Welcome to Shoe Review Number 6! Click here if you missed Shoe Review #1, Shoe Review #2, Shoe Review #3, Shoe Review #4, Shoe Review #5  Some reviews have been updated, and new comments have been added, so it never hurts to click back for a quick shoe review

#

When Cole outgrew his colorful, custom-designed gym shoes, I saved them. I didn’t know why; I’m not much of a saver and I’m certainly not crafty (at least with paste and staples), but I figured I would eventually find a use for them. Inspiration hit last summer and I hung them on our brown wooden fence. I just tacked them up without applying any sealer and hoped for the best. Many compliments and one winter later, they are still hanging on the fence with the same weathered look they had when Cole retired them. When people ask about the shoes on the fence, I just smile and remark that my pups taught a few yard intruders a lesson. I also used shoes for garden pots last summer; I just added dirt and a plant and hoped for the best. I did not drill holes or seal the shoes and it worked well enough for me, but since then I have found these instructions.

• Small-rooted plants work best.
• Wipe loose dirt and debris from the shoe’s surface with a damp cloth and allow it to dry completely. Apply two or three coats of outdoor acrylic sealer to all surfaces of the shoe. (If you like the weathered look and don’t care if the shoes last forever, this step can be skipped.)
• Drill holes in the sole of the shoe to provide drainage. Space the holes about one inch apart. If you don’t have a drill, use a screwdriver or hammer and nail.
• Pour potting soil into the opening of the shoe, filling the toe and foot areas first. Fill the shoe to about half an inch from the top. Use a good, well-draining commercial mix that contains organic material, such as peat moss, for absorbing and retaining water. A medium that contains bark or perlite will provide good drainage.
• Plant seedlings or small plants in the opening of the shoe at the same depth they occupied in the growing containers. Firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly to evenly moisten the soil.

Garage sales are a great source of odd and interesting shoes. As I always say, if the shoe doesn’t fit, stick a plant in it.

And now a word from our reviewers.

Dawn’s Shoes:

Slip me on softly,
I’ll cuddle your feet nicely
You won’t take me off

Reviewed By: Shoeless in the Prairie

Doggone I like these shoes!!! Comfortable loafers are a must in the world of this busy dog lover and who wouldn’t want to put these puppies on their tired dogs when they run errands or step out for a little business???
The dark color of the leather is slimming (a must for feet, don’t you know?) and an attractive tone that complements any color of coat or fur—no need to accessorize these pups with anything else—they can run on their own without a doubt.
The only thing that troubles me is the lack of a penny in the loafer—-has the owner spent all his/her money on doggie treats and dog parks? I would be willing to send a couple of copper ones to stick in them just for emergencies that might arise. I guess that would be an accessory but one that adds to the value and overall barkappeal of these lovely shoes.

* Want to know more about Shoeless? Click over and say HI on her blog It’s Just Life

Reviewed By: Cole Haan

Classic! I mean like Audrey Hepburn classic. Black loafers are good in every situation. They can be worn with skirts, slacks or jeans. They go to work, to school or shopping in the mall. Day or night these shoes will take you there. The owner is probably just as classic. Not a follower of flash in the pan fashion, you won’t find this beauty in neon trends or ostrich feathers. She is tried and true and as steady as they come. She is a friend you can depend on and will always have the back of those she cares about. The dog is a nice touch too.

Good To Know:  In North Dakota, it is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on.

Stevie’s Shoes: 

I wear socks with my sandals
it feels really great
But is this look ok for a date
I haven’t decide yet
What to do
I think I’ll take the socks off
But keep the shoe

Reviewed By: Skor Strumpor

The earthy leather Birkenstock type shoe is the old stand by for lovers of the marriage of comfort and functionality. It is like seeing Tina Fey work perform with Amy Poehler. You know they are comfortable so they work well together. The owner of these shoes is a hard worker who doesn’t take life too seriously. She has learned not to sweat the small stuff. She finds the best payment is the satisfaction of a job well done. However, this review would not be complete if I did not admonish the wearer of these to choose!. Either warm enough for sandals or cold enough for socks. Never both!!

Reviewed By: Carl Lewis 

Your Son is a BOXER?!

I love these shoes. Perfect. No need to have me beaten up! And wearing sandals with socks doesn’t make you odd. Maybe you live someplace cold. Maybe it’s in style were you live. Maybe you are old. Err, I mean experienced. LOVE THE SOCK AND SHOE COMBINATION!!!

Good Know: Don’t be to quick to judge the sock with sandals look…Sarah Jessica Parker has been spotted sporting the combination, along with runway models! 

