My 30-year shoe obsession and my scores this month

I have an obsession with shoes. It all started when I was a young girl and my Welita would take me on weekly trips to the local K-Mart and buy me a new pair of shoes.

Not toys. Not candy. Shoes. Shoes are my jam.

So it is no surprise I own more than 150 pairs of shoes. Well, a surprise (and suffering) to my husband, but that’s not interesting to write about.

I try to take such good care of them, along with my collection of clothes, jewelry and accessories. My closet really is a slice of heaven, with my beautiful pink ottoman in the center of it all (and hopefully a pink chandelier soon!). My shoes are stored in individual clear plastic boxes, while some flats are stored in an over-door hanger and flip flops in a pretty storage bin. Boots, on the other hand, are in a large, over-sized rectangle storage bin. They all mean so much to me!

I am much more picky when purchasing shoes now, and I have a whole new purpose in what type of shoes I buy. I LOVE heels and wedges, but I’m mostly at home with my kiddo and running from working out to playdates, so flats make a lot more sense. As I was rummaging through my shoes a few weeks ago I realized something that stunned me: I couldn’t find my black flats.

So there I was, sitting on the floor of my closet surrounded by plastic shoe bins and I was shocked. I have brown polka-dot wedges, red lace t-strap heels and purple booties, but no black flats?!!

So I went on a mission to find the perfect black ballet flats. I wanted cute and comfort, something that could be paired with jeans, leggings and even a casual dress.

I used to have flats from Jessica Simpson that I absolutely adored. I wore them more than any other shoe and wore them to the ground. It was so hard to throw them out, but that’s when you know it is a good shoe. (the special ones mentioned above look practically new – I rarely ever use them). So I started searching on Amazon for Jessica Simpson black flats.

Then, I found these. My heart skipped a beat and I knew it was meant to be.

And, because I had a Birthday gift card from my parents, I threw in another pair I’d been dying to get: gray booties. I searched high and low looking for cute, comfort and super affordability with excellent ratings. So I scored these – and after wearing them a few times I can tell you they are totally as comfortable as the reviews say.

Y’all, both shoes are fantastic. Comfortable, cute and I am super happy. Just like my 4-year-old self at K-Mart.

 

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From party girl to party girl!

 

I had fun in my 20’s. Then I met my husband, settled into life, became a wife and mom and now live in the suburbs. It’s a story we all know really well.

What I never thought I’d do is become a party girl in my 30’s. Like, you know, in-home parties where I try to sling products. You know what I’m talking about!

In fact, I avoided those things like the plague. I had never been to a direct sales party, didn’t give people the time of day when I knew they sold a product and never purchased a DS product either…..I mean, except maybe a little Avon back-in-the-day.

When my mom introduced me to Ruby Ribbon and gave me my first Cami I was blown away. I couldn’t believe that I had never heard or tried this product…..I was missing out because of my disinterest! Have you ever tried shoving your body into Spanx?? How about pregnant, wearing heels & a formal dress, and working a gala for several hours? I was super ready to try something new….and this didn’t disappoint.

But I kept the secret to myself. I wasn’t going to be “that person.” Plus, it was no one’s business that I wasn’t wearing a bra anymore and that an inch had magically disappeared….I wanted women to think I didn’t have back-fat for real!

Look ma, no bra! Rockin’ a Ruby Ribbon top and pants!

My mom finally convinced me to host a party. I had SO MUCH FUN and made tons of sales, so I thought, why not give this a go? Our household had taken a huge pay cut when I stopped working in March and after spending the spring with BabyCoolJ I was determined to do whatever I could to stay home with him.

Y’all, it has been a whirlwind of excitement, determination and changing lives. I have always loved fashion, and being a plus size girl made me work extra hard to always be stylish and put together. Now I get to help women of all shapes find their inner confidence. What a win! And the cherry on top is spending every day with my kiddo and watching him grow up. It is an absolute blessing to stay home with him, and tap into my skills during nap and bedtime!

So I write this today, in honor of my 36th Birthday, to tell you GO FOR IT! Whatever you are thinking of doing, whether starting a business, or trying that super cute dress that is just a little too tight, just do it.

And also in honor of my birthday, I have launched my Facebook page helping women find their confidence, style and freedom. This is going to be so much fun!