An Open Letter to Children’s Shoe Manufacturers

Dear Shoe Manufacturers,

I don’t need to tell you that the summer holidays are upon us. For a working parent, this brings with it not rest and relaxation but the additional juggling of different childcare settings in an effort to ensure one’s children are appropriately looked after. Children these days are fickle – they like a reasonable mix of activities. Add that together with a job that involves shuttling up and down the M4 on a vaguely regular basis, and timetables have to be managed with military precision.

Before you think I’m complaining – I’m not. We’ve a few years of it under our belts, and we’re lucky enough to have a choice of good childcare settings that the kids are happy to attend. So, yes, it can be a little stressful sometimes, but it’s nothing compared to another stress that also rears its ugly head at around this time of year. The dreaded Back To School shopping. Or, to be more precise Back To School Shoe Shopping. We all know New School Year = New School Shoes. Just the thought is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat, however. (In fact, I’ve spent the last three days writing this blog post as I’ve had to go for a lie down after every other sentence.)

Nothing in my life is as stressful as school shoe shopping. Nothing.

Clearly, my eldest daughter (despite both looking like me and being close to me in personality), missed the “OMG, I love shoes” gene. However, even my youngest daughter, who has inherited some of her mother’s shoeaholic tendencies, is less than enamoured with this annual torture.

What is it about school shoes, and specifically those aimed at girls? When it comes to both design and build, they are dire. My children have been known to get through 3 pairs in the space of six weeks in the past. These were not cheap pairs, either. I’ve spent anywhere between £15 and £45 on a single pair of school shoes in desperation, with no discernible difference in durability. In fact, if anything, unscientific experience seems to indicate that the more expensive a pair, the shorter their lifespan. At least with a cheap pair you don’t feel quite so bad about them ending up in the bin every couple of months…

Whilst boys’ footwear mostly looks like it can withstand a) the British weather, and b) a reasonable amount of rough and tumble, young girls have to make do with dainty open shoes with flimsy straps that are barely better equipped than a sandal for the British autumn. 

I give you my top three gripes:

1. Open fronts

It rains quite a lot in this country. Had you noticed? I wonder also if you’ve noticed that wet socks are really quite uncomfortable?

2. Flimsy Velcro fastenings:

…behold the dreaded silver ring, or the “roulette ring” as it’s known in our house, as we hold our breath to see which gets ripped apart first – the ring, or the…

3. Thin Soles

Is it just my children that appear to be able to unglue the upper and the sole of a shoe before the term is out? I'm sure the amount we spend on superglue is sending off alarm bells somewhere. (Do kids still sniff glue? Is that even a thing, or have all the new trendy "legal highs" we parents supposedly have to be alarmed about overtaken that habit?)

Anyway, in my desperation, I've even tried persuading my daughters to give "boys' shoes" a try. Peer pressure is stronger than my negotiating skills, however, and the trauma of the teasing I endured as a 12 year old (when my mother bought me what would now, bizarrely be the height of fashion - rounded lace-ups, but in the 80s turned me into a playground pariah when everyone else was wearing pointy slip-ons) remains with me to this day. I'm not brave enough to inflict something similar on my children.

However, all is not lost. Last year, for the first year, we struck gold when it came to 50% of the offspring at least. Youngest daughter chose these fab boot-like constructions from M&S:

Nice and enclosed, no roulette ring to worry about, and soles worthy of the name. THEY LASTED A WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR, and even better, it looks like they are selling the same ones this year.

So, if the rest of you would just be so kind as to follow their example, I'll be eternally grateful. In the meantime, I'm off to stock up on a pair in every size.

Yours, exasperatedly…

Julie

What Do You Buy The Woman Who Has Everything? (An Open Letter to My Husband.)

Dear Husband,

As if the whole whole redundancy thing wasn't enough to provoke the climax of my mid-life crisis, you're of course well aware that I'm going to be 21 40 in the not too distant future.

Now, we all know that 40 is the new black, and therefore there is only one way to reach this important milestone, and that is WITH STYLE.
I've always thought my tastes were simple and fairly well-known to you. It was therefore of some surprise to me when you declared that you weren't really sure what I might like for this important landmark event. Hence, I thought I would do you (and anyone else reading this that may be inclined to splash out on gifts for me or a similarly simple-tasted love one) a favour by giving you a few pointers.

Of course, what I really want for my birthday is probably slightly out of my reach:

Plus, I'll totally understand if you might have reservations with that one for obvious reasons.

Much as I know you'll definitely approve of my second choice of a little topless number, sadly I fear this may be slightly out of the budget this year...

Luxury, however, doesn't have to be massively expensive. A bottle of my favourite champagne always goes down a treat:

As would a pair of shoes of my own design from Upper Street Shoe:

(I'll be needing new ones for all those interviews I'll soon be having, after all).

When you get to a certain age, however, material possessions become less important than cherished memories. You know how much I love to travel, and there are still plenty of places I have not yet managed to experience:

Perhaps though, if time or money don't allow a trip further afield, how about somewhere more local with a GIN EXPERIENCE?

