Last Friday, I was offered a chance to attend a conference of my former state professional organization. Rather than being there as an organization member, I had agreed to help out as one of the background workers. I was just a retired peon, there to help sharpen pencils.
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Here was an entire conference center full of people who still set their alarm clocks, got up in the morning, went to work, and did exactly what I did before I retired. And as I looked as this group of people who did exactly what I did for 32 years, what struck me most was the absolute sensibleness of their shoes.
Sensible shoes. It’s sobering to look at your peers' tired and achy feet a little more objectively when you’re not emotionally involved with them anymore.
They weren’t the best-dressed group you’ve ever been in a room with. You’d never mistakenly believe you had stumbled into a Vanity Fair Fall Fashion Show by accident. And, of course, the shoes—I can honestly say you’ve never seen so many sensible shoes in a room in your whole life.
If you’ve ever spent the day on your feet, running around a classroom or
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Maybe now that I'm retired, I will go out and buy a pair of those four-inch heeled designer shoes with straps and pointy toes.
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Maybe next year, if I’m asked to help at the conference again, I’ll be the one to strut in during the opening keynote speaker session in a pair of studded Prada over-the-knee boots.
(Please sing along) “I’m too sexy for my shoes, too sexy for my shoes . . . and I do my little turn on the catwalk . . . too sexy for my shoes . . . “
Just maybe that will be me.
3 comments:
You go girl!!! Personally I'm pretty excited about my new MBT too expensive walking on air with good support tennis shoes.
The same thing happened to me when I quit my "all high and mighty city job" after W was born. No more fitted suit jackets. No more perfectly pressed dress pants. No more heels. Now my daily uniform includes yoga pants, slip-on tennis shoes and a ponytail. If I leave the house for an extended period of times sometimes I will agree to spring for jeans.
When you put on your fitted suit jacket and dress pants these days, doesn't it almost feel like you're putting on a costume? Here's my "grown-up professional lady" costume. Hurray for yoga pants and slip-on tennis shoes!
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