When I was little, my Grandmother took me to the ballet production of The Red Shoes. Based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, the ballet version tells the tragic story of a young ballerina who dances herself to death in a pair of crimson pointe shoes. In a rather gruesome twist in the fairy tale, Karen’s feet get hacked off with an axe and continue to dance around as punishment for her selfishness and vanity. Whichever version you prefer, there’s no denying the allure of red shoes.

That’s why, when I saw this pair on sale at Betts for $30, I snapped them up in a heartbeat. I’m hoping they’re not cursed…