1.) Last week we covered your Top 10 Life Stories…this week choose one and share all the details.
One of my ‘life stories’ was this: I owned. and wore. The exact same shoes as my high school Computer teacher.
Here’s what happened…
In ninth grade I pretty much realized the public school kids were not wearing KEDS everyday like the Catholic school kids I’d grown up with. I needed leather shoes and fast if I was ever going to fit in. My Mom was an easy sell. She handed me money and dropped me off at the mall for new shoes.
In retrospect I realize I should never have been dropped off anywhere alone to buy myself anything that I’d later be wearing. When I was 25 my sister took me by the hand to revamp a wardrobe that consisted of two hoodies, a pair of jeans and sweatpants.
Where was she when I was 15?
Oh wait she was wearing bowling shoes to school…never mind. I digress.
What I’m trying to say is that after years of wearing the same uniform to school every day I was really in no position to be picking out my own clothes. Some of my favorite fashion fails include (but are in no way limited to) the following:
- I paired tapered grey sweats with my older sister’s black checkered blazer.
- I carefully tucked a cream colored turtle neck into a pair of pin striped mom jeans.
- My favorite sweater was purchased for three dollars at a thrift shop that no doubt belonged to an 80 year old retired college professor.
But if there’s one thing I knew it’s that the rich girls at my school shopped at Nordstrom…and THAT was exactly where I was headed. The problem is, because I’m a taller girl, I happen to have larger feet. For this reason I decided to bypass the racks of feminine boots, pumps, sneakers, and flats and headed directly for the Men’s section of the department store.
Sure, I browsed. I carefully inspected the shoes, turning them over in my hands before finding the perfect pair. I don’t recall whether or not the young man who helped me was puzzled by a 15 year old girl’s presence in the men’s section of the store because I didn’t think it was odd in the slightest. I sat in the chair and kicked my feet patiently as I waited for him to return with my size. I was a little annoyed that he felt it necessary to put the shoes on me, but I allowed it and then determined they were perfect.
And what do we do when we’ve discovered the perfect shoe ladies?
We buy one in each color.
Which is exactly what I did. The shoes I chose looked eerily similar to these (not quite so shiny):
What was that man thinking when he rung up that bill for me? I don’t know.
What was my mother thinking when I pulled my purchases from their packages and tromped about in two pairs of grown ass men’s shoes? I don’t know.
What were my girlfriends thinking when I kicked those shoes off upon entering their homes and then laced them back up when it was time to leave again? I don’t know.
But I can tell you what my friend Brian Johnson was thinking when he spotted my shoes in computer class later in the year and then glanced at our computer teacher Mr. Fosberg’s shoes and then back at mine again…he was thinking,
“Errrrr….Bushka?”
And it was in that moment. That moment alone. With Brian Johnson, our school’s star basketball player and the king of dishing. shit. out. that I realized I had made a big mistake. I could hold my own with Brian. We had a playful friendship, he was funny, and I was dishing it out to him just as often as he was to me.
But when he performed a dramatic triple take from my shoes to Mr. Fosberg’s and back again, I knew I had nothing. No retaliation about an air ball or his saggy pants was going to help me recover from the fact that I was wearing men’s shoes to school everyday.
And not any man’s shoes.
Mr. Fosberg’s shoes.
“Bushka?? Have you uhhh been shopping in Fosberg’s closet because uhhhh….*insert dramatic triple take*….I think you’ve been shopping in Fosberg’s closet.”
In my defense, he WAS the best-dressed teacher in the school.
The Prompts:
1.) Last week we covered your Top 10 Life Stories…this week choose one and share all the details.
2.) Are you on Pinterest? Share the last five items you pinned, choose one and let it inspire a blog post.
3.) What were you like in high school?
4.) Share a photo that was taken of you, that you think really captures who you are.
5.) The one place in my life that I know better, but haven’t been able to do better is… (inspired by Oprah)
Ginger@NJAMT says
Ok, I feel like I won the lottery being #1 to post this week…SUPA-Star! LOL!
And as always you have me laughing my ass off…I swear my husband thinks I am having some kinda affair every wendesday/thursday when I laugh and then madly type a response to your posts…LOL!
Happy wednesday…uhhhh…thursday!
Life As Wife says
You know what they say about guys teasing you in school!? That Brian? He wanted you and your sexy man shoes.
