Comfortable Shoes for a Cause

I tend to prefer a heel with my shoes, preferably in a good boot. Being one of the tallest girls in school when I was younger - as well as the shy, new kid with the funny accent - it took me until I was an adult to not only be proud of my height, but realize I'm more comfortable in heels. It's one of the things I admire about one of my nieces - she's 5'11" and has always celebrated her height, and worn shoes that make her even taller. 

But sometimes your feet need a break in a comfortable flat. The flats I found in a Marie Claire article (Feel-Good Fashion: Friends of Finn) are not only rather funky, they're for a good cause. Being a huge dog lover, of course I think the little doggie bones decorating the shoes are pretty cute as well.

When the author of the article, Amanda Hearst, found her Dachshund/Chihuahua mix, Finnegan, she was told he came from a loving breeder. After finding out that he actually came from a puppy mill, she worked with the Humane Society and formed the HSUS' Friends of Finn (FOF):

"Three years ago, I bought my dog, Finnegan, at a pet store in New York City. I know what you're thinking: Why not adopt from a shelter? It's true, adoption is ideal, but one glance at Finn and I was done—you can't help who, or what, you love. Sure, I'd heard the stats: More than 90 percent of pet store dogs are from puppy mills, those notorious facilities where female dogs are bred until they die and animals are forced to live in cramped, crippling crates. But the shopkeeper told me Finn was from a trusted, loving breeder, even giving me his family tree. Well, that was a lie. With help from the Human Society of the United States (HSUS), I did research into Finn's background and learned that he was, in fact, among that 90 percent. Even worse, his mother was still there and likely never to get out.

That's when I formed the HSUS' Friends of Finn (FOF), a group that raises money and awareness to end the billion-dollar puppy mill industry in this country. Two years, more than a half a million dollars raised, and several puppy mill raids later, I'm excited to debut our first fashion collaboration: special-edition Soludos espadrilles to benefit FOF. The one-of-a-kind pattern, which I helped design, consists of tiny dog bones, a nod to the cause. And they're unisex."

I applaud Amanda in her efforts. So why not wear something comfortable that's also for a good cause? Besides, it's a rather fun way to celebrate our furry friends in the process.