Warm weather brings out the shoe shopper in me, so I visited a DSW here in Chicago.

Why did I even bother?

As usual, only a few flats or low heels in my size (11) could be found. As usual, I complained to anyone who would listen.

A sales rep heard my tale of woe. For some crazy reason, she said, the company had decided to focus on smaller sizes. Hey...that's size discrimination!

Taking pity on me, the nice lady searched the rows and rows of shoes. She actually found a couple in my size, but they weren't pretty.

"When we do get 10s and 11s into the store," she said, "the shoes fly off the shelves." Hey, executive people: if the larger sizes are selling like hotcakes, then stock up! Duh!

When will the shoe designers, manufacturers, and retailers get a clue? Women's feet come in all shapes and sizes. As we baby boomers strut into our golden years, we're not going to be wearing stilettos any more. We're going to need more comfort -- BUT DON'T SACRIFICE THE PRETTY FOR THE FLAT!!

While I'm ranting, whatever happened to quality leather shoes? So many of the shoes I'm finding lately are of man-made materials and hard as a rock. They're charging top dollar for faux leather goods -- or as we used to call it, "pleather" (plastic + leather). They're doing the same thing to purses. My sister has been frantic to find a decently priced leather purse. No luck.

If it's true that Jessica Simpson allegedly doesn't wear her own designer line, I can understand it if the shoes and purses are pleather and the clothes, cheap polyester.

No more crap! I want and deserve the best. Don't you?