Frelle says
right?! #fistbump
Mama Kat says
Oh there’s no doubt…I don’t know if you saw my video about my sex appeal in high school, but it was pretty intense.
Tiffany says
He must have been looking at your sexy legs and once he hit the shoes, he stopped dead in his tracks! lol.
Stasha says
Wait up, wait up. I have a pair of black, brown and black/White patent one in my closet…
My husband does not care for them and reding this it is starting to make sense. He must have been a Brian in high school…
Gretchen says
Oh honey, I sympathize. I too am a tall, big footed woman. But when I was a kid, I could wear mens shows and say it was the “Annie Hall” look, which was very cool. And I agree that that Brian dude definitely wanted you.
Mama Kat says
I’m certain this is the case. ;)
Susan in the Boonies says
You should have called me. I could have helped you with this.
I’m a fabulous friend shopping consultant.
God knows: you needed me.
Erin says
That is so awesome! I would have just said, I’m not shopping in his closet he’s shopping in MINE!! SUCKA!
Frelle says
love this!!
Rebeccah says
Best. Comeback. Ever.
The Lovely One says
Man shoes were very in when I was in high school! I had a pair of Doc Martens.
I know that the linky was working a minute ago, but now it’s not. :( Here’s mine: http://looklucklove.blogspot.com/2012/02/pin-it.html
Elle says
In high school I used to love wearing the big, clunky platform shoes since I’m short. I wish I would’ve thought of man shoes because those look a lot nicer than what I wore. :)
Mama Kat says
Gah! What’s up with the linky?
Jessica says
I was wondering the SAME thing!
Peg says
Me too. It kicked me out but it still posted my link. It’s done that several times lately.
Melissa B. says
Gives new meaning to the saying, “Walk a mile in my shoes.” :)
Artistic License
Dumb mom says
I was pretty awesomely dressed in high school. Had this fresh pair of tennis shoes with heels; baller. Too bd we weren’t buds then, I coulda hooked you up! I didn’t lose my sense of style until I became adult and you see where that landed me!
Kristen says
Oh my! You can’t make this kind of stuff up Kat! What size foot did you have back then because I am picturing a friend of mine who is your height and her feet were like boats back in high school compared to most girls. Those things must have looked huge on you! The visuals that come to mind with this post are too funny!
Mama Kat says
I was pushing a size 11 in womens…still am. And yes, totally tripped on myself all the time.
Frelle says
I love this one. I know you had more confidence than to melt into your seat when Brian said that to you, but I’d have just curled up and cried if someone had pointed that out.
Do tell…did you ever wear them again?
Mama Kat says
No way did I melt in my seat and let him have that victory. I think I just looked at him like “Dude. Ya got me” and then he probably mocked the way I say dude like a white valley girl.
And of course I wore those shoes again…I HAD NO OTHER BACK UPS!
Tiffany says
As a high school teacher myself, I am DYING inside for you!! It’s not like it was the hot math teacher but the COMPUTER teacher???? You poor thing. It’s a good thing you have such a sassy spirit to survive that one. ;)
Jennifer says
That style was kinda cool in the late 80’s early 90’s. I’m petite and wore a size 5 1/2 in high school, so I HAD to shop in the women’s shoes- and I had a navy blue pair of shoes similar to those. But then, the 80’s…. well…. it WAS bad style! But, you were in good company!
Vinobaby says
OMG. I had those shoes in high school. In a light brown. I called them my ‘ugly brown shoes.’ And I loved them. Too funny!
christina says
i freaking LOVED wearing mens shoes and blazers back in the day. everyone else wore those fugly gd brown loafer shoes. EVERYONE. it drove me batty. so i wore my man shoes until i could afford doc martens. cuz i was badass like that. hahaha.
Mama Kat says
That’s hilarious Christina…my next shoes were doc martens too! Ohhh the 90’s. How I don’t miss your style.
Dionne Adkison says
You crack me up! My greatest blunder? I bleached my own shorts to have that kind of acid washed look (80’s child) but didn’t wash them. I only rinsed them in the bathtub. So I smelled like bleach at school. I managed to cover up my mistake. What we will do to fit in, huh?
