The slip read, "Out of uniform: Tan Sperry's." As I sat in detention at my private all-girls Catholic school--a room known for chewing gum addicts, skirt rollers and "Sorry I stopped at Dunkin before school" tardy Tinas--I looked down at my chestnut Sperry Topsiders. As I stared at them in the midst of a nun's snores and texting alerts, I knew this slap on the wrist wouldn't keep me from wearing my favorite pair of shoes.
I love Sperry's for their comfortable design and adaptability to any outfit I own whether it be colorful jeans, running shorts or just plain sweatpants. And maybe 19 pairs seems a little obsessive, but you wouldn't wear the same pair of pants every day would you?
My shoe collection isn't limited to merely the typical boat shoe. I have knee-high jet black boots, fur-lined ankle boots and lace-up boots ideal for the cold months in Syracuse, New York. But as far as Sperry Topsiders, I own them in white, red, neon yellow, lavender, silver and navy. You get the picture.
"Jeez, how many pairs do you own?" is a frequent question I'm asked by people who know nothing of my obsession. I wish I could instantly pull out a membership card to the Sperry's elite club, but it doesn't exist.
I don't consider myself a fashion expert, but I think that in the world of style there is something for everyone. It took me until junior year of high school to realize that leather shoes with laces around the sides really made me feel happy and confident in what I was wearing. And every time I throw on a pair, I think of memories like, "I wore these at graduation," "I wore those to an interview" or "I wore those when my pants ripped." My Sperry Topsiders have never let me (or any of my outfits) down.
You can call it a prepster thing, but I can happily call it "my thing."
My Sperry Collection
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