Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read
Finding the Perfect Red Shoe and My Way Back Home
Ever since I saw Dorothy wearing the bow adored glittery red heels in the Wizard of Oz movie, I was drawn in. I searched for YEARS to find a copy of the beautiful ruby slippers so I could wear some too but I had no luck. I’ve bought many other red shoes over the years that I’ve loved and treasured and later realized I didn’t really need the SAME red shoes as Dorothy.
My dog, Minnie Pearl, hangs out with me on my mushroom stool sometimes while I create
I ended up growing into a person that doesn’t need the same things as everyone else and I’m okay with that. I like trends, however wearing the exact same thing as someone else can be a fashion faux pas, along with wearing shoes that hurt, uncomfortable clothes and more.
It’s not wrong, it’s just not something I love to do as it seems to make one’s individuality not quite stand out and I don’t like to be uncomfortable in clothes and shoes all day. Painful fashion puts me in a bad mood!
I love a beautiful red pointe shoe
This reasoning is why I didn’t make a bunch of bridesmaids wear the same thing in my wedding. I only had my sister as an attendant, and I let her choose her own dress. I understand people’s individuality and believe it’s always important for others to understand this too. I like the thought of wearing the same color for consistency, but not everyone looks great or feels comfortable in the same style dress. This also is the same for shoes. Not everyone can do heels, and my feet agree, though I do love them still.
My dogs inspire me!
With the first pair of red heels I bought as an adult (I labeled the box “Dorothy shoes” as they are satin heels with little bows, but not sparkly), I knew the red shoe was going to play a big role in my life. I don’t know how, but with the timing of me finding the red shoe and the little yellow brick alley way next to the dilapidated house my husband and I bought in a foreclosure and renovated for many years, it seemed as if the message was that I had a big life adventure ahead of me.
God knew my plans, shook her head, and laughed a bit. My God has a sense of humor that I now know well.
This dress was from Urban Outfitters many years ago!
Becoming the new owner of the red sparkly heels was a pivotable moment in Dorothy’s life too. When she put the red shoes on, she became magical and special. The shoes made her life adventure of finding her way back home easier and the friends she made along the way helped too. I’ve bought red shoes over the years and every time I wear them, I feel special and magical and even powerful, just like Dorothy.
A thrifted shirt, Spanx leggings and the fringe boot
Looking at a red shoe also takes my brain on adventures, down memory lane, which inspires my future too as I get more and more back to myself. Getting back WHO I AM has been a LONG journey and with finishing that renovation of that house with a yellow brick alleyway (oh it was a mess, but we made it beautiful again!) to moving to a new state (we moved from Kentucky to Florida) in 2020, then having my Sanibel Island Florida house hit by the massive Hurricane Ian in 2022, and now dealing with traumas from it and other life’s events and pushing myself through a new form of therapy to me, EMDR, it’s not been easy but I’m doing it and feel more “at home” with myself than ever.
I love fringe, especially when it sparkles!
The red shoe stands out to me now again, symbolically, as I embark on this life journey of healing, getting closer to loved ones, making new friends and finding my way “home” (we have plans to move to Georgia after selling our Florida house), and I feel my life lessons are similar to the lessons we learn in movies like the Wizard of Oz.
Not all our journeys are the same, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong. I didn’t follow the “typical” journey many go on, but it’s my life and I’m enjoying the exploration and look forward to where I end up next.
God is by my side, and I am safe, as is the same for you and whatever journey you are on.
I love a velcro roller and used them to style my hair in my ballet pointe shoe photos here in this article
I will always look at a red shoe and think of Dorothy and my own personal journey of finding my way back home to ME. As the saying goes “it’s about the journey, not the destination” and I’m really thinking that is truly what life is all about.
My fringe tee can be made easily and it’s linked at the bottom of this page
Read on to learn about my current red shoe loves. Shop some of my outfits here on my ShopMy page and you can also find my fashion loves on my Amazon Shop too!
See me make the cute sparkly pipe cleaner wand in my 1-minute video above or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.
My outfit is inspired by Sabrina Carpenter’s video Manchild
The Red Boot
In 2025, with the “summer red shoe” being a trend on social media, the fashion world and more, I was drawn back to the red shoe. I bought a sparkly red fringe boot on Amazon and while I don’t wear them all the time in Southwest Florida, I look at them and smile. When I wear them, I am transformed to my travel adventures in Nashville Tennessee and am hoping to go line dancing there at some point. I even found classes there that look like lots of fun!
I can still get up on my toes!
The Red Pointe Shoe
I bought a red pointe shoe in 2024 from Amazon with plans to adorn it with red rhinestones, but haven’t yet. I’ll get to them. In the meantime, I placed them on my feet and was taken back to my memories of wanting so badly to advance to the toe shoe in my ballet classes. That dream unfortunately never came true, and I’m sure my feet thank me for it now!
I had a good turnout in my ballet classes as a kid
However, I have my red pointe shoe to look at and wear for photo shoots on occasion and they remind me of how a ballerina that wears them STANDS OUT, is PASSIONATE, and full of ARTISTIC EXPRESSION, just like in The Red Shoes, a story by Hans Christian Andersen, which was made into a movie.
The Red Jelly
I also love my Target red jelly ballet flats. They are comfy, are perfect for summery poolside or beachy days as they are waterproof. Read about my love of jelly shoes in this article and learn about my Target jellies here.
If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Fringe Tee with a No Sew Hem
Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.