Cowboy Boots, Diva Feet, and Loooong Toes

I don't have a single pair of practical shoes in my closet.

Well, except for maybe my hiking boots, and even they have a coupla shiny charms hanging off them.  I know, I know.  I just can't seem to help it.  I like dressing up ... even when I'm dressed down, you will invariably see some quirk of my Diva--ness in evidence.  

Workin' outside in my baggy overalls?  One side has to be unbuckled and dangling and the cuffs have to be stylishly rolled up to reveal my awesome footwear.  Oh, and there simply MUST be dangly earrings dripping coyly from my earlobes.  I don't often put my hair up.  Mostly when I'm working outside or around the house.  But I have the coolest diva hair barrette ... it's absolutely dripping with fake pearls.

I come by it honest, really I do.  Just check out this photo of me as a child at Kiddieland.  There I am in my grubby play clothes, wearing a shiny pair of white patent leather shoes, courtesy of my mama.  They even have a wee little heel on them.  Diva baby shoes!

I don't have a single pair of classic black pumps to wear to church or other "dress up" occasions.  I wear my cowboy boots.  Never mind that I wear them with jeans, shorts, sundresses, and even my pj's.  Yes, I must be honest.  I have a couple of the cutest night gowns and when I adorn  myself with the just the right jewelry and accessories, I wear them out in public.  Oh, yes, I do!!   Top it all off with the pearl hair clip and my wicked diva cowboy (girl) boots, and I have quite the ensemble.  No one would ever know unless they saw the "Cacique" label inside the neckline ... well, that, and I do tend to take great pride in announcing it quite boldly.  "This?  Why thank you!  But I must confess, I'm wearing my nightgown!" The surprised expressions are just priceless.  I mean, why not?  No, no, I'm not talking slinky lingerie here - nothing indecent.  Just a pretty little night dress.  If it works, I say, "Go for it!"  I believe passionately that one of my purposes here on earth is to help people streeeetch their imagination.  Why, I once had a friend who used to make the most wonderful skirts and wrap dresses out of fringed bedspreads!  Why wake up every day and wear the same old boring clothing and walk in the same old boring rut wearing the same old boring shoes.  Create an adventure for yourself!  Wearing my nightgown out in public makes feel quite adventurous!  And my diva cowboy boots help me carry it off with confidence!  One of my dear friends once told me, "You don't just wear clothing or outfits.  You wear costumes!"  I can live with that.  But I digress (yes, you will see me doing a lot of that here).



I wasn't always so brave, bold, and adventurous.  I'll just say this straight out.  I have long toes ... very long toes ... abnormally looooong toes.  When I was younger, I simply refused to go barefoot or wear sandals out in public.  On the few occasions when I did work up my nerve and let my toes show, I would invariably look for some means to hide them - under the table, behind a long skirt, in the sand.  Why?  Because I just couldn't bear up under the scrutiny, the incredulous stares, the rude whispers.  Fine, you can laugh.  I still don't think it was my imagination.  Know why?  Because of the comments.  Oh, the comments I would get!  They made my toes curl, quite literally.  They ran along the lines of ....

"Those are the absolute longest toes I've ever seen!"  (Yes, I've never seen toes longer than mine)
"Your toes look just like fingers!" (True.  My second toe is nearly as long as my little finger)
"Can you pick up things with your toes?  Can you spread them like your fingers? (Yes, actually, I can)
"Can you swing from tree limbs with those things?"  (No, but I admit they are practically prehensile)

The list goes on.  Just forget about me even thinking of wearing toe rings or ankle bracelets.  They brought all that dreadful, unwanted attention right down to my feet!  For many years, I hid my shameful toes from public view each summer inside a succession of hot, closed-up shoes.  Thus began my utter fascination with cowboy boots.  I figured if I couldn't diva up my ankles and toes, I would just fancy up my feet and legs with the coolest boots I could find.  That went over very well!  No one noticed the absence of sandals (um, except for the time I wore my boots to the beach).  They could only stare in wonder and profound appreciation at my red-hot high-heeled cowboy boots.  Boots with braid, boots with fringe, boots with angel wings & red hearts, boots with lacy socks showing above the top, boots with charms hanging from the pull-on loops!  So many compliments I received ... and I DO love compliments!  Did I ever tell you that?  Not that they validate me or my existence in any way, of course.  But a little appreciation, a little acknowledgement, a little recognition for one's efforts is just so nice, don'tcha think?



But, Good Lawd!  My feet were hot!  I live in the deep, deep south.  And my feet were HOT, lemme tell you!  The bad kind of hot!  Fast forward to just a few years ago.  I suddenly saw myself as a wee bit older, a good bit wiser, and caring a whole lot less what everyone thought about me or my toes!  I began collecting and filing away little sayings about toes that I could bring out when the appropriate occasion arose.  For instance, when confronted with the raised eyebrow or questioning stare, I could point my nose up in the air and say loftily (if a little defensively) ...

"Long toes are indicative of an extremely intelligent mind."  (Hey, I'm pretty smart)
"Long toes are a sign of a highly passionate nature."  (It's true, ask my closest friends)
"Long toes are a genetic trait seen in royalty."  (My ancestors once owned a castle in Scotland)
"Long toes are the sign of a sick mind."  (Oh, wait - that one was my husband's)

Bottom line:  as a fabulously free-spirited diva type, I no longer feel the slightest bit of self-consciousness at the occasional raised eyebrow when I wear my sandals.  I now revel in the most amazing sense of foot freedom!  I paint my toenails the brightest, glittering colors!  I adorn my feet with the blingiest open-toed shoes!  I wear great quantities of the shiniest toe rings!  My feet have blossomed ... my mind has expanded ... aahhhh .... freedom at last!  See me here, wiggling my toes ecstatically in the frigid breeze of the car's air conditioner.

I now have only one last parting remark to make about my toes.  Most of my friends have the cutest little stubby short toes.  They remind me of cute little baby animals.  But, you see, I am a fully grown, fully realized diva and "cute" and "little" just aren't words that describe me or my toes.  So, yes, they are very long, but they are also very elegant.

But wait, I am supposed to be promoting my fabulous jewelry here in this blog of mine!  So what's the tie-in?  I have been crafting the most wonderful quirky wraparound bracelets made with a fabulous mix of antique buttons and beads.  As I sat marveling over this finished bracelet today, it suddenly occurred to me, "Wouldn't this make marvelous ankle bling?"  Hmmmm ....

P.S.  Mama told me she would give me money to help buy new cowboy boots if I promised never to wear my well-worn black ones again.  But I just can't.  Beat up or no ... they are so comfortable ... and still oddly cool!