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Downsizing and happy discoveries in the bottom of my wardrobe…

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Downsizing and happy discoveries! Downsizing is challenging! No doubt about it!

Martin and I have each had a wobbly moment or two where we land on an item that we really, truly love. However the reality is that it won’t fit on the boat… Some of these items are going to be hard to part with.

And then, there is the occasional “problematic” yet happy discovery.

Happy discovery

I was rummaging in the bottom my wardrobe where I have a small present stash. This stash can accumulate over time. Here’s how. If I see something for someone that I think would make a great present I would buy it and it sits there until their birthday or Christmas, whichever comes first. Leading up to Christmas, I was rummaging through my present stash and found a fairly large bag of… wait for it… shoes! My God, I found a large bag with quite a few pairs of shoes… Hence the words “problematic” yet happy discovery. 

I thought I was doing so well downsizing my shoe wardrobe. Sold at the markets, gifted to friends or retired. My shoe wardrobe was about half full, or should I say half empty and then I found these. 

Unbelievable, right!  

Que music David Bowie singing, “Fashion” 
(Fashion, turn to the left
Fashion, turn the right
Oo, Fashion…)

Check these babies out…

And if you are wondering if I had missed any of them, the answer was yes a couple of them, however I thought I had lent them to a girlfriend! And others, if the truth be known, I had forgotten about.

Now my memories come flooding back.

The lovely purple shoes I bought to wear with my Wayne Cooper hot pink dress and Purple coat for Jo and Derek’s (bro) wedding. It was an amazing day and evening ending with 4 generations dancing the night away. Such a wonderful celebration and a fond, fond, fond memory.

The bronze pair I love however as gorgeous as they are they are uncomfortable. The fabric has no give. You get that occasionally.

New Years Favourites

The Burgundy pair has seen me dance in the New Year when wearing my baby doll dress that alas no longer fits me. This particular night has some awesome memories… in preparation for a big night my girlfriends and I decided to stay in the city in my office, yes my office. We arrived early and watched the sun set from my office (located on the top floor (23rd) of the building) accompanied with beverages of choice. Before heading out to dance the night away at Cloudland. We set up the office as a campsite ready for our return whenever that was going to be. We danced until well into the wee small hours of the morning and slept the night off before heading out to the iconic “People’s Place” for a late lunch.

However, the shoes that will take centre stage and are worthy of a spec sheet are these red babies::

Specifications
Brand: She
Heel height: 5” or 12.6cm
Colour: Patent leather red
Purchased: Some Spanish influenced shop on Adelaide Street Brisbane

I spotted them after an emergency run for an entire outfit. Here’s what happened. I had a personal training (PT) session in the city between 7-8am and I was starting a mediation at 9am. After the PT session ended I headed to the shower only to discover I had left my clothes at home(aAnd no, I did not wear these heels to the mediation). I found this funky little Spanish shop open and manage to find an outfit I could get away with. The shop was after all targeting a much younger demographic. They even had a couple of flats. I hate flats… I just do. So, it was solely out of necessity I bought a pair of flats that I knew I would never wear again. I got dressed in their change room and ran off to my mediation. 

I had spotted these babies in the window beside the shop where I bought my “rescue” outfit.

They had burnt their way on to the retina of my mind. I went back to try them on that afternoon.

It was close to my birthday and my mother-in-law had given me some cash, so I went back and bought these babies. There was no occasion for which I had planned to wear them, and at the time I was not sure if they were too over the top. I am not sure why I could think that then. I don’t have that mind set now…

Favourite moment 

Frocking up for the Rocky Horror Picture show. 

I have loved every moment in these shoes, Rocky horror, Halloween, parties… they have been truly party shoes…

#Iloveshoes #Ilovefashion #IloveBowie… he, he #Ilovesailing #Whatareyouwaitingfor #liveyourlife

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In Down sizing

Attempting to get serious about downsizing…

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It is hard to get serious about downsizing. The conversations that go on in my head are funny, hardly significant however an inner dialogue that can keep me occupied for hours if I let it. 

OK, time to get serious about downsizing. I’m throwing a pair out today… I am saying this more to myself, than you. Why, I selected this pair to be the next to go several weeks ago and I have been admiring them ever since.

These beautiful babies have been a practical “go to” pair that I can honestly say I have worn to death. Not like worn to death because OMG I am so in love with them I have to wear them all the time. No, this is the type of worn to death resulting in the simple fact that they were not the best quality. Hence worn to death…

Notwithstanding, they are, (soon to be were) stunning… 

Specifications

Brand: Some Chemist brand that ends in ‘neise.
Heel height: 3.5″ or 9 cm 
Colour: Black, Fawn and White with a stunning red slash ankle strap
Purchased: A chemist shoe in Stones Corner

I spotted them walking past a chemist store (I know, amazing right). I quickly tried them on. Gorgeous, $50, bargain, decision-made! I bought them before a meeting with a client. We were meeting at a coffee shop near her office. I ran back and to put them in the car, so I was not seen with my shopping bag… He, he, he…

Not sure why because after the meeting, as we walked back towards her office, we walked past my car and I dragged them out of the car to show her. 

It’s a girl thing, OK…

Favourite moment 

Loved looking for the perfect handbag to go with them. 

Picture this… I wore them only with a black dress… As most of you know I wear mostly colour and these shoes are a statement on their own. So, finding a handbag that really worked, complimented them and the dress without competing with the shoes. Yes, you heard (well read) right, without – competing – with – the – shoes. 

