I think it’s a fair to say that 95.3% of women have some sort of shoe addiction. Mine comes in the form of anything with a sole, but as I’ve recently discovered, when buying a pair of shoes with more ‘soul’ than sole, that addiction can be increased tenfold, Happies.
TOMS Shoes is my latest addiction of choice, and after stumbling across the brand in Hawaii last September, I decided to make the purchase in New York more recently. These red ones, to be precise, the very pair celebrity Agyness Deyn is wearing in this picture, in fact. How awesome of her…
What sets TOMS apart is that for every pair of shoes you purchase, the company will donate a pair to a child in need. Winner!
It was a trip to Argentina in 2006 that can be credited for this philanthropic venture. You see, Happies, the holiday allowed creator Blake Mycoskie to see the need for basic human requirements, like shoes, among young children in developing countries. Today, the brand is stocked in over 30 countries around the world and has provided more than a million shoes to children in need.
It’s stories like this that make me realise the importance of travel, Happies. It’s easy to get stuck in our cubical of happiness, goodness, safety and abundance without seeing the other side of the story as well. But it’s not just about seeing, I guess, it’s about doing something as well.
I applaud Blake for his clever business idea. Of course, he has created a business that is no doubt profitable, but by backing it up with goodness and benevolence, he has essentially been able to prove that ethics and business do, in fact, mix.
Let’s hope other visionaries and business brains catch on, and in the meantime, I’m going to keep supporting Blake and TOMS and all those children out there, while fulfilling my personal shoe addiction, too. It’s a win/win really, and you can’t ask for anything more than that.
Tell me Happies…
Have you heard of TOMS before?
Do you own a pair?
Do you want to own a pair?
The Happiness Cocktail 
Yes, Yaz! (Full disclosure: I’m one of your U.S. fans, who loves Primped and loves this even more, so yay) I actually purchased this exact pair of TOMS last summer and they are by far the most comfortable shoe I own–the red makes them, and the added bonus of knowing you’re helping give to a child in desperate need of something as basic as a pair of shoes makes it all the better. In fact, I may need to get another pair this weekend š Thanks for the reminder (my credit card, however, does not thank you).
After reading heaps of US blogs, I’m so keen for a sparkley pair of TOMS! Might have to just do it!
Haven’t heard of TOMS before but I like their concept. Are they available in Australia or is there a website of where we can buy them?
The most amazing brother in the world just me a pair!! Made my day š