Priya Tandon FOR me, the winter season starts with the first whiff of cold air. The first thing I pack away is my sandals and flip flops — I need to keep my feet warm with socks and shoes. The other day I was looking for shoes in a store. All avatars of formal shoes were designed to be worn with western attire and each elevated by a few inches. Blessed with good height, I asked the salesman for formal shoes with half-inch heels that could be worn with sarees. He looked at me incredulously and said: “Ma’am, then you should see these sandals instead. We have them in an array of colours.” I looked at those golden, silver, patent black, wine and rose-gold sandals embellished with flowers and crystals, ribbons and buckles, laces and buttons. “But they won’t keep my feet warm. I am looking for Ballet shoes with soft sole; something that I can wear with socks with a saree.” He shrugged his shoulders and said: “Sorry ma’am, there is barely any demand for such shoes. So, we don’t have anything of the like.” I came out of the store, hoping that some other store would oblige the needs of my kind of people. After all, the world survives on hope! They say a comfortable bed and a comfortable pair of shoes are vital because you are either in one or the other. My hunt continued … the next store and many others after it, but none could meet my wants. Only flat Ballet shoes were available with terribly hard soles or highly lofty models. To cut it short, there was nothing in the range of what I would tag as ‘sensible winter and saree shoes’. Came evening and I had to attend a wedding. I quickly donned a South silk saree, replete with a full-sleeved blouse and a shawl to match. I got into my solitary pair of ‘saree shoes’, for want of choice. Perhaps, one day, someone will design and make comfortable shoes for women to wear with sarees. There are shoes designed especially for walking, running, training, football, basketball and jogging. Then there are the traditional Oxfords, Punjabi juttis, mules, etc. How come no one ever designed a saree shoe? May some shoe designer /manufacturer hear the clarion call of my kind of women — I intend to speak for many. Incidentally, I notice that very few women opt to wear sarees now. Sadly, amongst the affluent, the younger generation doesn’t seem to even know how to tie a saree. I even saw a contraption that is called ‘a stitched saree’. I hear that it’s too cumbersome to tie a saree and it takes too long to wear. But wait a minute, why is it then that young girls take hours to get dressed when they have to go out? Oh! They spend a long time doing up their faces and styling their hair. Tedious and layered make up is something that can transform the face to drastic dimensions. But I am still old school, for me a little is a lot. I’d rather go with Leonardo da Vinci’s “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. My thoughts are stalled as I see a young girl in a short dress and open-toe sandals. I wince, as the ground-chill seeps up through my shoes. I try to brave a smile … thankfully the little pinch in my feet is a trifle compared to the tensions of tiresome make-up, and make over. So I decide to dwell on my blessings rather than banes! Hopefully my shoes shall last me till I am able to find another pair… till then, the comfort of my bed is solace enough.

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