Put your best foot forward

Hi. My name is Hali and I have a confession to make. I’m addicted to shoes. It doesn’t matter what type; heels, boots, flats and sandals all find their way to my home.

I don’t really know how my obsession began, but it’s been around for decades.

Once, when joking around with friends, I confessed that I easily had 20 pairs in my closet. They laughed. But when I got home, I felt the need to verify my statement and stopped counting at 25, with several pairs still to go.

Today, my passion for shoes fills not only the master bedroom closet with extra shelves for my shoes, but into several other closets as well. I’m no Imelda Marcos, but I have shoes for every occasion, each with at least one back-up pair.

Around my house, my penchant for footwear is no secret. In fact, I’ve passed my obsession onto my youngest daughter, whose first words to me and my husband were “shopping for shoes.”

Shoes have even become part of our vernacular. The phrase “shoe shopping” implies finding exactly what you want but checking every other possibility out there to make sure there is nothing better. That applies to any purchase — shoes, clothes, recreational vehicles, houses, etc.

So how could I resist when St. Jude’s Ranch for Children offered the opportunity to sport fabulous footwear while raising money for a good cause.

The event, Wine Women &Shoes, was even better because it honored local philanthropist Linda Faiss, who I am honored to call my friend.

Despite my vast collection, I knew I needed something special for the day. I searched high and low until I remembered an ad that had popped up once on a website I was perusing. They were colorful Bohemian patchworks in various styles.

They were fun and funky and reminded me of a pair of brightly colored snakeskin stilettos I had years ago. I was admonished by my mom when I bought them. She told me I would never find an outfit to go with them. Turns out she was wrong. They went with everything and I wore them until they had shed their last skin and couldn’t be repaired.

After I determined who the manufacturer was, I set out to find a location nearby where I could purchase a pair. Alas, I couldn’t find such a place and they had to be ordered online.

For someone with an addiction like mine, instant gratification is usually critical. Plus, I was skeptical about how they would fit. But, I was determined that these shoes were just what I needed to enter the Best in Shoe contest. So I turned to my computer, ordered a pair and prayed that they would arrive in time and, more importantly, fit.

These shoes were handmade and flown in from China. They arrived wrapped individually and carefully packaged. They fit and were as comfortable as promised. I was delighted (and secretly vowed to buy another pair — but please don’t tell my husband).

When it was time to head to Wine Women &Shoes on Sunday, I proudly donned my new prized possession and headed to the fundraiser. It was like being in shoe heaven. I don’t think I had ever seen so many beautiful and unique shoes in one place before.

Sadly, I didn’t win the contest.

The reality is that didn’t matter because everyone who attended, who put on a pair of fabulous shoes and who helped raise money for St. Jude’s were the true winners to the abused and neglected children that will benefit from their generosity.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.