Dear Perfect Shoes,
I hate you.
You came into my life without warning. You wooed me with your cute little buckle. You promised me infinite outfit compatibility with your unexpectedly neutral gray shade. You had a sophisticated plaid inside and a sassy bright pink under belly. I loved you immediately and without conditions. I would have worn my feet to bare blisters for you.
I took you home and my husband laughed. He called you a "silly, ugly tap shoe". I scoffed. I didn't care.
I wore you about town at once. I fell deeper in love when you turned out to be the most comfortable shoe I had ever owned. There was no trial period of painful, red, screaming blisters. There were no scrunched, angry little pinky toes. I slid you on my feet and you were the perfect fit.
The compliments came pouring in. I couldn't take 10 steps without someone saying "cute shoes". I was in attention-getting heaven. I confessed where I found you. I admitted the steal of a bargain that you were. I wore you every day. I found your sister in red and she joined us. I have longed for your brother in black. I sent your cousins to my sister; she had to experience this sordid affair.
But, sadly, we arrive at today.
You stink.
Really. You smell atrocious.
I may have to end this relationship. The smell, it emanates upward and offends all those who happen by. I, too, am constantly accosted by your aroma. I've tried to ignore it. To look past the offense for the sake of a lovely relationship.
But I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do! I have to pack socks and leave you in the car when I go to a friends house! You must spend the night in the garage for fear of setting off the carbon monoxide alarm in our home!
I publically write you this letter in hopes that some dear reader will be able to offer you a stay of execution.
I, with you, plead to the general public to offer some ray of hope for a smelly shoe solution. Let's hold onto our hope that we may continue down the path of sunshine and rainbows and all that is good for the sake of cute shoes and compliments.
Love, Your Faithful (and extremely beautiful) 
58 awesome people had somethin' to say...:
There has GOT to be some sort-of baking soda laden shoe insert. Going to google....
http://www.ehow.com/how_113579_freshen-smelly-shoes.html
hmm. The time I could have saved googling that rather than typing the letter. Sometimes I amaze myself with my own genius-ness.
But then you wouldn't all be entertained for five seconds....
It's a trade-off.
Thanks, Nicole. Love you!
also...think of all the pennies you could have saved using your brown bananas for bread! Where would you be without me????
Oh, and since this post is apparently a convo btwn you and I, my shoes got me free coffee! I loaded the red ones to a friend and she sent me a 10$ g.c. to a local coffe shop as a thank you. Woot woot.
That's awesome. I hope they didn't smell like mine!
That is hilarious. I love those shoes and do recall you going home before coming here to get socks because your feet smelled so bad from them.
I really don't think there is a solution. I, too, have the same problem with my beloved black & white checked slip-ons. I've tried baking powder, freezing them, washing them... Nothing works and you just end up with stinky, cold feet covered in white powder.
Sorry!
(They are REALLY good shoes though) :(
Try Febreeze! I have a pair of sandals that I love but they have that fake suede fabric inside that just absorbs stinky foot smell. I sprayed them with Febreeze until they were soaking, sopped up the extra liquid with a paper towel and then let them air dry...viola! Good luck! Steph
Very cute shoes!
Did you ever get them to stop stinking? Cuz they really are cute!
Talisman: Yes! (I think!)
A friend bought this stuff for me:
http://www.thewalkingcompany.com/Common/sitesearch.aspx?criteria=All&text=refresher&pagetag=All
and I think it has worked.
But it sort of became summer and I'm completely in open-toed shoes now. The real test will be in the fall...
Hmmmmm, what if you took them to the shoe doctor and asked him to take out the stinky liner and put in a nice new one. Maybe he could help. They are super cute shoes.
HUGS,
Kat
Oh I envy you those beautiful shoes. They are gorgeous. They must be saved. Perhaps we should start a fund to research a cure for this? People suffer so much. It would really be for the greater good.
"Stinkin" hillarious! If you get a good answer...let us know!
I can't stand being betrayed by a good find. It takes the sauciness out of the item.
Where were they made? I have this theory, more like a conspiracy theory, but all the same...
My reckoning is: who cares if they stink? If the scent wafts and offends innocent bystanders, tell 'em it's Doritos. ('Cause Doritos smell like stinky feet!) Cute shoes are worth anything. ANYTHING. Rock your smelly soles, girl.
p.s. Baking soda does work. But why rob them of their charm?
That's funny. I've had to toss smelly shoes. It sucks!
they look cute, but look like they would hurt *MY* toes.
Those are so cute! Hope come winter they stop the stinkies.
Awesome post! I love the shoes, very cute.
I have similar offending (but not soo cute shoes) that my hubby says reak. I'm still in denial about the smell.
I hear (ok I've bought it) there's special foot powder to put in shoes to soak up smell and bacteria. I haven't tried it yet on mine, but it works great on the kids shoes. Foot powder. Works.
You HAVE to update if you get the stink out.
Those are cute shoes!! Good luck with the smell. Congrats on being the Featured Blogger today!!
This just seems to work for me...
Every morning I rub strawberry body butter (The Body Shop) on my feet before I put my shoes on.
In the past I have used a mint foot rub (has to be strong).
I also try to pop my shoes off as much as I can during the day at my desk to let the inside breath.
One girls 'Cute Shoes' are another girls 'Mr. Magoo Shoes'... I say execute 'em.
