Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.
There are two. The first one is a pair of dark brown suede ankle boot with a contrast lining. They were definitely men’s boots, comfortable fit, square toed. They could not be washed or polished which was fine for me, they were almost flat which also worked for me. They had to be laced up. They did not have any of the zips and hooks that boots have today. I got them when my uncle visiting from the US had brought down a pair for a friend who never took it from him, so he just gave it to the person who the shoe fit. A very Cinderella situation, but it obviously fit me and I got it. It was almost as if it had been picked for me. These pairs lasted me many years. I walked to college, almost everyday. Bootcut jeans and these were my usual ‘go-to’ dressing. Paired with a white shirt and dark brown belt, was my usual college clothes.
I have a thing about having my toes dirty and these shoes kept my toes warm and clean. Walking, running, rain, shine, these boots have seen it all. The soft rubber soles ensured they never ever squeaked or slipped. I’ve been on the lookout for a similar pair ever since, but never found one.
Shoe 2 would be a pair of black platform soled Mary Jane’s. Again picked by the same uncle, and this time I think from a visit either to China or Malaysia or something. He was not aware of my size, he saw it, and he picked it up. Again handed to the person who had feet the size of the shoes. Now these were made of some kind of leather. They had a high gloss finish. These pairs gave me a shoe bite for the longest time, and tbh gave a shoe bite to anyone who borrowed them as well, which was rather strange. I tried all the known home remedies to neutralise the shoe bites. But once I got used to them, again these became my favourite pair for a long time.
There was definitely a gap of a year between the two pairs, he visited India I think every couple of years, and both these shoes lasted me a minimum of six or seven years. I have broad feet, not slender narrow feet and stubby toes. And from when I was in grade 9 I had to pick shoes from the men’s section in Bata. I loved the Birkenstock lookalikes they stock, and used to swap footwear with my dad. The boots and the Mary Jane’s were probably the first couple of pairs of footwear I got in my size. For ethnic clothes, I found a shoe store off MG Road, in the BlueDiamond Complex called the only place (there is also a restaurant by the same place near this store- I am referring to the shoe store) that used to ‘make’ slippers. I used to go there and place an order for footwear in my size, and pick it up, he always had something that was comfortable and in my size.
I wore the Mary Jane’s to work while I was in college. Those shoes have seen every pavement from the college to the house, as have the boots. I used to always alternate between the pairs and they never let me down. I wore the boots almost right until my wedding, at which point I had to discard the boot as it started sprouting windows in its sole. The Mary Jane’s developed a tear near the toe and I gave them away because it had served me well, for a really long time.
I’m still partial to a good pair of boots and love the design and versatility of a good pair of MaryJanes. I haven’t found one to replace either of these shoes. I still find that the men’s shoe section in India have a more comfortable variety of footwear on offer than the women’s section. Recently I picked a pair of strappy slip-ons from the men’s section, and they are rather comfortable. Yet, I am always ready to pick up a good pair of boots. As far as I am concerned, a good pair of boots, paired with a matching belt, denims and white shirt can be worn by anyone at any age for any thing. And I’m still looking.
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