POM is not Wonderful & a $100 Giveaway!
Please head over to my new blog at TheUrbanHousewife.com, where you'll find this post & more!
As bloggers, there are times when we are offered free products, typically in exchange for a review or writeup, which results in publicity for the company. While it can be hard to resist the lure of free, I try to consider all aspects of accepting these items, as there's always a chance I may not like them. Additionally, there is the ethical side of things, so research is always in order. When I was recently contacted by POM (cough) Wonderful with an offer of samples, I knew right away I would not be accepting them.You see, POM has a history of animal testing. In the past, they would torture our dear rabbit & mice friends, so they could make claims about the health benefits of their juices. When I found out about this a few years ago, I jumped in to action & told all of my friends. Of course, PETA jumped in to action as well & the result was the agreement that POM would stop the deadly testing.
So, why am I still boycotting them? While I appreciate that they stopped the insane & inhumane misuse of animals, realistically, they went from a murderous juice company to a NORMAL juice company & therefore I believe they deserve no special treatment & certainly not my support.
With all of the juice options out there, I cannot give my money a company that lacks ethics & likely would not have stopped testing had they not been called out. They have their results from the tests they've already done & therefore can make health claims, but innocent animals still died for their marketing. I will not be a part of their marketing & I hope other bloggers will refrain from giving them positive press & legitimizing POM to their readers, even if they did receive samples.I know this is a heavy topic for a typically light hearted food blog, but I feel that is it important that my readers know about animal cruelty, so they can combat it. I am not only vegan, I am an activist as well, so this is an topic I cannot shy away from.
Now, as bloggers we also get FUN offers as well! When I was contacted by OnlineShoes.com & asked if I would like to give away a $100 gift certificate to my readers, I was more than thrilled. What a great way to give something back to my friends & possibly draw out the lurkers as well.OnlineShoes.com has a nice selection of vegan friendly items, including a large selection of EARTH Shoes, many of which are labeled as vegan! While I may be more of a loud & proud boot kind of gal, or even a subdued boot kind of gal, there's likely something for everyone at OnlineShoes.com.
Want to win a $100 gift certificate from OnlineShoes.com? Comment & tell me about the WORST shoes you've ever owned! LA Gear with double neon laces (wait, those were awesome), squeaky soles, or downright uncomfortable? I want to hear about your footwear faux pas!
The winner will be drawn at random & must reside in the United States (or have a place to send them?). Don't forget to leave a way to be contacted & get your entry in by February 16th!
148 comments:
that's good to know about POM. i had no idea they supported animal testing - it's great that they've stopped, but i have to agree that they shouldn't have been cruel in the first place. they won't be getting any support from me. i stopped buying their juice years ago when they switched over to plastic bottles - and they still won't be getting any of my money. hooray for fun shoe awesomeness though!
thanks again for the heads up on POM, Melisser!
1st: About POM... Wow, that IS good to know about POM. I have always boycotted them because their juice is just too doggone expensive! I'm a frugal chica and the two don't mix. I'd rather just eat a pomegranate. More fiber.
2nd: About shoes! The worst pair of shoes I've ever owned is that pair that I bought FOUR times from Payless. How did I get stuck in this rut of buying the same, terrible shoes over and over? Because, at any given time, Payless Shoesource has approximately two pairs of black loafer-type "work" shoes and because at any given time, I have about $12 to spend on shoes. So I kept buying these: (http://tinyurl.com/badbadshoe). Issue 1: No ankle support. Issue 2: No insoles or arch support. Issue 3: I had to buy them four times because the sole and the upper kept separating. 4: They UGLY, they UGLY, they mama say they ugly!
I gave up and started buying sensible loafers with sturdy construction and a good arch support. Saving some money to spend a little more on a quality pair of shoes will help the wallet and the fashion factor.
good for you for staying away from POM..testing juice or anything else on animals is evil!
as for the worst shoes.. hand down jelly shoes! I had to have a pair and my feet were never more miserable! sweaty blistery feet were not worth the"cool" factor!
I had no idea abot POM, but I always thought the real fruit tasted WAY better than the juice anyhow! Now I'll be sure not to bother trying to develop a taste for it.
Worst shoes? I bought a fairly expensive pair of Naturalizer soft leather moccassin-style shoes with a darling little kitten heel... Perfect for the office I worked at; or so I thought. Well the soft leather just keeps stretching so pretty soon the shoes are too big, and my weight sits in front of the heel instead of over it. So I thought I'd be smart and get a pair of insoles to make them fit again. Ya, that worked for a couple of weeks until they stretched again! I too am a frugal chica, and thought I would manage to keep wearing them (did I mention they were expensive?) but I finally had to give up when they stretched and started losing their seams, but for shoes that looked like they should be comfortable, they were always HORRIBLE to walk in!
Wow, I didn't know that about Pom! Just goes to show that otherwise "vegan" foods may have quite a history.
Worst shoes: Jellies! My mom made me wear them all through my chidhood and into my teens. Not only are they uncomfortable and less than stylish, but after wearing the clear ones for about a DAY they start looking brown and gross. They made my feet sweat like crazy wow, and GOD FORBID you get a rock in there --- ow! I still have a pair, in fact.
For visual reference... http://kidswereus.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/coccos.jpg
Thanks for letting us know about POM. I was never one to buy juice anyway, I'd rather have the fresh fruit.
My worst shoes were when I was about 8 years old and I insisted on wearing my mom's rubber galosh-type shoes (I think they were called duck shoes) even though they were WAY too big, and I had an appointment at a hospital for x-rays so I was clunking around in these huge shoes and a hosptial gown! Lovely.
In college, I (a fashion student) had to take chemistry classes, and I was failing Chem 102 miserably. I hired a tutor, studied my butt off, and passed my midterm. To celebrate, I went to payless and bought myself a pair of three inch strappy stilettos, white faux snake skin, with each strap across the toe and up the side a different color of the rainbow. They were so fabulous! I paired them with skinny jeans and walked from my apartment to class the next day.
On the way to class, they started to ache. Between classes they were hurting, and I had started to limp a little bit, and could feel the blisters starting. On the 15 minute walk home from class, 8 hours later, I started crying because I couldn't take the pain any more.
When I got in my door, I fell to the floor and literally peeled the shoes off my feet. The entire insides were coated with blood, and my feet looked like they were literally shredded. I had to wear flipflops for 3 weeks to allow my feet to heal before I could put on any other shoes.
I just said yes to recieve free samples but now I will not be keeping them or drinking them. Thanks for the info.
I'm so glad you turned down POM's offer. Even though they stopped animal testing, I still won't support them.
Let's see, the worst shoes I ever had...there are so many bad ones to pick from. I can't decide between jellies and these sneaker/heels I had. The jellies were just hot and sticky. The other shoes looked like black sneakers with an open toe and a big heel on the back. I was like 10 when I had them. I have no idea where I got them or why on earth anyone let me wear them!
Yikes!!
