Wednesday 22 November 2006

Campers-happy

I've always felt that this blog has suffered from some indefinable lack, and it was just yesterday I finally realised what it is; clearly, what's missing is an illustrated tour through some of the highlights of my footwear collection. I experienced this epiphany, along with intermittent stabs of envy, while reading Sophie's post about her extensive collection of Campers. (I also have size 41 feet and I would appreciate it if she would just back away from the sale table. Now.)

In chronological order:

I've had this pair for five years and I'm afraid it shows. But they're the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever had. I would wear them in the gym if it was allowed. Before I discovered campers which are wide across the toe joints I always had some sort of foot sore thing going on and would too often buy shoes that I liked but which did not fit, telling myself I'd get used to it or that they'd soften up, and of course that never happened. This pair of shoes cost $250 and worth every cent. But at the same time I have not paid full price for a pair of Camper shoes since.



Next: herringbone tweed with red rubbery soles. These look a bit like old mens slippers but I don't hold it against them. I got these on eBay. Bless you eBay.



Then the purple and green sandals with a daisy having its petals plucked off. I bought these, on sale at Giallo, in an extremely bad mood. They are my least favourite pair of shoes. Heteronormativity in footwear is just a bit...dumb.



The shoes embroidered with "dog" and "cat" were bought over the internet from one of those discount shoes selling places. I love these and wear them at least twice a week in the colder months.



The peacock blue pumps with red soles and heels represent another glorious eBay moment. Oh yes victory was mine.



Last but not least: mid-calf boots bought in Greenwich Village Camper store two years ago. Mmmm. Boots.

27 comments:

jac said...

LOVE the peacock blue ones. This makes my three pairs look positively restrained.
Right! To eBay! I shall return!
(PS I am a 36, so your size is safe from me.)

GS said...

I have Camper envy. Size 36 1/2. Guess what brands don't make half sizes/

Unknown said...

I too am in love with you peacock blue pumps.

Ampersand Duck said...

I've been waiting for this post for ages... you tended to wave certain pairs in front of the camera occasionally without explanation.

I've been unaware of Campers as a brand, and thought you must have customised the dog/cat shoes and the needle/thread shoes yourself, in the same way that the gay guy in Best in Show embellishes his leather trousers himself 'all by hand'!

Now that I know the truth, I must find out more about these shoes. Who stocks them? Or do you have to cruise the internet to find the more unusual ones?

lucy tartan said...

Camper is a Spanish firm and the shoes are made in Spain. They are not cheap but they're well made and last a long time. As AOF said they don't do half sizes which is a bit strange. They tend to be on the wide side which is excellent for me and not so good for some people. The line called Twins are all designs where the two shoes match but are not identical.

There's a Camper shop in the Queen Victoria building in Sydney and one in the GPO in Melbourne. A few chain places sell them too. All of these would have been available in Melbourne at some point.

jac said...

... I'm back. Stupid eBay. L, your peacock ones are there, but in 37. What good is that to ME?

Ducky, there's another Camper store in Chadstone, and the Giallo chain sells them as well as assorted independents. I'm thinking one in High St Armadale ... Mulberry something? and also a place in Greville St. (If you are also a 36 you now know all my secrets and I will have to kill you.) The problem is that not all styles are in all stores, even in the Camper flagship stores, and it is aaaagonising trying to figure out whether to buy full price or wait in case they go on sale. Some of the stranger twins wait around, although the orange suede loafers with a cow-front-half on one shoe and a cow-rear-half on the other disappeared, and I was COUNTING on those ones. Curses.

Anonymous said...

The tweed! The tweed! I am in love with the tweed!

Ben.H said...

What did I do when I was in Barcelona? Well, I spent an entire day in various Camper stores watching my girlfriend run amok.

Anonymous said...

Oh Ducky you MUST hie yourself to the Camper store! Or ebay!

