Bootie Call

I'm way over-due for some more postings but it's been busy!

This week marks my first full-week post-birth without help from family. For all of you who complain about your family all "up in your business" and not giving you space, I have no sympathy. Our parents are thousands of miles away (actually, is Winnipeg thousands or hundreds of miles away... why don't I know this - either way, it's far y'all) and it pains me terribly every time they leave us or we leave them. Yes, I'm the only person in the world sad when they leave Winnipeg.

Not sad enough to move back there, but still pretty weepy.

So first things first about this posting, appreciate your family if they're close to you. But most importantly for this post, if you can't have your family close, you may as well have new shoes. That makes sense, right? I thought so.

I've become a big fan of CBC's Steven and Chris during this mat leave. And on a recent show, their uber cool style expert Erica Wark, did a segment on spring looks for under $100. It was great, but in that weird way my brain works, a particular item... these booties from H&M (also featured in the middle picture above), for an alleged $14.95 (!!) stayed with me in the same way that the final scene from Lars Von Triers' Melancholia stayed with me (hey, like I said, my brain works in weird ways). I obsessed and so just as soon as my family left me and Isla alone, off I went on my journey to find the perfect shoe.

And for me, right now, these are kinda the perfect shoe: affordable, practical, versatile, and... hot.

But my journey ended in sadness (sadness being a completely relative concept you understand).

I went to 3... count 'em...3... H&Ms and no dice. 2 said they never got them at all and the big Eaton Centre store said they left as soon as they came in the store. Said the insightful salesperson, "I think they were like cheap or something...". Yeeeahh....

On my way out of the mall, however, I walked by Ardene. You know Ardene, right? No? That's because you pass it all the time. It's not really meant for you - it's sorta meant for like tween girls. It's one of those cheapy accessories stores. But on said segment on Steven and Chris, Erica pointed out a number of great little finds from Ardene, so I thought, what the heck.

What the heck, indeed. Check out not only a good representation of the perfect bootie, but also a super cute pair of spring python flats - both for $20 (like, together). What?! Yeah. Are these the best quality shoes in the whole world? No. Will my feet somewhat smell after wearing them for the day? Probably. But for $20, I'm willing to get over that. So should you!