Not the Shoes I Planned

Yesterday I went to do some work on a project in a coffee shop and to meet up with AUH.  After running into some colleagues of hers (who for some strange reason thought that she was tutoring me . . . but hey, I liked the idea that I look young enough to be in college, as it gives me fodder for the blog and it strokes my vanity) and having a coffee, we dropped by the public library so she could take some stuff back and went for a little walk through one of our local parks.

I hadn't planned to wear the shoes that I did with this outfit that I wore yesterday.¹  However, when I went to leave the house I couldn't find the pair that I wanted to wear so I grabbed this pair of heels.  That seems to be the story of their life.  You see, these shoes were an "emergency" purchase on a trip a couple of years ago.  I had packed my trusty big backpack for two months of research in Mexico City and Puebla.  On my way to Mexico I flew through Dallas to spend a few days and to attend a friend's wedding.  Although I admitted to being a hasty packer a couple weeks ago, normally I am very type A about getting ready for a trip.  I make a list; I verify that outfits look cute and occasion-appropriate before putting them in my luggage; I take extra under garments and socks; I put my pjs on top so they are easily accessible.  However, in spite of all this careful preparation and packing, I somehow inexplicably arrived in Dallas with my cocktail dress for the wedding but no shoes -- aside from running shoes and functional (cute but not in anywhere near the same register) flats.  I had picked out a pair of shoes, thought I had put them in the backpack, but must have taken them out at some point for rearranging and not realized I had forgotten to put them back into my bag. 

1. Shirt - Cable and Gauge, Skirt - Easy Wear (remixed), Shoes - Alex Marie (via Dillards), Belt - Kensie Girl (remixed), Earrings - Target (remixed), Barrette - Goodie (remixed)

Another Dallas friend and I dashed off to a mall, and I found these shoes in Dillards.  They weren't too expensive.  They seemed to be pretty comfortable.  I bought 'em.  They turned out to be a wise choice, as they got me through the wedding and a night of dancing with only a little bit of tired feet at the end of the night.  That's not bad for heels that haven't been broken in at all.  I've worn them a couple of times since that trip, but it seems like I only ever grab them when I can't find the shoes that I am planning to wear.

Do you have any item of clothing that you only seem to wear in certain circumstances in spite of the garment's inherent versatility?  Have you ever made an "emergency" purchase that you've ended up being really happy with or really disappointed with?