Let's talk about shoes tonight...

If you know me well, I like shoes. No, not like, but rather LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE shoes.

When I have the money, I love to buy shoes, preferably flats.

When I don't have the money, I love window-shopping and will tend to linger more in shoes boutiques, trying on the shoes and selecting the next target to spend my money on.

I guess the reason why I seem more willing in spending my $ on shoes is because I have huge broad feet for a girl and I remembered mentioning this before in my blog that when I was a teenager, it was so difficult for me to get the right pair of shoes. Either I'll get blisters when I wear that pair of shoes or the shoes do not have my size. It is terrible and even till this date, it was the main concern when I select the right pair of shoes.

Over the years (actually after I started earning my keep), I have bought several pairs of shoes, be it for work or play, and I love them very much. I have also developed "weird" feelings over them as I will wear them and admire them every now and then, going like "ooohhh, so comfy, so nice..." Yes, I know I am a weirdo. But you just cannot help it because the shoes were not cheap in the first place and the last I want from buying them is discomfort or ugliness.

Oh, I also learn that there is a reason why shoes from certain brands are more expensive than others because you are paying for the quality! Either the lining is made of pig skin or that they use good quality materials for the leather which really makes my feet feel so comfortable while walking in them. I have bought many pairs from cheaper brands such as Mitju and Mondo and I must say, they don't last very long (tried and tested: shoes of more expensive brands can last longer). Furthermore, they always have that fake leather smell which you can smell it even when you are sitting down. Another reason why I stop buying them is because the sole is not very supportive. It is usually thin and after a long day of walking or standing, my sole will ache (Plus, you know how heavy I am).
I eventually stopped buying them because I want my feet to be happy and I still have a long journey to go.

In this post, I shall introduce some good brands, share some shoes that I bought over the years and some shoes that I avoid. You will see pictures of flats because I love wearing them and they are really more comfortable and lasting!

1. Pazzion

(Average price: $69/pair)

I am sure that you guys are not foreign to this brand. Afterall, I would say Pazzion is a fierce competition to the local brand, Charles and Keith. I love Pazzion because they have very pretty and glamourous designs! Have you looked at their new kids collection?! Soooooooo cuteeeee! I want them all. (You can check out their website: http://www.pazzion.com/)

Well, this brand loves to use sequins, pearls, blings in their designs and they use lots of them. That is also the reason why I like them too. Sometimes, they may come up with really unique designs and sometimes when I have some money to spare, I would feel so lost in the shop and ended up buying two pairs at one go (that's what happen two weeks ago).

Branches throughout Singapore (see, I can remember all by heart!): Marina Square, Bugis Junction, Wisma, Marina Bay Sands, Junction 8, Tampines Mall

Shoes 1

Ok, this is  a really sucky way to take a pic of the shoes. You only see my feet! hahaha... This pair is bought two years ago and I call it my Alibaba shoes because they look like it! They come in many colours such as gold, white, pinkish silver, silver and black! I bought the black one because it was a new colour and I thought black is easy to match for work and casual. Oh, I think I bought the gold one before but they became loose and torn after I wore it on a rainy day. They are easy to match. You can wear them for work with a dress/pants or smart casual with jeans.

This pair of shoes received a lot of compliment and I still have it. However, they have become loose over time and do not look as pretty and fitting as before.

Shoes 2

I bought this together with the previous pair. This got to be love at first sight! Super pretty! They come in another colour- yellow with orange gems. I love it so much! Initially I wanted to get the yellow pair but because my main intention was to buy shoes for work, I decided on the black pair because they are easier to match. The gems and pearls are arranged in the shape of the heart and in addition, the shoes will not get out of shape (become loose) because they have a scrunch at the back of the shoes which is elastic. 

I really love them because they are very fitting and classy-looking The sole has such thick padding that I can sprint in them comfortably. Again, I received many praises from ex-colleagues because they have never seen shoes with so much bling before LOL. However, I got to be extra careful when I wore them, making sure that I did not hit them against anything which could have broken the threads and caused the gems to drop out. Because I wear them so frequent, the last thing I want happens and the blings are no longer shiny and neat as before.

