I destroyed designer boots from Grailed to learn a life lesson

Years ago I had bought a pair of boots from Grailed. It was real calf leather, all black, designer, slightly used, and it was $300. One of my first ever "expensive" purchases. When the boot came, I squeezed my feet in and it was way too small, one whole size and a half too small. I was embarrassed that I had ordered the wrong size. The return policy said I had to pay for the shipping costs, which was an additional layer of hassle. This led me to, over the course of a month, completely destroy these boots.

My first slippery slope was to simply walk around in them for a few days. As long as I clean the dirt off of the boots then I can still return it. Wore them to work, wore them around the house. Didn't work. What was worse was my feet were a bit sore.

Next I decided to go clubbing in them. Maybe all the aggressive dancing will be enough to stretch them out. And I'd be too drunk to feel how much the boots started to hurt. I knew that this would be an irreversible one-way decision. I woke up the next day to a hangover and incredibly pain in my feet. The toes had been squished together, causing my nails to stab into the neighboring toe. I had bled into the boot. On top of that, the soles were scuffed up and the suede was slightly discolored from spilled drink. The condition was beyond returnable. And it still didn’t fit.

Seeing the sorry state of the boot, I felt a feeling of guilt and embarrassment for what I put myself through. I had shoved away the embarrassment of having bought the wrong shoe size that I was now in a deeper and more embarrassing pain. The denial held strong, and I made one last effort.

I filled the boots with boiling hot water. I let the shoe come down to room temperature, then I put my feet in. I had read this advice off of Reddit. I walked around the office for a day with soaked socks and deteriorating boots. Each step made a squish squash noise like wet sandals. Misery for a day, all worth it if it worked. I let the boots dry the next day, put it back on and miraculously - it had shrunk. In addition to having new toddler boots, the suede was fucked, the sole peeled away, and the black of the boot was now a grey camo texture. I threw the boots deep underneath my bed so that I can erase it forever from my mind.

This was my first lesson in the sunk cost fallacy. I have heard many different stories where people learned this important lesson, I think everyone goes through this. Sometimes it's a dress, raw denim. Sometimes it's a job. Sometimes a relationship past its expiration date. It's a story about embarrassment, denial, trying to make something fit that doesn't, and acceptance. Hope you don't feel alone for going through the same.