manolo blahniks

Tell me the truth: Am I insane for buying a pair of Manolo Blahniks? I think so, sometimes, but as Carrie says in Sex in the City, a woman has a right to shoes. Everyone at work thinks I'm nuts. They look at me askance and shake their heads, but I think secretly wish they could wear a pair of 4 inch stilletto heels. This is goofy, but sometimes I put on a leather mini skirt and the shoes and just wear them both around the house.

Now, my footwear obsession started when my best friend came into town for a visit and she forced me to get a pedicure. Then she forced me to go to Neiman Marcus to look at shoes. They were on sale. Really. I tried on a beautiful pair of Prada stillettos, which I considered. Then I saw THE PAIR. A pair of shiny, black patent leather Mary Jane's. Made by Kate Spade. Somehow, somehow, they would be mine.

Actually, making them mine was very easily accomplished. I just signed up for a Neiman Marcus credit card, and voilà, the Kate Spades were placed in a pretty Neiman Marcus bag and taken home, to fondle and wear whenever I chose. Ahh, almost better than sex.

This pair was satisfying, for a while. I loved strolling around in my beautiful shoes, in the knowledge that they cost more than most people make in a day.

But then, one day, I went to Neiman Marcus, innocently enough, just to shop for umm, well, stuff. And, oh, no. The shoes were on sale. And then, I noticed a pair of Yves St. Laurent orange sandels. And I NEED a pair of sandals. Orange. To match this really killer summer dress that I bought to wear out for special occasions. So really, it's something I need, not just want. So I whipped out the old trusty card and next thing I know, I'm the proud owner of two pair of outrageously priced designer shoes.

So a few months later, I've paid off my card, and with the happy knowledge that I have a zero balance, I find some plausible excuse to go shopping again. This time I hit the motherlode. Neiman's has pair after pair of beautiful shoes. And this time, I lost my mind. I bought the king daddy, creme de le creme, a pair of Manolo Blahnik black wrap sandals. And I even convinced myself for a brief time that I was going to sell them on Ebay and actually make a profit. But somehow, I never got around to it.

But you know, at this point, I'm starting to think that buying a great pair of shoes once or twice a year isn't such a bad thing. I wouldn't go so far as to say that they are an investment, unless you could stretch and say it's an investment in self-esteem, but I no longer feel bad about buying these absurdly priced shoes. And you know what? My balance is getting close to zero again, and I'm starting to think it's about time for a trip to Buckhead again for a little self-esteem, I mean, shoe shopping.