It was a long hard road, filled with many purchases and returns, with excitement, frustration and, finally, satisfaction.
But I made it and am now the proud owner of the *perfect* pair of oxfords that have already gotten three (!!) wears this week alone and are proving to be a fab addition to my shoe collection--the kind that fills a hole you knew you had but didn't know how to fill.
Allow me to take you on a quick trip down memory lane so you can see how I got here:

(1) My first foray was a Zappos order for the Michael Kors oxfords. I posted about these and got some very positive feedback from you lovely YLF-ers.

http://www.zappos.com/kors-mic.....etal-lumen

I wanted to like these. I really did. And yet every time I put them on, I just couldn't pull the trigger (of walking out the door with them on). At $250, I decided that my hesitation meant they weren't the right shoes for me and back they went.

(2) Next I thought that something more feminine and with a heel would fit the bill (and quite cheaply) so I ordered these from Nordstrom--I know a few of you have given them a try as well.

http://www.saddle-shoes.net/me.....br2SuT.jpg

Um, NO. My BF laughed at me when I put them on. It was like clown shoes gone wrong. Waaaay too costume-y for my personal style and aesthetic. Another one bites the dust.

(3) Having fallen out of love with two-tone, I ordered these from Zappos, knowing Angie loves the fit and comfort factor of this brand:

http://www.zappos.com/fitzwell.....ack-patent

Another miss. These were too flat for me and felt too much like jazz shoes. Not enough structure for my feet (and my style). Back they went.

(4) Fourth time's a charm! I saw these online and was hoping, because of the price, that they wouldn't work. And while I did have to exchange them for a smaller size, I'm LOVING them. Thankfully had a 25% off coupon to make the price smart a bit less but they are just what I wanted: comfortable, slight heel, true oxford but they don't read overly mannish, cute gold detailing and, best of all, I've worn them with both a dress and pants and they can handle both looks! A few pictures below.

http://www1.bloomingdales.com/.....sn_results

If you're still reading, thanks for sticking with me. And if you're still on the oxford hunt yourself, take heart! And don't keep anything you don't absolutely love--I'm convinced this look can work for almost everyone provided they find the right version of this trend!