[marketplace] why I love the shoes of tomorrow

Finally, a TOMS post! When I was an undergrad a couple years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to an up-and-coming organization with an interesting idea, buy a pair of shoes and they'll give another pair away to a child in South America or Africa. Since then, Blake Mycoskie's TOMS Shoes has absolutely exploded. In New York, I see them everywhere, even being sold in stores like Neiman Marcus. They have a commercial with AT&T, which is pretty cool. Plus, a few years ago I had to Google "toms shoes" now just "toms" is enough. That's how you know you've made it.

So here are five reasons why I love TOMS:

1. They are truly stylish and comfortable. I love how they are simple in style, perfectly fitting your feet without the bells and whistles, and that they are inspired by Argentinian cloth shoes. My pink and canvas classic TOMS (shown above) have lasted me through trips in West Africa and Asia, from the dusty trails near Cape Coast to the wet fish markets of Hong Kong to the mall (and trust me, I don't really take good care of them).

(that's me and my TOMS in Northern Ghana. photo by Jaimie Shaff, 2008)

2. Cordones. I just tried on my cousin's charcoal pair a few days ago, and they are unbelievably comfortable, like wrapping your feet in soft, downy cotton. Add a moleskin notebook and a well-trimmed mustache, and you're instantly a 1950s ex-pat poet living in a balmy, tropical place!

3. When their lives as shoes have run their course, you can take the leather soles and do a little diy crafting. Leather bracelet with a TOMS logo? Cute! I've even seen a TOMS soccer ball made entirely out of those soles. Awesome!

4. It's fun wearing and seeing others wear their convictions on their feet. True, the world is full of huge problems, and we often feel powerless to do something, to help people "over there." But as consumers in the US, we have incredible power everyday just by what we choose to purchase. The fact that TOMS is so trendy now shows that consumers care, and are willing to pay a little extra to do some good. More and more I'm able to be pleasantly surprised when I look down because I see people wearing TOMS--it's such a great feeling, being proud of complete strangers.

5. The final and best reason, the One for One Movement. Go to their YouTube channel and watch a shoe drop, your heart will just lift. I remember when CHILD(not)SOLDIER at NYU hosted a TOMS "design your own shoes" party, a volunteer told me that in many places like Sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia, there are soil-transmitted diseases that are just devastating for the people living there. It prevents adults from working and children from going to school, and all it takes to combat these parasites are shoes. Giving shoes to children who don't have them protects their feet, protects their bodies, allows them to go to school, and of course, lets them play!

(cordones and smiley kids)