Dear Hush Puppies...

Dear Hush Puppies,

I want you to know that I have always been a high-heels girl.

Wedges, pumps, stillettos--I started wearing them in middle school and will most likely be the wobbledy grandma giving her children and grandchildren heart palpitations as I teeter-totter around the assisted living home. My undying love for the high heel notwithstanding, I have to admit that wedging your toes into a sexy little shoe can get downright uncomfortable. A few hours at church is one thing. Eight hours on your feet at work is another thing entirely. And frankly, I just don't think you should have to sacrifice your little toe for style and beauty.

Enter your Allie Dalten wedge heel.

I. Can't. Even.

Those who follow me on Instagram or have spent any manner of time in my presence lately have undoubtedly heard about my Hush Puppies wedges. Here are the two things that everyone needs to know RIGHT NOW about these shoes: 1) they feel like you're walking around on on a cloud, and 2) they come in mint. Yes, mint!

I first heard about these wedges and their alleged comfiness through one of my favorite Instagram feeds @whitv. A Greensboro based graphic designer, Whitney posted a "shoefie" of her mint colored wedges, lauding them as the "comfiest wedges I have E V E R worn." My brain glossed over her caption and focused instead on the adorable mint color they came in. A comfy shoe that was actually cute? Could it be true?

After seeing @whitv's post, I ordered my own pair. Hey, I'll just return them if they don't work out, I thought to myself. The moment they arrived, I slipped them on. I may or may not have moaned "OMG" when I put them on my feet. I do know for a fact that I rushed into the living room and brandished a shoe in my husband's face declaring something along the lines of:

"Mark, these shoes are so stinkin' comfotable! And look! They're adorable! They're comfy and adorable! Do you realize what this means for humanity??"

Between you and me, he did not seem nearly as impressed as he should have. But I didn't care. I knew I had stumbled upon shoe-shopping gold.

To test this seeming miracle, I decided to put the wedges to the test. I would wear them all day at the vintage furniture shop I manage in downtown Frederick. If the shoes could stand up to the all-day bustle of shop life, then I knew they would be keepers. So, what was the verdict you ask?

The Allie Dalten wedges not only stood up to my little test, they performed better than most of my go-to work sandals and flats. These are truly the comfiest heels ever made. I stocked shelves, I moved furniture, I helped customers, I did the books, I stood in line at the post office--all without a grimace of pain. In fact, I didn't think about my feet at all other than to reply to the somewhat comical number of compliments on the shoes' minty cuteness. And frankly that's how women's shoes should be. Why should we have to sacrifice comfort for style or style for comfort? We shouldn't. It looks like (and feels like) Hush Puppies agreed with me. Now, I'm like a born-again wedge fan, practically flinging my shoes at strangers, trying to spread the good news of cute comfort.

So thank you, Hush Puppies. Whatever technology you put into your shoes, it's working. Whatever shoe designer or lab technician gets the credit for this particular wedge, please give them a high five from Abigail in Maryland. Because you have seriously made my day. I mean, come on, I even blogged about it.

From the bottom of my soles, I do thank you.

Sincerely,
Abigail Hobbs
a middle-class blogger with happy, cute feet

P.S. The shoes are currently on sale for a great price. So if you want to plan ahead for next summer or happen to live in some sunshiney area, I highly suggest you check them out. Literally and figuratively.

My Favorite Things // Hello June

Happy June, everyone!

 I don't know about you, but I am beyond excited for some summertime weather and sunshine-filled days. As a teenager living in Georgia, I used to be all about the colder months. To be honest, October is still my favorite month (our wedding anniversary, pretty leaves, pumpkin spice, so many reasons). Living in the South, summertime was just so hot, muggy, and mosquito-ridden that, unless I was in a swimming pool or horseback riding, I jut preferred to be indoors. After moving to Maryland, I began to love summertime more and more. Maybe it's because we actually have winter here. After surviving a few frozen Januarys and battling my way through snow-drifts in mid-March, I began to long for sunburned shoulders and summer thunderstorms. Now, I insist that I won't complain about the heat, I'm just so grateful to not be cold. Mark says I won't last til September without complaining. He may be right... but so far, I'm loving summer.

In the happy spirit of summertime, I thought that today I may share a few favorite things that I've been enjoying on the interwebs/in real life lately.

1) I have been in love with this blog lately. The author Cassie is a local creative and runs the occasional vintage barn sale Sweet Clover Barn. She has such an eye for form and color, and her Instagram and blog are a constant source of inspiration. Luckily enough, my bosses have a booth at Sweet Clover; so I get to enjoy this world of vintage prettiness every month!

2) My Lilly Pulitzer dayplanner has been saving my life lately. Have you ever heard the story about how Lilly Putlizer got started? It's on the inside cover of the agendas...hence why I know this story. Apparently Lilly moved to Florida with her citrus-growing husband and opened a juice stand. To hide juice stains on her clothes, she created a bright and brilliantly patterned shift dress...which her childhood friend Jackie O happened to adore, After the iconic Jackie wore a Lilly...everyone wanted one. Myself included. Currently, I'm having to satisfy my Lilly cravings with my agenda and my travel mugs... but I have been eyeing this maxi dress.

3) This Instagram account is by far becoming my favorite ever. I personally don't have what you would consider a shabby-chic boho style, but I can certainly appreciate it when its done well. I love her unique use of vintage accessories and handmade items (like her pallet bed... so much yes.). She has quite the eye for layering textures as well.

4) There's just something about a mint-colored bike with white-wall tires. Since we're both now working in Frederick, Mark and I have decided to try to commute without using our cars. Mark is biking, while I've been walking unless I have to move projects to the shop. However, I've been debating purchasing a bike. I haven't had one since I was a kid, but am considering dropping some cash on one. Mark looks for function and form while my primary deciding factor seems to be cuteness. Which will win I wonder?

More fun things:

-- As ya'll may have guessed from this post, Mark and I have been working on a kitchen renovation this week. We are in the midst of painting our cabinets, adding a backsplash, hanging open shelving, extending the cabinets to the ceiling, and adding a new light fixture. Stay tuned for updates and reveals!

--This week, I've been reading the most action-packed, nail-biting book ever: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes. If you want an excellent summer beachread, I 100% recommend this book!

--Mark and I just finished watching three seasons of Hell on Wheels on Netflix. Not only is this one of the best TV historical dramas I have ever seen, it's probably one of the best Westerns I've ever seen. Plus, I could spread Anson Mount on a cracker.

--If you haven't heard them before, you have to check out this sister-trio band and their crystalline vocals and folksy sound. I. Love. Them. Listen, repeat, listen, repeat.