These Shoes Are Made For Shooting

 

I see a lot of live music, that's no secret. But when it comes to dressing for shows, I have a bit of a formula. Really the only common integer is COMFORTABLE SHOES. I see so many girls at shows wearing shoes that would either twist their ankle at any wrong turn or stab a straw foot and all I can think is your poor feet. What did they ever do to you?

 

 I'm not much of a sandals person, so I tend to wear boots and sneakers all year round (I'm weird with getting my feet dusty). These are the collection of shoes that come with me to shows. They get as much wear as my 32 GB memory card. That's a lot, by the way.

From top left, clockwise: thrifted leather booties (Urban Xchange); thrifted Sam Edelman jazz oxfords (Urban Xchange); thrifted suede boots (Goodwill); Converse All-Star High Tops; Vans laced flat sneakers.

That last pair is my newest pair, and I absolutely love them. The only other pair of sneakers I have (that aren't my shitty pumas I found at Plato's Closet for working out) are my All-Stars, and I've had those for years. Honestly when I went to Journey's down the hall from my store, I wasn't even sure how sneakers fit me anymore, because it had been so long since I'd bought a pair. And I forgot how wonderful low-tops are. I love my All-Stars, but they are not quick shoes.

All of these pairs of shoes have just the right amount of traction without being heavy or awkward to walk in. I have worn my 2-inch Creepers to shoot with, and that was definitely a mistake. Most of the time I'm stepping over barriers, people's feet, drinks all while weaving in and out of small spaces, so clunky shoes are the bane on my existence. Before I realized this fact, I even tripped over a barrier while shooting. During a band's set. In from of the whole Showbox. It was embarrassing. Since then I've gotten better at walking in general (hopefully), but generally you want to create the least conflict between your feet and the floor. You need to have a harmonious relationship with the floor, and there's nothing harmonious about planting your knees hard into it to save your $1300 lens. We don't want that. Ever.

But honestly, what do all these shoes have in common? They're flat. They're laced. They stay on your damn feet. The last thing you want is for your shoe to accidentally fall off in the jumble of a crowd. Boo to that. So I always opt for a securely laced shoe. I like my boobs to feel secure, which is why I wear bras. I like my feet to feel secure, which is why I wear laces. Laces - the bras of your feet. That makes sense, right?

What is your favorite pair of shoes to wear to shows? I like to think that these all have style while also being incredibly comfortable. Granted, I've had to put gel soles in the brown leather booties because there isn't a lot of natural cushion in the things, but they lasted me all through Sasquatch and my feet didn't want to shank me at the end of the weekend.

I feel kind of like a cool teenage guy in a punk band in these shoes. Except for the fact that I'm wearing printed Shakespeare socks. Or maybe that's even more punk rock. Whatever.