I love the bright red patent leather heels I purchased last spring. I also love my first pair of Danskos (also red. hmmmm....). But over the course of my life, it is my navy blue Doc Martens, purchased just AFTER a summer trip to the UK (I know, I know) that win the coveted title of favorite shoes ever (so far).
I spent the summer of '93 traveling around the UK on a trip through my summer camp. Most of our activities were paid for through the enrollment fee, but we all brought a small amount of spending money to buy some souvenirs. I bought a sweater in Scotland and a skirt and top and dress shoes in England. I wanted to buy a pair of Docs, but I wasn't sure what color or style and they cost so much I was nervous. I had never made such a big purchase.
In the end, I chose to purchase half the contents of a Body Shop to bring back home to the US and not a pair of Docs (again - I know, I know).
But once I returned to Maine, I immediately regretted my decision, and desperately wanted a pair of Docs. I eventually found my way to J.L. Coombs and purchased my first pair.
I spent a lot of time considering my color options, but in the end I decided on navy blue. I bought these shoes early in my sophomore year in high school, and I wore them nearly every day for the next three years (along with jeans, an oversized white t-shirt, and some variety of flannel shirt). Few people had Docs in my high school, and none of them had them in navy blue. I loved them. A lot. And when the inside back of the shoes wore out, I had them repaired at the local shoe repair store rather than retiring them.
They were a good pair of shoes, my Docs. They were the first pair of shoes I owned that made me smile just to look down and see them on my feet.
6 comments:
OK, so while not my all-time absolute favorite shoes ever, my black cherry distressed leather 9 hole Docs were a close second. I hear you, Sister! Also, many excellent comments deserve at least one in reply :) Oh, and I might not come up in your stats, since I use a feed reader, but I am out here. I am listening.
Hmmm... favorite shoes. Good topic and one that I might devote a good part of my day to thinking about. Little baby got up early this morning and coffee doesn't seem to be jumpstarting my morning so ruminating on shoes should be just about right on this cold, cold wet day. I'll get back to you.
I remember those shoes! They were tres cool. And I love the way you describe your high school "uniform". Ah, flannel shirts...
Wow...does that bring back memories or what? Flannels. Jeans. Over-sized clothing.
And, of course, I remember the Docs.
Kinda sums up the reasons for a high school crush, eh?
Now you just need to start blogging about your high school mix tapes....
although the post was about the Docs, my favorite sentence was by FAR your comment on what you wore to school every day in high school!! RIGHT ON - gotta love the flannel shirts! I love Maine.
Birks. With wooly socks.
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