Statement shoes are a thing

Statement shoes to up your game

7:02am. Late February.

I was crumpled at the bottom of the stairs unable to move my right ankle.

I had been rushing to get the kids off to school that morning. My Brooks running shoes were firmly tied and I was in my athletic gear. It was just like any morning.

I missed a step. My 44-year-old reflexes aren’t what they used to be. I didn’t break my fall.

Now, I’ve endured months of ankle braces and X-rays to confirm it had just been a sprain. I’m recovered, but this ankle will never be the same.

My closets are full of gorgeous, sky-high heels. Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Aquazurra, Manolo Blahnik, Louis Vuitton and Valentinos to name a few. I have a healthy collection of statement shoes and one weak ankle. What happens now?

I am calling my statement heels mahjong shoes. I have lots and lots of mahjong shoes.

I can hear your response. “Wait. Mahjong shoes? This is a tabletop game. Nobody sees your shoes!”

Suzy and Missy in statement shoes at a mahjong fundraiser

But they do. Your shoes are one of the first things that people notice about you. When you walk in the room to play, you are being silently judged as an opponent by your shoes.

Athletic shoes? Sporty. Black orthopedic shoes? Boring. Mesh flats? Stylish. Espadrilles? Preppy. Statement shoes? Fun.

My closet is full of my mahjong shoes. My shoes all have high heels, which means my weak ankle can only support them for brief sessions. These delicate beauties showcase my personality at the mahjong table and add style to my game.

The best part about mahjong shoes? I only have to walk in them about 5 minutes, three times: entry, bathroom break, exit.

My mom is almost 80 and she has been calling these high heeled works of art Valet Shoes for the past 20 years. She loves a great heel, but she wears them when she knows she is going to a restaurant where there is a front door valet, she can teeter to her table and then walk beautifully to the exit. Again, the 5-minute maximum sessions are key!

Mahjong shoes are not dancing shoes. Mahjong shoes are not cocktail party shoes for working the room. These are statement pieces that look great when your legs are crossed and swung to the side. We aren’t hiding these shoes under the game table!

Now that I have reframed these gorgeous fashion pieces into mahjong shoes, I’ve decided I needed to add a few more to my collection. I can’t wait to show you what I bought next time we are at the mahjong table!