I usually need inspiration to write and that inspiration comes in a variety of forms. Sometimes it’s because of a bad experience, a good experience, a conversation or, as in this particular case, a movie! Movies are a favourite past time of mine and I don’t mind how many times I’ve seen them. If they’re good, I’ll watch them over and over again. Just as well for this blog because I’d seen this particular film a couple of weeks ago but watched it again the other day because my husband, John hadn’t seen it. I don’t usually watch them quite so close together but when you’ve just moved to Africa and you only have a certain amount of baggage allowance, our DVD selection is slim to say the least! Fortunately, for me, my hubby will watch chick flicks and I’m grateful for that!

So, the movie that inspired this blog was, “In her shoes.” I won’t tell the story – wouldn’t want to spoil it but I do want to pick up on one particular line that I had missed in all the other times that I’d watched it – proof enough that you need to watch a good movie more than once! One of the girls in the film has a ridiculous amount of shoes and she explains to her sister that the reason for this is that they make her feel good when she’s sad. The line that she said that sparked my thinking was:

 “Shoes always fit!”

It is unusual for me to walk past a shoe or a bag shop and not stop to have a look – John often says, ‘what is it with women, bags and shoes?’ I don’t want to put every woman in the same basket of course but it is a well-known fact that most women do love bags and shoes. Having heard that line in the movie, I began to wonder, is the reason that we love them so much is because they do always fit? Our bodies, which let’s face it, unless we are disciplined, or young (your time will come!) fluctuate up and down. Millions of women spend countless pounds or dollars on the latest diet fad. Summer is on its way and I bet some of you who are reading this are determined to get into that size 6 bikini?!?!? Even though we said the same thing last winter, this year it’s going to be different. How do I know? Because I’m on the same quest! Not the size 6 journey I hasten to add! That was a joke for affect.

Shopping for clothes maybe difficult or even embarrassing for you – I know this through experience – when I went back to the UK after living in Africa for the first time back in the late ‘90’s, we hadn’t been back for 2 years and I hadn’t stood on a weighing scales in all that time. We were going to my cousin’s wedding and I had to buy new trousers. I had gone up two sizes and I was horrified! Even recently, a week before my daughter’s wedding, I tried my dress on again and couldn’t fasten it! I went on a major ‘starvation’ diet for a week and I did manage to get into it! It isn’t a nice feeling being overweight and, thankfully, I am on my way down. For a lot of women, their weight is the biggest battle they face and, for some, it’s a lifetime battle. And, it’s true, the older we get, especially if you’ve had kids, it’s harder than it was to lose weight. Can it be done? Of course, but you’ll have to work at it, there are no magic formulas. If I want to get a bikini body, then I’m not going to be able to drink 6 cans of pop or eat junk all day every day, that’s not how it works!

HOWEVER, shoes and bags are a completely different scenario! I have been size 6 in a shoe for as long as I can remember! However much my weight and shape may have fluctuated over the years, my shoe size has stayed the same! There is no embarrassment when you’re looking at shoes – making sure no-one sees what size you are, no embarrassment looking a handbags and wondering if people (mainly girls who can be pretty nasty at times! Just ask Vivien in ‘Pretty Woman!’) Whispering, ‘she’ll never get into that!’ There just isn’t any of that! Is that the psychological reason why we love them so much? I don’t know but I think I may have hit on something.

As I’ve already mentioned, I live in Africa now where my shoe collection is basically down to flip-flops! I have one pair at the moment (see picture) – give me time, I have my eye on new pair BUT I did bring a couple of pairs of highish heels with me because I missed them last year when I was here. The places where you would go to wear a pair of heels are very few and far between especially where we live but I have them with me and I am sure I will wear them because I, along with millions of other girls, love shoes and I won’t be deprived, Africa or not! My bag collection isn’t much better either but, again, I did bring my Radley bag and a couple of others that don’t really ‘match’ Africa but they’re mine and I’m a girl!

So, hear endeth my thoughts on bags and shoes. It might not change anyone’s life but hopefully it’ll bring a smile to your face the next time you go handbag or shoe shopping! If you’re going for a little black dress fitting, you probably shouldn’t eat chocolate or crisps before that fitting, if you’re going for a new pair of shoes, eat away!!! Happy shopping!