My friend B wrote a post about her fashion observations when she first moved to Boston, and I told her then that I had noticed a lot of similarities in NYC. One of the big things we both agreed upon was that women (and men) in walking cities like ours have turned to comfortable, socially-conscious TOMS Shoes as a solution to their walking woes. I realized after only a few weeks in NYC that I needed to join the movement. I'm officially hooked.
I first heard about TOMS in this AT&T commercial that I'm sure many of you have seen (sorry for the quality, it's the best I could find). A few months later, one of my fellow TAs came into class one day showing off her new orange TOMS. I started noticing them everywhere, mostly among my most save-the-world-y friends (Hi Kelci!).
As with most people, the first thing that drew me to TOMS was the premise behind them. This philosophy is such an essential part of the company's mission that it's printed on the sole of every shoe.
Another thing I love: the little animals inside the Classics!
(Personal Photo of my TOMS)
Founder Blake Mycoskie had the idea for this company after visiting Argentina and seeing the widespread affects of soil-transfered diseases on children without shoes. As of September 2010, TOMS has given over 1 million pairs of shoes to children in 24 countries from Armenia to Zimbabwe. They also give shoes to underprivileged children here in America, which just warms my future-public-school-teacher heart. In addition to giving shoes, they also provide some health education for their shoe recipients. And for $40 a pair (a little more for the specialty collections), it's not bad when you consider you're really buying two $20 pairs of shoes!
Founder Blake with some children in Argentina
Aren't their matching red TOMS just precious?
(Source - TOMS Blog)
More Argentinian TOMS
I wish they would sell some of these patterns to us!
Alright, I wanted a pair. I have to admit, at first I thought the shoes were ugly. I mean, they're blocky canvas covering your entire foot. But then I started thinking about it - whenever I saw someone in a pair of TOMS, I wasn't thinking "man, who would wear shoes like that?", I was thinking "cool, some kid in Africa has shoes because that guy does."
More Argentinian TOMS
I wish they would sell some of these patterns to us!
After a while, they start to grow on you. They have everything from the plain, unassuming classics to the bright and flashy. Heck, they even have wedges and boots.
It was decided. I would get some solid colored classics. I ran frantically around NYC looking for a pair to try on (I despise blind buying shoes), to no avail. I gave up and asked my TA friend for sizing help. She gave me a brilliant piece of advice: Since they're made of canvas, they stretch. I recommend going a half size down. If you're between sizes, go with the smaller size. Awesome. I'm between a 7.5 - 8 usually, so I went with the 7.5. I was debating between navy and black and at the last minute, I decided on gray.
Hello lover.
(Personal Photo)
Black Glitters!
(Source - TOMS Shoes)
As I've probably mentioned a billion times, there's only one other girl in my program, and we have established a pattern of being the exact same person. Before I bought my TOMS, Miss M and I talked briefly about how we needed them for all of the reasons stated above. We never discussed what colors we planned on getting or when we planned on getting them. During our meeting before our first day of teaching, we were met with a pleasant surprise.
Matchy Matchy TOMS!
(Personal Photo)
Since we taught every Tuesday, we invented a new tradition: TOMS Tuesday. Every week, we would wear our TOMS on the way to class and then change into heels once we were at school. Wearing comfy shoes and toting your stilettos! How NYC is that? We would always giggle whenever someone on the subway was unknowingly participating in TOMS Tuesday. Now that our stint at the community college is over (for now), TOMS Tuesday lives on - and has seeped its way into other parts of the week. Pretty much any time we're both wearing our TOMS becomes a TOMS ___day. I am bound and determined for this to catch on. So tribe, if you've got TOMS (or maybe if I've convinced you to get a pair?), bust them out every Tuesday!
Our final TOMS Tuesday, we changed a little early and let our students see our matchiness
(Personal Photo)
Last but not least, what I love about TOMS is the sense of community. Every time I see someone on the street, around TC or on the subway wearing TOMS, I feel connected to them. Most importantly, I feel connected to the kids we're helping. I know, I know it sounds cheesy. But these shoes have developed quite a following. My personal favorite aspect of the TOMS Community?
TOMS Weddings!
Oh yeah. That's right. TOMS for your wedding party. TOMS for the bride. TOMS for the groom. Tiny TOMS for your flower girl and ring bearer! They have some great pointers about incorporating TOMS into your wedding on their website. Some are a little much for me, like forgoing gifts and asking guests to buy TOMS or giving away TOMS as invitations or party favors. Some I can definitely see how the die-hard TOMS-wearing couple could work into a wedding, like signing a pair of TOMS as your guestbook or throwing TOMS instead of a tossing bouquet (I'd fight to catch that).
Now I've recently gotten very into wedding planning (gee I wonder why?). I love the idea of giving TOMS as wedding party gifts - it reminds me of my cousin's husband who had his groomsmen design their own Converse! Okay boyfriend and parents, take a deep breath: being the MOH in your sister's wedding naturally comes with thinking about your own wedding, no matter how far in the future it may be. While I can't see myself as the type of die-hard TOMS aficionado who could pull of wearing them for the entire ceremony, I think I might have my heart set on some reception shoes.
Obsessed.
So to sum it all up:Five Things I Love About TOMS Shoes
1. The movement
2. The style
3. The comfort
4. TOMS Tuesday
5. The community (and TOMS Weddings!)
Happy TOMS Tuesday everyone :)
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