Heels in the Sand

Those of you who have mentioned that I complain too much about the Middle East, rejoice! This post is all positivity.

If there is one thing Arab women know, it is how to look your absolute best in every situation. A Beiruti girl will never leave the house in slacks unless they’re designer slacks, a Lebanese woman would rather die than be seen in public with her hair looking less than perfect and Emirati ladies are entirely willing to sacrifice the ability to walk comfortably for being seen in a pair of absolute killer heels. Because Oh. My. Goodness, the shoes here are glorious.

I have worked in shoe shops for several years back home, and that experience allows me to confidently say that Dutch women in general do not care very much for glamour and style when it comes to shoes. First and foremost, shoes have to be comfortable. Brands famous for their comfy shoes like Camper, Geox, Loints and the dreaded and oh-so hideous Crocs are in high demand by Dutch ladies, who apparently have no issues with wearing pink plastic abominations with holes in them in public.

Needless to say, I am not like that.

I love heels. I love high heels. I love spiky leather boots with buttons on the sides. I love sexy girlie wedges with bows on the toes. When it comes to shoes, I am the ultimate fashion victim and I am not ashamed at all that I would gladly torture my feet in order to wear those fabulous stiletto’s on a day out. In this, Emirati women and I are in agreement. Maybe it is because they have fewer options when it comes to making fashion statements, considering they generally wear the abaya, but goodness me do the local girls rock some spectacular shoes. I don’t have to drool and helplessly wonder in what secret cave of wonders they got them, either, because every single shoe shop in this country is full of them. Glorious, glamourous, precious, stunning shoes. I have always been a critical shopper, but in this place I swear I could find ten pairs of shoes I absolutely WANT every single time I enter a mall. Good thing I just got a job.