A cheap fix.

I've been on the lookout for some black flats for quite a while. I'd been wearing Target's "Ona" in black patent but the sizing is a wee off and they'd always been snug, not to mention they lack a lot of support {which is another story...as a teacher I should have shoes that have a great deal of support but I refuse, financially [since those are often more than I'm willing to pay since I'm super cheap] and aesthetically,  but mostly financially}.

Being pregnant my feet have grown a bit and in desperation I found a great $10-$15 {me not able to remember} pair at H & M last month. They had even less support but they were a shape I liked more than the "Ona" and they fit...glorious! 

Then I stepped in dog poop while wearing them last week.

And they have little ridges in the sole which would've made cleaning a {gross} challenge and they had started to look worn out already. I'm usually pretty good at taking care of inexpensive clothing to make it last longer {I'm cheap} {cold washes & air drying} but shoes are different and their fate was decided the other night while walking in our garden.

So the search began anew. I found this pair at Target this weekend. I had seen them before and really liked their shape, how they are a bit more substantial, and the faux-suede softness.

But they have gold hardware on them and I don't like that in a shoe {or any accessory} because I feel it limits my wardrobe options; then I want my clothes to match in hue {warm colors [or black] with gold, cold colors [or black] with silver} and I have to wear matching jewelry.

Edgy but wardrobe-limiting.

I wouldn't even really like the little studs, even if they came in black, but they were just right in all the other ways and I decided to get them. 

And a black paint pen. And then I painted over the gold {wearing an improvised face-mask even though it wasn't very fume-y at all}.

They're not as opaque as I'd like but it did the trick and now I feel OK about these black flats. Because of the flash, the pictures make it seem like there's more gold poking through than there really is.

Even though I'd like my feet to go back to their original size after I have le bébé {which I hear doesn't happen}, these are half a size up from my norm and I would also like them to last me for more than just the remainder of my pregnancy.

In other news, I'm snowed in today, getting school and personal work done...here's to being safe out there in the weather and getting creative in here at home!
xoxo, natty ♥