by Serena Edwards

Created on: May 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 16, 2007

Dear God, but I do LOVE shoes! Shoes that fit. Shoes that look good. Shoes that don't fit, but look good anyway. Shoes I can dance in. Boots, too. I mean, I really, truly, love shoes. If I stole as much as Imelda and Ferdie stole, I'd have twice as many shoes as she had, and that's a fact. (Actually, from what I saw, Imelda wasted a fair amount of her ill-gotten gains on some pathetically ugly footwear. The woman has fat feet, AND a real penchant both for unfortunate design and financing choices.) But, since I come by my shoes honestly, I'm a lot fussier about getting full value.

Most women buy shoes to go with their outfits. I do it the other way around. I'd seriously go around naked, if it made my shoes look cooler. Mmmmmm......strappy red Latin dance shoes with 3" slim heel oughta do it. I think I'd like to be buried in duct tape (don't ask) and red Latin shoes.

Which brings us to the problem of dancing in high heeled shoes. I have the answer, and the answer is to quit trying to dance in street shoes. Yes, I know your new evening shoes are all glittery and swank, but they are still street shoes. If you're going to dance, you need dance shoes. The ladies in the ballroom world solved this ages ago. Ballroom shoes are made entirely differently from street shoes. They have a suede sole, so you won't slip. And that sole is light and flexible, so that you can balance better and really use your shoes instead of fighting them. And, they have a steel shank so you can't break a heel. Many styles, including nearly all Latin sandals, come with ankle straps, so your shoes won't slip off your feet. The Latin sandals also have open toes so your toes won't get all scrunched up. But, if that's not a problem for you, there are also Court shoes - which a satin pumps also made for dancing. Just a few years ago, you had to order this type of shoe from England or Italy. I paid well over $100 for my first pair. But now several manufacturers in China have joined the market, with prices as low as $45 dollars for stock models and a level of quality which is very acceptable for most purposes. Most companies are also happy to take your custom order for your choice of heel height and style at an additional charge. I recommend danceshoesonline.com, both for the pricing and excellent customer service.

But what about those glittery evening shoes you love? Well, you have a couple of solutions. One is to save those shoes for evenings when you won't be dancing. The other is to bring your dance

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