dennis: REACHING NEW HEIGHTS—CARING FOR HER HEELS

No matter Her occupation, age, education, or political point-of-view, it’s a rare Woman who doesn’t love shoes, particularly high heels. Some men, for whatever reason, are inclined to criticize Women about wearing high heels and to trivialize their doing so. Women suspect that secretly men are envious of Women for their footwear options, which more than one Woman has told me is “part of the fun of being a girl.”

Men would be wise to try and understand the many shoe options Women have. Once they do, they, too, will be mesmerized by them. Only Women deserve the beauty, artistry, power, and sex appeal of their shoes. Whether the classic pump, the strappy sandal, a casual flat, or a contemporary platform, their shoes pay tribute to the superiority of Women.

With one exception, Women’s shoes are off limits to the lesser male gender. That exception? His having the privilege of caring for Her shoes. However, before we talk about caring for Her shoes, let’s cover a few points and dispel a myth or two:

Women have too many shoes – WRONG! Men are constantly telling Women that They have too many pairs of shoes. Men, as ever, are wrong! If anything, Women don’t have enough shoes!

§  Why the need for so many shoes? – Women’s shoes are an important fashion accessory. Women’s shoes come in an endless array of styles, colors, and heel heights. Shoes complement Her outfit,t and different shoes are required for different situations. She’s likely to wear a mid- to high-heel pump to the office, change into a strappy high-heel sandal for an evening out, wear espadrilles on a summer day, or boldly

wear a six-inch platform for an evening of clubbing. A formal event might dictate She buy a pair of sparkling pumps, shoes that – to me – always bring to mind the “magic slipper.” A magic, glittering pump that, incidentally, i greatly enjoy slipping onto the delicate foot of my lovely Wife!

§  Color is important, too. She needs a variety of colors to complement Her outfits. She’ll likely have black, red, white, navy, beige, ivory, gray, taupe, or yellow. Nancy has yellow pumps purchased to go with a single dress She has. And then there are patterns, textures, decorations, and so on that add even more permutations. One can see that She can quickly accumulate a large number of shoes.

§  And then there’s style. She needs a variety of styles – the classic closed pump, peep-toe, slingback, again to complement Her outfits. So, yes! She does need six pairs of black pumps!

§  Finally, let’s mention heel height. Low heels are generally less than two and a half inches; this is a typical office heel. Mid heels are about three inches, while high heels are three and a half inches and higher. Nancy refers to the latter as “power heels.”

§  So how many pairs of shoes does a Woman have? It varies, of course. Imelda Marcos had more than 2,000 pairs, but the Women we informally surveyed had at least 40, typically 80, with the highest number being 160 pairs. At last count Nancy had 140 pairs, Her Mother, Sue, well over 100 pairs.

i’ve been taking care of Nancy’s shoes for some time. My doing so was a task i proposed and set out to do. Now caring for Her shoes – and Her Mother’s – is a part of my repertoire of personal service. For me, it’s a pleasure and a privilege to do so, It’s exciting to enter the walk-in closet in Her boudoir and be faced with row upon row of Feminine footwear.

Here are some tips for taking care of your Wife’s shoes:

§  Be Organized – It’s your job to organize Her shoes so She can see what She has and can easily make selections. This may involve new shelves or, as in my case, it required that I vacate the closet so it could be remodeled to accommodate Nancy’s shoes.

§  Keep an Inventory – While it sounds geeky, i use a spreadsheet on my tablet computer to inventory Nancy’s shoes. i know what shoes She has, where each pair is located, and what condition they are in. i rate shoes as A, B, or C. “A” indicates new or nearly new shoes; these only need cleaning and polishing. “B” indicates serviceable but older shoes that may need more work, a scuff or a minor mechanical repair. “C” indicates shoes with a serious flaw

that She should discard and replace. I keep a list of shoes to be replaced and regularly share this with Nancy. Note: i do not discard shoes without Her permission! Nancy may discard “B” shoes but usually donates them as they are still serviceable. “C” shoes are discarded, but I have asked for and received permission to keep some of these as decorations. Women’s shoes are works or art, aren’t they? One pair of black 4 ½-inch pumps adorns bookends in my office; another pair of red, peep-toe, four-inch pumps, worn though they are, decorate my nightstand; things of beauty, both! BTW: No, i’m not posting my shoe-tracking spreadsheet!

§  Check and Inspect – i select an outfit for Nancy each evening that includes two to three pairs of shoes. i’ll look over each pair and make sure it is clean, in good repair, and shined before She makes a choice. Since Nancy often drives in a low-heel pump and carries high heels to change into at work, i make sure both pairs are flawless before She leaves. i’ll carry Her shoes downstairs the next day and assist Her with putting them on, particularly if the

shoes She’s chosen have a strap or buckle. This morning task is an enjoyable gesture of love and service. Never do I feel more that i’m worshipping my Wife than when i kneel before Her and put on Her shoes. It’s a little gesture we both love!

§  Check and Inspect – Again! When She returns home, i remove Her shoes and retrieve Her second par from Her totebag. i wipe off Her shoes and at least clean them with a soft cloth and leather conditioner before putting them back in their place. i note any scuffs and scrapes and treat with appropriate polish or dye. If the shoes are in need of a mechanical repair, i take them to a shoe repair shop near where i work. If the shoes are not repairable, they are downgraded to “C” and replaced. Nancy does not wear “C” shoes ever!

§  Keep Appropriate Supplies – Keep a collection of polishes, dyes, conditioners, clothes, brushes, etc., with which to take care of Her shoes. i often accompany Nancy and Her Mother shoe shopping – very exciting! When they make a purchase, i ask the salesperson for the appropriate dye and polish for the shoes just purchased. If the color isn’t available or if i don’t like the match, i’ll take the shoes to another shop to match the color needed. Generally, upscale shoe stores will have a wide array of shoe-care products to ensure you keep your Wife’s shoes looking their best.

§  Be Aware of Winter – Cleaning is particularly important in the winter months. Take extra steps in the form of a silicon spray on shoe seams and an extra waxing of the main body of the shoe. Boots are particularly challenging given that lower-rise boots may have decorative fur and the like that needs attention after wearing.

Women’s shoes are a work of art and a celebration of Femininity. Going shoe shopping is just as much a pleasure for me as it is for Nancy and Her Mother. Many men try to discourage Women from buying shoes; i hear it all the time. i’m the opposite, though; i encourage the Women to buy shoes, and when they do, they can be assured that i’ll take care of them – all of them – and derive great satisfaction in doing so!  May i suggest that progressive gentlemen consider adding shoe care – Hers! – to their repertoire of personal service?

—d