Tag Archives: shoes

Goldstar shoes – Made in Nepal

I remember when I was really young, my dad used to go to the gym and he used to wear Goldstar brand shoes. It was a brand which was made in Nepal and it has reputation for lasting long.

But since I have come to Australia, I haven’t seen the brand much until recently.

First I saw the comeback of the shoes in my Facebook with Nepali celebrities wearing them. It has changed completely from what I remember; from traditional dark conservative style to new modern colourful shoes.

goldstar-2

I read that now Goldstar exports premium quality shoes to India and other countries at an affordable price. It is also available online and via Facebook and Instagram.

One of my friends was getting a few pairs of Goldstar shoe for himself and his wife so I decided that I would get a pair as well.

Finally it has arrived here and I love it.

goldstar-1

I love the colour and style. The finishing could still be better for competition in international market but it is still a great product starting from Rs 500 (AUD8). How can one go wrong with that price? It is really comfortable and I hope it will last long.

If you are going to Nepal do check different range of Goldstar. I am sure you will find your style from their huge range and support a product made in Nepal.

Take care everyone,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

Am I allowed to be annoyed?

I have been on a mission for the last few months cleaning out our wardrobes every weekend. I am getting rid of anything that I can’t wear or haven’t worn for a while. Same with AS and Chhori’s clothes too. That means heaps and heaps of clothes and shoes are going out. I have a few pieces that have I emotional attachment to but I figure there is no point keeping things just for their sentimental value.

my walkin wardrobe

I used to take all of my clothes to charity but I read that most of the donated clothes end up in a bin.  So I decided to donate in a different way. I have been putting them on Gumtree (similar to Craig list) for free, a bag at a time.

I am always happy when someone responds because sometimes I wonder who will take them. So far I have had a great experience giving as people message me and we organise a time and they come and pick up the bags from my place. I have given away heaps of shoes and dresses. I have also given away carpets and kitchen stuffs.

Anyway, it was going so well until recently. I had a few people who wanted the stuff and some even telling me their sad story. Anyway, we arranged a time for pick up but just before the appointed time, they texted me that they are not able to pick up the clothes for some reason. I can understand things change so I agreed for another time. But the thing is after many rearrangements, they don’t message anything and didn’t show up at the agreed time. To make matters worst, they don’t respond to my messages.

I sometimes wonder why anyone would stand somebody up who is giving them something for free. If you don’t need it or change your mind, at least have the courtesy to message and let them know. I had this experience from three different individuals recently which has put me off a little about the whole process. Sometime it makes me a little annoyed as well. Am I allowed to be annoyed or am I over reacting?

Anyway if they fail to respond me, I am giving it to the next person in line and I am happy to see so many of them messaging me. It is just annoying that someone will waste my time like this.

Have your experienced something similar? Do share your experience and in the meantime I will keep cleaning out my wardrobes because it is such a relaxing process to see some free space in my wardrobe. It is a bonus to know that the clothes I didn’t want have been put to good use by someone. Do try doing Spring/winter/summer/autumn cleaning and experience the amazing feeling 🙂

Take care,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

My feet got bigger after the pregnancy

I never knew that pregnancy could increase a woman’s foot size until I discovered that it happened to me.

my pregnancy

During my pregnancy, as my belly grew my feet did too but it is absolutely normal not to fit into your normal shoe during pregnancy due to the swelling from the extra fluid in the body. I thought it was a temporary thing but now I have discovered that my feet have permanently become bigger around half a shoe size.

I think I have no problems with most of my open shoes but the closed ones feel a little tight. I have a few favourite shoes and now I can’t wear them comfortably 😦 😦 😦

my shoes

Doing some research, I discovered that it is normal to get bigger feet because of the hormone relaxin, which loosens the joints around your pelvis so your baby can make the way down the birth canal. This also loosens the ligaments in your feet, causing the foot bones to spread. 😦 Your foot bones aren’t actually growing but it’s just that the ligaments that hold these 26 bones together aren’t as tight as they were.

As we know, I am crazy about my shoes and I feel really sad to let go of some of my favourite shoes. I know I can go crazy buying new shoes but I am not really ready to let go of my old shoes.

How I saved my shoes?During the research they also mentioned that the feet tend to grow with each pregnancy, so I may need to have another baby first before spending money on good expensive shoes.

All the mommas out there, did this happen to you as well? I am sure I am not the only one here looking at rows of beautiful pairs of shoes, that won’t fit in any more.

Take care,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

Shopping from Nepal

How can I go on a holiday especially to Nepal and not have a post on shopping, so here I am writing about my experience and showing off things I got in Nepal.

Firstly, I have to say that shopping is Nepal is not at all cheap like it used to be 10 years ago. Every time I go back, the price seems to have doubled but the quality seems to have gone down at the same time.

During most of the shopping I went with someone who lived there and I am so glad I did. Otherwise I would have paid almost double for everything as I am not so good at bargaining. Here is a simple example of bargaining in Nepal.

Customer: Looking at the Rs 3000 price tag, how much can I get it for?

Shopkeeper: There is 20% discount now, so it will be Rs 2400.

Customer: Rs 2400 is too expensive for this shoe. I know it can be better. What about Rs1500.

Shopkeeper: Really sorry but Rs 1500 is too low. Since you like it so much I will give you a further discount. Ok it is Rs2200 just for you, I have never sold it in that price for anyone else. (Of course not telling the truth)

Customer: Come on I am not asking for too much discount, OK since I like it I will give you a few hundred more.

Shopkeeper: Sorry, I can’t do that price. OK my last best price is Rs 2000.

Customer: Come on dai (brother), I am sure you can do better.

