Tip-Toe’ing Through The Tulips

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We are at then end of Spring and feeling the warm Summer rays peeking though the morning haze.  And nothing excites me more, besides shoes of course, than SUMMER!  But, while I’m more than ready for the Summer fun in the sun, I still have to work the office wear.    Casual Fridays become trickier as I get older.  I almost feel like I’m in a second “tween” phase because I’m too old for those post college short shorts, and too young for Talbots. :)  So when I came across the latest J.Crew Classic Ballet Flats in bright and bold patent leather colors, I did my happy dance.

Earth Day Shooz

Earth Day comes but once a year however, I find super great ways to celebrate being green all year round – in high fashion of course!  You may remember my first Decades encounter a bit ago.  Well, after a short hiatus, they were back and in fierce form.  All slightly worn and previously worshiped Louboutins, Manolos, Choos, YSL’s you name it, were $150.  Yes, ladies.  $150 gets you in the club.  You can imagine the line starts hours before the doors actually open.  And as a previous insider, I was granted VIP front of the line privileges.  Is there any other way to sample sale shop? ;) 

SoleMates…

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Prada Missy

It’s Valentine’s and regardless of your Facebook status, you can’t deny that you wonder if you have found your soulmate.  Well, however you do or don’t answer that, you should rest assured that you can say you have found your SOLEmate with this wonderful little ingenious idea by the lovely Ms. Jaclyn Shanfeld, called Shop Hers. 

New Year’s ReSHOElutions

 

With the horrible tragedies of Hurricane Sandy and the incomprehensible shooting at Newtown makes me stretch my arms open wider to welcome in 2013.  I love the chance for a blank slate to have my “do over”.  And as such, I’m committing to the following New Year’s ReSHOElutions:

·      I’m going to keep my patent leather shoes separated by at least tissue paper to keep the leather from touching in their shoebox.

·      I’m going to take my shoes in to get resoled and/or reheeled before the tip gets worn off and/or the nail head starts showing in the heel so much that I can hear and feel it with each step I take.

·      I’m going to recondition my suede shoes before AND after I wear them.

·      I’m going to keep helping my Working Girlfriends with their daily dilemmas.

·      I’m going to clean out my “old” shoes once every season.

·      I’m going to bring you the latest trends translated to office shoewear.

·      I’m going to keep giving you Working Girl Essentials (WGE) to keep you looking your best.

So my cards are now on the table and you get to hold me to them.  Hope this helps inspire your New Year’s ReSHOElutions.  CHEERS!  ;)

*hearts*

Going Out With The Basics

The end of the year is upon us, and what a whirlwind the last part of this year was!  We survived the Mayan prophecies and lived to wear cute shoes to tell about it. ;)    Having been on a classic styles binge, like in The Real Thing and The Fall Classics, I thought it fitting to end with two more Working Girl Essentials (WGE) to close the year.  In keeping with the philosophy that a WGE, a wardrobe timeless classic, is an investment piece, I bought the ‘Lovely’ by Jimmy Choo, my very first pair on my beloved Bluefly site.  

 

Because they were my first Choos, I wasn’t completely certain on how the fit of Choos ran.  To make things a little more difficult in getting the right size, they are patent leather.  And as my Louboutin Lesson taught us, patent shoe sizing can be a little tricky.  I went for the straight 38’s and hoped for the best.  Opening the box from my version of Santa, Mr. UPS Delivery Man, the shine on the patent hidden under the flannel shoe bag was so sharp, I could see my happy face smiling back in the reflection.  The patent leather was a little stiffer than I had hoped for but they fit really well for what felt like a shot in the dark.  They were a little on the bigger size that would make me have gone a half size down in hind sight, which I do recommend for any patent leather Choos you purchase.  

These Choos lived up to their name to a T.  Lovely indeed they are.  They have no platform and carry a 4” heel.  They have a softly pointed toe making these truly timeless.  Aside from the damage the urban jungle will do on them, they will last as long as my vintage tweed skirt suits.  *swoon*  The other fab part about this purchase is that they were 40% off so I was able to score them for just over $200.

The other WGE I found was the ‘Delightful’ by Corso Como.  I have been a HUGE fan of Corso Como for a while now, and have been dying to try their pumps ever since discovering them.  So I couldn’t resist the opportunity to add the ‘Delightful’ to my Shoe Closet.

These patent open toe pumps also live up to their name. ;)  To my “delight”, they have that uber yummy pillowy cushioning on the footbed just like their flats.  They also have no platform and sport a 3 ¼” heel which add to their timelessness.   Unlike the ‘Lovely’, these run true to size.  Actually, they run a touch on the narrow side but I have a very strong suspicion that they will stretch over time.  That or the cushioning in the footbed will contour to my foot more and will make for a more comfortable fit the more I wear them.

