Power (Red) Shoes
Posted by Lisa Cruz on Mon, Oct 05, 2009 @ 11:10 AM
“What do you do when you wear a color that doesn’t go with
red shoes?” I get this question all of the time. Because at work, we made it a
requirement that all employees wear red shoes at all times during the week. So
many people think that wearing red shoes day in and day out would present a
daily challenge. But it doesn’t. Not at all.
My response is usually along these lines. “It doesn’t matter
what color of clothing I wear. Wearing red shoes is more than color. It’s about
being confident and comfortable in my own skin no matter what. I wear red shoes
with coral, purple, ice blue, brown, you name it.”
I
still remember my first pair of red shoes. I had purchased a crazy zebra print
dress to wear to a wedding but didn’t have the right pair of shoes to go with
it. I was out of town in Minnesota and my cousin (who is a shoe-aholic) brought
me to her favorite department store and picked out a simple pair of red strappy
sandals for me to try on. I was hooked. Those red shoes were the pièce de
résistance when it came to pulling that outfit together. But more than that, I
felt like I had arrived.
Fast forward three years and 20 pairs of red shoes later, we
now have a company named Red Shoes PR. And it’s crazy the response we get from
women (and men) everywhere about the red shoes. Women have commented to me that
they thought of our company when they are pulling their outfit together for the
day and are reaching for their red shoes. It’s not uncommon for women to show
up with their red shoes purposely worn to meet with us. That’s powerful. But I
like to think it’s more than just our company name that’s driving them to
choose red.
I like to think red shoes are giving women that little extra
edge. I put my shoes on in the morning and I walk taller. Now granted, my favorite
pair happens to be 4-inch heels! But there’s something about wearing them that
is a reflection of my growing confidence as a woman who is learning, innovating
and reaching for new heights. After you wear a pair of red shoes with a coral
dress, you’ll know exactly what I mean.