Shopkeeper: The price is already cheap. Look at the quality and the stuff.

Customer: Ok, my last price Rs 1800. I don’t have more than that.

Shopkeeper: Ok only for you am I agreeing at this price. I promise you will never find this price anywhere else. Please do come again and shop here.

It was like you needed to have patience to bargain otherwise you’d end up paying higher price for everything. I am glad to say that I have learn the skill after a few shopping trips I still always questioned myself when the shopkeeper gave an item easily at the price I wanted :). I guess unless I live in Nepal for long time I will not master the skill.

Despite all this and the fact that I was so busy, I still managed to buy a few things for myself. Of course, that list included shoes. 🙂 🙂 🙂

I am addictive to shoes and to everyone who reads my blog regularly it should come as no surprise. AS has made me promise that I will throw out old pairs of shoes when I come back if I was going to buy so many pairs in Nepal and I agreed.

I think there are only a few shops in Kathmandu selling good quality shoes and I am lucky to have found some such shops this time. I was actually looking for winter shoes when I was there but as it was the end of winter there, It was hard for me to find what I was looking for. I still managed to buy some boots, not exactly what I looking for but close enough to spend my money on. I also bought a few high heels, wedges, flats and scandals.

Here is the entire collection from this trip. Now I have to make room for them in my shoe rack. I’m just waiting for an opportunity to wear them soon.

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Apart from shoes, I really didn’t buy anything else for myself. I got a few saris from my MIL and mum so I didn’t have to spend any money on them. In addition, I have so many saris here that I decided it will be wise this time to invest my money on things I need for home.

Thus we spent lots buying carpets, decorative handicrafts and a painting. I am so happy with the end result.

Like every time, AS didn’t buy much either as he prefers cloths from here. Moreover, according to him I have converted him to be like me that he has too many jackets, pants, t-shirts and shoes that he doesn’t have to worry for a few years.

Hope you liked my new shoes collection. Till next post, take care.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

Confessions of a Shoeholic

This article was published in +977 (a Nepalese Lifestyle Magazine in Australia) in June – July 2013 issue.

Confessions of a Shoeholic blogI am sure most women are crazy about shoes and I am not an exception. I am crazy about shoes or should I say addicted to buying them. Owning countless pairs of shoes has not stopped me from looking for more. You always find a nice pair of shoes and how can a girl walk past the shops.

If there were a group call “Shoeholic Anonymous”, I am sure I would need to attend one of their meetings. This is how I would be introducing myself.

Hi, I am M and I am a Shoeholic. I love shoes more than anything in this world and when I see shoes in a shop’s window, I feel like they are calling me with soft voices saying “Wear me”. I am 4 weeks sober because I have promised my husband that I will not buy another pair of shoes for three months if I was allowed to buy a Prabal Gurung shoes from the USA. I am doing OK so far but it is getting very hard. The worst part is that I can purchase shoes without feeling any guilt.

Or I can be in denial and never attend these meetings :).

I justify myself that my collection of shoes didn’t happen overnight as I don’t have money like Tamara Ecclestone. It is my collection of over a decade now. And they are from all over the world. Wherever I travel; I try to get at least a pair to add to my collection. I was quite surprised that when we were in Europe, the shoes were cheaper there than in Australian so I had to buy a few pairs for sure. And how can I not mention America where everything is so cheap especially the shoes. I bought so many shoes there because,  when bought one pair, another was just a penny. Can you imagine my reaction when I learned that I was getting the second pair literally for nothing?

Buying a pair of shoes has always had some supernatural effects on me, making me super happy and super confident when I wear them. I believe that shoes also tell a story about the kind of person you are. Feet are our feelings and a good pair of shoes that are well-made, attractive to look at, and comfortable to wear tell the world what you think of yourself all day long.

I might be highly inspired by characters like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City or Rebecca Bloomwood from Confessions of a Shopaholic but I know I live in the real world. I don’t have 100s of pairs of Jimmy Choos or Manolo-Blahniks. Neither will I buy the latest issue of Vogue instead of buying dinner, max out my credit card while shopping or become a shoe lady. But I just love shoes.

I have to tell you a funny incident regarding my shoes. A while ago I was lunching with my friend in a café. That day I was wearing my favourite suede shoes as there was no sign of rain when I left home.

But while we were having lunch, it started to rain cats and dogs. We waited for a while for the rain to stop but it didn’t let up and there was no sign that it was going to stop anytime soon. We were less than 10 minutes away from work and we were getting late so we decided to run from the café to work.

Instead of saving myself from getting wet, I took my jacket out and put it on my head to save my hair and took off my shoes and hide it under the jacket. Then we both ran all the way to work. I was really hoping that no one I knew would recognise me in the street. It was quite embarrassing to run shoeless on the streets but my brand new shoes were made out of suede. If they got wet, I was not sure what would happen to them. When I finally got to the office, my dress was wet but my shoes were dry, not a drop of water on them. I was really happy with myself.

If you really want to start a shoes collection just remember quality over quantity. A quality shoes with quality maintenance should last for years and that is how you build your big shoes collection. As an adult, if you look after your shoes, you can keep them for years.

I am hoping to keep adding new and lovely shoes to my collection and one day will have this lovely collection which I can pass on to my daughter.

If you have watched the movie Sex and the City and remember the scene where Mr Big takes Carrie to their new penthouse and shows her the new walk-in wardrobe, that’s the moment my heart nearly stopped because that is exactly what I want; a walk-in wardrobe with one whole wall just for my lovely shoes.

 I hope one day my dream will come true.

Till then – “If the shoe fits… buy it in every colour.”

P.S: I wrote this article few months ago when I had no idea that I will own my walk in wardrobe soon 🙂

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