CONFESSIONS OF A SHOE-O-HOLIC

I was six when Prince Charming placed that glass slipper on Cinderella’s tiny foot and the downward spiral of my shoe addiction began. From my first pair of bright white Keds to my latest purchase of Rene Caovilla bejeweled sandals, there is a certain kind of happiness and fulfillment that I can only get from shoes.

Does my obsession come from the belief that my fairy ending will happen if I’m wearing the perfect shoe? Or, is it that regardless of the inevitable fat day or bad hair day, my shoes always look good? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that I am not alone as evidenced by the camaraderie felt among women everywhere for Carrie Bradshaw and her passion for Manolo Blahnik.

What I have come to learn is that there is no cure. I had to admit that I had a problem and acknowledge my weakness and vulnerability. I had to stop sleeping in my new shoes and properly store them in their dust bag and box. It is a daily struggle to limit myself to only those shoes that are truly special. This struggle is what drives my continuous search for that exclusive boutique. For those women that are plagued by the same disease, don’t miss Grace on Damen in Bucktown. The unique styles are sure to make any recovering shoe-o-holic fall off the wagon.Trendsetters will not want to miss a spectacular sale at Grace (located at 1917 N. Damen Ave., Chicago, IL 60647, 773.384.7223) featuring the majority of spring and summer merchandise marked down to 50% off starting this Friday, June 27th through Thursday, July 24th. The boutique will be stocked with incredible deals on exclusive footwear collections from designers like Luciano Padovan (whose signature peep toe pumps were most recently seen in “Sex and the City: The Movie”), Georgina Goodman (London-based line boasts eccentric fashionistas like Kirsten Dunst and Thandie Newton), and Jean-Michel Cazabat (style setting publications like W Magazine and Marie Claire have praised the 25-year-old fashion veteran’s collections).

Guess where this shoe-o-holic will be this Friday?

Mayra Camara
CFO