I am really glad to see someone actually turn down the allure of free, in the face of righteousness. Good for you.
Also, I have to agree, worst shoes ever, jellies :(
My worst shoes I actually nick-named my "blood shoes"--they were SO uncomfortable and gave me blisters so bad that they bled! It was awful! They were cute little black dress flats, but man were they painful!
Courtney
when i was in the cub scouts i was slated to go on this summer camping trip for a few nights with my troop. i was at a discount type store with my mom and i saw a pair of hiking boots that i thought very much 'looked the part' of what i wanted to wear while camping.
i tried them on and they were way too small. being the foolish kid i was, i told my mom that they fit perfectly. perhaps i thought they would stretch a little? who knows?
when i got to the camping trip, we went on a hike and i wore my new hiking boots. they looked great, but they were akin to wearing some medieval torture device. i ended up having to take them off and hike in my sock feet.
i can still remember the feeling in my poor little toes as they were smashed into a too small boot of un-broken-in leather. worst shoe ever. but i did quickly (but painfully) learn that function should always come before fashion.
Good to know about pom. I think my worst shoes were some sort of ballet flats. I have really wide feet, with a high arch, and they were a wide size, but they still just dug in on top, which was not comfortable.
I'm so glad you pointed this out--supporting a company with questionable morals is not worth the health benefits of this juice! I have seen a lot of bloggers reviewing it recently.
Anyway, my worst shoes ever were these buckled black ones from Payless in the sixth grade. I was teased constantly on the bus for being "Amish," but I loved them so much. My mother finally threw them out after I accidentally peed on them at 4H camp! That is another, longer story.
Laura (Earth Muffin)
LauraHB@gmail.com
hmm.. the worst shoes I ever had would have to be one of the first pairs of strappy heals i have ever owned. they were cheap, had no support, and cut deeply into my feet when i wore them, which was probably once. i think they promptly fell apart.
good to know about Pom, thanks for keeping us updated!
i've heard this about POM now... i'm definitely boycotting!
i would love some earth shoes!!! my worst shoes were a pair of clip on clogs... i wore them once because they always slipped off my feet (bad design) and the faux fur inside made my feet sweat like no other. they were horrible!!!
Worst pair of shoes I bought were these ugly tan Skecher knock-offs from payless. They were cheap, ugly, impossible to get your foot in because the material was so stiff...oh, the things you will buy at 15!
Thanks for the heads up on POM. Fortunately I have never bought or tried it. And I for sure will not do so now.
The worst shoes I ever owned were these high heel pleather black slip-on sandals. They were cute and all and me being my brilliant self decided to wear them to work but parked 7 blocks away. Needless to say, I had blisters all over my feet from walking to and from work. Oh the price we pay for fashion. They found a nice home at the local thrift store after that fiasco. Thank goodness they were cheap.
The worst pair of shoes I've ever owned were from Payless and were actually quite cute, but so uncomfortable. They had the cutest round toes that squished my pinky toe into an unnatural position and left it blistered. Not to mention the blisters the stiff, unfinished material left on the back of my feet. They were so darn cute that I would keep trying to wear them, hoping they had been broken in or had somehow changed, only to get the same battle scars. ;P
writesherri (at) msn (dot) com
Worst shoes? Hand-me-down cowboy boots that were about four sizes too big. I had to wear them to school one day because my other shoes were missing. Oh I was teased.
i had these horrible platform rocket dog gymshoes with ladybugs all over them. they looked like clown shoes. i loved them. what the hell was wrong wtih me?
Wow! I had no idea about POM, thank you so much for telling us. I never buy juice anyway, especially not that overpriced stuff, but now I have a more legitimate reason to steer clear of them. And good for you for saying no, I'm very proud of you.
Thanks for the info on POM. I can't even believe it- it makes me sick. I stopped drinking their stuff b/c t is damn expensive!
My worst shoes..I think they were yellow Reebok high tops. I had them in 4th grade and wore them when I was learning how to Square Dance.. my partner - this boy Jeff- said they looked like someone had peeded on them b/c they were the same color as urine. Yup Good Times!
I'm a sucker for a good deal so i often end up with bad cheap shoes that hurt my feet! out of those i'll pick the ones i've wedged my feet into TODAY haha. I got them at a 'store closing' clearance at a local value city, they are brown flats, Lucky Brand, and hurt like hell. Its sort of like having my foot wedged into a cement block. So, yea, the worst!!
Bleh, POM!
Shoes...
I have owned so many terrible shoes! I have this pair of black super high heeled pointy toe shoes from Payless (of course!) that I used to wear out dancing all the time and I can't believe I never broke my ankle. I can't even stand up straight in them anymore. Devil shoes!
The worst pair I ever owned were probably those "sweater" top "clogs" that I thought were SO stinking cool and the reality of it was that they were hideous and totally impractical! LOL! You couldn't wear them in the winter because they would get too dirty and/or get wet and they were totally fabric and they looked like big giant slippers! Yikes! What was I thinking?
the worst shoes i ever owned was a pair of purple and teal hiking boots i begged my parents to buy me for a family vacation.
they magically disappeared shortly after we returned home.
sadly, the pictures remain, and i will forever have to live those down.
Booo Pom!
This is so pathetic, I can't think of a single bad pair of shoes. I'm sure I've had them, but like most fashion-related things I immediately forget them. Whatever my "bad shoes" were, I'm sure they were not the least bit fashionable. :-)
Haha...my worst pair of shoes were my own doing.
They were fabulously sparkly, obnoxious brown flats. A lighter brown on the side with a poop-stain brown glitter on the front. I bought them for cheap on clearance, but just *had* to have them because they were sparkly!
They were so awkwardly shaped that they gave me horrible blisters, and I never wore them again...but how I miss the sparkles!
On very short notice once, I had to dress up for an event at work. I am not a dress up kind of girl, so I owned nothing suitable. I ran out and found a decent outfit and a cheap pair of shoes. I didn't want to spend too much on shoes because I didn't want to waste money on something I would probably only wear once. Well, I guess you pay for what you get. I tried them on and they felt fine, and I wore them around the house to break them in, but after wearing them I got blisters on the back of my ankles as well as on the top of my feet where the shoes cut in. I took them off whenever I could get away but when I needed to be out and around my workmates, I had to just grit my teeth and bear it. By the end of the day I couldn't even walk in them and had to call for a ride home instead of taking the train. Worst shoes ever.
Wow - I didn't know that about POM - I guess I should be more vigilant. My worst shoes ever were just a cheap pair of vegan shoes from payless - they were some sort of black vinyl and they hurt my feet - so it does sort of show that you get what you pay for...
I know that being over here in Blighty I don't qualify for the giveaway, but I decided to tell you about my worst shoes anyway. Size 7 (I'm a size 8) silver platform trainers. I think they were about 4 inches tall all over? And I wore them day-to-day. My feet cramped and bled, small children laughed, but in my minds' eye I looked like a Spice Girl. Rather than a retard. Ah, Happy Days! Good for you, re: POM.
