When I got an email asking me if I’d like to participate in an online book tour reviewing a new book by Birmingham’s own, Phyllis Norton Hoffman, and the subject is shoes, I was all over it! I mean, I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a lifelong shoe addiction. Guilty as charged. I actually did a post back in January titled Can you have too many shoes?? And I’ve concluded that no, no, you really can’t.
Here’s a little about Phyllis, from her online bio:
A leading figure in the publishing industry, Phyllis Norton Hoffman is majority owner and president of Hoffman Media, LLC.
A native of Hoover, Alabama and a graduate of the University of Alabama in Birmingham, she began her career as a Certified Public Accountant with a nationally known firm before founding a special-interest publication company in 1983 that is now known as Hoffman Media, LLC.
Hoffman is recognized industry-wide as a savvy businesswoman and talented entrepreneur. She serves as the creative engine of the company, producing an ever-widening range of beautiful magazines including TeaTime, Southern Lady, Just CrossStitch, Sew Beautiful, and Taste of the South magazines. She is also a sought-after speaker across the country, a devoted wife and mother and a church and community leader.
Did you catch the magazines that her publishing company is responsible for: Southern Lady and also Cooking with Paula, which is not listed on that. I actually got to meet Phyllis last year at a women’s event our church was sponsoring and she was the speaker. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her and she even brought magazines for all of us, so I really loved her then. Magazines are my love language.
(In Style Home, Spring 2006, Mariah Carey’s closet…don’t we wish?!)
The tag line of the book is “Celebrating the footsteps of the Contemporary Woman”, and it really is true that as we grow and mature, so do our shoes. Phyllis tells many humorous and witty stories all throughout the book about her life growing up and how shoes played a major part in it. All done with wit, wisdom and a whole lotta fun thrown in. I sure do remember my first pair of grown up heels that I finally got to choose one Easter when I was around 12 or 13. Oh my, the excitement of looking for the perfect pair of 1” heels! You’d have thought we were shopping for gold. I think they were black patent with ribbon ties that came across the top of my foot and the heel was tiny, but oh yeah, it was a heel. Finally, I had arrived.
From Cinderella’s glass slipper, to Dorothy’s fancy red ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz, to fashion mavens Jackie O and Princess Di, Phyllis covers the gamut of shoes and finery and what a role all of that plays in each of our lives. Most of us as women feel good in a pair of good-looking shoes, no doubt about that. They can make you feel sexy. Or sassy. Or dowdy. They can certainly make or break an outfit, as well as even be cruel at times. My days of wearing a lot of high heels are probably past me for the most part, I just don’t do a lot of dressing up anymore, but I can remember feeling really cute and sassy in certain shoes that I’ve had over the years.
My closet is still full of them, even if the heel is back down to that 1” I started with when I was around 12. Phyllis shares many of her life struggles and how she got through them and even the shoes that walked her through those struggles. A witty and fun book to read (especially if you’re Southern and even if you’re not). She laments wearing white shoes before Memorial Day or after Labor Day (a cardinal sin, just listen to your mother), which is what most of us in the South have heard all our lives. The rules have relaxed a bit over the years, thankfully. I don’t even own a white pair of shoes anymore. I do remember very vividly the white go-go boots that were all the rage when I was in Jr. High School and that Phyllis fondly remembers in the book. I don’t remember having a pair, but I think my sister did. She was older and got to do things before I did, darn it.
Phyllis Norton Hoffman takes you on a journey examining these defining moments, sharing what she has learned when she was required to wear different shoes – from a mother and wife to entrepreneur and businesswoman to publishing powerhouse to doting grandmother – and provides advice for women on putting their best foot forward, no matter their role, circumstance, or stage of life.
So, if you get a chance to read this fun and fascinating book about women and our devotion to all things shoes, I’d definitely say do it! You’ll thoroughly enjoy tip-toeing through the pages with Phyllis, in whatever shoes you might choose for the day!
I love what cooking queen, Paula Deen, says on the cover, “Phyllis and I have taken many steps together. I take mine in flats!”
Amen, Paula! Flip-flops for me.
