Shoes From My Past

 

After drawing hair-dos from my past for The 100 Day Project, I was still on a nostalgia binge and moved on to shoes. I can’t believe I walked in some of these without breaking an ankle. I did get smart, however, during my first trip to Europe in 2006. Heeding advice from savvy travelers, I bought some sandals that would put me a cut above other American tourists. They looked nicer than the sneakers many of my fellow Americans were seen wearing, but the sandals were terrible for walking on ancient cobblestones (Rick Steves never gives advice that tourists really need). Realizing that breaking an ankle would put an immediate end to my Italian sightseeing, I packed the sandals away and lived in Lands’ End “rugged” flip-flops the rest of the trip. I may have looked like the sloppy American I was, but those flip-flops were surprisingly sturdy and comfortable. I hiked much of the Cinque Terre trail on a rainy day in those flip-flops.

Technical note: Although I sketched most of these from memory, some parts were more difficult than others, like the ankle strap on the Bare Traps (Day 8). I couldn’t quite picture the shape of how it connected to the side of the shoe. I had to peek at images of generic platform shoes to get a general idea, then finish the drawing. After each one was finished, I checked my work by searching for images of the exact shoes I had (which were surprisingly easy to find on eBay as “vintage”). I did OK, but in general, I have not observed my shoes closely enough to draw details from memory. If I had been drawing more shoes from observation all along, I think I would have done better on technical details like the buckle or strap.