These Boots Were Made For Gawking

Ever since I first saw the Wonderful Wizard of Oz at age four, I've coveted  ruby red slippers.

Was it because footwear had the power to take a little girl wherever she needed to go or  that they sparkled so bewitchingly? A longing for glitter and  magic  permanently hardwired  my psyche.

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When I was old enough to read the  book for myself,   I was shocked to learn that Dorothy's slippers were not red at all, but silver!  

​When MGM released the movie in 1939, Dorothy's silver slippers were scrapped for ruby red pumps in order to take advantage of the new Technicolor film process. (I never understood  the  bobby socks–– to glamor viewers into accepting a mature sixteen year-old Judy Garland as an eleven year old farm-girl, I suppose.)

Thus, film trivia taught me a valuable lesson on the importance placed on appearances––not to mention disregarding truth  to favor a particular agenda.

But I digress.

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For a long time now, I've wanted ruby sequined high top sneakers.
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Some years back, I found them on e-bay. The online photo looked great but, the real thing was  disappointing. Instead of sequins being integrated into the canvas (as the photo seemed to suggest) sparkly  fabric had been hot-glued to a red shoe. The  fabric fell off after the first wearing. But I saved the shoes...

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And, one day when my Muse couldn't concoct something better for me to do, I got out my multi-colored rhinestones 

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And I pulled out my fabric paints ... 

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And I began the slow, tedious process ...

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... I now appreciate why Judith Leiber's evening bags are so darned expensive.

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They turned out  magically,  don't you think?

And, of course, I made a ruby red pair too!