Toms shoes: Heaven for your feet

Growing up in a Southern metropolitan area (no, that's not an oxymoron), I was taught to never sacrifice looks for comfort. Now as a grown adult on the West Coast, I find that certain lessons of my childhood are falling to the wayside -- and when I first stepped into a glorious pair of Toms shoes, this lesson also took a hit.

Toms are heaven in the form of a shoe. They lovingly hold and comfort your feet, cushioning each step as if walking on clouds. And while I still proudly hold myself tall and strong in my stilletos most days, how could I deny my precious feet the love of Toms for a day or so a week.

I try to convince myself that the traditional Argentinean shoe design is stylish but it will never be as flattering to the leg as a stunning stilleto. But I do take comfort that while I'm walking on clouds, so is a child in need as a result of the One for One donation program. Cheers to Toms for creating the most comfortable shoe with a great philanthropic cause for children. You've converted a true & proper Southerner. (Just don't tell my mother.)

-- Her POV

The slip-on shoe is something I never really got into, no pun intended. I grew up wearing British Knights (yeah, I did), moved on to the Reebok Pump, Air Jordans, and then Doc Martens. College footwear consisted almost entirely of Birkenstocks. No slip-ons, see? One time my mom bought me a pair of slip-ons loafers with those little tassle guys. I couldn't stand them and shoved them as far back under my bed as my little arms could reach. For Xmas one year my grandmother got me a pair of penny loafers, each with a shiny penny (can someone please explain to me women's love of gifting shoes with accessories????). "Sorry Grandma. I don't know where those shoes are. Guess I'll just have to wear my Jordans to church today."

To me, Toms are specifically a woman's shoe. I don't know if they make a guys version, but if they do, the guy that buys them probably has a pair of leather gladiator mandals in his closet, too. From what I hear they're pretty comfortable and as long as women can wear these, that's one less thing for them to complain about in my book. Cheers to you Toms from men everywhere!

-- His POV