Thursday, September 01, 2011

a sad, sad shoe story.

Have you ever had an item in your closet that you love and wear SO much you buy SPARES?

Yea.  That's what these shoes are to me:

You've seen me wear these shoes in a hundred photos.  That's because they GO WITH EVERYTHING.  Best. Shoe. Ever.

The heel is the perfect height, I can walk in them all day, and the vintage styling is amazingly spot on.  And the color!  Sigh.

Best. Shoe. Ever.

The most amazing thing about these shoes is that they came from Target, Xhileration brand, and were about $20.  Why I didn't buy 5 pair, I'll never know.  I thought about it, believe me.  I just didn't, and they've been out of production for years.

A few days ago, the button popped off the side of the right shoe.  That's the button that holds the Mary Jane strap in place.  My shoes!!

I haven't decided yet if I'll take them downtown to the cobbler to see if he can reattach it.  I'm sort of embarrassed to take a $20 pair of Target heels to be fixed.  I've taken really good care of them because they are the Best. Shoes. Ever.  But there are still scuffs (fake leather) and dings and a few spots of discoloration.

For now I stand forlornly in front of my closet each morning (looking past the 20 boxes of other shoes) thinking...

I have no shoes.

So sad.

20 comments:

  1. I completely sympathize. My advice is to take them to the cobbler. Mine did politely point out to me that more expensive shoes would last longer (I agree but can't yet pay $600 for a pair of shoes..), but he did a great job fixing them.

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  2. those shoes are FABULOUS. i was hoping for a link! take them in! your favorite shoes are worth the odd stare form the cobbler.

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  3. Awwww sad it right! I feel your pain. If it makes you feel any better, I had that happen once on a very expensive pair of shoes! Also, the one time I did actually buy a spare pair of awesome shoes I made the mistake of not actually taking them out of the box, and when I finally needed them the strap ripped immediately from the rest of the shoe. Boo.

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  4. They are beautiful shoes - take them to the cobbler. He doesn't care how much you paid for them.

    :) g

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  5. Target, really? Wow! I agree, they are pretty great. I'd nurse them along for as long as I could. Good luck!

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  6. I have admired them in your pics and am annoyd that somehow I missed them at Target! yes, yes, get them repaired. His look or remark will last a moment but you'll have these for a lot longer tha that. I will admit that I did find a comfy and cute pair of shoes at DSW yesterday for only $30 on clearance of that's any inspiration.

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  7. If they are your favorite shoes and you love them, then of course get them fixed. Your cobbler may be able to polish away a few of the flaws. Shoes that can be walked in all day are priceless!

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  8. I totally understand. I have a pair of shoes that I loved and were starting to come apart at one of the seams. I saved them for special occasions only. I was going to bring them in to a cobbler recently but I can only find one shoe. Not sure where my 2 year old daughter put the other one I am just hoping it is in my house.

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  9. Repair them. A good pair of shoes is so worth it.

    I have talbot ballet flats that I've worn all summer long and they are staring to look real bit up. I can't find another pair that is as cheap as these were. I'm going to add strips and make them a zebra print to draw attention away from all the scuffs.

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  10. Anonymous4:30 PM

    Wow! My most comfortable pair of heels was from target too - I wore them for three years constantly until the same thing happened. They were a similar style and the button broke off. So I took a low tech approach and used thread scissors to snip the strap off as close as I could to the seam. They stayed on fine and I've had another year and a half's wear! Granted they were black not bright yellow but maybe it's an option.

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  11. I HAVE THOSE SHOES! I love them, I love the heel height though if I wear them without tights I get blisters on my toes though I don't care because I love them. Mine are from Topshop in the UK and I actually travelled to another town to get them as they sold out in my size in my local shop. My pair were quite a lot more expensive though and slightly more mustardy in colour.

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  12. I was afraid to even click on this link, I was so worried I'd, y'know, start crying or something. You know how I feel about shoe tragedies.

    But you can TOTALLY have that fixed. Go! Tomorrow. You have the day off and everything. Sheesh.

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  13. This story will make you feel better :) I live in Australia and am taking my daughter to New York next January, so of course, I need a great vintage leather coat. I buy the coat on Etsy from a seller in - you guessed it - New York. It comes to Australia where I decide it is a smidgen too small (it is a wrap style), so why not put a zip in it. I take it to the cobbler (in Australia we are very dull and call that the shoe repair shop) who puts a zip in so I can take it back to New York next January.

    If I can do something as kooky as that, you can certainly take your gorgeous yellow shoes (which I have always admired) back to the shop!

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  14. They must go to the cobbler and stat! Shoes that you love and can walk in all day... and the perfect heel height need doctoring!!!!

    I had a pair of shoes resoled 2 times that I bought on clearance for next to nothing at a discount store, because I loved them that much...

    I am talking one slight step up from Target shoes. resoling (is that a word?) them one time cost more than the original price of the shoes.. SO SO worth it to do it twice... I would have done it a third time but not much shoe left.. It was a sad day when I put those shoes to rest..

    k

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  15. Such cute shoes - I think it's only fitting that we have a moment of silence...

    ...


    Get 'em fixed, woman! You know you want to. Even if it costs $20, you will still get more use out of them (scuffs & all).

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  16. Yes, I agree with everyone else. Have them fixed. It is worth it for a shoe you love that makes others green with yellow shoe envy. :)

    I bought a pair of really cute shoes from the thrift store for $4.99 and then paid $8.99 to have the heel pad replaced on what was an otherwise brand new shoe. So happy I did it. My cobbler didn't think anything of it.

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  17. I've seen those in Top Shop and on Ebay UK - if you find some online and they don't ship worldwide, I would be happy to post them to you x

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  18. Definitely get them repaired! Well fitting, comfortable shoes that go with everything are so rare, it'd be a shame to let them go just because you're scared what the cobbler will think! I'll tell you what he'll be thinking - "whoopie, business!" So I seriously doubt he'll care they are from target!

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  19. These remind me of a pair of mustard yellow t-strap pumps from Aerosoles years ago that I lusted after. Of course when I finally had the money and the inclination they were gone in my size. So my advice for you is to do what ever you can to keep them wearable. Come on, do it for me! ;)

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  20. I sure hope that you took them into the shoe repair shop! I've admired these shoes on your feet many times - I'd hate to never see them again.

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