if the shoe doesn't fit....

get rid of it, heidi!

i do like my shoes.   now, i have heard about people losing a lot of weight and their shoe size changing.  but i have been a size 10 since i was a kid.   my grandmother was a size 10 and it was just one more thing that put me in the running to be her favorite...which i was, of course.   in fact many many many women in my family have size 10s.  in our family it is known as "B_______ (family name) Feet".  it is a badge of honor.   well...i guess i am up for adoption because now i wear a size 9 or 9 1/2.   the picture to the right shows the soles of an old pair of black chunky flip flops and a new pair. 

the truth is that as i got bigger i was no longer just a size 10.  i was a size 10 wide or even a size 11.   in birkenstocks i was a size 41 or 42.   same things with my dansko clogs.    i am now a size 39 in birkenstocks and just bought a pair of shoes from The Walking Company yesterday at size 39.

after spending the $$$$$ at The Walking Company yesterday and going through the experience of literally dropping from size 41 to 39 in the store until i found the right fit....i told myself that i need to start getting rid of shoes that don't fit.

so i came home, opened the closet and this is what i saw....it does not even include the roughly 5 pairs scattered around the house....

so i literally pulled out about 40 pairs of shoes and this is what i was left with....

now....here is the thing...most of the shoes still in my closet are size 10s or 11s.   the only pairs that are the right size are two pairs of work shoes, one pair of birkenstocks, one pair of boots and 3 pairs of flip flops (i am a florida girl and i have my priorities...).   the rest are either a. not stretched out too much and i need for work, etc or b. very unique or expensive and i just can't get rid of yet....in fact the bottom two shelves are filled with shoes that cost $$$$$$$.  the bottom shelf is double stacked with birkenstocks and the shelf above it is my european clogs that i just love dearly.

what i have told myself is that as each type of shoe is replaced i need to get rid of the too big one.  so when i finally get my new purple sequin chuck taylors -- the black one stars go.    some of the big sneakers and birkenstocks will be relocated to my camper this summer and i will wear the crap out of them there. 

i didn't even touch the way up high top shelf that has all my doc marteens and NaNa boots from back in the day.....i may be ready to give up my former obese self but i will never let go of my former punk grrl self....