*Aren't I just the BEST bloggy friend?... We've just met and I'm already criticizing your shoes.*
Sorry! :-(
I hate when this happens! Aldo sales these inserts that you can wash and change from shoe to shoe. My mom and I both have some. I wear mine with all of my flats. The inserts don't really change your shoe or make them feel smaller. They just absorb stinkiness and then you can wash them! Good luck!
http://thelifeoflindseyd.blogspot.com/
Hahaha! I've been there with you. Whatever you do, don't dump baking soda in your shoes because it will never come out, and a little puff of white will come out with each step you take! Trust me.
Oh, I love a good pair of shoes that get you lots of love........ especially when my hubby thinks their ugly :)
Hope the stinkyness goes away!
I love the cute shoe compliments so well I try and dish them out often.
I laughed out loud reading your post. You are too funny!! Good luck with the shoes...they ARE adorable.
Oh my...you are too funny. Thanks, I got a big kick out of this!
I haven't clicked on Nicole's link yet to see what she found for you...but what about Febreze?
Truly hilarious. Did you ever find the solution?
This letter takes the cake! You have a great voice and I am enjoying reading all your posts. Ha ha. Sure hope you find a way to keep the shoe sans smell. Good luck with that.
Fellow SITSa.
Are those flats?
They are cute.
I got nuttin' on the smell shoe thing though cause all mine are smelly.
I'm a flip flop girl and you had me at "sassy bright pink underside".
Too funny. I love the love/hate relationship you've got going on there. :)
The same guy who invented the 'cute perfect shoe' invented socks and baby powder....
they think they are sooo smart, you can't wear socks with the perfect shoes, and baby powder leaves a trail of white dust wherever you walk...
what's a girl to do?
good shoes gone bad.
funny how the shoes i never wear never end up stinking...
stinkin' in from SITS~i'm going to try the febreze idea on my stinky fake leathers too.
They're adorable... too bad they have betrayed you...
Cute shoes!
FEBREEZE.
And then fabric softner sheets. Tuck them in the shoes each time you take them off.
Honestly, the smell of Febreeze makes me want to vomit...
Let us know how the inserts from Nichole's Google search works out...I could use them for my husband's disgusting feet...errr shoes.
i have these little sock-y things that i got at target - they are similar to the little nylon things you get out of a kleenex box when you try on shoes... anyways, they help with keeping stink at bay...
NOW, WHERE DID YOU GET THEM? What brand are they/what are they called? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease tell me!!!??!! i.. must... have them...
Fabulous post! I'm diggin' the red pair, especially. This could be a good problem to have, as my dog usually chews up anything stinky (including shoes) before they become too terribly offensive! Or you could just blame the person next to you...
cute shoes!! Have you tried Febreeze???
Cute, cute!
I had a pair of shoes that suffered the same problem. My husband put them out of their misery during the night and snuk them to the trash without my knowledge. I'm still bitter.
You are all SO FUNNY!
I'll try to hit a few questions here:
Never tried Frebreeze on these shoes, but on others they ended up as balmy feeling and just smelling of "fresher" funk.
I'm curious about the washable soles. I'll have to try those out and will keep you all posted.
I have a ton of those itty bitty tow socks and stocking sock things, but they didn't work with these. They poked out all over. :( socks would have solved the problem...
As for the shoe (Cara Starr) - they are Tribeca by Kenneth Cole, I can't remember the style name. But I've done a ton of searches and I can't find them.
I got them at Marshall's last year. Since I loved them so much I combed the internet and was able to find a couple more pairs in different colors, but it looks like they are long gone.
Thanks for the hilarious comments, ladies!
holy cow, you are completely hilarious. those are adorable shoes. I wasn't able to read through all 60 comments - did you get the smell problem fixed? are they still with you?
Oh, man, I can so relate! I have a pair of shoes that I have to plan my whole day around: will I need to take these off for any reason until I can get in the shower? Will I at some point need to take them off to lie on the sofa? Do I have to carry socks around with me? What's the deal with stinky shoes?
OH, and you are hilarious, by the way!
You are hilarious! I hope your shoes will cooperate since you thought you had found your sole mate.
You really are such a talented writer. I love reading your blog and have you on my personal blogroll. This post is great. I so know this feeling... why? Why do the shoes have to smell!!!???
You have been offered a number of interesting solutions, please post if any of them work!
Too funny! Seriously though...why is it that the perfect shoes are always the ones who have some dark side they don't show at first. Hmmm...must be a perfect shoe conspiracy!
Shame on you. You tell us about these absolutely adorable shoes that you admit to having gotten as a huge bargain AND they're comfortable. And now you tell us they don't make them anymore. What a bummer!
Oh yeah, and I'm a SITS girl!
spray some fabreeze in them thangs! lol
p.s. they are very cute shoes ;)
why do do they do this. and why is it always the favorite pair.
and why is there nothing that you can do? we live in a world who can zip,en zap nip, tuck and make everthting all better, yet our fav. stinky shoes-will have to go to great shoe heaven! why is this world so unfair!
Sing it, sister!
I once heard that when you find the perfect white t-shirt, you should buy a bunch and lock them away for future use. I have often wondered how to apply this to shoes. I think a climate controlled storage unit would be necessary.
That and if I tried it, my husband would just about lose his mind...
Found you from SITS:
Wow those are really cute shoes, I always buy 1 or more of something I know I'm simply going to wear out!
Very creative writing too!
Poor stinky shoes! They are still reeeeeaaallllyyy cute though!
For the cute and smelly this may help (Stuffitts.com). Cedar filled inserts take away the odor overnight. Seems almost magic but it works. Hope this will help someone. Nice article Nicole.
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