Shoes, glorious shoes | Norton of Morton
Some people collect stamps, others collect die-cast toy model cars. Lately, your favourite protagonist has being collecting shoes. Not on purpose, you understand. In fact, one could argue that my collection has been amassed quite by accident. Or certainly by circumstance.
| A brief glimpse |
As regular readers of Norton of Morton will be aware, I enjoy visiting charity shops to see what treasure I can plunder.
Unless you want to set yourself up for disappointment, you don’t enter such establishments with a specific requirement. That would be pure folly. For instance, I have never wandered into the local Barnardo’s with the sole desire to purchase a collection of James Bond novels. Although I did acquire such a thing from this very charity shop chain quite recently. But I would place quite a hefty wager that they would never have been there if I had walked in with such a specific wish list in mind. You see, things don’t work like that. Oh no.
Anyway, I am wittering on a bit. Recently, I have been perusing the menswear sections of the local beneficiary boutiques and have been noticing pair upon pair of utterly divine, seemingly never-been-worn shoes. And I haven’t had the heart to say no.
To add to the shoes I already possess, I’ve found…
Black Oxfords…
A few brown Oxfords…
Brown loafers…
And brown brogues…
Every six and a half days or so I am accosted by lollypop men, bankers, city slickers, dinner ladies, concierges and the complete cast of The Great Gatsby, and asked “How many pairs of shoes do you own, where did you buy them and how much did they cost?”
“I haven’t the foggiest,” says I, “But have no fear, very soon I will document them all, including price and place of purchase. Please do keep checking my periodical and one day you will have your questions answered.”
Well, that day has arrived. Of course, I know that this will only lead to more questions by lollypop men, bankers, city slickers, dinner ladies, concierges and the complete cast of The Great Gatsby, but that is only natural.
Please enjoy the following list:
- Dark brown ‘Trustyle’ loafers, £9.99, British Heart Foundation in Darwen, April 2013.
- Brown ‘Town Classics’ loafers, £4.99, Age UK in Darwen, April 2013.
- Brown suede brogues ‘Consulate’, £4.99, Barnardo’s in Swinton, February 2013.
- Brown ‘Consulate’ brogues, £4.99, Barnardo’s in Swinton, February 2013.
- Black Oxford M&S shoes, £4.99 from Barnardo’s in Swinton, March 2013.
- Black Oxford ‘Town Classics’ shoes, £4.99 from Barnardo’s in Swinton, March 2013.
- Tan Clarks shoes, £4.99 from Cancer Research UK in Blackburn, January 2013.
- Black Oxford Loake ‘Formby’ shoes, £4.99 from Barnardo’s in Swinton, December 2012.
- Brown Oxford K shoes, £9.99 from Cancer Research UK in Rochdale, December 2012.
- Blue Next boat shoes, £35, bought new from Next, June 2012.
- Black Oxford Clarks shoes, £45, bought new from Clarks, December 2011.
- Oxblood Loake shoes, £20 from vintage shop in Manchester, May 2011.
- Oxblood Loake Brighton loafers – bought new from Messrs E&Bay, £95, May 2011.
New – £175 x 3 shoes
Second hand – £75 x 10 shoes
Are you still here? Jolly good. I must congratulate you on making it this far. Thank goodness you had a slab of Kendal Mint Cake on your person. To perk you up, here is a pictorial of my shoe collection in its entirety.
| The current line-up |
Now I am faced with the challenge to keep them clean.
To conclude, unless you’re after a particular type or pair of shoe, I would thoroughly recommend that you scour second hand establishments. You get more for your moolah, including footwear by illustrious shoe makers such as Loake.
This is not a sponsored post for Loake, Kendal Mint Cake or The Great Gatsby. Unfortunately.
G.M. Norton
Protagonist of ‘Norton of Morton’