The It Shoe of the Fall Season

After happily spending many languid summer days either barefoot on the beach or in the Birkenstock du jour, Fall came crashing in and ruined it. A harsh reminder that fall gets chilly, duh, and closed-toe options are the only way to go, I felt obligated to check in on my shoes and see how they are doing hidden away in their shoe boxes. The dilemma? As you know, Fall is a seasonal transition , ugly flats abound, and as I am now used to flats, going for broke and pulling a Carrie Bradshaw moment might not be the ticket this time around.

Shoe shopping, for me, is never an option. It is a necessity that I pull the trigger on a few new pairs each season whether it be a pair of black boots, a pair of fresh heels, and obligatory loafers. I even considered, if only for a minute, the Stella McCartney clunky-soled brogue that have been infiltrating the streets since Fashion Week.

But as luck has it, at press time, they are almost sold-out everywhere. Except a few left here.

This habit, of buying a few pairs of shoes each season would make complete sense if I A. wear them more than twice, and B. love how I feel in them but in spite of less-than-favorable results, I’m more concerned with the psychological aspect here. I am a fool for fashion, and although I tell myself I am not going to break my own rules, I ultimately cave. And what happens to those star shoes of the season? They have been rejected and left out for obliteration by sleet and its more popular cousins. I am victim of my own demise, feeling these nouns every single time: contemplation and then guilt. From yours truly, it is a hard habit to break.

This season will be different. I just might decide to do the Birkenstock clog either in the standard style or the shearling-lined version. This way I am comfortable without breaking the bank, without contemplating anything and without the guilt. At least I won’t have any cuts, scrapes, Band-Aids, or pain to contend with on a weekly basis.

Carrie, are you with me? The jury is out.