The “Delightful” comes in a great nude color in addition to the shiny black patent leather.  One thing to note about the nude color, is that oddly, the stitching along the edges seems more pronounced than on the patent.  I’m not sure if that’s because of difference between leathers, that being patent versus regular.  But even in nude, these still fit the bill of being a WGE.  The fact that the heel is on the lower side, for me, added to the delicious cushioning inside, makes these Corso Como’s incredibly “Delightful” indeed.  And, they’re on sale for $90 on shoes.com.

Both styles are perfect for any office environment.  They go perfectly with Capri length slacks, pencil skirts, dresses, and suits.  The fact that they make the transition from day to evening such a snap, they are a chic and effortless way of going out with the basics. ;)  See you Dolls in the New Year!

*hearts*

The Fall Classics

While the runways kept the pizzazz with fun and fantastic fashions for the Fall, they included a lot of classic shapes for that nostalgic throw back to styles that have lasted the test of finicky time.  It inspired me to invest in my classic styles of shoes, like in The Real Thing.  So I started my new project of looking for great neutrals with the classic styles and found myself loving the ‘Stephanie’ by Cole Haan with Nike Air technology. 

I’ve had girlfriends long affections told about this amazing marriage of Nike Air and Cole Haan craftsmanship, but I had never actually gotten a pair for myself.  So, this seemed like the best time for me to do my test run.  And after having sported them to work a few times, you can add me to the list of The Converted.  The footbed is everything it’s lauded to be.  You really can feel the cushioning in that shoe.  It’s so very nice!

The beautiful grey shade is perfect to ease you into the Fall weather outfits you’ve been ready to wear for weeks thanks to our extended 100-degree weather stints in L.A.  The 4 ¼” heel conceals a ¾” platform that makes these a very practical 3 ½” actual heel coupled with that delicious cushioning that carries you for your longer work days.  The combination of a sling back peep toe makes these simultaneously retro and fashionably professional.  It’s just the right amount of “sexy secretary” to still be taken seriously in your skirt suits.  The overall classic shape brings sexy sophistication barring you from ever looking matronly or cheap.

Now, the boys aren’t the only ones that are excited about the Fall Classics.

*hearts* 

The Real Thing

After the horrible disappointment of having tried to fake it, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity for me to invest long term into my shoe closet with a pair of real Louboutins.  And given that the timeless fashions of Mad Men still have us drooling, I figured what could be better than investing in a pair of nude patent Pigalles?  The deep toe cleavage and 120mm (5 inch) heel will make them sexy beyond the foreseeable incoming fashion trends.  However, given how much they are the “IT” shoe, they are nearly impossible to find.  While the wonderful salesman at the South Coast Plaza store wasn’t able to find me a pair on the spot, he did tell me that this style was not a typical fit.  The super high heel really changed the fit and sizing.  Invaluable advice!  He also gave me the scoop that the West Hollywood location would be getting in a shipment in the coming week.

Like a good stalker, I called and reserved my pair in several sizes.  I promptly made my way over the day the shipment arrived.  They are as gorgeous as could be.  I did want to try the 100mm so that I could gage the actual teetering differential.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have the 100mm.  I went down to a 37 from the usual 38 that I wear in Louboutins.  These are definitely shoes that you MUST try on prior to purchasing.  The size is completely different than any others. 

I shook a little while I paid the $625 price tag, partly from how much I was spending and partly for the giddy excitement that I. Had. Pigalles.  The buyer’s remorse started to set in on the way home.  But more than anything, the entire rationale for the large investment was that these were to be the classic shoes I will have forever, wear with everything and be my most presentable self, regardless of whatever my moods were inside. :) 

New Decoltissmo

I got home and put them on and stared at my feet in the mirror.  I couldn’t believe it.  They were too high.  While they did not feel uncomfortable in the least, they LOOKED uncomfortable.  It was an actual first for me, which is why I didn’t understand what was going on in my head.  I didn’t know what to do.  This was not buyer’s remorse.  This was the wrong pair of shoes.  After a sleepless night, I decided to exchange the 120mm for the 100mm.  I went back and of course, the 100mm were no longer in stock. 

The very snobbish, pretentious and unwilling to want to help me salesgirl, reluctantly brought me various similar styles that were in stock.  And then it happened.  I slipped my foot into the New Decoltissimo 100mm and it was perfection.  The combination of the nude patent leather, pointed toe, right depth of toe cleavage, and 4 inch heel make these truly timeless and perfect to endure through the decades of fashion to come.  Ms. Joan Harris née Holloway would be proud.  Strangely, the U.S. Christian Louboutin site only has the New Decoltissimo in the 85mm, even more wearable for ladies that prefer a 3 inch heel.  But, the 100mm are available on the Euro site.

So ladies, just like love, it’s never what you thought, or even imagined you were looking for.  You can try to fake it and pretend with a knock-off but there is nothing like the real thing.

*hearts*