Divi Diva

There are slippers and there are SLIPPERS. And I just ’splurged’ on a pair of Havaianas High Metallic (Php1,295, Eastwood). I am not one to stinge on my footwear, though. Comfort and style have to match and this always comes at a price, even for mere slippers.

Of course I am no longer young or light enough to wear the strappy heels that I used to run around in in the 80’s and that are back in vogue now. As a business person, I choose more comfortable and classic styles, which means Naturalizer, Nine West, or Bass.

As a Filipina I understand and fully support the idea that a woman like Imelda Marcos should have 3,000 pairs of shoes. It really depends on one’s lifestyle and the size of your dressing room. I did read of a billionaire who has only one pair of shoes and when asked about it he answered, “How many can you wear at a time?”

At one time I did own at least 30 pairs (my mom owns about 100 pairs but she has a large house to herself with a walk-in closet, too) but those were in the colorful 1980s. With purple, fuschia, and pastels in as colors of the season, one could not possibly be confined to black, brown and gray shoes. A younger and more active lifestyle would require sports, casual, school/office and dress shoes in all shapes and sizes. A little more mature and conservative now, my colors are black, gray, brown, white and red. So the shoes do not have to be that many.

Let me tell you my tale of two slippers.

One time, I did not notice I was wearing my loafers to Divisoria — and it was raining and muddy too. So I decided at the last minute to buy Php35.00 black rubber slippers with the cutest fuschia and white floral design. My sister, Karin, was aghast and upset to see that Divisoria was selling replicas of what she knew to be the popular Havaianas! But of course they were not as finely made, and their brand actually said ‘Havanas.’ But hey, all I needed were rubber slippers and they were un’Spartan’-like so I got myself a pair post haste.

Then fast forward to last week’s movie night (Bruce Willis’ Die Hard 4) at Eastwood Cinema. The ground was wet, the air was damp and the white leather slip-ons I was wearing just fell apart! An excuse to buy myself and emergency pair of shoes or fashionable slippers.

First place I went to was Bench (it was across the store that my right slipper grew a fat lip) and could not justfy buying the plainest, flattest ‘Spartan’-like slippers for Php159 so the search went on. Going up to the upper floors below the cinema, there were a few shoe stores but staring right at me were the most marvelous pair of silver and gray ‘platform’ slippers from a display window (I forget the name of the store, sorry). And that’s how I got my ‘High Metalic’ Havaianas!

They’re just the most comfortable ergonomic things to wear in hot old Manila, or in cool Baguio, light enough for the day, and pretty enough for a casual night out — perfect! I have to tell you that the same store was carrying the original low slippers like my cheap ‘Havanas’ at Php895.00 but they were just too flat and homey.

So I searched the web and checked out the prettiest website Havaianas.com and discovered additional features beyond the fashionable the 6cm heel. It seems that their sandal straps never misshape nor does the material they use cause their footwear to ever smell. That’s just such welcome news! With 42 years of experience, this Brazilian company has created the perfect sandals and slippers for whom they consider the sexiest and vainest women of the world — like the girls from Ipanema.

It occurs to me now that I would never intentionally include ’slippers’ in any shopping list of mine. I discovered that I would buy myself a pair always on an impulse or out of immediate need, selecting whatever is available at the moment. I’m just so glad that when I needed a pair, the Havaianas were serendipitously available in the color and style I liked.

So, you may ask, what happens to the Havanas? Oh, they’re at home. Hardly worn, because I like to walk around the house in my bare feet. I might remember to wear them on the next visit to Divisoria — or I may not. In any case, there will always be Php35 slippers available at Divi in case I need another pair.

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