Shoes are the windows to the soul. Isn't that the line? No? Oh, maybe that's just my point of view, then.
Shoe addiction is real, and a problem lots of people feel on a constant basis (which probably explains why shoes are the first thing you notice about a person).
Your friends have told you that you have an addiction, and so has your family, but all that does is encourage you to buy more shoes.
So, what is it like for someone suffering from shoe addiction? It goes a little something like this:
1. To you, PMS stands for Purchase More Shoes.
When it's that time of the month, the only emotion you feel is the desire to purchase new footwear. Nothing cures a headache like a pair of new sneakers — and isn't it healthier to indulge in your shopping cravings than your food cravings?
2. Carrie Bradshaw is your spirit animal
There is no female television character who loves her shoes quite like Carrie Bradshaw does, which is mainly why you idolize her. She's somehow able to afford whatever brand of shoes she sets her eyes on — even on a writer's salary — so why can't you do the same?
Because this is television and your entry-level salary doesn't allow for such. Oh well, I guess you will just have to continue to learn the hard way...
3. There's no problem a new pair of shoes can't fix.
They don't call it retail therapy for nothing! This is a practice you are all too familiar with as you seem to solve every problem by purchasing a new pair of heels. The higher the heel, the better you feel.
4. Your love isn't just for stilettos or sneakers, but every type of footwear imaginable.
You don't discriminate against any type of footwear — you love them all equally. You can never have enough of any type of shoe because there's definitely an occasion for anything and everything you can get your hands on.
5. Your favorite part of a new season is purchasing new shoes to go along with it.
The fall? Time for some knee-high leather boots. The summer? Strappy sandals, please — and don't forget the endless supply of stilettos. Oh, and the same goes for the spring...
6. You can never resist a good, reliable pair of Steve Madden shoes.
When in doubt (and in a rush), you know you can always count on Steve Madden to have a shoe for every life event. Sure, you may feel like you're back in college, but that doesn't mean this store isn't any less dependable.
7. You have — on more than one occasion — gone into a store to try on a pair of shoes, only to order them later online for the cheapest price available.
When you are working on a budget, you need to do all you can to ensure you'll still be able to afford your favorite accessories (read: shoes). Plus, it's like a little game you play against yourself to try and beat the system!
8. But, sometimes, you can't resist the temptation and buy them immediately.
Screw being economical! You want your shoes and you want them now. Actually, you don't even need the box; you are strutting your new purchase right out of the store.
9. The first thing you notice about a guy on a date is his shoes.
When it comes to men, their shoes speak volumes about who they are as a person. I mean, just check out this breakdown.
10. Sometimes, you forget that you've got shoes coming in the mail.
You come home from work to see a package on your doorstep. What is this? I don't remember ordering anything... and just like that, you're like a kid on Christmas morning with a brand new pair of kicks.
11. You have a separate budget dedicated to shoe purchases.
You have your food budget, your travel budget and your shoe budget. And if one of those items needs to be minimized, you know which two will need to make room for the other.
12. You try to curb your habit, but it never works.
"OK, so I won't buy a new pair of shoes this entire month," which really means, "OK, so I won't buy a new pair of shoes during this paycheck cycle"... which only turns into, "F*ck it, I want them — I'm getting them!"
13. You get mad when your friend buys the shoes you've been eyeing for weeks.
You know what? She can have them! But know you know you'll never be able to be honest when she asks, "Does this dress make me look fat?"
14. You have multiple carts full of shoes on various online shopping websites.
You haven't gotten paid in five days — and you've still got another week left to go — but you've already stocked up on all of the items you will definitely buy as soon as that check hits your account.
15. You base every outfit around the shoes you want to wear.
How else are you supposed to dress? Maybe that's why you only wear black all of the time — because it goes with every pair of shoes you own.
16. Rainy days give you anxiety.
Which pair of shoes are going to bite the dust on this dreary and miserable day? It's like the Russian Roulette of footwear in your closet when it's pouring outside.
17. When you find a pair you truly love, there's no hesitation: You're buying two.
What happens if they discontinue this style? I just can't handle that anxiety. And isn't it always better to be safe than sorry?
Photo Courtesy: We Heart It