Or a romantic Bath Spa Twilight package?

Or perhaps you'd prefer London? Maybe with tea at Claridge's?

Source

And maybe lastly, and somewhat seemingly randomly, you can't go wrong with a White Company mint diffuser. Let's face it - home is where the heart is, and it should at least smell nice.

I'm always moaning about not being able to find waterproofs that look nice:

seasalt

...and an old woman like me likes to keep warm at all times:

Lakeland heated throw to go with that electric blanket I've already got...

I refuse to ask for a steam cleaner though. Although I think I could probably do with one. We'll gloss over that though, shall we?

See? Easy.

Your 39 year old wife. x

The Gallery - Motherhood

This week's Gallery prompt is a tough one.

Motherhood.

I wracked my brains. I went through pictures of myself with the children. I went through pictures of my mother with me. They were beautiful and meaningful, but didn't feel quite right. I wanted something more abstract. I dismissed the piles of washing and close-ups of crow's feet. I dismissed the drawings on the wall.

In the end, I settled for this:

Before you all start rolling your eyes and wondering what the hell a pair of wellies has to do with motherhood, let me explain.

Before I had children, the last time I possessed a pair of wellington boots was probably when I was a child myself. Motherhood makes the need for stilettos into a luxury, rather than a necessity.

They represent sacrifice.

They represent comfort.

These wellies have splashed in the best puddles and walked in the best parks.

They represent fun.

These wellies are regularly worn by my children, who love nothing more than dressing up in mummy's shoes.

They represent empathy.

They are a bit messy and worn, but definitely loved.

Wardrobe Workout, part 1

Do you have a signature style? Is what you wear important to you? How do you think you measure up in the style stakes?

I have always been interested in fashion. As a little girl, I loved dressing up in my mother's clothes. I enjoy reading fashion magazines, perusing websites and blogs, and window shopping. However, to be honest, apart from my shoe fetish, this interest doesn't really manifest itself in a physical form.

It has always been more of a theoretical, almost academic interest, and since having children, it has been even more difficult to experiment, due to lack of shopping time. Therefore, I tend to go for the tried and tested, sticking to what I know suits me. A lot of my clothes therefore are old. I mean, really old. Well-worn and well-loved, but old.

My working wardrobe I am fairly happy with. However, as I am physically spending less and less time in the office these days, and more and more time working from home, this is becoming less of a consideration. If it wasn't for the fact that I still have to take my children to school and nursery, I could probably get away with wearing my pyjamas on those days. The thing is, I don't think I'm very good at casual. I'm generally more of a jeans* and white t-shirt girl.

I need to learn to accessorise. I need to think about layering. I need to learn to get out of my comfort zone and experiment a little - however, not so much that I end up with a load of stuff that doesn't go with anything. I'd like one of those lovely capsule wardrobes, please!

My spring resolution therefore is to get out of my wardrobe rut. This weekend it's time for stage one; the big clearout.

Wish me luck.

*P.S. (yes - *gasp* - I'm still wearing bootcut; you know they're bound to come back in sooner or later. I just don't have the legs for skinny jeans. And don't even get me started on jeggings *shiver*)

P.P.S. no, that's not my only wardrobe - my other one is full of shoes ;-)

Wedding Fever

My little brother is getting married in August. I haven't actually been to a wedding since before we had children (not many single friends, no divorces yet, mainly christenings these days), therefore even aside from my fact that it's MY LITTLE BROTHER, I am quite excited.

I get to wear the shoes.

Oh, I know they are not brand new, and they are probably so old they are now at the stage where they can be classed as "vintage" (however, they do happen to be a nice nude colour which is very this season).

Just look at the detailing... those roses...

All I need now is the rest of the outfit.

Happiness is...

I have taken the liberty of taking up the tag thrown down by Dawn at The Moiderer regarding 10 Things that make me Happy. (Apologies, it's a bit of a rushed job. )

So - in no particular order:

1) My husband - who still makes me laugh after nearly 9 years of marriage and 15 years together in total
2) My children - almost goes without saying really - the way they make me look at the world with new eyes.
3) Sunshine - given we live in a generally grey and drizzly country every little ray brings me out in a huge grin
4) Sleep - I am just way too miserable without it. Sadly the days of a long lazy morning in bed are long gone.
5) A glass of bubbly with friends - how could it not?
6) Shoes - my biggest weakness. I know, I know, it's completely shallow, but even since the age of 3 I have had a penchant for killer heels and the way they make me feel. My 2 girls are the same!
7) Reading a good book, something I can get really engrossed in and forget what is going on around me.
8) Getting something unexpected in the post
9) Dancing insanely to the cheesiest music possible
...and finally:
10) The fact that we are going on holiday tomorrow. Yippee!!

I'll also throw this one open to anyone that would like to pick it up - comment below and let me know how you get on.

Wordless Wednesday - How Many Times Have I Told You?