Dear Santa.

It's time for a change.

I've been wearing the same pair of black shoes to church for the past 6 years. They're not even cute. They're open-toed and yes, I wear them in the winter. But they work. I'm a practical kind of girl, you see. And I happen to have no fashion sense, on top of that. So I wear shoes that I should be embarressed about, while "black dress shoes" rests a few notches down from the top on my wish list waiting for the fateful day when my shoes actually fall apart and I'm forced into upgrading.

I do have a backup pair, for snowy days, shoes with which I can actually sport a pair of nylons. But they are even older and uglier than the ones I wear regularly, so they remain at the back of my closet, destined to end up in the donation pile someday. I've considered consulting someone with a sense of style to assist me in shopping for a new pair. But then, that someone would probably suggest something outlandish like buying several pairs to dress up a variety of outfits and I'd be forced to break the bank. Unacceptable.

Please help. I've been nice instead of naughty this year. But you already know that.