Borrowed from the Boys

I don't wear a lot of menswear-inspired looks because it's not really my thing.  And then I saw these shoes:

Bettye by Bettye Muller "Quote" Flats

And I was like, dammit, Annie Hall, here I come!

Sweater: Gap  Jeans: Gap (self-frayed)  Shoes: Bettye by Bettye Muller

As you can see, I didn't quite make it to Annie Hall-levels of androgyny.  But my look is definitely borrowed from the boys; I paired the shoes with an oversized sweater & frayed jeans.  I'll definitely wear the shoes in the future with skirts and tights, but, today, I wanted to pay homage to their awesome manliness.

So manly.  So cute.


Happy Friday, All!  Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Gracey

Splurge vs. Save - Speckled Flats

The other day I was invited by Credit Card Insider to participate in their "Splurge vs. Save" campaign, and, as saving is a cause near and dear to my thrifty heart, I agreed!

My most recent "save" happens to be my lovely speckled Steve Madden flats:

Steve Madden "Vyperr" via Piperlime

I love these shoes, but, did you know that this pair wasn't my first choice?  No, my first choice was a beautiful 3.1 Phillip Lim D'Orsay pair.  That pair?  $355.00.  I also liked the loafer offering, but they were even more expensive!

Now, I don't know about you, but for me, dropping $350 on a pair of flats is definitely a splurge.  Enter Steve Madden and the Piperlime sale section:

Left: 3.1 Phillip Lim "Devon" Flats     Right: 3.1 Phillip Lim "Page" Loafers
Bottom: Steve Madden "Vyperr" via Piperlime

That's right, I found my flats for a mere fraction of the price of the 3.1 Phillip Lim flats!  And I couldn't be happier with my "save"!

What about you, Reader Friends?  Have you found any good "saves" recently?

Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Special Offer from Upper Street

Upper Street, the made-to-order luxury shoe label, has turned four.  And to celebrate their birthday, they have a very special offer for you all:

That's right, if you design and order two pairs of shoes, the second pair is free!

If you're not familiar with Upper Street, stop by and take a look.  You can design everything from flats to platforms to low-heeled pumps in a huge variety of materials and colors.

If you're in the market for a special occasion pair of shoes, this is an especially great opportunity.  No more problems with the shoe not being quite right!

Happy Saturday, All!

Gracey

For Your Feet

Shoe retailer, Ros Hommerson, is closing down their online site and have marked everything down to 50% off.  That includes their shoes, boots and sandals.

Why am I telling you?  Because their motto is "We have your size."  They carry shoes from size 4 to size 13 in widths from super slim to extra wide in most sizes.

So, if mama has hard-to-fit feet, but needs a new pair of shoes, go take a peek.

Gracey


Oh, and a special thank you to the ladies at The Junoesque for the heads-up!

The Non-Replacement Shoes & a Closet Orphan

Friday I was so proud of myself for having purchased replacement shoes and for somewhat following my one-in-one-out policy for buying new items.  Today I have to admit that I fell off the wagon.  I ordered these shoes the other day and they’re not intended to replace anything, I just really like them:

Image via Piperlime

I have been looking for a pair of gray shoes that weren’t gray suede and I think snake is such a fun print, I had to get these.  And, of course, I had to wear them today:

For their inaugural outing, I paired the shoes (Pierre Dumas Chic-1 via Piperlime) with hot pink pants (Michael Michael Kors via Ross) and a lightweight sweater (v. old Hinge via Nordstrom).  This sweater is the closet orphan I alluded to in the title.  I love the color and the open weave on the back is pretty cool…

But, I never wear it because it’s kind of an odd length.  I think that on non-giants it’s probably a proper tunic, but on my giant-self, it hits me at the worst possible place on my thighs.  And you know how thighs get if they think they’re not being shown in the most flattering clothes; they get mutinous and stabby.  Or, at least mine do.  To avoid Mutinous Thigh Syndrome (MTS), I tried to work with my thighs by reverse-tucking the sweater under my belt, and I think it worked.

Oh, and, in addition to new shoes, I’m also wearing a new necklace:

Isn’t it fabulous?  I mean, sure, it’s a bit off-kilter in this photo, but that’s just how I roll.  And, even off-kilter, I think it’s awesome.  I bought it this weekend at Lil’ Gypsy Vintage.  It’s from the 70s and the stone is moss agate.  And it's fabulous.

