Thinking of Spring: Set those feet free!

In addition to my major shopping spree last week, it appears as though I jumped the gun on singing the praises of warm weather in February, because, wouldn't you know, we just got dumped with over a foot of snow and it is full on winter. Again. Still, the warm spell last week was a reminder that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. With that optimism in mind, I continue to be excited about what I can wear when the snow once again melts and we have temps above freezing.

One of the worst things about the return of winter? Putting back on my winter boots. While springtime can be a tricky season to navigate in terms of footwear, it is far, far better than being confined to huge winter boots. To ensure the best results from your spring shoe fashions, it really pays to be on top of the weather conditions (for this, I recommend weather.com)—doing so means you are much less likely to break out your heels on an evening where the sidewalks turn to sheet ice, or clomp around in rainboots when it is sunny and there is not a cloud in the sky, or ruin your suede booties in slush puddles.

Keeping the need for flexibility in mind, I have a range of shoe styles I am looking forward to rocking in the up coming months.



One of the most exciting things about the return of warmer weather is finally having the chance to wear some of the strappier shoes I've accumulated over the winter, like these adorable vintage leather sling backs. For real? How precious can you get?! No shoe in my collection complements my vintage, feminine springtime look more than these.

Since I am a big baby when it comes to my feet hurting (as evident by my now reneged-upon New Years vow that I would never wear heels again), I need to be realistic (as well as taking ice and slush/rain puddles into account) about the fact that I will spend more time in sensible footwear—but that doesn't mean they don't need to be cute!



In a throw back to last year's preppy look, I have these adorable blue Keds. I freaked out a few years ago when I found a black pair (which I still have, despite being about a size too small), but these blue ones are even better—I love the slight pop of color (yet still understated) and this pair actually fits!



Of course, spring means I have to break out my most favorite thrifted pair of shoes ever—brown leather, pointy, vintage, lace-ups with a small wooden heel. Though not as lady-like as my slingbacks, these numbers are dainty enough to wear with skirts, dresses, shorts and pants alike! I don't even want to think about what will happen if these ever fall apart completely.* To prolong their life as long as possible, they will get a good leather sealant wipe down before setting foot on the volatile spring sidewalks.**




And of course, no spring look could/would be complete without some rainboots. While I love these L.L. Bean wellies, they are a sad consolation prize to replace my original olive green thrifted rainboots—that just happened to be Hunters. I found them for $7 at Unique before I even knew that that brand was some expensive, big deal and loved them so much that I had to buy them—even though they were about a size and a half too small. For a couple of years, I tried to wear them, but every time I did, I got huge blisters and my feet would cramp up for hours. I had to say goodbye and passed them to my friend Christina, who was blessed with smaller feet. I searched for a replacement pair for over a year before I found these. They were priced about the same, and the color, once again did me in. Though I miss my Hunters, I thoroughly appreciate my wellies and highly suggest purchasing rainboots for anyone who lives in a place with a rainy season—they are invaluable!

*Speaking of which, does anyone know of a good shoe guy (or lady) in the Twin Cities area?
**As a reminder, spring is a good time to prepare your leather and suede shoes for inevitable encounters with precipitation!