Sarah’s Shoes:

Grey converse shoes are really in style
I see them around every once in a while
mostly on kids who skateboard and play
they must be made well, and hold up okay
My friends had her pair for almost ten years
she says giving them away could bring her to tears
I’m buying myself a pair, this I KNOW…
Grey converse seem to be the way to go.

Reviewed By: Chuckless Taylor 

These grey converse are deceptively simple.  At first glance one might assume that the wearer is bland or lacking in personality.  However, I would encourage you to look deeper.  The wearer of these ill-fitting sneakers is one busy Mom!  These probably aren’t even her shoes.  My guess would be that she slips on whatever is closest to the door and most convenient on her dash out to the grocery or to basketball practice or drum lessons or to walk the dog or on one of her many errands that are run during any average, overworked Mom’s day off.  These classic, Chuck Taylor’s are just the conveyance for this Mom to take her family to the edge of greatness!

Reviewed By: Liken McKicks

The owner of these shoes seems to be a no-nonsense, get the job done person. Nice flat shoe, sturdy support for the foot, non-skid sole.  However, there is also a little non-conformity going on here – either no socks, or the ones that disappear in the shoe.  Also – assuming this shoe belongs to an “adult”, the whole Converse style is not one you see every day on those of us over a certain age.  I say go for it, swim against the tide!

Good To Know: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars, first marketed in 1917, are the all-time best-selling sneakers, with total sales nearing 600 million pairs. With Wiz Khalifa included, it’s closer to a billion. 

Cole Shoes:

I have shoes of many colors, once they were colorful and bright.
These shoes just kind of speak to me, other’s might prefer plain white.
I used to wear these shoes every where, to parties and to school,
People might kind laugh at them, but other kids thought they were cool.

Reviewed By: Shoe Spinner 

Oh my oh my oh my oh my I really wish these were brand new and in my size. I’d even wear them now, threadbare though they are, apparently outlasting their own laces, if they were in my size–although I might want to make sure that they smelled presentable. This kid (ok, if it’s not a kid, this adult is harder on his shoes than a soccer player in the rain) is not afraid of color. Not afraid of standing out. Surely the shoe owner is one out-standing individual. Where do you go in a shoe like this? Everywhere. What do you wear it with? Jeans, shorts, khakis. You could wear these kicks with a tux and get away with it because they are simply that cool, fun, and unique, and no establishment is kicking you out for dress code violation (with the possible exception of the Chicago Waldorf School music department, which has a puzzlingly strong preference for basic black footwear).

Reviewed By: Jimmy Chew 

“What’s wrong with these shoes?  What do you mean I have to change them before we leave for the wedding or graduation or bat mitzvah.  The wearer is obviously male (or a female with ginormous feet) and my guess is that at one time these were very fine shoes indeed.  Then the boy wore them.  He wore them to school and spilled paint on them on art class.  He wore them to his friend’s houses where they did thing like have office chair races and used their feet for the brakes.  He wore them tree climbing and go kart racing and puddle jumping and on many other adventures that Mom doesn’t know about and won’t learn of until several years after he goes off to college.  My advice is to Mom.  Ditch the baby shoes that are on display on the mantle and put these there instead.  The baby shoes say nothing about your kid.  These shoes say it all.

Reviewed By: Buster Brown 

Wow.

Some people want to get away from it all. When they do, they should go where you are. You are clearly away from it all. And it appears that “it” is not headed in your direction any time soon. Is this where we are? We’re just not even trying anymore? Don’t try to tell me you can’t afford different shoes, because it take a lot of money to look that poor. Or, maybe there is a method to the madness? Are you a clown? Do you wear a red, rubber nose and suspenders and honk a horn? Do you carpool when you drive to work in a compact car with twelve friends? Does water squirt out of the flower in your lapel? Shape up clown-person. The world is moving on and the only place these shoes belong is hanging from a telephone line or half buried in a garden with a flower growing out of them.

But I like them. They’re like a car wreck but I can’t look away . . .

Good To Know: Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman started Blue Ribbon Sports, Nike’s forerunner company with $500 each. The B.R.S. name was later resurrected as a division of Nike specializing in clothing to complement its kicks. Phil and Bill made back their initial investments.

#

Disclaimer: Please remember that the opinion of the reviewers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of your shoe review hostess, nor do the shoes in all fairness necessarily reflect her taste.

This concludes our sixth Shoe Review.Thank you Dawn, Stevie, Sarah and Cole for submitting your shoes for review, and a big shout out to our super shoe reviewers. Don’t forget to leave your comments for a chance to be included in our drawing for a Zappos gift card.

So what’s your review?

Odd Loves Company!