New shoes!

Hare you heard of Sseko designs? The sandals are made in Uganda by women to earn money for their University tuition.
I read bout them last fall on Design Mom and fell immediately in love.
Part of the reason has to do with Marilyn Monroe.

In our late teenage years Barefoot Cassandra and I went through a Marilyn phase. We watched her movies at every sleep-over, we bought her CD's and sang along. (We can do every number from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" with the two of us switching off between the Marilyn part and the Jane Russell part.) And we coveted her shoes.
If I ever find a pair of white sandals like the pair from Seven year Itch, my credit card will be in my hand before I have time to blink.

Of all the hundreds of reincarnations of the Seven Year Itch air vent scene I've encountered, only one got the shoes right. Not even the display at Universal Studios came close.
Anyway, (that was a tangent) besides those, Barefoot and I always admired the acrylic pair with interchangeable ribbons pictured below.
I've never heard much about these shoes, but in addition to the photos from this Harold Lloyd shoot, I found photographic evidence of her wearing them with white, black, and green ribbons.

My New Ssekos are not nearly as glamorous as Miss Monroe's acrylic platform sandals, but they're a lot more wearable for such a one as myself, and buying them helps people!

I was just going to buy the one pair of straps because five minutes in my sewing room could give me a new set in any color found in my stash but I went ahead and got straps in green, aqua and red as well because every pair get's those girls a little closer to their education...also I didn't really feel like making straps. Let's focus on the "helping hand" portion of the decision rather than the "lazy" portion kay?

I stayed up late last night to paint my toenails so I could take a proper photo of my new sandals first thing this morning.

I mostly planned on wearing them with skirts for the full effect of the laces, but I like them tucked under skinny jeans too.
Another thing you should know, this style of ankle laces have a tendency to slip and be a general nuisance. (I have 3 other pairs that lace similarly. I know. It's a sickness) But these stay put really well.
So, to sum up. Ssekos are great, everybody should buy a pair! (I know it sounds like it, but no. I was not compensated for this post. I am way too small potatoes for that kind of thing)