Worst shoes have got to be those jelly shoes. Do you remember how badly those made you feet smell. Yuck.
Thanks so much for the info about POM. I did not know about their history of animal testing, but I also never buy their expensive juice.
Worst shoes ever huh? Well, that would have to be these yellow rubber boots I wore in kindergarten. I could never get them on or off and my teacher was mean and humiliated me in front of my classmates because I couldn't get them off one morning. I cried. The next day I came to school with rubber shoes instead. Sigh...
Thanks for hosting a fun contest!!!!!
Haha.. I posted my giveaway last night too :-)
Good for you standing your ground about POM.
I suppose I can enter too... the worst pair of shoes I owned was for basketball when I was in high school. I think they were filas and they just felt like space boots on me. Hated them.
WTF is up with that evangelical comment from "armageddon thru to you"?
Wow I also had no idea that POM tested on animals there's just absolutely no point for them to do animal testing, as testing on actual people would have turned up results with just blood pressure and blood tests.
Anyways the worst pair of shoes I had were as many others stated from Payless. I never knew that shoes could actually last longer then a year until I stopped buying at payless and started going for high quality shoes that actually save money and the environment since I'm not throwing out a pair every year.
Also that Armageddon Thru To You post offends me and I'm a christian! Where do people get off on thinking spam like that is proper? Oh well sorry you have to deal with that V_V
proud of you for taking a stand against pom!! i have seen a few other blogs lately giving away their samples, and i've made sure to comment as to why i wouldn't participate in the giveaway.
my worst shoes... oh man. i had a pair of MICHAEL JACKSON sneakers! they were all black with silver studs all over them, and had (of course) the double laces in black and silver. totally heinous!
Good for you!!! I remember that POM Peta campaign. I'm glad you're not accepting samples from them...good to stick to your ethics.
As for the shoes, I would say my worst pair (looking back of course, they were super cool at the time) were my black goth leather combat boots in high school. I even wore them to prom!!!
I used to have a pair of shoes in high school where the sole had separated from the rest of the shoe from the toes to the midfoot It would flap around when I walked and sometimes it told stories in its "El shoe" voice. I held it together with a rubber band for a long time.
I also had the reebox pump in fifth grade. Do you remember this shoe? It had an actual pump on the tounge and you would press that big button over and over until your shoes were really tight and then you could jump like Michael Jordan. I wish I still had them. I would be all over the basketball court.
I used to have a pair of shoes in high school where the sole had separated from the rest of the shoe from the toes to the midfoot It would flap around when I walked and sometimes it told stories in its "El shoe" voice. I held it together with a rubber band for a long time.
I also had the reebox pump in fifth grade. Do you remember this shoe? It had an actual pump on the tounge and you would press that big button over and over until your shoes were really tight and then you could jump like Michael Jordan. I wish I still had them. I would be all over the basketball court.
I'd heard rumblings about POM, but nothing specific until now. Terrible.
Let's see, my worst pair of shoes had to be these black plasticky mules which had sharpest top imaginable on a shoe. I couldn't take 3 steps in them barefoot without the edge digging into the top of my foot. Medium socks fared little better.
I even tried modifying them by cutting perpendicular slits into them, which made it look like fringe AND was no more comfortable than before.
Thanks for the contest and the POM info. They contacted me as well about doing a review, and after hearing about their animal testing issues on another blog, I declined.
Hmm... bad shoes... I had a bad experience with some rain boots recently - they started to get little splits in the outer layer so they didn't keep the water out. Annoying. I can't think of anything more interesting than that. :-) Thanks for the contest!
I'm glad POM is still feeling the repercussions of their animal testing.
My worst shoes, huh? I had a pair of shoes in the early 90s that were like those tan grunge-style worker boots, but mine were low-tops, so even worse. Ugh!
Never had POM, never will!
Shoes. The pair that stands out in my mind is these tiny heeled white pumps my mom got for me from payless for my high school grad. It was last minute and I didn't know I had to wear white shoes. They were too big and hideous. Or these Steve Madden platform sneaks b/c the heel piece cracked apart and kept digging into my heel. Hmm . . .
I saw on Facebook, become a friend of Pom and get a free bottle. I wouldn't drink Pom even if they didn't test on animals. Cooked fruit or pasteurized fruit juices? No, thank you.
Worst shoes I ever owned? Converse. Regular old Chuck Taylors. I loved them and wore them constantly from '96 to '98 and they made my baby toenails disappear. The nail just kept getting smaller and smaller until they were gone. No pain, just a slowly shrinking pinkie toenail. Once I stopped wearing them the toenails grew back.
Thanks for the info, and for all the wonderful recipes you post.
My worst pair of shoes, hands down, are any pair of pumps. Haven't owned a pair in many years and never will, vegan or not. The style just reminds me of boring corporate jobs and uncomfortable bridesmaid dresses. Blech.
The worst shoes I have ever owned were a pair of platform gym shoes from Hot Topic when I was 13. They had pink lightning on them and they were black and grey. First, they were too small, but I wanted them so bad that I dealt with it. Second, I'm already tall, so they made me look giant. Wtf?
And I always knew about POM, and when Peta said you could buy from them again because they stopped testing, I didn't get it. Why would you buy juice from a company that USED to test on animals for NO reason?
Total agreement about POM!
Worst shoes? A pair of Keds with Looney Tunes on the side. Did I mention I was in my twenties when I wore them? Hmmm....
Worst shoes? They were dubbed the "pregnancy shoes". I was due August 27th, I wore sandles that were big enough to accomodate my Cabbage Patch Kid feet. I wore them EVERYDAY. Besides the birth of my son, throwing those out was one of the best days of my life!
Good to know about POM although I don't drink their juice.
Worst shoes: hands down the PYTHON skin cowboy boots that a family friend bought me when I was about 11 years old. They had the pointiest toes ever. I had my sights set on Nashville, I wanted to be a country sanger. I think I wore them with acid wash, pleated waist jeans. Talk about a fashion disaster.
My worst shoes? Hmm....They had to be these purple/lavender suede platform shoes. They were at least two-inch platforms with a heel, not to mention totallynotvegan. I could hardly walk in them and looked so ridiculous. I was in the 8th grade. I shudder thinking about it!
I had a pair of sneakers once, I think they were Pumas, that clicked every time my right foot took a step. And it wasn't just any click, but a deep, resonant click that could easily be mistaken for a single bubble of gas escaping.
3oink63moo484 (at) gmail(.)com
My worst shoes were these god awful cream-colored high heels I 'borrowed' from my older sister for my 8th grade graduation. After 10 minutes my feet were bleeding and blistered and I had hobble on stage to pick up my little diploma.
It's astounding to me how so many companies seem to find ways to generate so much suffering. I mean, seriously now, why would a company that makes pomegranate juice be testing on animals?
Still, I'm personally a vegan who will support POM, since the point of a boycott is to a.) stop the suffering and b.) reward compassionate companies.
