The Tao of shoe

My love for fashion harkens back as far as I can remember. Some of the first memories I can recall offer me visions of shoes. My very first best girlfriend, Nikki, and I would spend hours and hours fighting over who got to wear the plastic high heels from the dress-up bin at Graland Country Day - my pre-kindergarten class. On the days that I reigned victorious, my entire demeanor would change. I would go from just an ordinary girl in a dress to a princess, or a model, or a movie star, or just the plain old boss. The shoes make the girl.

And the funny thing is - nothing has changed.

I don't know a woman without a shoe fetish. Or at least a fond appreciation for all things shoe. And it does start at an early age. My friend's daughter Haley is 2 and a half. She's already hooked. My mother has about 30 pairs of black shoes and can always find an excuse for one more pair. One friend has at least ten pairs of flip-flops, and an admitted fetish.

Shoes bridge the gap of fashion. They cross all sizes, ages, styles, preferences, and in every circle, shoes are fashionable. Imagine this: the same black T-shirt and denim mini-skirt with a pair of Dr. Marten's high tops, or with a pair of driving moccasins, kitten heeled mules or Stan Smith's. The point is - everyone can love shoes because the shoes themselves are the statement you want to make.

From stiletto to slip-proof

Having spent my formative years in New York City, I not only learned the reality of fashion over function, but grew to embrace the blisters, aching arches and exhaustion I eventually grew numb to in order to sport my beautiful stilettos. I am a huge fan. Again we relive the childhood memory - the princess, the movie star - you get the picture. I became what I like to call a shoe connoisseur. I actually got to the point in my life where $200 was a reasonable price to pay for a pair. I am still justifying that with several pairs that still exist in pure form. They were well constructed, beautifully designed, perfectly timeless and have truly gotten better with age, almost like a favorite pair of jeans. I put on these shoes and my groove is officially on.

But then I moved. And suddenly became aware of how terribly impractical it is to love stilettos on ice, snow, mag chloride. That is where I had to dig down and reconnect with the shoe.

Suddenly Dansko was a brand that I was willing to look at for comfort and practicality and not the name of a new club on the Lower East Side. Merrell and Keen, these brands actually make an appearance in my closet and are considered for their comfort and snow-worthiness rather than their sexiness. (Big sad sigh).

The shoes for mountain living are just not what one considers sexy. They do not shape and taper the leg. They do not make you rock with attitude - but they do allow you to jump over streams, walk along a snowy bike path, cradle your feet with love after being crammed into ski boots.

Boots, the valley girl's savior

But that is okay because I have found a way to bring my love for fashion to the mountains. It's all in the boots. The boots are where the focus shifts. You have cowboy, moon, hiking and fashion. Are they leather, are they suede? Fur lined or fleece? Lace ups or stretch? Wedges or sport? Whatever the look, there is a boot that follows.

With the boots, we mountain girls have choices. Boots make skirts in winter acceptable. And what else would one wear with the skinny jean? Boots are to be tucked into, or worn over. Whatever the case, the boot is the bomb.

Where to buy

One of my favorite places to find great boots is online. I log on to Zappos.com and am granted with access to combat, knee high, western, slouch, zip-on, square toe and on and on. It is the shoe lover's dream. They have shoes for all - men, women and children. If I began to wax poetic about my baby's shoe closet, I would need another several pages. In short, Zappos.com is fantastic. I love it. It is easy, inexpensive and great for my whole family.

If you are not a fan of online buying, or really need to try on before you buy, some of my personal favorite local outfits will definitely do the trick.

For shoes that will pick up your wardrobe in a very fashionable and fun way, head over to Blitz. They have stores in Vail and Edwards. They carry brands like Kenzie, Naughty Monkey, Miz Mooze, Jessica Simpson and Rocket Dog. At Blitz you will find shoes and boots priced from $45-$197.

A great location for the gal who is more comfort than conformist is Ptarmigan Sports in Edwards. They have taken the comfort shoe to a whole new level. Featuring beautiful shoes from brands like El Naturalista, The Old Gringo, Tsubo and a wide selection of Dansko. At Ptarmigan Sports, you will pay, but these are the kind of shoes that you will love and wear for a long time. The quality of the brands is definitely worth the investment, and your feet will love you forever.

Well Heeled in Edwards is a shoe connoisseur's palace. Priced on the higher end, Well Heeled offers the woman that knows her shoes a place to shop locally. With brands like Giuseppe Zanotti, Donald Pliner, Bettye Muller, Claudia Ciuti, one can't go wrong on style points. You may have some sticker shock with prices ranging from $95- $600, but to justify, a friend of mine actually told me that Well Heeled brought her shoe fetish back. And, Well Heeled offers great sales. The winter sale is happening now, but it is always worth while taking a peek.

In short, a shoe is not just a shoe. A boot is not just a boot. What you wear on your feet defines you more than nearly anything else fashion has to offer. You can make or break an outfit with your shoes. You can dress up, or dress down. You can run up, or run down. The shoe, like all of our first loves will always remain true. And the shoe, forever and always will just be.



Gabrie Higbie is a freelance writer based in Vail.