Shawn L. Bird

Back when I was in teacher training, my Faculty Associate (university liaison person) was Debbie.  Debbie got up every morning and sewed before she headed to work.  Because she made her own cool garments, she invested in interesting shoes and socks.  I had a pair of Debbie-style striped shoes I wore until they fell apart, and I still have some fancy, colourful trouser socks purchased on her inspiration back in those days, now getting over stretched and holey, and desperately in need of replacement.  Unfortunately finding great socks can be a challenge.

My mother also sews, and also loves great shoes.  When we moved her, she had 8 closets of clothes, and well over a hundred shoes- mostly pumps.  She wasn’t quite as adventurous in her shoe choices, but then, she’s a very classical dresser- à la Chanel.  She has lots of fancy hose, but offers no suggestions on wonderful socks.

I used to make my own clothes, and still collect fabric and patterns with the intention of sewing, but with an uncooperative serger (it was recently ‘repaired’ without any change in its proclivity to eat needles and break thread), and a cold basement sewing zone, I don’t do as much sewing as I should, especially not in the middle of winter, when I’m supposed to be writing novels in my ‘spare’ time.

When weight fluctuates, shoes and socks still fit (unless something truly dramatic happens) but while finding shoes has been relatively simple effort, I have not found a local or internet source for awesome socks worthy of my Fluevogs.

Recently, I was looking at blogs for some inspiration on other ways to wear my Libby Smith boots, and that search led me to The Fashionable Bureaucrat.  Megan lives all the way across Canada in Nova Scotia and she blogs photos of her ensembles.  She has some interesting tights she orders from Sock Dreams in Portland, Oregon.  With a store name like that, obviously I had to check them out and wow! it is sock NIRVANA over there!  I just sent in my first order, and I’m looking forward to adding funky socks to the daily dressing here in the Shuswap.  After poking around Sock Dreams, I discovered Sock It to Me, also located in Portland.  What is it with Portland that they get TWO amazing sock stores, while the rest of North America goes without?

There is sock hope!  (You’ll see that shipping is free in the US.  With orders under $50 you can ship with USPS First Class International Parcel for $8, which isn’t so bad taxes and exchange rate considered!).