POM isn't just another juice company at this point, but is now alongside other compassionate juice companies like Welch's, Naked, Frutzzo, Old Orchard, Lakewood, and many others that have provided written assurances affirming that they do not fund or conduct any experiments on animals.
Which is an awesome victory and will help set precedents for other companies to abandon animal testing. :]
The worst pair of shoes I've ever owned were Etnies...those "punk rock" skater shoes all the cool kids wore in their tweens that were wider than they were long! (although, having small feet, many of my shoes appear to have those dimensions!) thanks!
I was about 18.. and vegetarian, not vegan. I had high top reeboks with bright yellow laces. And a wore them with Guess denim mini skirts.
This feels like a confession.
I must respectfully disagree on the POM issue. I was offered the free samples too, and at no point was I asked to provide a review, a blog post or any sort of endorsements or support in exchange for the free juice.
Since this has come up I feel like you've given them more promotion than had you not even mentioned it. I had no intention of writing about them on my blog, but since you and Happy Herbivore posted these pieces, I now feel somewhat forced to defend my decision to accept their freebies. The bottom line is the company no longer tests on animals, PETA has lifted their boycott and has even gone so far as to list them as a "compassionate" juice company. While I'm not big on what PETA does most of the time, I feel that in a case like this if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
I fully understand and respect your opinion on this and your decision to not accept the free samples or buy POM products. However I also feel you are being unfair in choosing to punish a company (and in turn, the bloggers that have accepted their samples) that has made real changes for the better. What motivation would companies like this have to stop animal testing if people are just going to continue boycotting them even after they agree to stop testing? I'm not saying you or anyone needs to run out and buy POM (I haven't in the past and I won't now, simply because I don't believe in paying for an overpriced bottle of fruit juice), but I don't see the point in continuing to put the pressure on people to not buy it if they want to, and I certainly don't see the harm in accepting a box of cruelty-free juice samples. I'm sorry but I'm not going to feel guilty for doing so!
I feel your efforts in this regard would be better spent fighting the companies that still engage in animal testing, rather than trying to make other bloggers feel bad for agreeing to accept a few bottles of free juice, or trying to continue sticking it to a company that's already given in to the demands for change.
As I said, they did not ask me for a review, they didn't ask me for anything accept honest feedback. My only feedback has not to do with the juice (which is delicious) but with the work they need to do on their public image which has clearly been significantly damaged and tainted by their past use of animal testing. Obviously offering a bunch of samples at a targeted group of vegan bloggers isn't going to win them any new business, and perhaps this will teach them that karma really is a bitch. I don't know what it will take for people to allow a company like POM to put the past behind them, but clearly they're going to need to be more upfront about their past mistakes and do more to amend for them in the future.
I still don't drink Pom juices, so I think you're totally on-track for refusing their samples!
The worst pair of shoes I ever owned were a pair of hiking boots that I loved the idea of, but that fit terribly. They squeezed my toes and made my feet sweat. I had, in fact, purchased a half-size too small - so it's all my fault!
The only POM drinks I've ever had were the blackberry tea blend in the glass jars...because they were on clearance. I've got a budget to stick to, so I'd rather not spend a chunk of it on juice that I can finish in 2 minutes!
Worst shoes...well, I went through a platform sneaker stage around the time of the Spice Girls, and I do still love platform shoes, but the worst pair would have to be a pair of "work boots" in lime green. This is from someone who has a shoe wardrobe of black, brown and navy. I don't know what possessed me, but I think I wore them once, then they sat in the closet until I did a big donation to a local church's thrift store.
Okay I got crazy one year and bought these weird white mary janes shoes. They puckered in the front and they had a gold buckle. I have NO idea why I bought them. TACKY!
Good for you for saying UP YOURS to POM! Dude, I get asked to review the weakest shit all the time- I'm proud of you for not only saying no but saying why!
And yeah dude, no one can top my color-changing Paula Abdul LA Gears, ok? No one.
Oooh, how fun! Worst shoes I ever owned had to span a few years. I think I had a pair of Keds in every color. What made them so *ah-hem* awesome was that I wore them without shoelaces AND I wore two different colored pairs of socks. With purple Keds shoes, the Right foot would have a pink sock on bottom and a white sock on top and the Left foot would have white on bottom and pink on top. Ugh, I just want to cringe when I look at photographs of myself from then.
Good to know about POM. About the shoes... I'd have to put in another vote for jellies the shoes of my childhood. I think wearing jellies is what started the awful trend of accepting shoes that are less than comfortable. After years of wearing uncomfortable shoes, I think I am finally making better shoe choices. Also, I've never had any success with plastic or rubber flip flops... they always rubs my skin raw :(
I had a pair of white tennis shoes that I splatter painted with neon paint. My mom was horrified when she came home and I had ruined my beautiful new white shoes.
nice post melisser. I haven't bought pom ever since I first heard about all that creepy biz. even though I know they stopped, like you said, there are plenty of other good places to get pomegranate juice.
Still though, all these blogs getting freebies and offers are starting to make me and my little blog jealous! What are we, minced (mock) meat?! :)
hmmm my worst shoes ever? hard to know. Probably those hideous plastic "jellies" I used to wear as a kiddo. Plastic shoes?! What a bad idea.
xo!
ps. ha! I just noticed that a lot of other people said jellies too. they are still very common in india, by the way - amongst the poorer people.
The worst shoes I ever owned I bought on EBay. They were cheap and I went for it. Too bad they put holes in both my heels. I was stuck in flip flops for a week.
that is so bizarre. I think the same thing every time I see POM in the store or an ad. that they are evil to the core and they only stopped because they got busted. it fires me up every single time.
hmmm... these super cute, super high platform sandals that I'm way too clumsy to walk in :) though funny for everybody else to watch.
End-of-the-world preaching and AR debating from just ONE blog post?!? Damn, girl- your comments are on FIRE tonite!
Anywho, the worst pair of shoes I ever had were these black Docs that I got for work because all the other girls had them too (first job). I obviously paid WAY too much for them, and since I wanted them so badly even though they didn't have my size, I got ones that were a little too big. Add in the steel-toe element and after a week of wearing them I looked like a freaking clown.
Gak. The teen years.
I had no idea about POM. Never bought any, I didnt find it appealing, over-priced juice that doesnt even look appealing. Though I adore Naked, no matter the price tag!
The worst shoes I have ever owned are probably a pair of little yellow flats that had red flowers on them. Don't get me wrong they were the cutest ever and looked cute on. The issue was, no matter how much I prepared to wear them, I couldn't wear them for any longer than 30 mins. If I tried to walk they'd cut my feet. The first time I wore them I was working a 8hour shift...all day on your feet in those babies. I had to wear flip-flops for a few weeks. ouch
I have to agree with everyone...my red and clear jellies were the worse!!! With socks, they look ridiculous, without socks my feet sweat so much and the blisters formed either way. I hope someone at goodwill enjoyed them more then me. Recycle and reuse!