And for the really fun part! I am getting 3 copies of this book to give away to my readers, so all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me your favorite memory of shoes and what your favorites are. You know I love some shoes! Contest closes Friday evening at 6:00 PM Central time. I’ll pick a winner and announce it Saturday a.m.
LisaMM says
Hi Rhoda, Great review! Thanks so much for all the time and energy you put into reading/reviewing Honey It's ALL in the Shoes!
Wagonwife Designs says
I have a subscription to "Southern Lady" and love the magazine!
So happy you were asked to review the book-who better?
I love shoes,always have. One of my favorites, red and white checked pump with very thin high heel. Looked adorable but had a vamp attitude being a pump.
Ahhh…those were the days.
Debra
Sandra says
Oh how fun, Rhoda!
Yep, i'm a shoe kind of girl too. I love shopping for shoes. Love'em all! From flip flops, sandals, to high heels. LOL I participated in a meme with Cielo and it was a ton of fun.
Here is my link to my shoe post. :Dhttp://mybellarose.blogspot.com/2009/07/knock-me-off-my-feet.html
Have a good day!
Sandra
writemeg says
I'm a little embarrassed to say that my favorite pair of shoes ever would have to be a pair of multi-colored moccasins (yes, moccasins!) that I wore when I was around 10 years old. I'm sure they were designed for someone 60 years my senior, but there was something totally alluring about them!
Today, I have to say I'm a total flip-flops girl… I probably have 40 pairs. I actually had to scale back recently and give some (unworn) pairs away — they're just taking over my house!
Thanks for the chance 🙂 Enjoyed reading the post, and that photo of Mariah Carey's closet made me drool a little!
trash talk says
I am a huge fan of yellow box flip flops(in fact they should pay me for all the advertising I do) and everyone knows this about me. This past Christmas my husband slipped a gift wrapped bag under the tree for me. He was so excited about his choice of a gift that he went back and two more were placed under there as well for my daughter and DIL. Christmas eve, the girls opened theirs first, and held up yellow box houseshoes…screaming pink…black! Everyone turned to me to watch me open mine and hear my reaction especially Cat Daddy. The look on his face was priceless as I exclaimed "I got ONE!!!!" The salesgirl had failed to put both shoes in the box! Christmas dinner~$135.00; yellow box shoes~$17.95; his face~Priceless!
Debbie
Nancy says
Hi Rhoda,
That book sounds so fun! I think my favorite shoes were from the 70's when I was in high school. As you can imagine, the styles back then were truly funky! My favorite pair had a wooden sole, much like a clog, but they weren't traditional clogs. They had a back to them and strapped on. They were so funky cool!
Thanks for sharing about the book and author!
Nancy
Terri says
Rhoda,
Did you ever take me back in time with your post………….
When I was around 13, my mother let me go Easter shoe shopping with my best friend Janet and her mother. It was the first time she ever let me shop on my own. I picked out these amazingly "cute" patent leather shoes with clear acrylic "heels" on them. I thought I was the real cat's meow in those shoes. My mother most graciously kept her mouth shut and never criticized my choice. As I was stepping inside the church on Easter Sunday, that sexy acrylic heel got caught in the door threshold and I stepped right out of the heel! Talk about a faux pas for a shy diva wanna-be! I will never ever forget that moment of extreme embarrassment.
Cathryn says
Love your blog…I think this is my first time commenting! My best shoe memory is buying my first pair of heels myself when I was about 11. They were Candie's with a cork heel that had to be 3 inches high! They were white with black polka dots! They were on clearance at Belk's for about $2.00 I think. I never wore them in public, but I wore them in front of the mirror many times! And I was hot! That's what I love about shoes…no matter how you feel about your body size, shoes always make you feel beautiful!
Shelby says
i've been through many different shoe styles! I love heels and wish so desparetley that i could wear them but the truth is, the kill my feet! i absolutely hate them but love the look! My favorite shoes are flip flops, i have them in about every color! shoes with low heels and jeans and heeled boots (those i can actually wear!) my favorite memory was when i was in high school and my mom bought me a pair of knee high boots. i loved them!!
