We have a lot of shoes and not many spaces to house them. There are four of us and men’s shoes occupy a bigger space. Our family’s habit is to put on shoes before we go down the stairs. And we also do not bring-in our shoes and outside-slippers inside our main living area. We walk around our house barefooted.
This is the reason why our shoes are not in our bedrooms or dressing areas. Except for some nice shoes my daughter prefers to keep in her bedroom.
We have a new shoe cabinet custom-made by Ruben Panelo, husband of my town mate, batch mate, and good friend, Malou Mallari, and younger brother of Atty. Salvador Panelo. Ruben retired about two years ago from his work in a cruise ship. He has chosen to practice and concentrate on his passion, which is carpentry.
We have an old shoe cabinet and I had him copy it. It took him a little over a month because he was the only one doing it. But the result was satisfactory. Even Edmund agreed that his craftsmanship is good.
Teka, san kaya si Jane galing? The village guards called last night at 7 in the evening to inform us that Jane is going to enter the village. Aba alas dyes na wala pa sya. Our house is a 10 minute walk from the gate. She arrived at past 11 pm. Galing daw sya sa clubhouse??? Nagdate yan sigurado. Edmund said with the boy from our tapat-bahay.
Back to our cabinet…
As soon as I arrived from SFO, I had Ruben delivered the cabinet so I could organize my shoes.
Puro luma na shoes ko. The branded ones are mostly 10-20 years old.
I am more comfortable wearing slippers, flat sandals, and slip-ons. The heeled ones are pilit na pilit, I rarely wear them.
The odd thing about buying branded shoes is it breaks my heart to discard them even if pangit na sobra. Lalo na yung merong istorya. Parang bang nananariwa yung mga alaala.
Long time ago, I was very much into Bally shoes because they were comfortable. Nun hindi naman gaano pang kamahal. I had pairs I bought for $45, merong $65. Sulit naman kasi I used them for a couple of years until one day, I noticed how ugly they were, beyond repair na. I brought them to the shoe repair shop located in the mall, nasira pa ang leather. Tumigas. I didn’t know what they did, ewan kung ano ang ipinahid. I had no choice but to donate them. I sent about a dozen pairs to the squatters in Libis, Quezon City. Kaya wag magtaka naka Bally sila.
Etienne Aigner is a German brand. Their stuff used to be made in Germany and Italy. Ngayon puro China na. I bought this pair maybe 20 years ago. I wore it once pero hindi na naulit. Ayan o, nakakatkat na yung loob. Nakakahinayang namang ipamigay. One of this days it would come to that.
Every time I see this patent leather Ferragamo, parang umiinit ulo ko. I suffered so much while wearing them.
Another Etienne Aigner I haven’t worn even once. I may have bought this in Macy’s or DSW in the Bay Area for $35. It’s silver, para kako pagnaka gown ako. Kaya lang, sobrang silver naman. Parang pangsabit sa Christmas tree.
I like ribbons that’s why I didn’t think twice buying this Ferragamo. Kaso, masakit pala sa paa. After burying it in the cabinet for 5 years, I used it again once.
Eto, Manolo Blahnik, lumang luma na, panahon pa ni Erap. I travelled one time with the business delegation and presidential entourage of then president Erap to New York. We started in San Francisco, then to Washington DC yata, then to New York. We stayed at The Plaza Hotel right beside Bergdorf Goodman.
Bergdorf had a small room with several racks of discounted shoes. Although this was discounted at $350, sobrang mahal pa rin.
I think the regular price was $550. I bought it but spent 3 days agonizing whether to return it because I was clearly living beyond my means. Since we were busy with activities in a span of just 3 nights there, I ran out of time to return it. Kailan pa ba si Erap? That means that was at least twelve years ago.
That purchase proved to be one of my sulit investments. Until now it still looks good. No repair whatsoever. I have used it many times on special occasions, even with formal gowns. With its present condition, It could outlive me.
Mas luma pa ito. I think I bought this naman when President Ramos went to New York on a working visit. I was a member of his entourage. Even if we were only there for a day magaling akong mag-shopping, mabilis! I went to Fifth Avenue. There’s a Versace boutique there. Mahal din ito, pero I told myself “gift mo sa sarili mo”. I was just lucky because for some reason, they gave me a discount. Tila 30%. Tila I spent an hour inside their store before I decided to scratch my credit card. At talong balik pa ako ha ? Pasok ng store, hawak nitong sandals. Buntung hininga, tapos labas uli ng store. After a few minutes, pasok uli. Before deciding sige na nga! Pikit mata.
Another super luma.
The sole disintegrated.
I bought this in Frankfurt. That was probably 15 years ago. I was with Aileen on that same evening when we were discriminated upon by the Versace store lady. Sobrang gamit na gamit din ito kaya, look, it’s old and worn out. I no longer use this kasi pangit na. But this pair would remain in my shoe cabinet forever. Not to be thrown or given away. Cute nya.
Muntik ko ng maitapon, nakabalot sa brown paper.
This is nice but I totally forgot that I have them. Dapat talaga nakalabas sa box para hindi malilimutan.
I bought this in Koln, Germany, when my daughter was still in Grade 7 or first year high school. She didn’t use this even once. Bagung-bago pa. Buhay pa kaya ito pagnaka apo ako? I will just give it to her.
I don’t understand why it’s becoming like this. Ano kaya iyang dot-dots. So ugly.
I’ll just wrap them. Maybe I should apply some protective coating or something.
I bought this last year from Payless at the Southland Mall in Hayward. Ang mura pero until now, I haven’t worn it. I should wear it, sayang yung $10. Plus tax pa ha.
From Turkey with love, I should start wearing this soon para hindi ko malimutan.
I was surprised when I opened a supot. I bought this for $45 in Macy’s at the Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton, CA, siguro 3 years ago. I forgot where I kept them. I thought I left the paper bag in the mall.
We bought this Prada in Hk two years ago. There was a black one but my son chose this color, para daw something different. Ang problema, mahirap ternohan. I’ve worn this a few times pero if they were black, mas sulit.
When I was in high school, nauso yung Roman sandals. The school principal and the teachers asked me to join the Miss school contest, not because I was pretty. They just needed more people to participate in the parade. Pampadami lang siguro ako. And with parents who were willing or could afford to buy clothes for their daughter.
I wore a pair of white Roman sandals at the parade we bought from Marikina Shoe Expo in Cubao. Talo naman ako. I did get a special award though. Best legs yata. Meron ba nun? Ibig sabihin mas maganda legs ko kesa mukha ko. I should’ve walked upside down, baka nanalo pa ako.