Shoes 3

This is the third newest pair of flats I got not too long ago. I was shopping with my sis and we came upon this at Wisma. It is a classic design, very simple with a bow at the front and the material used is patent leather. It comes in black and maroon and I got the maroon one. I think it looks a bit like those ferragamo flats and I considered myself lucky because they only have a few pairs for each size and initially during the second visit, the lady told me that they did not have any more of my size and I had to wait for the next batch. But after checking, she decided to give me this pair which was reserved by another customer because the customer wanted the black one! Very sweet design that goes well with dresses.

Shoes 4

 This is a pair of turquoise suede low-heeled shoes. I really treasure it because I remember this is the first pair of heels that I bought with my meagre salary working at RH. It also signified the start of my shoe-buying habit. I love the ruffles at the front of the shoes. The heels are shiny and reflective too. This is also the pair that I wore for my sis's wedding. I rarely wear them because I don't want to get the suede material dirty and the colour is so unique too. Don't want it to spoil so quickly!

Shoes 5

This is the highest pair of shoes I have. It is actually a pair of wedges where the sides are weaved. Very sturdy and comfortable but not suitable for wear on a long day. However, I remembered how I always wore them to school during my contract teaching at SJI as my working pants were usually long and I also wanted to appear taller than the mischevous bunch of boys!

Trust me, the height really made a huge difference in taming the boys. The stare from top to down can be deadly and more effective haha... Looking back, I was so steady in the past, I can walk and run in them! If you ask me to wear them out now, I seriously have to think twice.

Shoes 6

 Say Hello to me one of the new pairs of shoes that I bought recently from Marina Bay Sands! I went there recently to buy shoes for Chinese New Year after my sis showed me the two pairs that she bought. There was a promotion going on where you can get the second pair at 10% off using UOB card. It's been such a long time (not really) since I bought new fanciful shoes so I thought I should head down for a look. The main intention was to get the giraffe print ballet flats which will be shown later but it was not available at the branch at Marina Square (where we went to shop initially). So, we headed to Marina Bay Sands and I saw a Japanese lady trying them. At first sight, the design and colour looked a bit too complicated and unattractive. After seeing the lady tried them on, they looked good and they matched the jeans that she was wearing on that day. Hence, I went ahead and bought them so I can wear them for smart casual days.

The materials and designs are very much similar to that to Shoes 2 which is my favourite pair of flats so I was really happy that I got them.

Shoes 7

This is the giraffe-print ballet flats that I bought together with Shoes 6. Hmm, they are not as comfy and fitting as the one above. Material is a little cardboard-like stiff BUT, they are too pretty to resist. hehe... Oh, and I like shoes with animal prints!

2. Gripz

(Average price: $59.90-$89.90/pair)

My sister used to buy lots of heels from them and she was again the one who recommended this brand to me. Designs are pretty and unique too but they can be slightly pricier than Pazzion. I think the heels are more interesting than the flats and once in a long time, you might come across one that is both pretty and comfortable. They have a couple of branches throughout Singapore such as Wisma, Marina Square and Jurong Point. I usually frequent the one at Marina Square so I can also visit Pazzion! WAHAHAHA... So, next time if you hear me saying that I want to go Marina Square, you know what that means.

Shoes 8

I don't know what is going on with me lately but I realised that red has sort of becomes my favourite colour. I have red bag, red wallet, red handphone cover BUT not a pair of red shoes that I love alot. Again, the story of this pair of shoes started with Sis buying the blue one (Midnight blue) which was equally nice and we brought me to Marina Square last year to shop for my CNY shoes. I saw the red pair and immediately fell in love with it. The sole was spongy... The design was cute (Zebra prints with a cute ribbon)... The material used was glittery cloth... They were in red which made my feet look fairer! I can't bear to wear them so often as I am afraid that the cloth will get dirty... hehe

Hmmm, should I get the blue one too?

Shoes 9

 I didn't want to post picture of this pair because they have been around for too long. Even though I only wore them a few times (lesser than 5?), I am too embarrassed to take a picture of them because they look dirty and old and smelly.

It is a pair of silver low-heeled shoes resembling snake skin that I bought for RH Dinner and Dance and also lent my mum for sis's wedding. Still wearable but the design is a lil too loud for me so I keep them in the cupboard till now...

