When our staff writer Shoewriter posted a picture of the Charles “Spice” Sandal by Charles David on April 29, I ordered a pair to wear to my cousin’s wedding, which took place on Sunday (Congratulations Henry and Lydia!). Now that I’ve worn them once, I am ready to write this review. Because the sole is made of a slick, hard leather, I nearly slipped the first time I stepped out of the house in these 3-1/2 inch heeled sandals. You should be smarter than me and slap those non-slip grip pads onto your new soles. I wore these beautiful green strappy satin shoes with a green silk spaghetti-strapped dress. Later I ordered a Midori sour from the bar to match my outfit (see cheesy picture on Flickr.com). The shoe boasts a cute, eye-catching satin bow and an ankle strap with a silver oval-shaped buckle.

A 3-1/2 inch heel is very steep, no matter what your shoe size, but I have a feeling the incline may be harder on smaller feet. So I wondered, how was I going to essentially walk, stand, and dance on my tippy toes for 7 or so hours? I’m no ballerina. But first I had to drive to the wedding.

Driving in heels is not as bad as you might think. Luckily my brake and gas pedals have these rubber dots that help with grip in case of new, slippery dress shoes. Carmakers think of everything for women these days! We made it to the church on time. Actually it was the Torrance Marriott, but I always like to take the opportunity to quote David Bowie. As I was teetering and trying to maintain balance, my sister asked me to carry her gift in for the bride and groom because she has arthritis or some other muscular malady. It was silverware, a full set of service for 12. Was it heavy, you think? Yes. Was I the picture of femininity and grace? Yeah, sure. I didn’t quite carry off the lady-like elegance that was promised in the shoe description, but I managed to have a ball on the dance floor — twisting and shouting, shimmying and ko-ko-bopping, doing the bump…bump…bump, boogey-woogey-ing, para bailar La Bamba, getting into the groove, and celebrating good times!

Not a Cake Walk
I hate to bring attention to my toes, but notice my white-knuckled stance in those high heels. Real attractive, I know. It’s not easy holding on for dear life! Don’t worry about the bruise on my leg, though, it was not the result of faltering in these shoes.

Shoe Name: Charles by Charles David Spice Sandals Purchased/Seen At: Amazon.com Approx Price: $30.00
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