I think the worst pair I owned were some hemp rope sandals that I had as a teenager. The entire shoe was made of hemp, and they picked up hair all the dang time. Our house was carpeted (and I have long blonde hair), so those shoes got funky pretty quickly.
I just have 2 words for you: PINK. JELLIES. need I say more?? =)
Okay so first of all...you must know that these shoes are because they are vegan and people like to stare at them. Back when I was first becoming vegetarian and needing some running shoes I happened upon this style on some site and decided they freakin rocked. I don't know what I was thinking when I saw the last options left were red/yellow. Probably that I was offbeat and quirky and could pull anything off. Guess what. I can't pull off mustard and ketchup footwear. I had to start going to my mom's gym because I was so self conscious about wearing these babies in public. Then my heels would bleed because they're sensitive and I would have bloody, mustard and ketchup shoes at the gym. I keep them in the back of my closet now so I don't have to remember that I spent 70 bucks on them.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3406/3271019800_8285372bbe.jpg
Wow, I never knew that about POM. I don't usually buy it since it is too expensive for a college student. I'm not ever going to include it on my list now.
As for shoes, I think the worst would be these huge platform sandals that I had as a teenager. They made me 3-4 inches taller, but were so ridiculous to walk or drive in!
POM is lame! Good for you!
I think the worst shoes ever (but oh, they were so beautiful!) were these 4 inch platform red fuzzy leopard print shoes I bought from Hot Topic when I was 16 or so with my first paycheck. They didn't have any ankle support and were also not flat on the bottom so I fell A LOT. Like, 10 years later I still have scars on my knees a lot!
And of course, I did not learn my lesson! I'm always covered in blisters and sores from shoes.
I had heard about Pom's issues. Good for you for sticking to your values!
My worst shoes were forced upon me in third grade. I thought they looked like men's shoes. My mom thought she could make me wear them. But I was smart. She told me to take the empty shoe box outside to the big trashcan. I put the shoes back in the box and threw them away with the box! I didn't tell her for years.
WORST SHOES EVER: Crocs! When I bought them two years ago I had just started a new retail job and needed comfy shoes. I got the ballet flats because everyone said they were comfortable but I didn't want the clogs, so I got those. This was before I knew that the owner was BFF with George W. Bush and donated lots of money to him/his causes, or else I wouldn't have gone there at all. But they were $30 and supposedly comfortable, so I wore them on my first shift (a 10-hour one, at that!) and OH MY GOD, they were horrible. They gave me blisters, they made my feet sweat unbelievably bad, they sound like your feet are farting when you walk and they were just a mess. I then dubbed them as my "garden" shoes and only wore them in the yard, but I do not understand the claims that those shoes are comfortable. They were absolutely ridiculous!
POM acts too much like blood, its so thick looking.
Worst shoes, I bought a pair of Diesels a few years ago because they were trendy and such. Nevermind they have NO arch support. I ended up walking several miles on St. Patrick's Day and my feet were a wreck for months afterwards. I could barely walk for a week. Now I stick with my Earth shoes.
Ugh. Old Navy flip flops (I know they're only like $2) are pretty horrible, and I've owned more than one pair. After about two weeks they get all tramped down and you might as well be walking on a smushed marshmallow.
As for Pom, I love all things pomegranate and tried Pom a few years ago but always thought it was too expensive. That is good to know though.
As for shoes! Ok so I used to be in love with chunky shoes. A vendor used to come to our university and sell shoes. Well I bought some and they were total frankenstein shoes. They had a thick sole and they were just super chunky! I could barely walk in them they were. I think I only wore them once because they were so hard to walk in.
The worst shoes I ever owned were these platform sandals I got when I was like 11. I could not balance in them and one day I wore them to the mall w/my brother and dad and I was looking at this rack of jewelry and I fell over right into it! It was so embarrassing, everyone was looking at me!
The worst pair of shoes... a pair of dyed wedding shoes I had to buy for a bridesmaid gown, which covered the darn things anyway. They gave me blisters, so I gave them a new home... the Red Cross clothing bin!
Worst shoes: really high platforms in shiny black vinyl that caused me to trip and fall down a hill.
I had no idea POM was involved in such an awful part of animals suffering! I will be sure never to buy their products.
Worst shoes ever, hmmm I think that would have to be some slippers that were given to me as a gift, a gift from my mom. They hurt, they were uncomfortable, and they kept falling apart. Of course being the sweet daughter that I am and because my mother loved the slippers I never said anything and she kept buying them for me over and over again. Yes, I finally told her, Please don't buy any more for me, they are cheap, nasty, slippers. I am gratful she listened.
Worst shoes ever: A pair of sandals that were so painful I bought new shoes and got rid of them mid day. I like my footwear to be super comfy.
Glad you are spreading the word about POM. What a loathsome company.
Worst shoes? 8 inch multi-colored wood platform heels. It was the 70's. I was a teenager living in Europe. Still no good excuse for wearing something I could actually fall off of!
well, hell. in the last month, i've had a pair of boots and a brand new pair of sugar shoes split apart from the sole. have you ever tried to get home from a dog walk like that? it happened to me once before at work too, in 4" platforms. not fun. so that's my bad shoe story for ya. i would love a pair of earth shoes.
xo
kittee
I can't believe that. I'm going to get new tea containers and donate mine to my value village... I can't have that in my house... I bought so many of their glass containers because they hold tea so nicely. ._. I have double the no good reason to now.
Story of shoes.
The worst shoes I ever had, were the shoes I loved the most I believe. I was fourteen, they were the only shoes my parents had ever bought for me new, from a store other than walmart, and they were perfect. This was before skater shoes were in style, but they almost looked like skater shoes, they were gray, not too sporty, and not too... not sporty. I could feel the rocks beneath my feet when I was climbing in them. (better grip that way you know) Well. The first thing to go on them was the soles. As I said before I could feel the rocks under my feet, and I liked that, I have never since been able to find shoes that mimicked that without causing me terrible foot pain. The second thing to go was the part of the shoe that bound the sole to the shoe. The belt if you will. This was in the span of two and a half months. I took great pains to hide this from my mother. I would take my shoes off in my room, I duct-taped them together and wore them. Because I had begged to get new shoes at the start of the school season, I begged and begged and wouldn't take any of my mom's advice on which shoes to get. I had to have them. Fall became winter by the time I was duct-taping them together, and winter where I hail from is wet. One shoe was more duct-tape than shoe, and consequently, more water proof. I had a wet left foot until march. As summer came, my feet began to sweat. And still I bore on, because besides having to admit to my mother that she was right. Or something, we didn't have money for shoes anyway I told myself. By the end of the school year, my mom had been remarking on how hard I was on my shoes that they would be duct taped in less than a year... But by then, my abusive shoe relationship had made me delusional. "No mother" I said "I love these shoes. No shoes could ever be so perfect." When I would take them off, it was like a stench that could not be matched, fought, or hidden. My mother STILL teases me about what happened to her socks after I wore them once that summer. I wore the socks, took them off when I got home, the formerly white socks were gray... I let them dry, thinking that it would lessen the offending odor. ... but no. They were crusty... crunchy when they went into the washing machine... and that is how they came out of the dryer. In the hottest part of the summer, my mom bought me sandals. And I wore those until September.