3. TROIS + INCH

(Average Price: $59.90?)

Not my favourite brand and the shoes are mostly quite ugly and cheena. Bought two pairs from them because the designs were very special. One is a pair of flats that I got from the branch at Wisma because they were in denim material with the USA flag at the front formed using crystals. Received so much compliment when I wore them from schoolmates. Matched well with jeans but I accidentally soiled them during a rainy night and there goes my short-lived shoes. It was hard to remove the mud stains from the denim and it was heartache for the next few weeks because they were a very comfortable pair where the lining was made of pig skin. :( 

TROIS + INCH mostly sells open-toed shoes or sandals.

Branches: Bugis and Wisma

Shoes 10

Another pair of suede shoes, another pair of wedges... This pair is different because the design is much more playful. They look more like ballet wedges because of the lacing and ribbons. I like how my feet will not shift that much in the shoes because of the elastic sides which cling on tightly to my broad feet. I bought them for CNY 2011 and they were a comfortable pair. In addition, it is that common to find grey suede wedges too!

4. Hush Puppies

(Average price: $69.90/pair)

I was never a fan of Hush Puppies. I did not even enter the shop when I walked past them. However, my sister started recommending the following pair to me during her pregnancy. As her feet got swollen and she could not wear heels, she was always on the lookout for pretty flats and she came upon them while shopping one day. I think she bought the gold and black ones and even returned after her labour to buy another gold one to keep for future. Yes, they are that comfortable.

Shoes 11

I call it my rubber shoes. I bought the silver-purple one. One thing good about such shoes is that you don't have to be afraid of dirtying them because you can clean or wash them later. Wanted to get the gold one to keep but the colour of the rubber somehow changed and so I aborted the idea. You can walk for hours in them and you won't get blisters.

When I was shopping at OG one day, I saw a brand that sold shoes similar to the one I got and it was like 1/3 of the price. However, the texture of the rubber was different and the sizes were not accurate as well so I guess I have been paying for quality. Anyway, it was a great pair to wear to school.

5. Adidas

(Average Price: $80-$100 plus/per pair)

Definitely not a sporty person. I did not even own a pair proper sport shoes, I wear the New Balance one given by my brother which he bought using his NS points. However, when I looked at the number of shoes I owned from sports brand, it seemed like there were only two and they were all from Adidas. It must have been the three stripes that attracted me! ahaha..

Shoes 12

Grey suede ballet flats that I got as my 21st birthday present. Don't you think they resemble Shoes 10? I wore them to KL and Cameron Highlands. An okay shoes for walking but they can get smelly because the sole will absorb all the perspiration.

Shoes 13

What can I say? I bought this pair of sneakers because I saw many people wearing them and I thought I can wear them on days where I want to look sporty. The design is very simple: white and purple. However the tip is a little narrow so my toes can get a bit paiful after wearing them for long. But they are good for walking and I remembered wearing them to HongKong last year as I was afraid that the weather will be too cold and I don't want my feet to be frozen stiff. Think too much!

6. Converse

(Average Price: $59-$89/pair)

When you think of sneakers, you think of Converse. Converse has accompanied me through my Poly years. I used to have a pair of hot pink sneakers but was stolen by somebody from my neighbourhood. Then, Sis got me another pair with graffiti design and I remember wearing them so often for my lab sessions where we had to wear covered schools. I threw them away when they became dirty and worn.

Shoes 14

This is the latest design where the shoes are lighter because of the reduction in the use of rubber at the sole. I bought the classic black one after watching Glee 3D with KT. I was telling her how all the cast members wore polo tshirts, jeans and converse sneakers and yet looked so healthy and good. Hence, I decided to get one pair myself so I can wear them in NIE. Look more like an undergraduate hahaha. Actually the pair that I wanted to buy isn't this. I wanted to get those where you can lace up above the ankle kind but Mum said they don't suit me.

I bought them for several months now and I only wore them twice. Haha.. But I will bring them with me to HK in Jan because that's what Hongkongers love to wear and I can blend in with the culture. HEEEHEEE...

Well, that's the end of the post but I'm sure it's not the end of my relationship with shoes. Will update when I can get a new pair. :)