In addition to the vintage shopping, I also went thrifting and somehow managed to limit myself to only a blouse and a coat.  I’m very proud.  Oh, and I went to pole dancing class where I got some more bruises and mastered Naughty Carousel.  I’m also proud of that.  Next week?  Peter Pan.

Finally, because there is nothing shy about hot pink pants and snake platforms, I've linked up to Patti's Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style.

Happy Monday, All!  

Gracey

The Replacement Shoes

This was not a good summer for my shoes.  My blue suede platforms broke, my leopard peep toes are years old and starting to fray, I ruined the soles on my ankle boots falling down some concrete stairs and the linen straps on my espadrilles gave up the ghost:

The thing is; I’m hard on my shoes.  I use my heels to put my kickstand up, I ride my bike in the rain so my shoes can get pretty wet, and, let’s be honest, I’m not the most delicate flower in the blogosphere, so my shoes have to contend with a not small amount of weight.  I do what I can to protect my shoes against wear and tear, but they do eventually wear out.  Which means Mama needs a new pair of shoes.  Or four.

Luckily for me, I’ve added all of these to my shopping list.  Because, after my admittedly brief, but still grueling, shopping ban and closet purge this summer, I am actually doing better about sticking to my list.  And, because I am getting rid of the shoes I’ve replaced, I’m also following the (admittedly half-assed) one-in-one-out policy I’ve implemented.  Yay, me!  

Even more luckily for me, Nordstrom Rack had a clearance sale over Labor Day weekend and I was able to score two pairs of replacement shoes for under $50.00.  I bought the yellow pair I’ve been wearing the past couple days to replace my blue pair, and I bought this pair to replace my espadrilles:

I paired my new sandals (BP. Shoes) with a new-to-me thrifted dress and added a thin belt (Steve Madden via Ross) and a vintage bangle.  I know these shoes don’t resemble the pair they replaced that much, but they had everything I was looking for: they’re two-tone (black and natural), they’re strappy (T instead of ankle) and they’re comfortable.

Enough about the shoes though, let’s talk about the dress for a bit.  I love this thing:

Not the print so much – I have no idea what it is.  But, I love the cut and the fit.  And what I really love are the possibilities of this dress.  Because it buttons from hem to neck, I think it will be extremely versatile.  I can’t wait to layer it over, under and next to things all year round.

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Have a great weekend!

Gracey

Pattern Mixing 101

I think a lot of people shy away from pattern mixing because two patterns close together can be unsettling to the eye.  I don’t mind being unsettled or unsettling, but can understand how pattern mixing is an acquired taste.  So, today I am demonstrating one of the easiest ways to mix patterns in an outfit.  It’s Pattern Mixing 101:

Photo via Piperlime

For today's lesson, I paired a striped tee (Jones New York via Ross) with abstract floral flats (Nine West “Fascinate” via Piperlime) and dark jeans (Gap Real Straight).  I also added a vintage turquoise-colored bracelet for a little color in the top half of the outfit.

Now, let’s break down why this works: 

One, if you’re going to mix patterns, it really is best, especially at first, to keep the patterns in the same color family.  In this case, although my shoes are a lovely shade of tangerine, the pattern on them is the same color as the pattern on the top (or at least close enough for government work). 

Two, the stripes and floral aren’t at all jarring because they’re not close together; instead they separated by the expanse of the jeans. 

Three, it works because I believe it does; seriously, a little confidence goes a long way.

So, how about it, Reader Friends; if you don’t already mix patterns, does this help you get started?

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Gracey

Elastic

These are my new shoes:

They are from a brand called 80%20.  And they make me feel 80% elated and 20% ecstatic; they make me feel… elastic.  They came in the mail yesterday and I carried them around the house for an hour cooing, petting the shoes and feeling elastic.

And of course I had to wear them today:

I paired the booties (80%20 “Tessa” in Cream Kiwi via Piperlime) with an oversized white shirt (thrifted) layered under a wool, double-breasted cardigan (vintage Pendleton, thrifted) and black leggings.  I added a bit of color with a red-orange beaded necklace, but otherwise let the shoes shine.