That is my tale.
I definitely wore toeless faux denim platforms with a zipper down the top. With white socks. Sigh.
Thanks for the heads up, I won't be reviewing or buying their products.
YAY! A giveaway!! Here's my shoe story, though it wasn't the shoes fault, it was my own airheadedness. I bought these cute little black winter boots that were on sale, put them on in the car right after I bought them and headed out to the grocery store. I walked around the store with my new boots and everyone seemed to be looking at my feet. Needless to say I felt really cool because everyone was checking out my new boots. No, no. They weren't checking out the boots, it was the gigantic white price tag that was on the side of one boot. I forgot to cut it off, typical me! :)
My bad shoe story...when I was 14, my parents and I were at a mall (back when malls were still exciting and cool) and I spied a pair of knee-high, black suede moccasin boots. I was entranced by them...I thought they were SO exotic and hippie-ish. They were $50...a LOT of money at the time...so I had to save up for them.
Finally, when I had enough money, I bought my coveted boots. I hadn't realized that they lamely laced up the sides (instead of the front, which was much cooler looking) and the thin strips of suede didn't hold the boots up at all, so they were always droopy. The only thing between the sole of the foot and the concrete was a thin piece of leather, and of course they smelled disgusting and stained all my socks black. A couple years later I became anti-leather and would NEVER have bought such a terrible pair of boots.
My worst shoes...well they weren't technically mine. See, my family got a box of hand-me-downs from a family friend who's son had just gone through a big growth spurt, and he had these men's size 9 or 10 hiking boots that didn't fit him anymore. I was like 8 at this point and still wearing children's sized shoes, but I insisted on wearing these gargantuan hiking boots when I went running around in the woods near my house, even though they made me trip over myself and any rocks and branches more than I would have in normal sneakers.
...I was kinda weird.
I thought POM was over-priced yuppy juice, but I didn't know they were also scummy. Glad you've got some ethics on the tester front!
I'm probably out for the draw since I'm in Francy-pants, but I *do* have loads of addresses in the US I could have them sent to, or I could use it as a gift for a US friend or family member...
Worst shoes were the ones I wore for my wedding - the highest heels I'd ever had, sexy black, and so painful that after the 10 minute ceremony I put my combat boots on.
You argument is null. POM stopped animal testing and changed their ways, much like how you used to eat animal flesh and products and changed your ways. It is hypocritical of you to not acknowledge that sometimes companies and people like yourself have made poor decisions in the past, but are now doing the right thing.
VeganBattleBot- Agreed, it is great that POM has stopped the testing. I agree the point of a boycott is to stop the suffering, but I have a hard time rewarding people for doing what they should have been doing all along. Different people feel differently after a boycott ends & I don't look down on those who choose to reward companies who do the right thing, I just don't feel comfortable giving them support myself.
Foodeater- My post was not intended to make other bloggers feel bad. I chose to express my feelings on the situation & make mention of the offers bloggers are given. I don't believe companies are highly affected post-boycott if there are people who continue not to support the brand, as we live in a world with many options. I think many times companies change their ways only to get the negative press to stop. This could be incorrect though, as I make no claims to know it all, I am going on feeling here, which is what my post comes from.
Anonymous- I understand & respect your opinion, but I don't feel that it's hypocritical to not feel comfortable supporting a company who's ethics I am questioning. Yes, I did once make unethical choices, but I am not contacting people asking them to rally in my favor, nor am I expecting anyone to take my word as truth. I did acknowledge that POM is now doing the right thing, I just happened to also state my opinion on them now. There are other options out there & I feel more comfortable supporting them.
Thanks for posting about POM, I had no idea and have bought it in the past. I won't be supporting them again!
I can talk about ugly shoes, or shoes that fell apart almost instantaneously, but I'll tell you about the great red No Sweat high tops I ordered online during 2007. They were heavily discounted so I followed the stores suggestions and bought the size recommended. I wore them only once to a bar a block from my apartment to meet friends before I wore them all the way to North Brooklyn (yes, it's a loooong trip, like, 20 minutes from where I live in South Brooklyn). So, I never got a chance to break them in, but because they were sneakers, I didn't think it was necessary. En route to North Brooklyn: A friend and I were on our way to see The Thermals play. The hated G train wasn't moving at all, so we found a cab on 4th Ave and took it to Williamsburg. So, it wasn't until I was in the venue and standing for about 40 minutes that I questioned whether my shoes fit. I started shifting around on my feet a lot, trying to find a good stance. By the time The Thermals came on, I knew that I bought a pair of shoes 1/2 a size too small. I couldn't enjoy the band AT ALL. (I just saw The Thermals again and they sounded sooo much better because I was in proper footwear.) All I wanted to do was go home and rip those not fun kicks off my very, very sore feet. I eventually donated the sneakers, hopefully someone with smaller feet than mine own them now.
oh man. first i was thinking of jellies, but they conformed so well to my feet. sure the soles would get filled with rocks and i'd have to remove said rocks before i was walking comfortably again, and my feet would sweat, but they were actually comfortable.
then i was thinking of these all-foam platform sandals. they were also comfortable, but when it's wet, the footbed is dangerously slippery, and my ankles dared to sprain quite a few times. and i think they DID cause a sprain once.
which leads me to my official answer. all flip-flops with the part that goes between your big toe and the next. those are so freaking uncomfortable! i without a doubt rub my skin raw within 10 minutes of wearing them. insanity! i'm just not built for the flip-flop world of foot apparel.
and if we ever do a review of pomegranate drinks, i would include pom. because you know that'd be a flaw in the review, and people would be like, oh, pom is probably tastier anyway, they didn't include it in the review, so we'll never know. we'd be giving them free press anyway, why not actually review the dern stuff, and prove or disprove the superiority. (hopefully disprove.)
Thanks for the info on POM. The little bottles are cute and always look so tempting. Plus they are usually right about the tofu in my grocery store!
My worst pair of shoes were a lime green flip flop with a cute beaded flower on top. The first time I wore them to walk to lecture they started to hurt. By the time I had to walk back to my place that night my feet were so blistered and bleeding that I just took them off and walked in the grass for the whole half hour. Why I actually carried them home is BEYOND me. I should have thrown them in the nearest trash can!
That was interesting info on POM. Like most others, I don't buy their juice. TOO spendy!
How COOL, with the Earth Shoes offer!!?? I got my pair of Earth Shoes @ http://www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com/ LOVE them!
My least favorite shoes...VANS. I bought a pair of mens, as I liked their style better. They came up WAY too high on my achilles tendon. MAN, that was a long day!
i would LOVE some of those shoes!!
