I have sometimes described myself as "Just a grrrl traveling in comfortable shoes." Some people named Nance might say "really ugly shoes." But hey, I'm not insulted even if the truth hurts: my foyer closet is home of The Ugly Shoe Hall of  Shame Fame.

Long time readers may remember this post about my mother's hideous feet and the way they contributed to my anti-fashion shoe sensibilities at a young age. A few years spent selling shoes in my 20s didn't enhance my sense of style. Instead I came to appreciate ugly comfortable shoes all the more because I was standing on my feet for at least seven hours at a stretch. Owwww. No way I was doing that in heels!

When I moved to Belgium,  I began a life that involved walking everywhere.  It was almost two years before I had a car of my own, and I spent plenty of days on the cobblestone streets and brick sidewalks of Brussels, Paris, London, Rome, and other cities that we explored on foot. The walks got longer and my shoes just kept getting uglier.

I came to Europe with these:

They're the station wagons of female shoe wear. So suburban, so not sexy.

Then my first winter here was long, gray, and especially cold. E's travels to Australia influenced these purchases:

When I wear these Uggs, E-Grrrl says it looks like someone stuck tacks in my legs. She's just hoping I'll discard them and she'll inherit them in all their ginormous fleece-lined glory.

And before you say it, NO, these are not slippers, they're CLOGS. Please don't say they're Ugg-ly. They're so cozy and almost cute. Note the charming artsy embroidery! Very European!

My sturdy black walking boots were finally declared "terminal" after carrying me across Brussels, London, Bath, Portsmouth, and Paris. No amount of polish could revive them. So when we went to Italy last year, I had to buy new tourist shoes. Keep in mind that anyone who travels with my husband E is going to go on numerous urban death marches through the concrete and cobblestone jungles. Miles and miles and miles.  I got this pair of Eastlands from Zappos:

Don't you just bet the Italians in their slick designer shoes were awed by my good taste? I refer to these as Frankenstein's Baby Shoes. Admit it--that nickname makes sense. And that grease stain on the toe? It seriously disturbs E, but me, um, not so much. With a shoe this ugly, why worry about stains?

But I'm proud to announce that there's an all new entry in the Ugly Shoe Hall of Fame. See these babies?

These are an early Christmas gift from E.  He bought them for me when I dramatically declared they were the most comfortable shoes I had ever put on my feet, boasting a high-tech molded insole that perfectly balances gel-like softness with firm support.  I love 'em so much, I might wear them to bed tonight. 

December 7, 2007