These shoes were made for walking

In today's post for the No New Clothes Challenge, I am updating a pair of new shoes so that I'll actually wear them. (crazy, I know.) The problem? Super slick soles (say that five times fast). The solution? One of those freebie rubber bottle grippers some company gave out as promotional swag, scissors, and glue.

Step 1: Buy some shoes online because they're adorable and on sale. Ignore the part of the product description that says the shoes "have no tread." How bad could it be? They are the perfect ankle-strap wedges in a lovely plum faux suede, which more than makes up for the problem.

These lovely shoes are from Modcloth.

Step 2: After tearing into the package like a kid at 7:00 on Christmas morning and trying the shoes on, experience that 10:00 am-on-Christmas morning let-down, as you slide hopelessly around your apartment. Pretend to ice skate. Then, take off the pretty, pretty shoes, and stare at them in despair.

Step 3: Look in every Target and Wal-mart for those non-slick shoe grip things. Every store for the next 6 weeks will be sold out. Every now and then, take your new shoes out of the closet and stare forlornly at them, wishing you could wear them without creating the perfect storm of personal clumsiness and poorly-constructed imported goods resulting in your certain embarrassment in public.

Step 4: While looking for that rogue measuring spoon in the kitchen catch-all drawer, have a sudden revelation about the use of that extra bottle gripper. Assemble the supplies:

E6000 is the glue all the cool bloggers use. Now, I know why. The stuff is magic.

Step 6: Cut your bottle gripper to size, then take your glue and and gripper pieces out to the balcony (or some other ventilated space) for assembly. Or don't. Your glue, your rules. (But seriously, you should probably find some ventilation).

Step 7: Glue those grippy pieces in place, following instructions on your handy bottle of E6000.

Step 8: Harden your heart against those sad, sad cat faces as they peer at you from inside your apartment. When you're done gluing, go back inside and cuddle those sad kitties, leaving your shoes to dry for a couple of hours. 

Step 9: When your shoes are dry (I waited until the next day), wear them. Saunter cavalierly across your slick kitchen floor. March with confidence up and down the 2 flights of stairs to your apartment. Remain in a securely upright position while you're standing on stage in front of people. And look cute while doing it.

Step 10: Suddenly become aware of the relative lack of plum/purple-hued items in your wardrobe. Rue the day you decided to declare publicly your intention not to buy any new clothes for a year. :)

Enjoy the extras,

Christine