Shoes you have loved and lost…or still have

[AllIWantforXmasIsYouGotThis]

So which shoes that you have ever had have you loved the most? I suspect this is inspired by the recent “Hello lovers…” Carrie whispered to her shoes in “And Just Like That”.

It’s ok to list your top 3/5/whatever…

So first up

I had a pair of Jimmy Choos I got in 2001 for £120 in a sale in a wee shop in London. I’d just had the bandages off from a leg operation.

They were gold strapped sandals with a high slightly Louis heel and a huge sparkly beaded red rose on the front.

They also had an elasticated ankle strap that I cut off because it was ugly. I suspect that’s why they were in the sale.

I wore them to every wedding/work do etc I had to go to for years, and they finally died about ten years later. Much loved and much missed. I drank, danced and pulled so often I them.,

1st pair - white knee boots from Eliot - I was about 9.

At about the same time, Cork sandals from Lily & Skinner.

As a teenager the old Dr Scholl wooden clogs with a buckle.

As a 20 something a beautiful pair of burgundy leather Bruno Magli court shoes and a simple low heeled black patent court with dark red soles.

Later a pair of flat but very neat LK B ankle boots.

Black suede Peter Kaiser evening shoes.

In my late 20s black flattish shoes from Russell & Bromley with gold pumas on the heels and a wrappy bow at the front.

None of the above have ever been replaceable with anything as good.

Block heeled boots which I wore day in, day out at university in the early 1990s. I still have the battered remains of them.

When I was five I was bought a pair of tan leather wedge heeled shoes with a fringe. I fell in love with them straight away - the wedge seemed so grown up! I still remember almost not believing I would be allowed to have them - but they were Clark's so everything was all right as far as my mum's shoe-buying rules went!

Also in the 90s, I had a pair of brown loafers that had cost something £££ but reduced to peanuts in a sale. I don't know what the insoles were made of but they were the most comfortable shoes I had ever owned. Always cool and soft, sliding your feet into bliss, even after I'd had them re-soled.

All much missed!

Wood sole black stiletto mules from Russell and Bromley in the 90s. They looked a bit like the shoes Sandy wears at the end of Grease only cooler. I wore them and wore them and wore them until the leather was so stretched that I couldn’t keep them on.

I forlornly hope that one day I will see another pair. But it’s an idle fantasy, not because the style will never be repeated, but because I am now in my 50s, have glass ankles and can’t walk in anything over 2 inches.

I have 2, both in action at around about the same time, around 2007 for a good 4 years or more, a pair of brown suede ankle boots (Faith) slouchy on the ankles, a button on the ankle and a small (1.5 inch) wedge heel with wood effect. Resoled many a time but died due to the leather on the heel wearing away from scrapping on the floor whilst driving in them, the clutch foot. The same thing happened to my Monsoon tan leather ballet pumps, they were so comfortable and I wore them constantly when I had my new born son. I still miss then now. My sons 13. They were my most worn footwear.

And the ballet pumps were the only shoes I could wear without socks or a footsie tights thingy in them, without rubbing or making my feet smell. They were perfect.

I have some retro adidas trainers bought in 2013. Burgundy with 3 purple stripes and two pops of bright green. I love them!

I had a fabulous pair of black suede 1920s style shoes from Next in 1988. If I had them I would still wear them. They had a rounded toe, strap with a tiny button fastening and a Louis heel. I got a shoemaker to make me a copy in ivory raw silk many years later for my wedding.

I've got some delicate tie-up heels but although they look dainty with a thin heel, they are very well designed, are very stable and can take a lot of standing around, walking, dancing etc. They are my go-to for many outfits as they instantly look good with most things. I'll never part with them.

Probably loads, but the pair I most mourn were a pair of Marc Jacobs beige? caramel? pale mocha? corduroy pointed flats, trimmed with bronze gimped leather and a bow. They were lined in pale pink leather. Purchased from Whistles in St Christopher's Place in the very early 90s back when Lucille Lewin was still in charge and championing upcoming designers. They were one of his first stand alone collections and the brand name was Marc Jacobs Look.

They worked perfectly with everything in my wardrobe. I wore them morning, noon and night for quite a few years until they quite literally fell apart.

No other pair of flats has come remotely close.

Satin evening shoes from Camper, a lot less quirky that their usual offerings, but so comfortable.
They died on the dance floor at a friend’s wedding, which is probably the best way for a pair of shoes to go.

@leccybill OMG I’VE JUST BOUGHT SIME FROM EBAY! 🎉

I also had a pair of Paul Smith signature stripe thong sandals in the early aughts. Found them in a sale rack in Jenner’s in Edinburgh.

They had a very round toe bed and small kitten heel. They looked predominately pink and went with everything. I wore and wore and wore them.

Alas the thong part started to go. They finally died in spectacular fashion. I was in London for meetings and had to get a train to Oxford from Paddington for another meeting.

Go to the station just in time and has to dash along the platform. As I was running the top of the shoe totally detached from the bottom on one of them.

As I knew I had another pair of shoes (Jane Shilton platinum leather peep toe sling backs with a small block heel, brought detailing and a bow on the toe with zig-zag edging, round on yet another sale rail in E&Ms in Aberdeen) in my laptop bag I just stepped out of the broken one and kept running, jumped onto eh train at the last second.

As the train pulled out of the station I gazed forlornly at my little broken pink shoe stranded in the platform. I kept the other one as a souvenir.

The next week at a team meeting I have old my dad story and straight after decided to give ebay a whirl on the off chance. And there were a brand new pair in my size, listed as buy it now for exactly the same prize as my original pair. Had to be karma for dedication I thought.

Wore those til they fell apart too.

I have wide feet so most gorgeous shoes don't fit me. I do remember a pair of black stilettos which were slightly pointed for ,textured leather and a reasonable heel . I wore them to death and were probably my pulling shoes at the time (about 18)

I still have pairs of old styles of my school t bar sandals and wear them still