Tonight was shoe club party night! We were at McGreevy's on Boylston Street in Boston- it is the nation's oldest sports bar. We had the downstairs section to ourselves. The venue donated appetizers and they created a delicious signature cocktail for us. We had our pink carpet out and we got to debut our new Smiling Stiletto sign- which I have to admit I'm rather in love with! I had printed at Staples and I bought one of those terrific stands which folds up easily and can be carried around in a little bag. The sign has our logo and tagline "Do your shoes make you smile?" and our website. Now that we have our new logo, website, business cards, signs- it feels official.
It is funny how different it is from just attending shoe club events to organizing events. It is two very different experiences. I've loved coming to shoe club events since my very first one in 2007- it was fun hanging out, showing off my shoes- I even won prizes a couple of times, meeting people- I'm met one of my closest friends at Shoe Club. I never imagined that one day I would take over the group. I love organizing our events now. I enjoy the planning, contacting venues and creating the vision for the party. I don't particularly mind the work of sending out the email invitations. Of course, the events themselves are the best part- it is fun to greet members, chat with everyone and check out the fabulous shoes. My favorite part is taking photos and then just taking a minute and looking around and seeing everyone enjoying themselves- that makes me very happy. The pink carpet walk-off is always a blast to watch and then it is great to see how happy the girls are who win prizes. On the other side is that there is pressure with every event- you want to create a fun event and get a good turnout- not only for the shoe club's sake, but also so that the venue is happy and wants to have you back. As the host, you want to greet everyone and make sure that members feel comfortable. You want to introduce people to each other, especially new members. Then there is also the logistics of getting to the venue ahead of time, dropping off the pink carpet and other items, parking, then setting up so everything is ready for start time. It doesn't sound like a lot and compared to the date auction and other events, it isn't much work- but there definitely is a certain amount of pressure associated with running the events.
Well friends, that's it for tonight. It is 1am and I am off to bed. I posted photos on our Smiling Stiletto Facebook page, they will be on our website soon too. Until next time..
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
A Little Girl with Shiny Red Shoes
This blog has got me thinking about my life in shoes, particularly about my earliest shoe memories. One memory that stands out is when I begged my dad to buy me a pair of shiny red patent shoes. I don't remember how old I was- probably around 7 or 8. I don't remember what store he bought them in, probably Ann & Hope. But I remember trying them on in the store and my dad pressing down on the shoes where my toes were, trying to see if the shoes were big enough. The shoes were definitely too small, but I wanted them so badly that I told my dad they felt fine. I think he knew they were too small because he kept asking me, even when we got home and I was trying them on again, but I kept insisting they fit perfectly. I remember standing next to my bed and looking down and admiring my adorable red shiny shoes. I remember how they pinched my toes, but I ignored it- all for fashion! They were just simple flats, I don't remember them having a bow or anything, but they were shiny and red. The funny thing is that I don't remember wearing them very often, probably because they were too small!
I don't remember a pair of shoes that I had in elementary school that I thought were super cool. Before I describe them- remember this was the late eighties, actually it might have been 1990, since it could have been 5th grade. I had a pair of silver tennis sneakers which had glitter all over them. Oh, how I loved those sneakers! I remember sitting on the floor in gym class (which I always despised), my legs stretched out in front of me and I was quietly admiring my glitter tennis shoes. It made gym class almost OK because I could run around in my favorite shoes! I even got compliments from the other kids on my sneakers, which was something because I always dressed differently from the other kids and was not exactly known as one of the 'cool kids'.
Well, that's it for my shoe stories for tonight. It's fun trying to remember the shoes of my childhood! Until next time...
I don't remember a pair of shoes that I had in elementary school that I thought were super cool. Before I describe them- remember this was the late eighties, actually it might have been 1990, since it could have been 5th grade. I had a pair of silver tennis sneakers which had glitter all over them. Oh, how I loved those sneakers! I remember sitting on the floor in gym class (which I always despised), my legs stretched out in front of me and I was quietly admiring my glitter tennis shoes. It made gym class almost OK because I could run around in my favorite shoes! I even got compliments from the other kids on my sneakers, which was something because I always dressed differently from the other kids and was not exactly known as one of the 'cool kids'.
Well, that's it for my shoe stories for tonight. It's fun trying to remember the shoes of my childhood! Until next time...
