The shoe-lution to my problem

“There is a package for you to sign for in reception”

Music to my ears: The arrival of a package is always exciting (even when it’s stationary), but when you know it’s going to be boxes of shoes, well, that’s the cat’s pyjamas!

I should warn you: I’m about to wax on about shoes. I’m in love, so if you don’t want to hear a love story, stop reading! 

amber & jade is an internet shoe company created by Catherine. Catherine is a Tall Girl, and she, like many Tall Girls, noticed that the shoe market was lacking lovely shoes for larger feet. She also noticed that many of the few styles that were available in larger sizes didn’t fit or look just quite right.  Instead of lamenting about it and giving the evilest of evil eyes to sales assistants who suggest trying on shoes three sizes too small “just to see, because they fit big, you know” as I would have (and indeed, did), she took action, and what action!  Catherine decided that if she couldn’t buy good shoes, she would make good shoes.

Voila! (Well, a lot of hard work and dedication, and then voila!) amber & jade was born, and now Tall Women (and Small Women with Large Feet) everywhere can wear well-made shoes designed specifically for larger feet. AND. They’re fashionable. AND. The price is right. AND. They come in cute boxes with neat shoe bags.

You see, shoe-shopping and I have never had a good relationship. There is one shoe shop in Ontario where I know I can find shoes. One. Things went from bad to worse when I moved to Spain (I would order shoes and have visitors bring them, or get Tall Mom to mail them – yikes!). They picked up a bit in Germany (Birkenstocks, anyone?), but went back downhill in the UK. Then, one night while I was Googling in desperation, “large shoe sizes – women – UK – PLEASE FIND ME SOME!”, I came across amber & jade. Love at first website.

On Friday I met Catherine for a fitting (I’m a size nine narrow, which is a much lovelier sounding size than eleven-and-a-half!) and some decision making… While I would have loved to buy her entire collection, I went with Rose and Elizabeth to start (shoes take their names from inspiring women).

"Elizabeth" in mushroom

I’m looking forward to a long relationship (today I’m wearing Rose) with Amber & Jade. Thank you, Catherine, I couldn’t have imagined a more wonderful shoe-lution to my shoe-shopping woes.

"Rose"