "mature woman?"

Mules...Forget about shoes with open backs...the shoes they call mules. I don't know how women walk in these shoes, let alone drive. Every time I've tried to wear a pair my feet fall out of them...I end up walking barefoot and the shoes are somewhere five steps back!

High Heels... I also can no longer wear high heels, too much pressure on the ball of my feet. Although, I did wear a pair of sandals with high heels to the wedding I recently attended. I was able to stand and walk for a few hours...very surprising...Ann Taylor to the rescue (again!)...maybe they were just the right heel height for the shape of my foot. They had stretched out a bit since I originally wore them and did require constant strap adjustments throughout the evening.

Kitten Heels...Kitten heels are about the highest I can go...love the Franco Sarto and Arturo Chiang brands. I think they were made for narrow feet.

Flats...So glad flats are back in style. They are not as sexy as heels, but way more comfortable. The Enzo brand makes my favorite brand for summer flats and are available in every color.

Patent Leather Shoes...these bring back memories of my childhood. My black patent leather Mary Janes were my favorites when I was a kid...so shiny! If you like patent leather shoes...check out the new Bloomingdales catalog or Bloomingdales.com website...there are red patent leather flats by Arturo Chiang called "Gigi" (loved that movie, maybe that's why I love the shoes)...I may have to splurge and buy these shoes.

Boots...are also not fun to shop for either. I have thin legs so most all the high top boots are too wide for my legs. I did purchase a pair of Nine West lower brown boots this year and liked them so much that I went back to the shoe store and bought the same pair in black. Now that I have wider hips and my older suit pants inch up I have to compensate with boots...that way the length of the pants don't look too short.

Maybe I'll find some neat new shoes when I go to Italy. I do love Italian shoe designers. As Michaelangelo said, "What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed."

Judi