A Shoe Acquisition

There’s that scene from Gone With the Wind, where Mammy laces up Scarlett as she clings for dear life to the bedpost. Since then, I’ve had this thing for stays and lace-up shoes. I used to own a pair of satin-ribboned Nine West platforms you could tie up in festive criss-crosses nearly to the knee, making one some sort of after-hours Amazon. I haven’t found a replacement for my Amazon shoes yet, but I did find a rather cute flat from Sugar designed with the same principle, only the laces are made of shoelace material…very Sesame Street!

I see kids give me a double-take at the supermarche when I’m in these shoes, with their mothers reassuring them about a future pink-lace purchase. They’re incredibly comfy, and great for wet or warm weather, with the canvas material and rubber soles.

Let’s play! 

Unlike most brides, I didn’t choose my wedding outfit. I’ve never been one to ooh and ahh over bridal gear, not really into the whole living-meringue-cake going down the aisel experience. Eventually, hubby got online and chose a pretty silk wrap dress from Banana Rep - just my style. The only problem was, it was the dead of winter, and while I’m certainly not traditional, I didn’t relish the thought of me clomping around in winter boots on our special day. So hubby and I drove to the nearest DSW and hunted among the half-price clogs and stompers for a suitable wedding pair. 

I was just about to give up, when hubby spotted these satin pumps:

The design was so interesting, how the elastic T-strap extended from the heel detail to the gently-pointed toe.

I loved the subtle grey color, which perfectly complemented the soft grey of my dress. And, as hubby has composed in the following photo, the shoe details and color echoed the metallic feel of a very familiar tool of my trade: the microphone.

It was a happy day, wearing these shoes as we held hands as husband and wife for the very first time.

Sometimes, during these summer days, you just have to let go. Do something you’ve never one before, indulge in a forbidden pleasure or explore a random detail on the map. Summer is about freedom, the happy teenager of the seasons. Let your hair down, fill your closet with color, and enjoy every single flavor.

I never really got that until I moved to a place where one really has to wait for summer. Now that it’s here, I find an extra spring in my step, enjoying the blasts of sunshine and the comforting contrasts of thunderstorms breaking through the heat. It’s been the perfect sort of weather lately, though I can’t wait for another rainstorm…because of this recent purchase:

It’s a seriously SWEET Sugar boot, one of my favorite brands because of their way with marrying durability and adorable feminine designs. I adore this pretty graphic pattern on the boot, somewhat like a sketchbook tear-out, selectively-colored, carefully-inked.  I call these my "doodle" boots - they’re made of canvas with rubber soles. I think they can withstand quite a bit of wet weather.

What really gets me is the buckle on this shoe - not just for decorative purposes! You can adjust it to the narrowness of your ankle, or expand it to accomodate those big warm socks for cooler weather.

I have a mind to wear it to the symphony picnic this upcoming weekend. I think this will go nicely with a picnic of strawberries, rosy wine and Gershwin tunes, n’est-ce pas?   

"They look like two loyal puppies!" I exclaimed, after my husband finished shooting this beloved pair this weekend. I bought these Nordstrom purple ballet flats during a Thanksgiving trip to San Francisco. You can tell, from the scuffed toes and the worn soles, that was a few years ago. This is one of my ultimate favorites - incredibly comfy and surprisingly versatile. My only qualm was the suede material - I’ve had to sidestep quite a few puddles in this pair. Oh, but SO SOFT - the material hugs the shape of my foot, whilst the sole does provide good protection during long walks. A great travel pair, as you can use these with a lot of wardrobe combinations, as the purple is on the dark side  - adding a restrained touch of color. I love wearing them with skirts - even in cold weather, as you can see from this early spring snap my husband took last year. (Though I am the sort to brave the cold with bare legs if I CAN DO IT. Terrible, terrible, terrible…)

The common dilemna with worn-out favorites is finding a good replacement. I’ve tried to hunt for the same pair, but haven’t been able to find them in my price range these days. As a result, I’ve been "conserving" my use of them lately - can’t let go of my loyal, royal purple pups just yet!

