From jumps to pumps

 Maybe I have grown to love my pumps, heels, wedges, platforms, and stilettos a little too much. Yes, I’m guilty of a shoe obsession, just like almost every other girl in the universe! The way they make me feel and look, the way they shape my body, and the way they drive men crazy are just a few reasons why you will rarely see me in anything else. A tiny part of me blames Sex and the City and their focus on shoes for making my addiction feel acceptable!

As a teenager, I felt the same way about my sneakers as I feel about my heels now. Never did I show up to school or the mall on the weekends without the newest, freshest pair of Jordan’s or Nike Air Max’s! Clean, fly sneakers made me feel cool, and it definitely let me express my fashion sense, especially in middle school where we had to wear uniforms. Yuk! I remember even competing with the boys to see who had the most recent and popular jumps. I’d go as far as making my mom take me to L.A. to buy the hottest new pair so I could make sure I’d walk through my school halls in the latest J’s. I loved getting compliments from the basketball team on my shoes *giggle*.


Now jumps are for fun, and pumps…well, my pumps are a lifestyle! Although my personality and attitude have stayed tomboyish, my look and style have definitely evolved to a classy, sassy, sexy, grown woman. Tennis shoes imply a comfortable and chill look, even a playful, teenage look and a woman like me is not willing to sacrifice looking like that more than once in a while. A 26 year old like me shouldn’t pull off that young girl/tomboy look every day. It’s cute, but that’s all it’ll ever be. We women are in the big, bad world now, where you need people to take you seriously and it’s all about first impressions! With heels, you can dress a look up or down, all without losing the “grown, sophisticated woman look”. After all, you never knows who you will bump into out in the street. 

From putting on a pair of Jessica Simpson wedges and some jeans, to putting on some BEBE stilettos with a pencil skirt or a dress, my legs are suddenly elongated and my body takes on a new shape and form! The calves in my legs pop out more; it’s amazing what a pair of high heels can do. I can be in the worst or the laziest mood when I wake up, but when I get dressed, and that pair of pumps go on my feet, it transforms my attitude. Once they are on, I can’t wait to walk out the door and show off my legs, outfit, body, and most of all, those shoes I love so much! I dare anyone to mess with me when I'm in my heels!

I know a lot of men would say they don’t really care as long as a woman looks good, and of course they would say that, they’re men!! Girls with a nice sneaker game are a total package for guys. Two things men love: women and sneakers. Put them both together, we've got a winner. But, at the end of the day, a mature, real man knows the difference between jumps and pumps on a female! I want that man! I want the man that can’t resist me or take his eyes off me in a pair of stilettos. The man that will know and can’t wait until I take everything off but my pumps behind closed doors!


Alejandra Pablos (@miss_ale)