Floating On Air: How I Met My Sole-Mate ♥

Oh.  My.  GOODNESS!  I think I'm in love.

Who's the lucky guy?  His name is Cole.  Cole Haan Air Talhia Pump, to be exact.  But I call him Cole Haan for short.  And this is our love story --

Last Saturday was shaping up to be a relaxing, uneventful weekend.  After all, I was only one week into my move back to my parents' house for the summer and recovery from the terror hazing ritual otherwise known as the "Bar Exam."  All was well.  I had no plans.  Nowhere to go.  Nothing to do.  Nothing to see.   No fancy clothes.  No make-up.  No mani/pedi.  It was just me and my laptop settling in for a few hours of much needed r&r.

Now, I've always heard that you find love when you least expect it.  Well, on this particular day, I was certainly not looking.  I was just mindlessly surfing the 'net without any expectations whatsoever.  But then--in the blink of an eye--my life changed forever.   For that's when Alterations Needed introduced me to the love of my life.  The one I had been waiting for all these years.  The one I longed for, but could never seem to find.  The one I was convinced had to be out there, waiting for me too.  It was like a dream come true.  And ladies, let me tell you, it was love at first sight!  My heart literally skipped a beat.  My palms were sweaty.  My breathing was shallow.  Time seemed to come screeching to a halt as soon as I locked eyes with my soul sole-mate.  There he was.  Cole Haan Air Talia Pump.  He was tall (3.5 inch heel).  He was dark (dark chocolate, my shade of "nude").  And, boy, was he handsome!   I couldn't believe it!  We were made for each other.  I just knew that Cole Haan and I were destined to be together.  Forever.

So without skipping a beat, I whipped out my credit card and set up our first date.  Sure it was a risky move, but sometimes you have to take chances in love.  Besides, I would never forgive myself if I let him get away.  I knew there was something special about this Cole Haan fellow, and I had to see him again.  And soon!  Well, Cole must have been pretty eager to see me too.  In fact, he showed up on my doorstep even earlier than I expected.

How was it, you ask?  A lady never tells...

$198 at Zappos (waaaaay too expensive but I got the LAST chocolate pair in 7M)

Oh, ok -- I'll let you in on a few juicy details.  Our first meet-up was great!  Better than I could have ever expected.  See, I wasn't too sure of what to expect at first.  Up close, Cole kind of reminded me of this guy I'd met before named Ralph Lauren.  In fact, the two were strikingly similar.  Ralph and I hadn't hit it off though because I could tell within the first few minutes that he just wasn't a good fit.   But in coming face to face with his Cole Haan look-alike, I had a strange sense of deja vu.  Perhaps I'd made a mistake.  Perhaps Cole wasn't going to be as wonderful as I'd thought he would be.  After all, I've had a string of bad luck in the past with lots of other guys (ironically!) named Cole Haan.  What would make me think that this time would be any different?  A million doubts and questions suddenly began to fill my head.  But Cole was patient and understanding with me.  He begged me to just give him a try.  He was confident that he could win my affections.  He promised that he was different from all those other Coles.

And you know what, dear readers?  He was different.  This new Cole was...well, everything his predecessors weren't.  The new Cole was more than just another pretty face.  He was stylish.  And supportive.  And flexible.  And sophisticated.  And strong.  We complemented each other quite well.  And I felt very comfortable with him right from the start.  I felt like we could go anywhere together -- dancing, dinner, a movie, you name it!   Cole made me feel like a million bucks while we were together.  I literally felt like I was floating on air!  Plus everyone who saw us said we made such a cute pair!  Is it any wonder then that I fell head over heels in love with Cole Haan on our very first date?  Things went so well that I didn't want the fun to end.  So I quickly asked him if I could see him again and, being the perfect gentleman, he obliged.

So we had a second date.  (Even cuter this time, eh?)

$146 at Endless (price-matched against The Shoe Mart)

And a third, too.  (Oh my goodness.  I am swooning!)

$146 at Endless (price-matched against The Shoe Mart)

All in one week.

Now, you might be thinking, "Whoa, Ms. Shopportunity!  Slow down a bit.  You two hardly know each other and are moving kind of fast."  And if you thought that, you'd be right.  But I know a good catch when I see one.  I also know that there are plenty of other size 7M fish in the sea who would scoop up my beloved Cole in a heartbeat.  I just can't take that chance; the disappointment would be too much for me to bear.  After all, I've already grown tired of the chase.  Tired of the hunt.  But just when I thought all hope was lost, my perfect match and I finally crossed paths.  And the rest is history.