So, shopping for the handbag took, two summers of great enjoyment, wandering through shopping centres. This was not a full-on pursuit… It occurred two or three times over two summers. Most likely with a Xmas gift voucher from my mother-in-law in my hand and the two pairs of shoes the handbag had to match in a tote bag. Sometimes these adventures were with a girlfriend, other times not. It was a chill-out time of looking at and admiring handbags…

Funniest moment 

Leaving the Caf’ at Amberley RAAF base walking beside a 6ft 4 Group Captain on a 40-degree Queensland summer day. Offered said group captain a lift back to his building (due to the heat). My shoe blew out… And while the ankle strap held on (around my ankle – funny that) the sole was doing it’s own dance trying to take off and fly, as one does at a RAAF base, and I was trying to walk as elegantly as possible given the circumstances.

I did not have another pair of shoes in the car and had to navigate the rest of the day this way…

Again, I had to walk beside said Group Captain, who I am sure was trying not to laugh from the car into the building and up a set of stairs. Just glad I did not run into the Safety Officer who would have had the dilemma of trying to work out if it was safer for me to walk this way or bare-foot (which I am sure there is a policy against) or ask me to leave base. Glad to have been spared this dilemma.

Fair-well my friends. You have served me well.

Side note 1: Downsizing in general… Much, much easier. Especially when you start to get serious about downsizing.

Rehomed:

– 3 seater and 2 seater red lounge suite
– 4 white dining room chairs, and
– 2 teal coloured dining chairs (feature chairs) And before you ask what we are sitting on, we still have 6 dining room chairs and a big couch in the lounge.

#Confessionsofashoeaholic #Iloveshoes #Ilovesailing #TandM #Anewbeginning

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In Down sizing

Confessions of a shoeaholic!!!!

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As a shoeaholic, these beautiful babies have been a favourite that I can honestly say I have worn to death.

Specifications:

Brand: Christian Louboutin’s
Height: 5″ or 12.6cm 
Colour: The most beautiful red (That’s what they call it)
Purchased: Designer Archives (Brisbane)

They were second-hand, yes second-hand and they were virtually not used. I can only assume either whoever sold them must of have not been able to walk in them or not been comfortable in wearing patent red leather peek-a-toe pumps. 

Either way, they made me feel my natural 6”7’ and I loved every second in them. 

Favourite moments 
So many, Fridays in my favourite jeans and a nice jacket. 

A stand-out moment 
Going up a flight of stairs at Amberley RAAF base with a lady in uniform commenting, saying how much she loved them but she could not walk in heels like that and in response, she got a lesson in how to walk in seriously high heels. 

So, now for the shoeaholic to confess. 
I went to throw these out, wrote my post and my inner voice has said. I can fix them!!! 

What is wrong with them you ask. 

Christian Louboutin’s The most beautiful red

The cork on the back of the heels is peeling off. A couple of “You Tube” videos later and I have worked out how to repair them. Right! (I know – for all the right reasons, they are gorgeous and keep them until I move on the boat) Wrong! (I know – for all the wrong reasons, start throwing things out now. You don’t have enough room the boat).

So I sat on this post and my shoes for over a week. Since then I have repaired two other pairs of shoes… and a belt… LOL.

Where to now?
Still thinking about whether to repair them or not…

This week progress to down-sizing

SOLD – my gorgeous red leather office 3 seater and single seater. Bought by a young man in his 20s for his new apartment in the city. The man has taste. And I am happy they have gone to someone who feel in love with them.
TRASHED – Two pairs of flats… (easy)
REPAIRED – Two pairs of shoes heels… and a belt. 
PURCHASED – A new backpack. Easier to carry my laptop on and off the boat… I will write a review on it – it is seriously a brilliant backpack.

#Confessionsofashoeaholic #Iloveshoes #Ilovesailing #TandM #Anewbeginning

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In Down sizing

A new beginning, times are changing

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A new beginning you ask? And I will answer. But first…

On and off over the years I have contemplated a shoe blog. And those who know me well won’t be surprised. What will surprise you is why. 

I need to down-size my shoe collection…

Image of my shoe cabinet. A gorgeous balinese style timber cabinet. With a new beginning my cabinet needs to go & I need to downsize my shoe collection.
My shoe display wall

I am not entering into a debate about how many shoes should be in a shoe collection. As far as I am concerned the answer to that question is whatever is right for you. This needs to take into consideration what you can afford both in dollars and space. 

The later is the reason for my downsizing. Martin and I have decided to move onto a boat. Yes, go live aboard. Consequently, my shoe wardrobe (and clothes and handbags (although I don’t have many of the later)) will all need to be down-sized. 

To answer some of your most immediate questions.

When will this happen?

At this stage we are planning to move onto a liveaboard,
somewhere between June ’20 and Dec ’20.

What will you move on to? We don’t know yet. However, we are seriously researching.

Are you giving up work? No, not yet. We are intending to take long weekends and do some longer breaks as we get use to our boat (when we get her) and build our skills before doing some longer adventures. 

Why? Why not? Super excited! Looking forward to a new beginning.

Image, my favourite funky red shoes...

But in the mean time back to my shoes… I have a philosophy that you should not have anything in your home that is not functional, beautiful and have a home. 

I believe my shoes are beautiful. To me they are amazing architecture, with beautiful and creative lines. They have been very much part of my style and professional and personal wardrobe for many years. This is so well known that my friends will tell me in advance if I should wear flats or at least wedges if the party is in a back yard. They know me well…



Image, heading out wearing my funky red heals and a yellow top.

So, over the next 12 months or so I will celebrate my shoes and gradually let them go. A couple of girlfriends already have a few pairs. But in the mean-time I need to get use to the idea of letting some go.

These are my babies…

#Iloveshoes #Ilovesailing #TandM #Liveyourlife #whatareyouwaitingfor #Anewbeginning

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