Fun, colorful, bright and NEW

We LOVE the new spring shoes & accessories that are popping up around the store.  

This week we've had some BIG shipments arrive.  

Lots of new SANUK shoes and flip flops.

Bright, colorful scarves are everywhere!

New jewelry by Lotus and Shining a Light sandals.

Spring Smartwool & Dansko socks. 

Plus, the store has a new look.  

New arrivals

These just arrived.  

They are stunning!

The prettiest blue you ever did see.

With swirls and prints that bring out unique colors and textures in every pair.

Available at Sole Obsession Footwear for a limited time.

I'm still here...

just piled under boxes.

I'll post pics of the new spring shoes we've been getting in just as soon as I can climb my way out!

In the meantime feel free to stop in a take a look at SPRING!  It is coming...

What's new?

How about Sanuk?

This cute, casual surfer style is on it's way to Lynden this Spring.
Yoga mat flip flops, cute and affordable kids flip flops, surf "slippers".

Check these out...

Kid's 

Women's flip flops

Men's

Women's surf "slippers"

This is what I look like deep in thought.  Taking pictures of me was not on Jerrie's to do list.

I told you this is work not "fun".

Northwest Market here I come! Are you coming too?

Its that time again.  Where I get to head to Portland and do my ordering for the next up and coming season. Yes...the rain and fog have just started to settle in and I am on to Spring 2011.

Its always weird and very disconnecting.
It is this type of schizophrenic behavior that keeps the retail world so crazy and unpredictable.

Every time I take a different "friend" along with me to join in the madness.  I've taken my sister-in-law, my husband, my sister, just myself and this time I am taking along Jerrie.

I always feel bad for the people that tag along.  Each and every one has thought this would be "FUN".   I warn and I prepare that it is not all fun people.  It is hard work, stress and little sleep.  But no one believes me.  They all think "FUN" until they encounter Kelly on Saturday night:  cranky, stressed out, and ultra quiet, Kelly.  Any time I am quiet you know something is up and let me tell you, after hours of shoe shopping and a cabillion decisions being made, Kelly gets very quiet.  I think this is why I am always taking new people along.  No one wants to experience this again.

So Jerrie...be warned.  It's not all FuN!  And I totally understand if you want to back out now.

Despite all the stress though...I do LOVE the shoe show.  The stress just has to come along with it.  It is great to see what is coming out the following season, what we have to look forward to.  I enjoy all the hustle and bustle of the hotel with over 300 vendors to mingle through.  I love seeing new trends and finding out what is "out" and what is "in".  Okay, I concede there are parts of it that truly are FUN.  Especially if you are not the one making the big decisions.  There is sooo much to look at and take it.  It truly is remarkable what goes into the fashion business.

So what's in all this for YOU?  You get to be my helpers too this time.  Since Jerrie is so ultra techy and can blog from her iPhone we will take you along on our journey and let you see some of the new trends too.

Keep in tune to the blog this weekend and see what you think of all the new Spring 2011 shoes.

(Psst...all blog commenters will be entered into a drawing to win a prize.)

Plus...if you are interested in any new brands, accessories, or other ideas for the store.  Now is your chance to shout it out.  I want to hear what you want Sole Obsession to offer.  Your input is invaluable and a priceless source of information for me.  So send me an email, call me, or leave a post on the blog.  Let me know your thoughts and ideas.  I listen to each and every one of them.

Thanks!

Saturday

This weekend I joined a few of my shoe divas on a trip to Seattle.  We were on our way to meet The Pioneer Women at her cookbook signing.

I've never been to a book signing so I had no idea what to expect.
I apparently did not realize that when the ladies say we are leaving at noon, 5 minutes past is completely unacceptable.  They were ladies on a mission.  They were even more unimpressed when I made them stop at the local bookstore, Homespun General Store, so that I could purchase my own copy of the cookbook.  {We were heading to a book store in Seattle.}  But I'm a shop local kinda gal and if it was available in Lynden, I was going to buy it in Lynden.  The ladies did stop for me and I excitedly purchased my new favorite cookbook.  Chock full of the most delicious recipes that will ensure I never fit into my wedding dress again.

(Look at my huge grin...I told you, I love shopping local)

After the little delay we were on our way to the big city. I was full of anticipation and excitement. I don't often leave my small town or my store.

On our travels we discovered that everyone was wearing Sole Obsession shoes. A great plug for the store. These ladies know comfort and fashion and they all picked great shoes for our trip.  Tami was wearing her new Jambu Planet's, I chose my new favorite shoes, Leslie was wearing Privo's and Holly was sporting Dansko's.