I never wear high heels. For a classy family meeting, I bought a brand new pair. they were beautiful. i think i can say it was the worst shoes i ever got because as i arrive to the meeting, i put the shoes in my feet and one of the heel broke...
When I was in Jr. High, before I became a vegan, I BEGGED my mom to buy me these HIDEOUS pink, suede boots. They were bright pink and came up to my ankles. I must admit that they were very comfy, but the design alone was enough for me to hate them after about 2 weeks. I still can't believe my mom gave in to my pleas.
brittny dot hacker at gmail dot com
I'm glad you informed us about POM. I'll make sure to let all of my friends know about their history.
thanks for the heads up on POM. that's just effed up- it's juice for chrissakes... ugh.
as for the worst shoes ever... have to be faux-leather platform knee-high lace-up boots from Hot Topic!!! back when I (thought I was) goth/punk I picked some up... they only had a size too big... so not only am I tottering around on 3-inch platforms, but I have clown feet to boot! hahaha those shoes were given to charity once I realized that my feet (and level of awesomeness in general) just could not fill the boots.
Oh, I didn't know that about POM.(I tried some at a friend's house and didn't like it anyway. I would rather eat my pomegranate fresh than drink it)
My worst shoes were an all wood foot-shaped footbed sandal with a cloth toe strap. Not only were they uncomfortable but they caused a rancid foot sweat, which frothed and looked the sweat from an over-exerted horse.
I didn't know that about POM either... hm. Forget them!
The worst shoes I ever owned were a high heeled pair, with wide brown straps and open toes. I wore them last New Year's Eve, and the straps stretched so much my feet were falling out the front, and the straps cutting my feet. I had to walk to my hotel at the end of the night (in Toronto! in Winter!) in BARE FEET - the snow and gross factor were less painful than the shoes. (and less painful than the toenail that subsequently fell off).
gotta be my pink reebok freestyle hi tops with the two little velcro fasteners at the top. back when i was in middle school, i thought i was so cool and wore them every day. they really went well with my braces and perm. nothing has compared to them since.
Glad to know about POM, I haven't purchased anything of theirs in years, but I'll certainly think twice now.
I owned my worst pair of shoes in middle school (nothing is not totally awkward slash who didn't?). They were a pair of chunky-heeled black and cream sneakers. I think that I wore them (and probably too-short jeans) everyday for about three months. For some reason (maybe because they were hideous) I relegated them to the closet, where I think they sat until I finally donated them about five years later (I doubt that anyone at the pantry could love them).
I remember having some chunky-heeled, grey jellies. I think we all agree, this trend must never return!!!
The absolute worst pair of shoes I ever had were Nine West boots. My best friend and I bought the same pair, because we were cool like that. Not only were they leather, but they were the most uncomfortable shoes I have ever worn in my whole life. What a waste of $100.
Thanks for the POM news. I had no idea!
Oh man, I was in junior high. My mom bought me a pair of cheap dollar store Keds knock offs (before Keds were cool for a hot second in the 90's) for basketball. All the other girls had nice Nike hightops and I had these horrible, white canvas, not even remotely athletic, shoes. I left them outside hoping they would get ruined or stolen but she made me wear them anyway. It was mortifying.
I've heard that info about POM somewhere too. Anyways it's good to be informed about things like this.
My worst pair of shoes were a pair of dressier thong type, cork heeled sandals. These weren't cheap sandals either. There was a medal round piece that sat on the top of the foot, connected by the strap through the toe, anyhow, I was wearing them all night and the top of my foot had been hurting, I looked and where the medal piece was my foot was red and greenish color. Then the strap that is between the toes came out of the shoe. Lovely isn't it.
Ugh, I had no idea about Pom. Thanks so much.
The worst pair of shoes I ever owned were Keds, in almost every color. I just kept buying them because of the unfussy lines and the price. But they were so flat and never did fit well -- at that time in my life I never did walk quite right!
Oh my gosh, thanks for sharing! I like eating pomegranates or topping them off my cereal and such, not necessarily drinking it...
And as for shoes? Ugh, the worst shoes were the these ballet flats that gave me stupid blisters. :(
i don't drink POM, but it's good info to know to spread the word to friends.
my worst pair of shoes? a nasty black pair of sandals that were too small. had to wear them because my mom had bought them for me for my birthday. so tight they hurt. no fun.
When I was in 4th grade I owned a pair of blue tennis shoes that were on top of these massive, clunky, three-inch high, white rubber platforms. I thought they were the coolest shoes ever because I was suddenly taller than all of my classmates, but looking back they were just atrocious . . . not to mention that they weighed several pounds each!
Thanks for sharing the POM info, and I'm enjoying reading the alternate viewpoints in your comments, too.
As for shoes... hmm! I think I had a pair of those light-up sneakers once. Those things are kind of obnoxious, though they're not NEARLY as bad as the horrible sneakers-with-built-in-wheels the kids are wearing these days!
my worst shoes were sandals with really slick bottoms. everytime I wore them I would slide down the stairs and fall on my butt because the had no traction! thanks for the pom fyi!
good for you for not promoting POM....
another reason you rock, and this wicked give away...
anywho, my shoe drama is happening right now....
I found these awesome cowboy boots on vegan essentials and had to get them...the have stars and a lil cowboy and they are red....how could i resist....
well i have worn them once and they killed me...
i think i walked for five minutes and had blisters on every rub....
but being stubborn i am going to give them another shot...i just have not been able to brave it yet...
if you could see them you would understand...
ha...
Worst shoes ever were a pair of crappy synthetic ballet flats that I bought out of desperation when I couldn't find anything else vegan, my style, and office-worthy. I wore them out walking for half a day in Milan and had to stop at a pharmacy to bandage up my feet from the blisters ALL over. I was practically limping for the entire rest of the day.
Oh well, at least they were cheap!
Definitely jelly shoes. Remember those? I had a pair that had a ton of little holes punched all over them and I'd constantly get little blisters that would pop thru the holes! ACK!
When I was younger than 10, I was on a T-Ball team. From the outside, it likely looked an all boys team. Trim bowl cuts all around. If anyone had been paying special attention, they would have noticed that one of the team's members was wearing a pair of Miss Priss high tops with neon pink laces. I was that girl! They were prized, those stalwart harbingers of my gender, but they were equally as gaudy and gross.
Look at all these comments! Even one about armaggeddon. Intense.
I feel exactly the same way about POM. Yay for stopping the testing, but that doesn't mean I'll buy it now either. Also, it's too expensive. Pomegranate juice is delicious, though...
I'm always down for a drawing. I'm horrible at shoe shopping. Mostly because I refuse to spend more than $30 on a pair of shoes, and shoes in that price range tend to be of poor quality. Twice this year I have worn a new pair of dressy shoes to the first day of a new job, and twice I have had full-blown bleeding blisters within the first few hours. One of those pairs of shoes is still in my closet, because maybe one day they won't make me bleed?
I love Earth shoes too much to pass this up!
