THE PAIR THAT STARTED IT ALL

When I first had the idea to start a blog, it originated from a desire to continue to write and express myself through words.

Fresh off a voluntary decision to retire from over a decade's work as a pharmacist in a general hospital in Nigeria, I struggled. I struggled to transition from an employee's mindset to an entrepreneur's. I was now solely responsible for my livelihood. I always knew healthcare wasn't for me but I kept stalling on taking the plunge. In my country, a job in the government's civil service, specifically,  healthcare is coveted and if secured, lauded and fiercely protected. Most people view it as a fitting end to their educational and career pursuits, working at it with the primary goal of retiring at age 60. 

Not for me, though. I would tell anyone who would listen then," I will not retire in FCTA," and the looks I got were usually those of puzzlement and consternation. 

I will always treasure the opportunities I had to help and assist the sick and unwell and will gladly do it again for free. However, I knew it wasn't my life's calling. I found no joy or fulfilment in it. I wanted more out of life and gradually began to prepare myself for a life of entrepreneurship on my own terms. I left in February 2023.

Unemployed and armed with a few savings, I started applying for freelance jobs as a proofreader while I pursued my fashion design aspirations. I loved reading as a child well into adulthood and had the annoying ability to spot typos and grammatical errors a mile away. I proofread for fun and reasoned I could get paid for it. But try as I might, I couldn't land any jobs. I niched down into medical proofreading and half-heartedly sent out a few applications.

I kept on getting polite rejections. Privately, I welcomed them because, honestly, I really didn't feel like I wanted to be proofreading medical abstracts or journals anyway.

One day, I woke up and decided to stop applying.  

From my earliest years, I remember jotting down my thoughts and feelings in the spaces between my devotionals, between notes of pharmacognosy texts or on the backs of filled-out prescription sheets. I wrote down my dreams and chronicled the feelings I nursed after awful heartbreaks or just plain random musings. I preferred texts to calls because I could wax lyrical and expansive. I was always so inventive and effusive with my words. Sometimes, I jotted ideas for books and my imagination ran wild conjuring fictional characters up in my made-up stories. 

As the world prepared to usher in 2024, a fleeting thought occurred, to me, to start a blog. I thought about it for days and eventually summoned the courage to sign up. 

The issue now arose as to what I would or could write about. I considered myself apolitical and was frankly fed up with medical research in general.

What to write about... crickets.

I knew I loved fashion, but what aspect would hold my interest and possibly, those of my readers?

Then, one morning in January, a light bulb AHA moment happened and boom! It came to me, bright as a burst of sunlight, after cloudy, heavy dawn showers, SHOES. I could and should write about shoes. I thought, why not turn my almost criminal craving for these accessories into a diary of sorts, only this time, on a blog. I surveyed my racks soberly and objectively. Indeed, I had amassed a sizable collection that could be deemed noteworthy by equally deranged adherents. 

Here was a topic I was knowledgeable about to some extent. I scoured the internet regularly and thoroughly enjoyed window-shopping, carting and daydreaming about adding more unique pairs to my burgeoning stash. 

So when I considered what shoe to dedicate my first blog post to, I immediately knew the exact one. And though we're a few posts in, these shoes launched a few hundred butterflies in my head and still do.

I present to you, dear Ones, the Stell Mules from the brand Brothervellies.

Brothervellies

Deep breathe.

Ok. 

Here we go.

Many a pair have made me pause in my scrolling, only a few would elicit my clicking and even fewer a gasp of amazement, followed by a squeak, not a squeal (that could happen too) of excitement. This particular design made me gasp, pause and then, I clicked.

 Arguably one of the best designs from the brand, in my opinion, they are;

Whimsical yet not necessarily bohemian, 

They could be derived from a floral inspiration but are in no way boring or literal, 

Dramatic in its subtility, 

It still hints at a bit of maximalism.

Practical yet avant-garde, a study in elevated simplicity. 

Recently, I stumbled on a popular fashion critic's comment that suggested the mules looked Victorian in design and I agree. It's in the flounce and exaggerated rising of the petals from the insides of the

Brothervellies; Grandma Stell Mules

shoe cap, much like a bustle on a dress.

Stell mules in ivory (satiny fabric) are the perfect accompaniment for an unconventional bride, a perfunctory statement on a date night outfit, generating conversations and evoking visions of a woman set apart. The heels are low enough to ensure you do not get painful bunions yet slightly elevated to bestow the carriage and poise of a lady in her element.

The brand followed with a leopard-printed velvet version called the Tabby Mules and I whimpered joyfully.😍 The Grandma Stell mules are a classic print that is neither old nor musty as the name would imply.

Brothervellies; Tabby Mules

Of course, to speak on their comfort level, I would have to have tried them out, but with a 2.5"/65mm high heel, it should be. I will report back when I do.

 A little background story on the brand. As you will find out, at ablackgirlandhershoes, we celebrate and highlight shoe brands that promote women's empowerment practices, sustainability, and inclusion, and when they are black and female-owned, it is especially noteworthy.

Brothervellies was founded in 2013 by Aurora James, the Canadian creative director and designer behind the label. Having worked extensively in the American fashion industry, she started the accessories label to highlight and carry forward traditional African designs and artisanal practices.

The shoes are produced all over the world, in Africa, Europe and the US, using vegetable-tanned leathers and soles from recycled tyres. 

 The brand pledges 1% of every shoe sold to non-profit and charity organisations and displays active interest in community development projects.

Certainly, this is a brand to watch and support. Check the reviews first and log onto their website for more designs.

With great pleasure, I would like to add that in writing this blog, I have unearthed another hidden talent of mine; sketching. In researching copyright infringements, policies and conditions, I remembered that I did a decent amount of drawing in biology class and also, in my fashion doodles. I decided to try my hand at illustrating each shoe piece.

It might not look like much to most but I'm pleasantly surprised, shocked even at the results. I hope to improve my drawing skills with time and practice.

Thank you for reading.