apparently, it was cool and trendy to wear toms like 2 years ago. but i just got on the bandwagon back in the spring, so i'm a little late. when it came time to buy a new pair of shoes for winter (because the new balance tennis shoes i normally wear when it gets cold -- because, when it gets cold, i quit really caring about fashion -- are officially out of commission thanks to some heavy duty yard work), i decided that i really couldn't go wrong with buying a new pair of toms.
boy, did i underestimate how much i really couldn't go wrong with another pair of toms. i own 2 pairs of classic toms. if you have no idea what classic toms are, you basically just slip them on your bare feet and go. i've seen people with a funky (and, in my opinion, enviable) fashion sense wear socks with classic toms, but i didn't think i could pull that look. so i decided to purchase a pair of toms with laces so that i could get the functionality of a tennis shoe (ie, so my whole foot would be covered up in the chilly weather). here's what i got (laces not pictured):
now i'm going to encourage you to buy a pair of toms. any pair. why? well, my assumption is that, like me, it might be time for you to buy a new pair of shoes for winter. and toms has quite possibly the best business model aside from just simply giving stuff away for free to everybody. when you buy a pair of toms, toms will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. i just recently read the first annual toms giving report, and it's incredible how much thought toms has put into how they distribute shoes around the world. they not only work with non-profits (like world vision!) on the ground in places like ethiopia(!) to determine where the most need exists, but they also continue to supply children with shoes knowing that most children outgrow a pair of shoes every 6 months. and because toms serves children in different types of climate and terrain, toms has been intentional about designing particular shoes for particular locations.
since most of us have never lived in a place where shoes are a luxury, it might also be helpful to point out that something as simple as not having a pair of shoes can be a huge barrier to a child's upward mobility. many schools require children to wear shoes, so not having shoes can prevent many children from getting an education. not having shoes can also be fatal. children who walk barefoot in many third world countries are susceptible to parasites and infections that can kill them if not treated. and if these parasites are not fatal, they are often very painful. many children suffer daily from itching and burning caused by jiggers, small mites that dig into the feet.
if you are planning to invest in a pair of shoes this winter, please consider buying a pair of toms. i know of no other company or brand name or designer that has a "one for one" business model. and quite honestly, it just seems silly to invest in any other pair of shoes knowing that you could literally be sparing the life of a child just by being intentional about the shoes you purchase. you can check out the many different varieties of toms shoes here.
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