I’ve been shoe shopping with Mei of Domesticity for more times than I can remember. All those moments trying on shoes at Ala Moana are such happy-candy memories, as well as those times dressing up to paint the town multiple colors. I urge you to check out her Hawaii-based domestic goddess blog and spread some aloha from your part of the world.

Update: She has Shoe Bloggeth! Check out how style and comfort blend island-side at Domesticity.

As the days got warmer, the color red seemed the right color to celebrate the sunlit seasons. I’m not really a pastels sort of gal (though I have made some efforts to integrate more than black and brown into my shoe closet). For me, it’s all about extremes - light or dark, restrained or completely baroque…the abscence of color or the fiery blaze of the day’s last send-off to the sun. So it was no surprise that my first spring purchase to get away from the confines of winter boots and snow-caked sneakers was a beautiful pair of red open-toed pumps from Kenneth Cole Reaction.

They still look good after three months of skipping through melting slush (yeah, I took ‘em out as SOON as it got bearably warm) and sunbaked sidewalks - here interpreted by hubby’s enthusiastic photography (which means it got QUITE technical with lots of light thingies…bits I leave up to him until I get a better grasp of numbers and f-stops):

I absolutely adore the saddle-like feel of the leather, as well as the material’s intense color. It’s "not quite red" - so there’s opportunity to dress up or dress down with this shoe. And if you think walking through museums or traipsing through bazaars will be difficult in these shoes, think again:

These crooked kittens (and the RUBBER sole) are VERY kind to summer-worn tootsies.

As I mentioned in my previous post, this red obsession carried over into summer, with my latest acquisition in the form of a medieval-like Report flat:

I think this is the effect of watching way too many Disney cartoons with princesses, coupled with a more mature fascination with Tudor-era fashions. It feels rather…Snow White meets Henry VIII.

Technically, it’s NOT a flat - note the cute little hidden wedge…adding lovely subtle height. I do love a bit of heel, which explains the rather small showing of flats versus the small army of stabby, wedgey shoes.

As if this wasn’t enough…this shoe has an adorable Japanese floral pattern on the inside, remniscent of washi paper patterns - an exciting revelation!

I restrain a girlish squeal every time I look at the detail.

Red hot choices indeed.

Inspiration: Disney cartoon heroines

Acquisition: The Report Camila Flat in Red

It’s been rainy lately, and I didn’t want to risk my old staples, my purple suede Nordstrom flats acquired from a San Francisco trip, through the puddles. Hubby and I searched together for the perfect flats a few weeks ago to complement a working outfit…alas, all the stores were focused on wedges and patent-candy flats. Don’t get me wrong - patent can be quite kicky for these warm days, especially with a delightful print dress. But there’s nothing like finding that "long-term shoe" for all seasons. I can see myself wearing these shoes well into fall. I love the delicate straps around the ankles, the beautiful red leather, and the nice surprise inside the shoe…a pretty Japanese floral pattern…which spurs many wardrobe ideas.

Closet adaptation photos coming soon.  First post HAD to be with a red shoe…for luck!

Result: Massively in love

Shoes. We love them. We can’t get enough of them. If you looked into your closet and calculated the amount of money you’ve spent to outfit your tootsies, how much would it total? Shhh…ladies (and many gents) never tell. 

Shoe fanciers, shoe dreamers, and serious shoe shoppers, unite (well, here’s hoping these posts will attract that sort to my site!). Most of us aren’t lucky enough to have the thou’s to throw down on the latest from Vogue (though we do fantasize what that feels like). So we scan sales and sites for the next best deal…and perhaps fall in love with a completely different (and more unique) style altogether.

And personally, I think it’s more fun.

So watch this space for the latest Shoe Acquisition, a blog about the latest additions to my closet, a sometime parade of past sidewalk hits and a few posts analyzing the trends…and how to make them your own (or MINE, MINE, MINE…this is Acquisitive Feet, after all!).

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