Every Girl Needs Red Shoes | Fort Bend Focus Magazine

Rockin’ the red shoes.

By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher

I’ll admit it. Some days when I emerge from our room victorious ready to face the day, Mr. Kaminski just shakes his head and grins. Now there was a time when actual words would escape his lips, and these words – or exclamations of shock and awe – never ever resulted in a positive outcome – for him. It took me a solid 10 years to break that habit. I never said Mr. Kaminski was a quick learner.

I can handle the shaking and grinning. I choose to perceive that as affirmation and loving confirmation of my unique and wonderful self. Mr. Kaminski may actually choose to think differently, but by now, he’s smart enough to keep that to himself. And he’s even learned that kisses following the shaking and grinning are an even more appropriate response.

A significant portion of the shaking and grinning has traditionally centered around red shoes. A girl has got to have red shoes, and I tend to don red shoes with most anything. And understand, you don’t necessarily have to have red on anywhere else; the red shoe is a stand-alone fashion icon. Sometimes, it’s just a red shoe kind of day regardless of what you are wearing, and I have a cornucopia, if you will, of red shoe options to select from. It’s primarily because red is my signature color, and of course, a red shoe isn’t simply a red shoe. There must be several styles as basic wardrobe staples.

I have red high boots, red low boots, red sandals, red pumps, red stilettos, red flip flops, red slippers – not red flats – don’t be silly. But my favorite pair of red shoes are red suede pumps with rhinestone heels. Now I know what you’re thinking. What could red suede pumps with rhinestone heels possibly go with? Well, everything! I channel my inner Dolly Parton when I wear those heels as I remember her saying in an interview that when she was young, she saw a “lady” in her town with clear plexiglass high heels that had water and goldfish in the heels, and she was “hooked,” so to speak. Likely the lady was a version of the word “hooked,” as well, if you get my drift. Dolly shared that she always felt that when she “made it,” she would buy shoes just like that. Of course, Dolly also said, “It costs a lot to look this cheap.” I love her so much.

Red was my Mawmaw’s favorite color. She was a full-grown woman from rural Louisiana. You wouldn’t think she would don red, but she did every chance she got from clothes to lipstick to nail polish especially on Sundays when she went to church. I can’t remember her ever having red shoes, but I’m not certain we could have found red shoes in her size in Bernice, Louisiana, but every time I step into a pair of mine, I think of Mawmaw and how much she would love them – rhinestones and all.

Having red shoes in your closet isn’t a luxury, ladies; it’s an investment in your self-worth. Red shoes are self-care at its finest, because when you are feeling a certain kind of way on any given day, I assure you sporting red shoes with your outfit is an attitude changer and one I highly recommend.

See y’all next week – on the porch!

Patti Parish-Kaminski