In exercise news, I went back to pilates last night.  I fell off my mat twice.  I don’t know.  Don’t ask. 

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Baby Got (Button) Back

I love tops and dresses that button up the back.  Like this blouse today:

I don't know why this pose is so awkward, but it makes me giggle.

I even left the top button halfway unbuttoned to prove they were real buttons and not trompe l’oeil buttons.  Well, I'm pretending that's what happened. I actually had no idea it was half undone until we took the pictures, just like I didn’t realize the seam on my skirt was crooked.  Seriously, it’s a wonder I can even dress myself at all.

But, dress myself I did.  And this is what I wore:

My oft-worn skirt is thrifted vintage and so is the blouse.  I added blue and white earrings (gifted), a blue and white bracelet (local craftsman) and burgundy shoes.  The shoes are Naya “Jada” (via Nordstrom) and are ridiculously comfortable.  I bought them during the Nordstrom anniversary sale this summer and have been waiting to wear them.  I worried a bit that they were too old-fashioned, but I really like them, even with this vintage-heavy outfit.  I also worried about breaking them in, but although they rubbed a little on the back of my left heel (which I remedied with the miracle that is Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin) they are otherwise perfect.

Also, the top looks like polka dots, but it's a micro-floral:

One more also; I wanted to let you all know that I got the job I interviewed for last week.  I start in two weeks and even though I’m devastated to be leaving my friends in my current unit, I’m very excited about the new opportunity.

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Gracey

FBFF for May 6: Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

This week for FBFF, Katy of Modly Chic has asked us to talk about shoes.  I'm not a shoe-aholic, but I didn't have to force myself to write this post either.  I really do believe that shoes can make or break an outfit. 

What is your go-to pair of shoes?

In the fall and winter, I wear these Born Crown riding boots almost constantly:

I wear them with skirts, with dresses and over skinny jeans.  They are ridiculously comfortable and they go with everything.  They weren’t inexpensive, but my cost per wear is probably down to pennies now.

It’s a little different in the spring and summer – I have several pairs of sandals, peep-toe flats and wedges that I wear fairly regularly.  Although, I’d have to say my favorite pair is actually this pair of bronze sandals that I got from Target years back:

They were less than $20.00, but I absolutely love them.  Like my Born Crown boots, they are super comfortable and, I’m convinced, go with everything.  I’m actually considering getting these resoled because they are just that comfortable.  It may seem silly to resole a $20.00 shoe, but it seems sillier to buy a new pair that I may not love as much.  I’ll just have to see what the cobbler says.

What goes into your shoe buying decisions?

I consider form, comfort/function and cost when buying shoes.  I will not buy or wear a shoe I consider ugly.  Workout shoes are a bit different because I don’t care what they look like, but for my every day shoes and special occasion shoes, I need to like how they look.  However, if they are beautiful shoes, but supremely uncomfortable, I won't wear them.

The combination of function and comfort are a big consideration for me.  I need to be able to ride my bike and comfortably walk around all day in my everyday shoes.  For special occasion shoes, it depends on what I’m doing.  Am I going to be dancing or just going to dinner?  I have shoes that are comfortable in either situation.

Cost-per-wear may be my number one consideration when buying shoes.  If it’s a shoe that I will wear at least once per week over a couple of seasons, I’m willing spend more money than on a special occasion shoe.  Especially because, in spite of my best efforts, I don’t go to that many special occasions.

The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?

Black, I think.

When it comes to shoes what are your favorite brands and why?

Most of my shoes are all different brands – I’m not devoted to any particular brand and will usually just wear what I like.  The brand I have the most pairs of are actually BC Shoes – they’re comfortable and inexpensive, both of which I like.  I also own a couple of pairs of Born Crown boots – they make lovely flat and low-heeled boots that work well with my calves.  I would like to get more Corso Como shoes – I’m a big fan of the padded foot bed they offer and like their styles.  Aside from that, though it depends more on shoe than the brand.

If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?

Probably these Gucci beauties:



Gucci S/S 09 (Photo from Style.com)



I know they are a couple seasons old, but I just love the combination of the bright orange patent with the wood platform.  They look so fun to me.