It’s Not The Frock That Rocks

For some of us our love of things shows up early and pronounced. Our parents may scratch their heads and wonder why, but the child doesn’t care about the why, they just know that they love and that’s all that matters. There’s no judgment. And for Pam and her love, it all began in kindergarten.

Like most young girls, Pam looked forward to the picture day at school—a chance to show off her pretty pink flowered dress and her pretty pink elegant shoes. She was so excited for the event, she chose her pink ensemble way in advance. Her parents did her hair. Then that morning, they dropped her off at school as per their usual routine. The teacher called the kids to get ready; they were heading to the gym for pictures. Pam ran in her pink Reebok shoes to her knapsack in the hall closet, to pull out her nice shoes (she had decided earlier that they were too pretty and petite to wear on the way), and discovered to the complete horror of her six-year-old self that her parents had forgotten to pack the shoes she was to wear. She cried but there was nothing to be done. She had to wear the pink Reebok running shoes with the pretty pink dress. She did not feel, on that day, pretty in pink at all, no matter what anyone said to her. And even today, when she pulls out that class picture, she blushes at the sight of her sitting in the front, beside the sign announcing her grade, done up to the nines with these big huge pink Reebok shoes glowing in the middle.

Believe it or not, but this fashion faux pas would leave a mark on Pam, and she vowed from that day forward she would never take her footwear so frivolously—she would always be prepared. And this is how Pam ended up amassing a wardrobe that included over 80 pairs of shoes. And she loves them all.

Shoes, Pam believes, have the capability to make or break an outfit. She has no preference for a style of shoe, only that it accentuates the body shape of the wearer. When she sees a pair of shoes she can add to her collection, her heart beats, her hands get sweaty, she can barely control her excitement and when they happen to be on sale, she bounces with almost uncontrollable joy. As an important part of her life, her shoes take prominence in her closet, with some she keeps in storage (in case they come back in-style), but most in their original boxes (to keep them from being damaged). She occasionally cleans out her stock, giving some to charity, but most of them she keeps; her love for her individual shoes is a tough love to break. She believes everyone should take care when choosing their footwear; if you give a girl the right pair of shoes she can rock the world.