Runnermom-jen says
Hahahaha! I’m sure glad I’m not the only one that had fashion fails when I was a teenager…I’ve tried to erase most of them from my memory bank ;)
Your story cracked me up, though.
jane@flightplatformliving says
ha ha that’s hysterical! pixie boots were in when i wastaschool and went shopping with mum to get a pair and she talked me into a pair or burgandy padded wooly topped boots from a granny shop! i hated them withtheir fat roundtoes rather than the tint point of a pixie boot…it was a troll boot nothing like a pixie!
you took meright back to the shame of it!
thanks so much for liking the storm poem i did last week…it was really lovely to see a shout out! loved doing PIN IT! thisweek…amenjoying yourblog so much xxxx
Audreya says
I had those shoes, too! In brown… because my Catholic school didn’t allow tennis shoes and because the black shoes wouldn’t have matched my navy plaid skirt. Luckily, though, I don’t think anyone noticed my shoes. They were too distracted by my giant 90s bangs.
Diane@BeStillaMinute says
Can’t say that I ever shopped in the men’s department but I have definitely committed my fair share of fashion crimes. Live and learn, live and learn! :D
Paula Kiger says
Great story and comment stream. I wonder if I still have a pic anywhere wearing a borrowed men’s tie for the faux Annie Hall look. Hopefully NOT. :-)
Peg says
I’m thinking that he was in love with you AND Mr. Fosberg!
Hey wait! Didn’t you say you met Pat back when you were in high school? Hmmmnnnnn….. the plot thickens…. :-)
Dara Dokas says
Oh, the fashions we wore in high school. But your shoes do seem to take the cake! I wish you had an actual picture of you in your shoes. That would be AWESOME! They were probably cooler than you think.
Angelia Sims Hardy says
OMG! Soooooooooo funny! I am about to truly ROLL ON THE FLOOR. The triple take is what did me in….
GREAT, GREAT life story. I’m wondering how many grades those shoes lasted…..they look pretty sturdy. Ha! :-)
Arnebya @whatnowandwhy says
Yes, yes, the triple take! I’ma die! My damn stomach hurts from laughing. She too sexy for girl shoes. (Sing it!)
Jen says
Wasn’t wearing men’s fashion kinda a trend back in the 90’s?! Apparently you were to fashion forward for your classmates.
Just Jennifer says
Ohhhh….yeah. I don’t have a leg to stand on in the fashion department, so you’ll get no judgements from me. But I feel your pain. Great story!
MJ says
I begged my mother to buy me a very similar pair when I was 12. In Australia, we called them ‘brogues’, and at the time I believed they were all the rage. They were also from the men’s section, and my feet had not even grown into the majestic (US) size 12.5/13 that they are today. I had no excuse… none at all…
Kaye says
that realizations would have been enough to about kill a teenage girl. I’m glad you survived the moment. kaye—the road goes ever ever on
Aimee says
Wait, no pictures of you in those gorgeous shoes? Please???
lisleman says
I bet those shoes lasted longer than most women shoes. More sole maybe soul too.
Jerralea says
The only better thing would have been if you had accidentally worn one brown shoe and one black shoe!
I really enjoyed this story!
May says
I happen to like those man shoes and I would defend your right to wear them whenever you darned well pleased! Maybe not prom….
Jennifer says
Keds were totally in when I was in high school, which was awesome because they made it super easy to match my socks to my shirt.
Mommy2¢ says
I’m not sure what’s worse — sporting the same shoes as your male computer teacher or accidentally showing up to your first week of high school with two different shoes on… you might have me beat!
Adrienne says
Hilarious!! You poor thing. Shopping alone in the men’s dept.?? I really do wonder what ALL of the above mentioned peeps of the past were thinking.
Jenn says
Well, I had a similar pair of shoes, but from the women’s department.
To go with the 8 shirts (all the same, rainbow of colors) and 8 pants (same deal) because even though I was the oldest of 3, I had an older (but shorter) cousin who bought multiples when she found something she wore.
So…stupid shirt? I had not one but EIGHT of them to try to not wear.
I was SOOOOO cool.
Juli says
Too bad, Patty, since I’m quite sure that if you wore the Oboe shoes with the Oboe dress it would magically turn all your reeds into *perfect* reeds.
Rusty Southwick says
Beings that all 38 commenters so far have been from the other gender, this could be an indication that: a) men are clueless about fashion; b) men are intimidated by Kats, particularly of the Mama persuasion; c) the rhine in spine falls minely on the pline; or d) only 39 people know how to find this site. I’m just hoping this place gets more popular so she’ll go on tour, to a city near me.
Vladimir says
38:2 Come one guys !
We can do it !
:)
Missy | The Literal Mom says
That definitely beats my “I wore two different shoes to school one day” story!