Cute + Comfortable

So as my feet screamed bloody murder while I walked the streets of San Francisco (my heart is still there), I kept wondering why cute and comfortable are mutually exclusive, especially when it comes to shoes.

Let me back up for a second: I was in SF for a conference (the Game Developers Conference), and I brought what I thought would be relatively comfortable low-mid heels. I also packed a pair of Royal Elastics flats. Make that superflats. However, by the middle of day two, my feet...oi. So on day three, I switched to the RE flats, which were fine for the first couple of hours. But then I started feeling friction on my right pinky toe (= telltale forewarning of a blister) and developed an odd limp because my calves/Achilles tendons were sore. Might I add that those flats looked slightly silly with a pencil skirt and nice top. I ended up running to Walgreens to take preventive measures and got those J&J blister bandaids and Kushy Foot socks .

Now on the second day I was in SF, I stopped at the giant DSW on Powell Street on my way to the Moscone Center, and I saw that they had a few Faryl Robin and Corso Como shoes. I knew the Faryl Robins were supposed to be comfortable, but it was a pair of Corso Comos that caught my eye:

The ankle strap is slightly different in that it just goes around the ankle instead of criss-crossing. Anyhow, I put my achy feet into those shoes, and it was as if an angel choir descended from the heavens to sing its praises. Okay maybe it was just my feet breathing a sigh of relief, but the point is that these were seriously comfortable with a good, very walkable heel height. They were also $130. So I made a note of them and went on to the conference. I went back later that night to take another look...suffice it to say these babies were on my mind for a few days.

So finally on the last day I was in SF, I shelled out the $130 and bought them. After resting my feet all weekend and letting them recover, I wore them to work today. All I can say is I'm in love and really wish I'd gotten them sooner. Corso Como actually made the effort to include cushiony, soft footbeds with great quality leather. There is no need to break them in because the shoes are already so soft. No toe pokeage or seams cutting into the foot anywhere. In addition, the company also takes pains to be an ethical, eco-friendly manufacturer. There's a whole pamphlet included in every shoebox.

Anyway, I <3>

I'm also wondering if my mission in life is to make cute and comfortable shoes so that the women of the world can rejoice. Things that make you go hmm...