Carrie says
Too funny! I just posted a blog this week telling people to run, not walk, to the store and pick up P.N.H.'s latest magazine Celebrate, which is slap full of fun fall ideas! It's a jewel. Thanks for the tip on her book. I'll have to get it!
Tracy @ comfortandluxury says
I most clearly remember the shoes I coveted as a teenager. Especially the pair of tooled caramel-colored leather, calf-high boots with stacked leather heels I walked past every day in the window of The Wild Pair on my way to work at the Broadway dept store at our new local mall. I saved and saved til I could buy them for myself and oh-my-god I loved them forever (or at least til they went out of style and something else caught my fickle eye!)
Anonymous says
Rochelle at [email protected]
I absolutely love your blog! I'm a wannabe GRITS. My husband is from Alabama and I prefer going to the South rather than Hawaii. My shoe memory is when I was hypnotized at a high school assembly and the hypnotist took us back to when I was 5. I was clicking my feet together and he asked me what I was doing. I was smiling at my new shiny black dress shoes. I can still remember that feeling of being all grown up.
Cherri Engle says
I can remember the very first pair of shoes that I bought all by myself with my very own money. I worked at a high-end clothing store and spotted a nice pair of Aigner's (heel's to be exact) in a beautiful taupe color. I was able to pay for them (even at my discount they were 'too' much) with my paycheck money. I felt so proud of those shoes. Thanks for making me ponder that awesome memory. Also, thank you for the give-a-way opportunity.
Jo says
There are sooo many memories of shoes! The first pair I lusted over were my grandmothers red "squash" heels. She let us play dress up in them! I imaigne if I saw them today I wouldn't be so enamored of them, but they were awesome then………..Jo
Blondie's Journal says
Great post, Rhoda! The book sounds fabulous. And I think every comment shows that we all love our shoes!!
I too, am back to flats and low heels. I did love my 3 inchers though, because I am so short! Wedges are a nice compromise…Even so, I still have a ton of shoes, albeit, mostly flats!
xoxo
Jane
Kathleen Grace says
Since I wear size 11's (oh yeah, it ain't pretty) I am not a big fan of shoe shopping, but even I have a shoe story! When I was in 2nd grade I remember getting ready for the bus one morning and frantically looking around the house for my shoes. The bus was going to be coming any second and I was looking under the sofa when my mom asked what i was looking for. I told her, she looked at me quizzically and said "they are on your feet!" Did I mention I've also always been a bit if a daydreamer and a teensy bit absent minded?
lisamm says
Kathleen Grace's story above reminded me of a shoe story with my daughter. She'd just learned how to put on her shoes by herself. One day I told her, "Honey, your shoes are on the wrong feet" and she looked it me in all sincerity and said, "But Mommy, these are the only feet I have!!" She was 2 1/2.
darnold23 says
Cowboy boots and 5" red leather spikes for me! The earliest memory I have about shoes is when I BEGGGGGED for a pair of cowboy boots for my 6th birthday. At that time, my favorite TV shoe was Hopalong Cassidy…I'm probably the only one who remembers that far back. My mom always told me that I thought if I got cowboy boots, then a pony would come with them. Well, I got the boots (lovely they were) but the pony never arrived. Somewhere along the way I suppose I outgrew both. My VERY first pair of heels came along in the 6th grade for Easter. They were 5-inch red leather spiked-toe heels. Believe it or not, I could walk in them from the get go. I wore them were a navy and white polka dotted dress. That was probably the beginning of my now well-known shoe obsession. I am, however, ever so happy in my flip flops:) Loved this post. Thanks.
Anita K. says
My birthday is the end of May and each summer I could get a pair of sandals which I had to pay 1/2 with my birthday money. My mother did not like thong sandals of any sort. One year I chose a pair of red patent thong sandals and I loved them. I think I would love them still if I had them and they fit.
Anonymous says
FUN post….
I LOVE flip flops I have them in every flavor…and I get so SAD when it gets cold here in the NE and I have to put on REAL shoes….
When I was young boots were all the rage….I traveled to a store in Boston to get mine…I paid 75 bucks for them a kings ransom in the day !!!
I would love that book so I could give it to my daugher her addiction is much worse than mine 🙂 !!
Kathy 🙂