I am all out of shoes.
Seriously. Even my uber comfy awesome sandals from DSW have turned traitor on my feet and war has been declared.
I lined all my shoes up in front of my little closet last night and studied them one at a time, trying them on, looking for any clues on what might work best for the commute, something that might cause me at least limited discomfort, something that didn’t cause me to flinch in pain with every step.
Sadly, I came up empty, ahem… footed. I have to run to Duane Reade to purchase some moleskin (ick, why is it called that!) and just cover my entire feet with the stuff for the duration. Maybe this is why those hideous Uggs were so popular in the big cities?
My suggestion, and what I would do if I had it to do over is this:
Do not wear anything remotely uncomfortable if you’re running around the city – even if its a short jaunt. Headed up the street to the laundry mat? Wear sneakers. Down the block for a beer? Same thing. And unless you want to wind up hobbled like me, just deal with the fact that sometimes fashion takes a backseat to the well being of your walking appendages. Cause the alternative is not being able to do much of anything at all.
I looked around at my peers on the train this morning and all of them, every last one was wearing flip flops. And carrying a little Vitoria’s Secret sized bag. Hmm, who’da thunk it, looks like I’m late getting on the common sense train as usual.
On the upside, my temp job is pleasant, if not too terribly stimulating, and the people here rock. No complaints, they are already asking me to take a permanent position. If only I was willing to go back into IT I’d have a job by now but I’m sticking to my guns and holding out for the marketing position of my dreams.
As a tourist, I’ve walked the streets of New York (usually Manhattan) a number of times. Shoes are your best friends and worst enemies. Like both, you hopefully choose the right ones. I’ve actually done the bag trick (backpack) with a pair of walking shoes to get from Grand Central to wherever (usually the Theatre District) and then switching off to a pair for the show. It seems funny but it WORKS.
Chris
After you find your dream job, look for a publisher to print your book–”New New Yorkers–food, festivities, feet, and friends.”