okay, i've been meaning to write this post for quite some time. my apologies for waiting until summer is basically over, but i assure you that it won't matter, and you should buy these sandals anyway. (if you are not a girl, you should buy a pair for your favorite girl. or, you know, get adventurous and buy some for yourself. heh.)
i was first introduced to the amazing mohop sandals on vegan represent (VRF), and immediately i said what can basically be summarized as, "ooooh, pretty! but, um, ouch." i really couldn't fathom wearing wooden shoes on purpose. anyway, lucky for me, annie mohaupt soon registered at VRF (because in addition to making ridiculously great sandals, she is also vegan), and she set me straight. because the sandals are made out of wood and curved so prettily, they offer wonderful support. i remained a teeny bit skeptical, but i was definitely interested.
because seriously, how could you not be interested? these are a million sandals in one. totally customizable from start to finish! you can pick what shape you'd like; the heel height; the design on the shoe itself... and that's just the beginning, because then there are all the ribbons. oh, the ribbons!! for serious, annie is a goddess and a genius. she's a geniess goddius.
i spent Quite Some Time clicky-clicking around the mohop site, fantasizing about the perfect combination of height/shape/design. i lusted after the vintage ribbons, and wondered which colors and widths might work best for me. and then do you know what happened? she added more options! back to the drawing board for me.
meanwhile, my dear pals summer and tracy were brave, and they each ordered a pair. when their shoes arrived, they gushed and gushed and pretty much helped me decide that i needed to get me some. as luck would have it, annie was doing a show in my town pretty much exactly that weekend, so i got to meet her and try a pair of mohops on--and i was so pleasantly surprised! they didn't feel weird at all. they're actually quite comfy, because of the aforementioned support thing, but also because the ribbons go through these great elastic loops, so even when you tie your ribbons on tight, they move with your foot on accounta the elastic. like i said: genius. goddess.
my mind made up, i placed an order that very day. i got a truly custom order (it doesn't appear on the website, but annie was very sweet about doing it for me), and i totally copycatted tracy, because evidently we have similar taste when it comes to these things. i got a mid-heel with a square toe (seen in the low heel section) in the navy hibiscus pattern (seen in the high heel section). i also ordered some turquoise, silver, and black ribbons, along with a set of vintage ribbons with buckles. then i sat back and waited for the box to arrive. and while i was waiting, i chatted about mohops to anyone who would listen. i was SO excited!
on the day my shoes arrived, i was walking home from a morning meeting at a local coffee shop. i got to my driveway at the same time that my mail carrier did, and she said, "oh here, i have a box for you," and i was all, "where is that from?" and i tried very hard not to snatch it out of her hands. when i saw it was from annie i squeeeeeeed it up all over the place and i told her she had just made my day. she found me amusing.
not only are the shoes even more gorgeous than i could have imagined, but annie is even more goddess-like than i originally thought, because she threw in extra ribbons for me to play with. sigh. i love her. i have since ordered even more ribbons (i can't stop myself), and i think i'm up to about a dozen (or more) sets by now. oh! for those of you feeling scared about lacing up your sandals, never fear: annie provides a cute little help sheet showing lots of different methods to try. have i mentioned that i love her?
so, for the love of all that is good and holy, get some mohops. support a vegan artist. adorn your adorable feet. look at how amazing they are! you know you need a piece of that action. and when you order, tell annie that i love her.
Which one shall i order? i love 'em all!! Great linkage, girl!
Posted by: K | 19 September 2006 at 11:43 PM
These look nice but to be honest, they don't look like the type of sandals you could do much walking in, without sore feet!!! I like fabric shoes, sandals but not at the expense of comfort and wearability.
Posted by: Geraldine | 20 September 2006 at 08:59 AM
Wow...I think I've found someone who can be as hysterically over-happy as myself. I heart you! Love the shoes. They're on my list of things to buy; sooner than later now. Thanks for taunting me with their wonderful cuteness. I can't stand shoe-shoes...I love to be barefoot or in sandles. So these look great for my shoe-hating feet.
Posted by: wildmindgirl | 20 September 2006 at 10:49 AM
K--i love my mid-heels (although to be honest, i'm considering getting the high heels too, for super-dressy occasions!), and the shape i picked is perfect for my foot. annie has templates so you can print them and see which ones look best with your feet.
Geraldine--well, they're "dress shoes," to be sure. they're not sneakers or birkenstocks. but for dress shoes, they're really great! i wear them all day long without complaints. :)
wildmindgirl--do it, do it!
Posted by: girl least likely to | 20 September 2006 at 08:35 PM
You're utterly cute. I'm so glad you love your shoes and that Annie is sweet, too.
Posted by: bird | 29 September 2006 at 11:08 PM