But make no mistake about it, dear readers.  Just because a girl is smitten doesn't mean she can't be smart too.  I have already outlined the terms of our relationship with Cole.  He knows where I stand (literally) on the things that matter most to me in a mate.  We're going to take it slow from this point on.  You know, really get to know each other and everything.  He understands that I get 1-year to evaluate our relationship and that I won't hesitate to send him packing if I start to feel pressured, stifled, or unsupported.  But for now, I'm not thinking about any of that.  The only thing on my mind is planning the perfect outfits to wear when I get to paint the town red chocolate (or aubergine or ironstone) with my newfound love, Cole Haan!

P.S. Many thanks to our matchmaker, Alterations Needed, for introducing the two of us.

P.P.S. I have a feeling Cole and I will be seeing a lot of each other moving forward.  I'll post pics of our big adventures together on this blog.  I promise!  So stay tuned.  :-)

P.P.P.S. Does Mr. Wonderful have any brothers, you ask?  Why yes!  Hurry up, ladies, and scoop one up for yourselves before all the good ones get taken! ;-b

Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Sz. 5.5 and Under

I have to admit, I'm slightly jealous of you petite women who can boast of having extra tiny feet as well.  I have a very average size 7 foot - the size that's usually sold out by the time most shoes hit the sale rack.  That said, I imagine that those of you with smaller-than-average feet might want the rest of us to walk a mile in your shoes - literally!  That would mean enduring the frustration of shopping in stores that don't even carry one's size!  Well, have no fear, ladies!  You have stumbled across your own virtual shoe emporium for shoes in sizes 5.5 and under! 

So take a leisurely stroll down the aisles of store after store and be pleasantly surprised that there really are cute, comfortable shoes made for your petite feet ... so you can look nothing short of amazing!
 

Note: Site descriptions and logos are copied directly from each website.

http://www.petiteshoes.com

Petite shoes are the rule, not the exception, at Giordano's. The store is devoted exclusively to women who wear shoe sizes 4-5½ medium and seek fashionable footwear to compliment their wardrobes. Giordano's has one of the largest selections of designer footwear in hard to find smaller sizes, with a vast collection of flats, heels, loafers, boots and sandals from favorite designers. Since 1981, New York's Giordano's has become a recognized leader in providing fashionable footwear to. . . women who have difficulty finding shoes in sizes 4-5½ medium. Note: This store may have just recently gone out of business - a real loss for petite feet everywhere!

http://www.duoboots.com/ 

DUO [has] finally dispelled the high street one-size-fits-all footwear theory and we’re changing the way women shop for footwear forever. We’ve worked our socks off to create a collection of beautiful women's boots and shoes that don’t cost the earth, and will fit you better than anything you’ve ever worn before.  We’ve listened to you, our customers and applied over 30 years of our experience to perfect the incomparable DUO fit. We take enormous pride in our innovation and individuality, and we work with skilled craftsmen and small factories that put great care into hand finishing superb quality women's boots and shoes.

http://www.zappos.com 

Free shipping BOTH ways, 365-day return policy, 24/7 customer service. Millions of men's shoes, women's shoes, girl's shoes, boy's shoes, handbags, etc.

http://www.piperlime.com

Meet Piperlime, the shop for women's shoes, handbags, apparel, and jewelry. We're your insider's guide to the top trends of the season.

http://www.6pm.com/

Welcome to 6pm.com, your online source for shoes, apparel, and accessories. Find great deals on all of your fashion needs at our one-stop shop. From shoes & accessories for an evening out, or gear for jogging, 6pm.com carries what you need for any occasion.

http://www.designerathletic.com

We are your Designer and Athletic online warehouse. We find great deals on shoes, apparel, and other great products and we pass the savings onto you. We hope you find what your looking for!

http://www.cinderellaofboston.com 

Sizes range from 2 to 5½ Medium or Wide and are specially crafted for a woman’s foot. Regardless of your age or lifestyle, you will find styles to fit your fashion needs. Casual to sophisticated, low heel to high heel, Cinderella of Boston has a shoe to satisfy all your petite footwear needs.

http://www.smallmeasures.co.uk

Welcome to Small Measures (United Kingdom).  The specialist site to find shoes for small feet If you are here then the chances are that you are searching for ladies small size shoes and you probably have small feet that need either size 1 shoes, size 2 shoes or perhaps size 3 shoes (these equate to size 32 shoes, size 33 shoes, size 34 shoes and size 35 shoes). You are probably fed up with shopping in the children’s departments who, lets face it don’t exactly cater for petite size feet and their selection of women’s small shoes is virtually non existent if you don’t like pink flowers and bows. What you need is a small shoe company that specialises in fashionable styles for ladies with small feet.

http://www.varello.ca

Varello footwear and handbags are manufactured in Argentina, a country where traditional leather-working techniques are still widely in use.  All styles are hand-made and many are actually stitched by hand.  Varello footwear have uppers, linings, and soles that consist of the highest quality genuine leather.  Our range of shoes, boots, sandals and handbags reflect both the contemporary and classic styles that epitomize world-renowned Argentine flair.

More stores to come in future posts...