Monday, August 8, 2011
My First Heels
I would love to start collecting shoe stories- stories of women and their relationships with their shoes! So I'm starting with my shoes. My father bought me my very first pair of high heels when I was around ten years old. I might have been younger, I'm not sure. I don't remember if we were at a shoe store in the North Dartmouth mall or at the now departed store Ann & Hope, near where we lived. We were looking at shoes for me and I spotted a pair of light gray heels in my size. My dad said that it was about time I learned to walk in heels and he bought them for me. I don't remember how high the heels were- they probably weren't very high, but they were definitely the highest heel I had ever owned. Before that, I would clomp around in my mother's high heels when I played dress up. I was so happy to have the new shoes. I don't remember ever actually wearing them out in public, but I would definitely parade around the house, very proud of my grown up shoes!
One of the shoe memories that stands out the most was when I was learning to tie my laces. I'm not sure how old most kids are when they master the art of tying their shoes, but I have a feeling it took me longer than most kids. I remember wearing a pair of black patent leather shoes with blue laces to school. I was going to school in Providence, RI at the time- we had recently moved from London, I was around 6 years old. We had to change into sneakers for gym class and I was terrified because that meant that I had to retie my shoe laces when I put my black shoes back on. I tried to take my shoes off without untying my laces, but that didn't work. I remember sitting on a bench, struggling to tie my shoe laces. I was getting upset and probably mortified that I couldn't tie them properly, when all of a sudden a teacher came over and knelt down in front of me and tied my shoes for me. I remember her saying how I needed to learn to tie them myself, she said it in a nice way though. I was so grateful for her help. I probably did learn to tie my shoes soon after that. I'll always remember sitting on the bench, leaning over, trying to get them tied and help miraculously arriving- I can still remember the relief I felt, all these years later.
Well, this is the start of my shoe stories. I want to start hearing your stories too! We are going to have a section on our website where people can share. I think it would be wonderful to hear about women and their shoes! Until next time..
One of the shoe memories that stands out the most was when I was learning to tie my laces. I'm not sure how old most kids are when they master the art of tying their shoes, but I have a feeling it took me longer than most kids. I remember wearing a pair of black patent leather shoes with blue laces to school. I was going to school in Providence, RI at the time- we had recently moved from London, I was around 6 years old. We had to change into sneakers for gym class and I was terrified because that meant that I had to retie my shoe laces when I put my black shoes back on. I tried to take my shoes off without untying my laces, but that didn't work. I remember sitting on a bench, struggling to tie my shoe laces. I was getting upset and probably mortified that I couldn't tie them properly, when all of a sudden a teacher came over and knelt down in front of me and tied my shoes for me. I remember her saying how I needed to learn to tie them myself, she said it in a nice way though. I was so grateful for her help. I probably did learn to tie my shoes soon after that. I'll always remember sitting on the bench, leaning over, trying to get them tied and help miraculously arriving- I can still remember the relief I felt, all these years later.
Well, this is the start of my shoe stories. I want to start hearing your stories too! We are going to have a section on our website where people can share. I think it would be wonderful to hear about women and their shoes! Until next time..
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Busy Days
It has been an exciting month! Our new logo is done and our new website is up and running! A friend of mine designed the logo and another friend, Gina Roberts designed our website for us. They both did awesome jobs. I love our new logo and our web site is great. Check them out at www.smilingstiletto.com
I've even been learning how to do some of the basic updates myself. I have been using Constant Contact's new event marketing service and that has been great for sending out event invitations and also creating a stand-alone event details page which can be linked from any website. We are having a fashion show at the Copley Place Mall on September 22, tonight I created the event details page, it also has a link for people to purchase tickets. The proceeds of the event are going to Project Smile, the non profit organization that I run. A portion is also going to the Simon Youth Foundation.
We had a great event at Splash last month. We had an awesome turnout and we had a DJ there who did a really great job, particularly when the ladies were walking on the pink carpet. The energy level was so high. We had complimentary appetizers and complimentary Stoli cocktails. My friend Michelle also debuted her new cupcake business at the event and provided samples.
Well, there is lots more to talk about, but it is after midnight and I'm getting tired. I will update much sooner than I did last time!
I've even been learning how to do some of the basic updates myself. I have been using Constant Contact's new event marketing service and that has been great for sending out event invitations and also creating a stand-alone event details page which can be linked from any website. We are having a fashion show at the Copley Place Mall on September 22, tonight I created the event details page, it also has a link for people to purchase tickets. The proceeds of the event are going to Project Smile, the non profit organization that I run. A portion is also going to the Simon Youth Foundation.
We had a great event at Splash last month. We had an awesome turnout and we had a DJ there who did a really great job, particularly when the ladies were walking on the pink carpet. The energy level was so high. We had complimentary appetizers and complimentary Stoli cocktails. My friend Michelle also debuted her new cupcake business at the event and provided samples.
Well, there is lots more to talk about, but it is after midnight and I'm getting tired. I will update much sooner than I did last time!
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