I've had three pairs of Campers (I'm a 38) and I've bought them all on sale. The first pair were beige suede lace-ups and they died a rather nasty death after a cold and wet winter. The second and third pair -- black Mary Janes with a red button and red sandals -- are my most beloved shoes. Comfortable, cool and very well-made.

I particularly love the last two shoes as well, esp. the boots -- that's going to be my shoe indulgence next year, a pair of Camper boots.

(Says the girl currently wearing green haviana thongs...)

cristy said...

Very jealous. The red sandals are my favourites - I have a pair of Clarks that are strangely similar and supremely comfortable.

Am now convinced of the virtues of spending money on shoes. In the past I have tended to be very stingy and then have only haviannas to show for it.

Perhaps I will tour the Campers store when in Sydney next week - but obviously wait until I see a sale before purchasing anything.

Anonymous said...

Not competition Sophie! Large Footed Ladies must stand together and demand better service! I'm a 42, and while 42 may be the meaning of life, it's crap in ladies shoes. Campers are good at making long enough shoes, and for that I salute them, but unfortunately I am also rather narrow, so they still don't fit. Except for the knee high boots, which I wear with wooly inserts and explorer socks.

Until they start making narrow fittings, I'll have to keep wearing Birkenstocks and Phillipo Raphaels...

Meredith Jones said...

But how is it I've known you more than 10 years and only ever seen the red pair! The boots are gorgeous. Anyway I say yay for heteronormativity - it's a good disguise.

lucy tartan said...

Meredith,
I don't know. Just bad luck, perhaps.

Although I'm pretty sure I wore the blue ones to the party Christopher gave just before you were married. Guess you had other thing son your mind.

Anonymous said...

I condemn Campers for not making half and narrow fittings. What fabulous shoes they are!

Zoe said...

Kate(2)I salute you, comrade in narrow footed size 42-ness!

Not speaking to Laura because she's got too many nice shoeses.

lucy tartan said...

Fine, don't talk then.

I just want to pause a mo and note the entirely predictable, yet still fascinating, gender dynamic displayed in this collection of comments.

FXH said...

well i have a shoe collection - due to a foot problem and wider feetseses i have had a lifelong problem getting good shoes.

i've thrown more away than i've worn out.

i now stick to known brands that do EE sizes and wear mainly lace-up ankle boots. Mostly German brands; Sioux, Westland, Lloyds, Josef Siebel, Churches and occassionally Florsheim.

So gender away.

Ampersand Duck said...

Right, that's it. I want some. I just looked on teh intertubes and there's a gorgeous pair of twins with washing across them. Now I just need to earn some money to buy them.

lucy tartan said...

You will try some on first though won't you, to make sure they fit? All is not lost if they don't fit, however, as they're easily offloaded back into the internet whence they came.

Ampersand Duck said...

Are the sizes the same as Birkinstock sizes? I'd be happier trying some on too... anyone know if they can be found in Canberra?

Zoe said...

Duck, my feets is bigger in B'stocks than other euroshoes, by up to two sizes.

Anonymous said...

Hee hee, my friendly neighbourhood shoe fetishist is a German, and she bought me new Birkenstocks ('Could you get me some the same as this but new?') last time she visited her Mum. It was cheaper to post them from a German shop than to buy them here.

They wont be the same as Birkenstocks Duck, probably one size, but you'd be best to try them on next time you're in Sydney or Melbourne and get a feel for them. Unless of course you don't mind sticking them barely worn on ebay.

nodnyl said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
lucy tartan said...

Enough with the spam, fool.

worldpeace and a speedboat said...

oooh argh... I didn't realise Campers a) were so cool and b) are so broad. yes!

saving starts now. must have. must find out size. suspect it is Size Enormous... although perhaps slightly less than enormous if one doesn't have to compensate length for width. what a happy notion.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rose said...

These Ankle Boots are fabulous. I have bought a pair of Casual Ankle Boots, these are trendy in style as well as comfortable to wear and keeps our feet save.
And the most important thing is that these Ankle Boots are available in EE sizes also.