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Faithful to the sole: Shoe lovers unite to kick up their heels at Atlanta branch of club
By Nedra Rhone
Click. Clink. Clack. Another meeting of Atlanta's Hello Stiletto Shoe Club has come to order. "Where did you get those?" asked Kim Sutherland, pointing to the faux-snakeskin 3-inch heels on Shannon Moats' feet. Sutherland, 33, of west Cobb, who was wearing Enzo Angiolini black-and-white open-toe pumps, leaned in for a closer look. "I gotta get those." And so it went for about two hours as 10 women and 20 shoes met for cocktails and chatter at Twist in Phipps Plaza. "Women look for any excuse to buy a new pair of shoes. It's a universal thing, it bonds women everywhere," said Amanda Viciana, who wore strappy black heels. "This is an excuse to get out and wear them and to buy more." Viciana, 32, the Atlanta shoe club coordinator, admits she isn't quite as much of a shoe fanatic as many other women —- her 85 pairs are paltry compared with the hundreds owned by the truly shoe-obsessed —- but for the monthly shoe club meetings she launched in March, it matters not how many pairs of shoes reside at home in the closet, only that the hottest, coolest pair is on your feet that night. The shoe club was founded in 2004 by Viciana's sister, Melissa O'Shea of Medford, Mass. It was mostly a joke back then; just an excuse to hang out with girlfriends and wear the shoes they didn't get to wear on a run-of-the-mill day at work. But then it grew. To a total of 967 members, and chapters in three other cities, including Chicago and Naples, Fla. When Viciana moved to Marietta 18 months ago, O'Shea persuaded her to hold an Atlanta party. The first few gatherings were mostly women in Viciana's social circle, a somewhat homogeneous group close in age (30-ish) and stage of life (married moms). But the more they went out, the more they got noticed, and the more women they attracted. The Atlanta club now has about 100 members, and gatherings generally draw about 15 to 20 attendees. Viciana emphasizes that the club is open to all. "It's a group for anyone who loves shoes, whether you are 15 or 100," she said, standing near the bar where the ladies were sipping wine, enjoying appetizers and dishing about pets, families and, of course, shoes. Sarah Owens, 29, of Marietta hasn't missed a meeting. "It's a great way to meet new people," she said. "It's impractical to wear stilettos on Tuesday morning when you take your kid to Gymboree, so this is a nice opportunity to feel pretty." Owens, in a pair of cork-heeled wedges, challenges herself to find a pair of shoes in her closet instead of buying a pair every month for the event. She's failed only once. But Meghan Fincher, 32, of Acworth takes the opposite approach. "I try to go out and buy a new pair because it's only once a month," she said. This month, Fincher opted for perforated jelly pumps in light pink that her sister purchased in California. First-time attendee Carol Lynn Hutchins, 34, of Suwanee decided to go high-end with her bejeweled Christian Lacroix sandals. "I bought them last fall and I thought I was never going to wear them," Hutchins said. As the evening (and the shoes) wore on, the women migrated to a sitting area near the bar. Even in comfy black polka dot sandals, at seven months pregnant, Julie Taylor, 30, of west Marietta knew when to take a seat. Soon it was time for the shoe awards, and Viciana circled, taking votes and resolving a tie before announcing the winners: Most Outrageous went to Fincher's jellies. Sexiest were Hutchins' Lacroix's. And Sutherland nabbed Best in Shoe for the contrast pumps (an anniversary gift from her husband). As Viciana handed out gifts, everyone applauded the winners and resumed chatting. Not sure if your shoes are up to Atlanta shoe club snuff? Not an issue, said Viciana. "We say if you love your shoes . . . we don't care if they are Payless or Manolos. All shoes are welcome." SHOE CLUB DETAILS For more information on the Hello Stiletto Shoe Club, visit www.shoeclub.us.
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