Why is it that in the fall, I always have an uncontrollable urge to buy suede shoes? One reason is that all the stores push suede shoes for fall, so they’re in your face all the time. And the cozy texture of suede hits you right in that end-of-summer-sick-of-your-clothes-cooler-weather-need-new-stuff place. Suede has that feeling of relaxed luxury, like cashmere. Doesn’t everyone want to feel relaxed and luxurious, all the time? Plus, suede shoes always seem like they’ll be more comfortable than regular shoes, which I don’t even think is true. It’s all part of the magic of suede.
But the other (dark) magic of suede is that if you get it wet, it will possibly A) Be ruined, B) Hatch Gremlins, or C) Both. Actually, they say you can get suede a little wet here and there, and fix it up later with a wire brush. But in my life, when it’s raining, my feet get WET. Real wet. Which makes suede not such a smart choice.
Yes, I know there is protective spray. But that is for people who go from the house to the car to the restaurant to the car to the house. It is not for people who have to wait on a corner and then leap over a puddle to hail a cab, or for people who take the subway, and it is definitely not for people who walk. Those people have to not wear suede that day, and they had damn well better check the weather report before they get dressed if they are even considering wearing suede.
Once, I saw a pair of beautiful red suede calf-high boots in a shop. They were absolutely gorgeous. The perfect shade of red, the perfect heel, the perfect toe, and the shaft looked slim enough for my scrawny calves. But they were suede. RED suede. Not even black suede where any stains would be less noticeable. I didn’t try them on. I didn’t even look at the price. I knew I couldn’t have them. But I still remember them. It was the late 90s, somewhere on Spring St. I think.
Last fall, I caved in and bought a pair of suede shoes. Black suede oxford wedges. They are pretty comfortable, even though they’re really high. The wedge, the rubber sole, and the secure fit from the laces make them easy to walk in. However, over the course of the year, several outfits were foiled by rainstorms that made me afraid to wear my suede shoes. So I definitely should not buy anymore.
But.
Look at THESE!!!!
And THESE seem so practical, except for the suede-ness.
I just realized that all three pairs of the above shoes are by Sam Edelman. (Remember Sam & Libby’s? It’s the same Sam! And Libby, apparently, has her own line of shoes too. AND Sam & Libby shoes still exist. How about that?) Anyway, it seems that Sam Edelman has a thing for suede, and he’s making me have a thing for suede too.
But then, look at last week. Do you remember that rain? I might have mentioned it a little tiny bit here and there. The northeast got, like, buckets and buckets of rain every single day. Upstate NY flooded (again!), and in the city there were rivers running between the subway tracks, and big grody puddles everywhere. (When it rains, NYC makes it’s own gravy.) It finally stopped, but when I went out for a nice dinner for my wedding anniversary Friday night, do you know what I couldn’t wear? SUEDE SHOES! Because it was supposed to rain some time between 7pm and 9pm. (It didn’t.)
Still. Maybe it’s okay to buy a pair of kind of expensive and not very sensible shoes every now and again? Just because they’re sooo pretty? I don’t knooooow! (Yes I do, but I still feel a little guilty, so we’ll see.)
However! There is one very affordable and somewhat sensible suede shoe that I am enjoying, guilt-free right now. No, really, RIGHT NOW. See? (Holding up foot.) They are made by Minnetonka, and yes, they are moccasins.
MOCCASINS! I understand they might not be for everybody. I had seen them around and was kind of into them, but I wasn’t really sure how they would work out. Then, when I was in Paris I saw a girl wearing them with her skinny jeans, and they/she looked really cool (and comfortable!) so I came home and ordered them. (I think I got them on sale at Piperlime or Endless for like $34?) I have since worn them with both jeans and shorts, and maybe a dress one time but I can’t really remember. And then I bought the brown ones too, also on sale. They feel like you’re wearing slippers. Basically, you ARE wearing slippers and you should probably get insoles for them if you're going to walk anywhere. Just don’t wear them when it’s raining! But if you do it’s okay! Because they were cheap! Except your feet will definitely definitely get wet!
I’m glad the weather is beautiful today and I can get excited for fall things. Even though it’s a fall thing that gets ruined by rain. (But seriously, if you ask me, everything gets ruined by rain.)
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