What I love about this whole experience is that I may not have known these ladies if it weren't for Sole Obsession Footwear.  I love my job and I love that I get to meet great people because of it.

If you haven't stopped by the store before, come on in.  We may just become friends.  (Sorry I didn't mean to scare you away.  The friend thing is optional.)


Our trip was full of great memories.  To read more about it you can click over to my new personal blog for the full rendition.

My new favorite shoes

You may think that because I have a shoe store I get my pick of shoes.
If you think that, I have to tell ya, YOU ARE SO WRONG.  {Ahem} Sorry, I didn't mean to be so blunt.

What I mean is, with a size 12 foot I still don't get to pick any shoe I want.  Lots of brands don't even make a size 12 in ANY of their shoes.  I know it's shocking, it's an atrocity, it's scandalous.  But it's true.  And it's the sad straw that I have drawn.  Oh the deprivation, the tears, the nightmares...

All this to say that sometimes I am forced to choose fashion over comfort.  I know it's wrong.  I really do.  But sometimes I just can't help it.  A girl has to be a girl even with size 12 feet.  So recently I went on a shoe trying on spree at the store.  I tried on all the size 11's of my favorite cute styles to try and find one that might fit.  And I use the term fit very loosely.  I needed something to wear that was a little dressy, cute, girly, and didn't look like I was squeezing into something I shouldn't.  (Goodness knows I get enough of that in my jeans but you can't suck in your heels like you can your stomach.)  The hunt was on and I was not giving up easily.  I went through boxes of shoes.  I was by far my own worst customer.  And then I found the pair.  The one's that I thought would work.  I painstakingly checked my heels out in the mirror a million times trying to make sure know one could tell I was in a shoe one size too small.  I got numerous opinions from unsuspecting customers.

So without further adieu...here is my new favorite shoes.  I think they would be extremely comfortable if they were the right size and the arch actually was in the right spot.  But all that aside, I love them.  The fit my criteria and they make me feel girly.  It's a win-win.

(Okay minus the size too small they are a win-win).

The Touring by Jambu.  Cute and sassy meet comfort in one fell swoop!

You can buy your very own pair all week long on the "Shoe of the Week" tab above.  Trust me you won't be disappointed.

Kid's and Spring

Kid's and spring are like peanut butter and jelly.  They just go together.
The thought of kids running through sprinklers, riding bikes, and playing at the park is comforting.  It makes me feel like all is right with the world.
At Sole Obsession our gear up for spring continues with a new shipment of kid's Hush Puppies.  These are so cute sometimes I wish I could open an entire store of kid's shoes.

New Spring Arrivals

I'm going to overlook what that groundhog saw last week and make my own assumptions.  I'd say "spring is in the air."  The sun is shining, the air is crisp.  
I LOVE IT!
I also love getting in new shoes.  A new season is the equivalent of Christmas at Sole Obsession Footwear.  Boxes arrive, I squeal with delight, smiles abound.  It is sooo much fun!


Check out last week's arrivals:

Privo Sandals

Clarks Clogs

More for spring.

The warm weather is here...finally. I can't say if it will stay or not but I am certainly enjoying every minute of it while it is here. I love the sunshine, the sound of lawn mowers at work, the smell of the grass, even the pollen blowing around (I can say that because I don't have allergies). It all feels fantastic after our long winter of hibernation indoors. I have the store door open every day to feel the spring breeze and it is heaven.
I'm still unpacking new spring fun at the store. I have some super cute new flip flops in from Clarks.

These come up to size 12...woohoo...and I have plenty of size 12's in stock. Of course, I have other sizes too.

MOTB

So I just learned what MOTB means. For all those in the dark with me it stands for "Mother of the Bride". And do I have the shoes for you. You don't even have to be the MOTB. You can be a FOTB (Friend of the Bride), FOTMOTB (Friend of the Mother of the Bride), DEKTB (Don't Even know the Bride), okay you get the idea. These, new to Sole Obsession, Sofft brand shoes are for everyone who loves to wear heels and doesn't want their feet to hurt. These are AWESOME! They feel comfortable, look sexy, really what more can one want in life? Come by, try them on, you will definitely "feel" the difference.

Orange You Glad

Orange you glad that Summer is coming? At Sole Obsession we are. Why? Because there are so many choices for Summer. Flip flops, flats and sandals, all available in ORANGE.

