Shoe addict - July 2007

Frostbite is NOT sexy!

We've all done it.

There is no sense in attempting to deny it.

The new season's offerings start hitting our shores and we reverie the day we can pop on those fabulous faux fur skin stiletto boots and look casually chic on a chilly night.

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Our Sydney and Melbourne southern sisters may get this opportunity far sooner but we none-the-less, wait in anticipation for our first dose of frostiness.

When the day finally dawns in tropical Queensland that we can at last don the collections from Europe's winter 2007, we are elated in such a way that it can cloud our judgment on how soon they should appear as part of our ensembles. The first hint of a day under 20 degrees and on go the latest fur lined Louis Vuittons!

We are after all, in Queensland. The weather does not justify us having hundreds of winter shoes no matter how hard we try to validate each new purchase. The result? Wearing them far too early in the season and being fed up with our limited (or not so limited ...) collection of them when winter is at it's chilliest.

This where the problem begins. Enter complete boredom of all shoes of the winter variety.

At last we are invited somewhere that will be considered equal to Summer temperatures internally, so it is only in transit that we will have to consider keeping warm. As we mull over the shoe wardrobe and possible clothing combinations we are hit with a compulsion to slip on a pair 11cm heeled strappy sandals. We are wearing a trench ... and tights ... and a warm knit. Surely we can stand the 9 degree transit until we are safely inside an ambient 24 degrees with fireplace going? Surely?

So, we push on. Grabbing the trench 4 seconds before we walk out the door and flinging it on, the husband / boyfriend / friend or date says, 'Will you be warm enough? Those shoes ... You might be cold?'

'I AM wearing a knit. and a coat.. and tights', we chirp justifying our preposterous behaviour. 'Besides, we'll be inside and they have the most gorgeous fireplace in that restaurant, when I was there last year I could have been wearing my bikini it was so warm!' A quick nod with the message firmly received that this topic is not up for discussion and the husband / boyfriend / friend or date usher's us politely to the waiting taxi.

At this point we start our internal dialogue. "Ah, the taxi is warm, I feel fine. Actually, I might take off my trench in here. I should have worn that cute corset number under the trench. That would have looked tremendous with these shoes. No chips in the toenail polish - check! Toes feeling warm and toasty. We are good to go"!

The friend that looks like she's been ripped out of a page in Vogue calls, 'yes, we are nearly there, see you soon'. Springing out of the taxi our resolve is jilted slightly by the cold westerly that seems to slap us in the face like a reality check. Consulting the happy warm faces smiling from inside the glass panels we are again comforted by how warm this establishment actually is in the dead of Brisbane's Winter Westerly's.

A quick stride inside is all we need to give us a heartening and satisfied glow. See. Nothing to worry about! Perusing the crowd for familiar faces we push on, only to come out the other side of the welcoming comfort of reverse cycle heating and ambient fireplace to be greeted by our table IN THE COURTYARD. Are you people crazy, its 9 degrees outside?

Greeted by the host's wife in a get-up resembling an equestrian champion, she smiles sweetly and says 'we thought we'd come outside so that the smokers wouldn't have to feel isolated'. Isolated? If someone wants to go outside and indulge in a cigarette on a 9 degree evening than that is their stupid fault we feel like telling her. Forget smoker's isolation, I'm wearing strappy sandals!!!

We smile sweetly and clench our teeth throughout the evening so as not to display any tell-tale chatter, denying to every inquisitive bystander that we are cold when they question our footwear decision. Besides, after an hour our toes just go numb and the fact that our feet are freezing is irrelevant - we look damn fabulous!

The taxi ride home is a welcome relief and by the time we reach the end of the road, the feeling has almost returned in our toes.

A fast entry to the heat of home, a quick shower and we are back in business. It is at this point the suffering husband / boyfriend / friend or date, will try to broach our dubious footwear choice. Snug and warm in our very best Peter Alexander's we smile and say 'Don't worry honey, I'm over it now, I'm all about being warm now'.

A horrified look creeps over the once smug face when the realization hits them that we are about to slide into our very best Pamela Anderson-esque Ugg Boots. Ahhhhh, see. VERY sensible!

Lucky we looked great when we were out; hopefully they can hold that thought ...

Tracey Gillinder Writer w www.traceygillinder.com.au