TRYING ON SHOES

"Trying On Shoes" is Tate McRae's version of standing in front of a mirror and deciding, quite firmly, I'm never crying over that man again. It's a post-breakup empowerment anthem in the same family as "Tit For Tat," but with more glitter and less emotional litigation.

McRae treats retail therapy and emotional clarity as equally valid coping strategies. Tryin' on shoes, puttin' on glitter Anything to make me a little less bitter The song stacks next to "Purple Lace Bra," another McRae track with themes of defiance and self-worth. While "Trying On Shoes" is about reclaiming her personality after a personal relationship failed, "Purple Lace Bra" is about fighting to be heard and valued for her mind and art in a world that only pays attention to her body.

"Trying On Shoes" contains specific petty observations, the kind that suggests McRae actually lived this, such as dropping a diary in a pool to symbolically erase memories associated with a former lover. In October 2025, McRae posted an Instagram Story from Bologna showing a wet page from her diary. There's also the detail of a partner who "rolled his eyes at all your shows," disrespecting her music career.