Anybody who knows me knows how much I love shoes. Most of my closet is devoted to my shoe collection. This collection has been a growing obsession of mine as I’ve filled it with wedges, slides, sandals, sneakers, heels, slippers, boots, flats, etc over the years. For casual days, I turn to my fabulous, red, low top Converse All-Stars. For jogging, I know I can count on my purple Brooks Flow2 running shoes. I was told about them by a fellow runner/friend and they’ve been a great investment. For a special night out on the town, it’s my gold, strappy Melania heels from Ann Taylor Loft. They are simply gorgeous shoes.

I especially love high heels. I am well aware of how bad they are for my feet/legs/back, but there’s something so powerful about strutting down a hallway, being a couple of inches taller than I normally am. My runner’s calves look fierce in heels. I feel feminine and strong in heels. (Interestingly though, I am not much of a fan of platform heels. I know my height limits.)

So here I am, 25 weeks pregnant with my second child and of course, a number of my shoes are collecting dust. My feet are longing to put on something with a little bit of vertical joy, but alas, my baby belly and common sense remind me of my safety.

What’s more is that my husband and I are going to Europe later this month for a couple of weeks, and I am having some doubts about my shoe choices. (With my first child, I think I wore mostly flats and flip-flops.) Nothing I own seems to be the right shoes for a European vacation when I will be in my third trimester of pregnancy.

And so, I’ve set out to find a pair of cute (yet sensible) sandals for a pregnant woman to wear whilst strolling around the lovely British countryside and the romantic streets of Paris. 

So far, my results have been dismal. And discouraging. Many of the sales clerks have directed me to shoes that would be more fitting for a 70-year-old woman. I suppose this is because most shoes made for younger women aren’t really designed with comfort in mind. In my closet, a shoe without a certain amount of moxie just doesn’t belong. But I want comfort and style without having to pay too much. So my quest continues.

I was recently given a gift card to the online store, Zappos. Oh. My. Goodness. Hundreds and hundreds of shoes at the click of a mouse button! After refining my search a little bit (narrowed it down to tan/brown, less than 1.5 inch tall sandals), I think I may have found a pair of shoes that will work for me! They will be delivered (for free!) around Friday and so we shall see if they make my feet happy and this pregnant shoe-maven feel less frumpy. Fingers crossed!