5.31 Guilty Pleasures - Shoe Buying

Bestest Friend and I are in the middle of a blog project. Each day of the month we will post a picture on a pre-determined theme and write a little something about it. The theme for the thirty-first day of each month is "Guilty Pleasures."
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About twice a year I just go on a binge of shoe buying. I have settled quite nicely into a routine for spring and summer shoes (Mephisto Helen sandals and Vionic with Orthaheel Wave - the Wave seems to have disappeared and the Tide has taken its place), but fall and winter still have me stumped.

I have a pair of CYDWOK Bout maryjane type shoes and Cole Haan boots (this with a lower heel) that get me through the winter and of course, I have a pair of sturdy winter boots for the winter, but I need something a bit more versatile (and warmer) to get me through the winter, especially since I have to get dressed (!) every day.

So VIP Zappos* to the rescue. I ordered six pairs of shoes and will  probably end up sending all of them back (free shipping both ways!), but in the meantime, I feel like the shoe fairy has come and installed me in the seat of shoe glory.

Also, New Balance has a new line of dress shoes called Aravon and I like to support New Balance's ethical stances, but the quality of the shoes seems a little suspect. Anyone have any experience with these shoes and how durable they are?  I don't mind paying a lot of money for quality shoes that I wear every day for years and years, but I do mind paying a lot if they're going to fall apart in two months.

Dankso stopped making the Veda and originally I was just going to buy like three pairs of those and take care of my winter shoe problem for the next five years, but I ordered other shoes from Dankso and the Veda magic is not there. I will continue to wear my Veda shoes with holes in them until they completely disintegrate.

I can't possibly be the only one who takes advantage of Zappo's free shipping this way.  Come on, tell the truth... 

*I still make no money from this blog. Everything I linked to I use a lot - for real. No affiliate links used.

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To see what Bestest Friend wrote about the theme of the day, check out her blog, Too Legit to Quit.