Spring Shoes

Okay, so my camera battery charger is MIA. I have put off posting about all the new spring shoes long enough because I don't have any pics to show off. But words will have to suffice. (Unless Tami is free to come do another photo shoot and blog session.)
Whats new for Spring at Sole Obsession Footwear? Sandals, sandals, and more sandals. We also have cute flats, Simple sneakers, sexy peep-toe heels (that are also super comfy), and more is coming in every day. Its like Christmas around here. Everyday I open new boxes and search for my coveted size 12. Only to realize that I didn't order myself anything, or that someone who also shares my plight needs it more than I.
I am so happy that I have had more size 12 friends visit the store lately. I won't name names...many have not come to embrace the reality as I have...but it has brightened my days to find out I am not alone. I actually was enlightened to have my mom's sister come by the store the other day. I don't get to see her very often and shoe size is not something we have discussed. I think I traumatized her when she whispered that she wore a size 12 and I loudly exclaimed, "So you're the culprit." All these years of wondering how my mother wore a size 8 and my sister a 7 1/2...what happened to me? Now I know. Sorry, I can never stay away from the size 12 shame talk for long. This new embraced freedom to talk about it has made me an "over-sharer". Feel free to tune out and check back next time. I promise the next post will have pictures. Somehow, someway...Tami?

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Well, this has been a busy couple of weeks at Sole Obsession Footwear. I trained (kinda) my new accomplice for her grand debut last Friday. Tami did a fantastic job. She has a job waiting for her here. It was a crazy day thanks to the publicity on Tami's blog and she handled it all with ease and finesse. What a gal!

While Tami was busy working I headed down to Portland to the fall shoe market to buy shoes. Oh what fun it was. My wonderful husband came along as my men's shoe model. My toes wouldn't cram into all the size 6 display shoes (not a pretty site) so I grabbed every poor lady I could find who would try shoes on for me so I could see them without the Cinderella's stepsister look.

The new looks for fall are awesome.

• Mary Jane's are coming back in with some trendier looks in the heels and some rustic looks from Dansko and Born. (I have a bright red Born already on order for myself. Yeah for size 12's.)


• The ankle boot is taking over the knee high. Clarks, Sofft, and Indigo have some great dressy ankle boots, Simple and Dansko have some more casual styles. I love them all.


• Don't despair, knee high boots are still in style. Keen is offering a leather flat that is a bit on the dressier side for them (amazing), Sofft's fancy-smancy suede boot is a beauty.


• Then there are the Sofft heels which will start trickling in this Spring and make a bigger statement in the fall at Sole Obsession. A wonderfully feminine heel with cushion and arch built right in.


• For those looking for some great comfort and style mixed together I have some Clarks casual Loafers and Hush Puppies heels on order in narrow, medium, and wide. Who knew that Hush Puppies were so cute? These heels are stylish and super comfortable with about 1/2 inch of cush built right into the shoe.


• I shouldn't start with the kids shoes because I love them and secretly wish I could house an entire store of these cute looks. Check in mid-summer for some new fall looks in the kids department from Hush Puppies, Simple, and Keen. Spring Keen's and See Kai Run for kids should also be here next week sometime.


• And for the guys, some great dressy looks from Born and Clarks. The casual is looking good too. Keens, Clarks, Simple Shoes, and Born all have some great looks for the fall.

All in all it looks like the fun will not end. Sole Obsession Footwear is here to stay folks! :)

On another note. The Bellingham Herald wrote a very nice article in the paper yesterday. Another reminder to not leave the house without your hair done and make up in place. Food might become optional too. They rivaled the Tribune with bad Kelly shots and have definitely won the contest. The article makes up for it all as I sound like "Bionic women". I will be hiring them in advance to write my eulogy as well. :) It was a very nice write up and I am very thankful to Mary Flint for submitting the information about the Relay for Life fundraising event that spurred on the article. You can view the article here.

And just in case you think I really look like that, here's my professional photo to make me feel better. Along with my handsome shoe model.

ROMEOS are HERE!

Carhartt Romeos are now available at Sole Obsession Footwear. These Romeos offer flexibility that the Georgia's don't. Medium and Wide widths available for a more customized fit as well as a removable insole if you like to wear Superfeet or have a custom orthotic. Here are the specs...
*Full grain leather upper
*Steel shank
*Elastic goring
*Electrical Hazard Protection
*Slip- and oil-resistant rubber and EVA outsole
*Removable polyurethane insole
*Heel loop

For the young & young at heart!

For those of you who don't take life too seriously I present the "Satire ecoSNEAKS" from Simple Shoes. New at Sole Obsession these are delightful, fun, and oh-so-comfy. And trust me, you don't have to be young to love 'em. They look super cute with jeans at any age. Not to mention you are supporting the "green" philosophy by purchasing Simple Shoes. With their comittment to conservation and recycling you can feel proud sporting your new "green" footwear. These cute sneakers are made with recycled car tires, recycled plastic, organic cotton, and natural silk. I love supporting the enviromnent, especially when it looks this cute. :)