NewlyNested: Shoes and In-Laws

.

a blogumn by Debra Goykhman

Photo Credit: EraPhernalia Vintage

I had my in-laws visiting and staying with us for the last two weeks for the first time.  Honestly, even if you like your in-laws I thought I would surely want to kill them.

I come from a weird family that never stays with each other during our travels.  When my parents come to visit me they stay at a hotel and only request to see my house for 4 hours during one meal.  The rest of the time it’s always going out around the town.  So my mind was reeling. What I was going to do with my in-laws with so much time?

First of all, it turns out they love the television even though whenever I visit them they barely turn theirs on.  Hours and hours of movies were watched of their choosing.  But second, and most importantly, I bonded with my mother and sister-in-law on the great womanly topic of shoes.

The problem with the shoe scenario is that my in-laws don’t know I was previously a shoe addict.

How bad?  Try buying at least four new pairs of shoes a week.  I had managed to temporarily cure myself.  I even donated half my shoes before my last move, leaving me with only three shoe racks instead of a whole shoe closet.  I have everything a girl already needs, but in my shoe curing process I stopped buying expensive shoes and only stuck to DSW clearance racks.  Occasionally I would find something like my Michael Kors black sling backs for $29.95, but mostly I was wearing not so exciting brands.  In a way I lost my appreciation for good shoes.

Three times (yes three times) my in-laws stopped at this fabulous shoe store and Italian leather brand called Rangoni.  My mother-in-law, who has amazing taste, managed to find me two pairs of shoes in the “backroom,” even though I had been finding nothing I liked for the last thirty minutes.  They were on sale, but still the prices ranged from $50-$80.  She managed to convince me to buy one if she bought one for my birthday.  It didn’t take much convincing for me to take my credit card out and ring away.  We kept visiting this store and finding more and after the whole 10 days were over I ended up with four new pairs of shoe all ranging from $50-$80.  These were fine leather Italian shoes, a treat I have never given myself, but have heard the men in my family go on and on about.

I suggest checking out a store rather than ordering online and make sure to print the catalogue, there is usually a coupon.  Additionally, right now there is an extra 20% off the “backroom.”    Rangoni shoes are also available online at amazon, dsw, and overstock.  Good luck and try not to get too addicted like me!