Worst shoes: a used pair of pumas circa the late 90s. My feet rekindled the essence of the owner past and together created an odorous set of kicks!
What a great post, Melisser! I had no idea about POM doing animal testing in the past. Thank you for sharing this information!
Ok, worst shoes, Crocs, hands down. I bought a pair when I worked at a health food grocer / juice bar. I don't care how comfy these shoes are. They are just plain awful for a grown woman to wear outside of doing yardwork.
Hey! I'm having a big fat giveaway on my blog too! Check it out, would ya?
xoxo,
Amy
my worst pair of shoes is probably a tie between the 2 pairs I have right now. One I have had for a few years. I bought them online as a slip on shoe that I bought specifically for work so I could walk to work n the snow wearing my boots and change into the slip on canvas shoes once I got there. I thought they would be cool. They are cheapo skull and Xbone print that cost under $10, but I bought a half size up so they would slip on easier and came to find out that they ran a whole size too big. So now the only pair of shoes I own that don't have big holes in the bottom look like clown shoes on me, plus they are super wide, which normally wouldn't be a problem but since they are so big they look HUGE! They also hurt my feet if I wear them too often because my feet move around in them, but I don't have much of a choice because all my other shoes have holes in the bottom and I can't afford to buy new shoes right now.
The other ones I have are awful because they are really uncomfortable, my feet never got used to them and they have big holes in the bottom from minimal wear. Another $15 wasted! I really need to learn to spend more on shoes in the future I think.
and I have no idea why that posted as anonymous, sorry!
Thanks for the information about POM! I probably wouldn't have bought their juices anyway, but now I'll be sure to avoid them.
The worst shoes I've ever had were a pair of maryjanes that rubbed against my heels and made them bleed. I liked the way they looked so much that I would always forget how painful they were and wear them anyway. These days I just wear sneakers most of the time.
When I was 13 I bought some clear jelly shoes because they were the coolest thing in the world then. The trauma is not so much in the physical shoe itself, but the way I wore them. ALL YEAR ROUND. In snow, with pink hello kitty socks underneath. Eventually with duck tape holding them together. Until I was 15. 15!!!!!
Thanks for doing the giveaway, and that's good to know about POM. It's gross tasting anyway.
My worst pair of shoes were vegan shoes I got at Payless shoes - they were cute maryjane style shoes but the heel was a squishy rubber and had no support and made my knees HURT!
The worst pair of shoes i have ever owned were these stupid Forest Gump corrective booties my grandma insisted i wore because she thought i would walk pigeon toed and boy where they uncomfortable AND they were white AND leather ewwwwwww......
I like your style. Who needs free POM anyway? I have the same contest on my blog, but $50 instead of $100. My worst shoes hurt like heck but were super stylish at the time: 80's hot pink jellies! They looked good with my sleeve of colorful rubber Madonna bracelets, ha!
The worst pair of shoes I ever owned were a pair of plastic see through "tennis" shoes thaI used to wear colorful socks under. The sole of the shoe even glowed in the dark.
It's no wonder I was a nerd in school.
Thanks for the POM info, I had no idea.
Those incredibly strappy stiletto heals from payless. Painful as hell.
My worst and favorite pair of shoes were the jellies you would wear when you were eight-years-old- not when you're twenty as I did! Not only were they age-inappropriate, they were culturally unacceptable because I refused to wear matching colors. My favorite colors are orange and green, and I bought two pairs expressly to mix them up. The cheap plastic split after a couple of weeks but I kept them for a couple of years. The most horrific story relating to this pair... they gave me a basket-patterned tan on my feet.
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americanenglish@gmail.com
there seems to be a consensus that Jellys are just insanely awful. i had a pair, and they were the WORST for summer because ... well ... they were plastic!
I had no idea about POM! Gross.
The worst shoes I had were these awesome bronze and gold strappy things I got for prom that fell apart before I even got to prom. I stepped out of my car at the pre-prom restaurant and the straps broke. Prom was a total bust.
E-mail is mademoiselleguillotine at gmail.com
My worst shoes ever only lasted a few minutes after I put them on at home. I was getting ready for a big holiday party and had splurged on some beautiful strappy heels. At the store, I was sure I could wear them for hours, but when I was dressing for the party I decided to wear them around the house to get used to them. Yeah, they lasted a few minutes. I realized there was no way I could make it through the night in them. I hated giving up my dream of those sexy shoes, but my practical side took over and I substituted comfy shoes instead.
One day I'll find some sexy shoes that I can live with!
you write a food blog...and you're vegan? that's funny. any good chef would also have a nice laugh at that. priceless.
Worst shoes...let me see...probably a pair of cheezy knee high brown boots from Target years ago! So uncomfortable! Target has come along way since!!
I didn't know that about POM. That sucks because it's so tasty.
worst shoes i've ever owned? probably the pair of pink, strappy, rhinestone studded heels i wore to my junior and senior prom. what i was thinking is beyond me since i like neither pastel pink nor rhinestones nor heels. also, i can't walk well in heels, so after pictures, and a perilous walk into prom clutching my date's arm for support, i ditched them for flip flops. ahhh high school -- such horrid fashion decisions.
Thanks for the enlightening news about POM - don't really like the stuff but now there's more reason not to shell out.
Worst pair of shoes ... there's a lot of competition, but I would have to say it's a cheap pair of vegan slip-on ballerina shoes with a strap that I bought really cheap, but which didn't quite fit and gave me a bunion. I was 24 with a bunion, gross eh? Plus I got a hole in the sole after about 2 montsh.
Oh, heck - I had those L.A. Gear hi-tops! I think the laces were hot pink, black, and white. Terrible!
On another note, I wish Earth would bring back their vegan Pirouette shoes! (And expand their vegan line in general!)
I'm still waiting for my pastel yellow 'Roos to come back in style. Oh wait, they were never in style! They made my feet look like bananas, and that handy little pocket just added to the flyness.
Worst shoes...? Reebok high-tops in the late 80's. White with the interchangeable color stripes that snapped in and out. But what made them really bad was that regardless of the weather I wore at least 2, often 3, pairs of long scrunchy socks, each scrunched down so that you could see the color(s) above it, ice cream cone style. Oh heavens, you can imagine how much sock laundry I had to help my mom with (I was in elementary school).
Stupid POM. Thank you for not accepting them. You said it all so articulately already, so there isn't much to add, except SHAME ON THEM!
One poor shoe choice of mine, were those platform sandals that were "cool" in the early 2000's. Yep I got my cheap pair at Old Navy and wore those clunky pieces of crap even though my ankles kept slipping. Now I know, flip flop sandals are meant to be comfortable not clunky, hard on your ankles, and UGLY!
-Teresa (formerly maybepigscanfly)
my worst shoes ever were a pair of teal ballet flats. gorgeous color, but totally not made with human feet in mind. they were made of some sort of pleather-like material, and the edges gouged through all of my exposed skin, leaving a horrible outline/scab around my feet for a week.
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