What to Do When You Really Need a New Pair of Shoes + Outfit with the Imperial Tee

Today I was reminded that shoes are mainly meant for walking. I was coming back from the playground with my daughter (where she had a lot of fun with the sprinklers and splashing mommy with water - luckily she missed my new classic leather belt in glazed hazelnut that I received yesterday and couldn't wait to wear) when all of a sudden I felt propelled forward. At the beginning I thought that I had just missed my step, but then I realized that my Vineyard flip-flops (that I LOVED because of the leather insole and the rubber sole - best flip-flops ever) had just bitten the dust (the thong had just broken loose).

You don't how how difficult it is to walk on a sole without the upper of the shoe (the straps were still attached to the sole but without the thong my foot slipped forward at each step) until you try. After 15 minutes of me dragging my feet (where I had barely walked half a block) I realized that there was no way that I could make it home like that and because of the stroller (a bugaboo) I couldn't even take a cab. I stopped at the Citibank on Madison and I asked for tape but they only had the slim paper tape (that notoriously doesn't stick) so after a few tentatives I gave up on the idea of taping the strap back as an emergency procedure.

At that point only Jcrew, that happened to be on the same block, could save me. I was on the other side of Madison and I was a little bit scared of crossing the street with my walking-challenged shoes, but then I thought "hey, old ladies cross the streets every day and they aren't faster than you now", so I went (the reality is that car drivers - especially NYC taxi drivers - expect old ladies to be slow but expect younger ladies to cross the street almost running so even if they SEE that you are still in the middle of the street their brain doesn't register you).

Anyway I made to the Jcrew store and then I had two options:
1) Buy the cheapest pair of shoes that they had (hopefully they had still some capris sandals left in the back); or
2) Use the accident as a good excuse to buy the pair of shoes that I'm currently coveting, the suede Juliet midheels in black or graphite.
I explained that I "needed" a new pair of shoes and I added "literally" pointing to my feet and I asked if they had a pair of capri left in a 7. The SA brought me three pairs (none was a 7) telling me that the cheapest of the bunch was the gold pair, in a 6. These were only $12.99 and even if not my regular size they fitted (Jcrew capri run a little bit big) and at least they would bring me home, so it was a deal.

Incidentally, while I was waiting for the shoes I heard the two other SAs talking about something that was "gone" and "couldn't even be reordered because it came from this place in Paris", so I immediately thought of the lace cami that I saw on the table three days ago and I asked for confirmation. They told me that they SOLD THEM ALL (and the gentleman at the door added "in like, 5 minutes" - it must have been a subject of conversation among the employees). I guess that the Madison Avenue Collection store is THE place if any where a lace cami at $800 can sell out in matter of minutes, but I was shocked anyway. Now I'm kicking myself for not trying it on when I saw it and take pics for you ladies (but I have no other regret). Summerilla saw it at the Soho store so if it's still there when I go (I think that it's going to sell less fast there), I will make sure to try it on.

And now, a pic of my yesterday's outfit. I changed my mind re. the Imperial tee: I definitively LOVE it after trying it with my surplus matchstick in grey:



I really think that it's a summer tee, so I decided to wear it right away and actually I wanted to wear it again today!

Did you ever "needed" a new pair of shoes? What would have you done if you were me? Bought an "emergency pair" or your most coveted pair?