What's On My Feet?

It's time... (or: The Gret Croc Debate)

2013-05-24T11:51:00.003-07:00

Yes, my friends, the time has come for the Great Croc Debate. Except this is going to be more like the great-rant-on-why-I-hate-crocs.

But, feel free to chime in and tell me why I'm right. Or wrong, I suppose.

Reason #1: They're ugly.

Yes, yes, this is a matter of opinion, and I recognize that, but they look like gardening clogs. And, really, who would wear their gardening clogs out and about in the real world?

(yuck)

Reason #2: They were originally developed to be spa shoes. Crocs, like Uggs (more on Uggs here), are footwear that became street wear by accident (though I'm sure that the stakeholders in both companies are pleased about it, I can't say I share their enthusiasm). Originally developed as a spa shoe, I can understand why it was a successful design. It's soft and comfy, has all those holes for ventilation, the toe is quite wide and roomy, so it probably would be good to protect your pedicure without ruining it, and they come in a bunch of wild colours. Sure, I might wear them in a spa. Keywords here: in a spa. Just like slippers don't belong on the street, neither do spa shoes.

Reason #3: They give you the weirdest tan lines. As a shoe that was not meant to be in light stronger than the soft glow of spa ambiance, the idea of tan lines was never a factor in their design. Or, they completely disregarded it on purpose, who knows. But, the fact of the matter is that if you wear Crocs in the sun, your feet will look like this:

Why people would do this to themselves voluntarily if beyond me. A flip-flop or sandal tan is one thing (no one is exempt, unfortunately), but if you footwear make your feet look diseased.... That's quite another.

Now, like Uggs, Crocs have expanded their product line and recognized that people need something less horrible to put on their feet. And, I have no problem with these designs, but, please, leave the originals in the spa.

I actually think the pink heels are quite cute, though I do worry what would happen if you wore those yellow bubble flats in the sun too long... Bubble-toes.

Rocky start (or: Why Ralph and I are not currently friends)

2013-04-10T10:22:00.001-07:00

Last week, I went to Bellingham with my mum, as per usual.

We stopped at Value Village, as per usual.

I made a bee-line for the shoes, as per usual.

I discovered a pair of beautiful velvet smoking slippers with gold crests, as per not-so-usual.

They had leather soles. I was intrigued.

Turning them over, I discovered that they are Ralph Lauren. And they were 5$.

Needless to say, they're mine now. And, today was the first day that I decided to wear them. So, upon arriving at work (back to the usual now), I swapped my rainboots (yes, the sunshine is gone, alas!) for my fabulous, pratically-new Ralph Lauren smoking slippers. Two minutes in, I started to limp.

I've lamented the trouble with flats before, but I thought these might be different, because they're, well, Ralph Lauren. No dice. The backs are driving me crazy, and I'm worried I'll be coated in blisters by quitting time.

But, not one to give up easily, I'm trying to stretch them out a little. I have no ice on hand, so I've doing this:

Ridiculous, I know, but I have jammed a stack of post-its in either shoe (yes, I only order bright coloured post-its. Who says you can't have pretty notes?) in a desperate attempt to save my heels.

And it looks insane, but it seems to be working... Fingers crossed. Note to self: Always buy 5$ designer shoes from Value Village, but be ready for a world of pain if they're flat.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

The first days of sunshine.

2013-04-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

Something glorious has happened this weekend. The sun came out.

And, I resolved to go out and enjoy it. And, I did!

Today, I managed to go to the park and lay out on a picnic blanket with my feet in sandals and my legs bare. I wasn't even cold.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of something beautiful!

I almost opted for my indestructible pink rubber flipflops (the blue foam ones were finally laid to rest in the bottom of my garbage can just a week ago when I discovered a hole on the ball of the foot. I had literally walked through them, and they will be missed.), but I decided to keep it classy and wear some fancy sandals instead.

And, these guys are just as comfy! Happy Easter!

These boots were made for walking

2013-03-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it's finally here! Spring!

It's been a long, cold, wet winter, and I am definitely glad to see that it's coming to an end. After almost a week of beautiful days, I think it may even be safe to say it. Spring has sprung!

And, with the turn of the season comes flowers! But, not just in our gardens...

I was out for dinner with a few lovely friends of my mine, and we popped over to ALDO and I fell in love with these:

These little darlings are actually wedges, and the floral pattern continues around the heel in wraparound perfection. I've worn them once, and, though still breaking them in, I'm still completely smitten.

Though, I must say, spring is not just about flowers. It's also about the beginning of nice weather, and being able to be outside without rain boots and an umbrella. At least, it is in Vancouver.

Which is why I'm wearing these:

I picked these guys up in New York, during this past trip, and they're perfect for a walk in the park, or along the Seawall. And, I've been getting up to a lot of walking recently.

With all the sunshine, I've been trying to get outside for at least a little bit of time everyday. Yesterday, I actually walked 17.5km (not in these boots though!) and it was a great day for walking!

Plus, if I go out for a stroll, I can smell real flowers. Well, maybe not for a month or two, yet.

Shoe or boot? Yes.

2013-03-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

When I was in New York, I went to Dolce & Gabbana, because this is one of the things that one does while in New York.

And, while I was there, I saw these:

I love these. They're absolutely beautiful. But, the thing that intrigues me most is that they look similtaneously like boots, and shoes with lace socks. Shoe-boots? Shoots? Bhoes? Who knows?

Because my current budgeting situation did not permit a spontaneous purchase of designer footwear (maybe one day!), I had to leave these lovelies behind, and try to find myself something similar in the land of trickle-down designs. Unfortunately, no luck yet, but I have my eyes peeled.

In the meantime, I did pick up a pair of booties that are sort of similar, and yet very different.

These are by Report, though I picked them up at Goodwill, land of bargains and (apparently) tasty footwear. I like that the patent pieces look like a cut-out pump, but the matte leather between bridges the gap to beautiful booties!

So, to answer the age-old question: Is it a shoe, or a boot? Yes.

Mint-spiration

2013-03-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

New York Story Number One:

There was, of course, footwear. I'm currently obsessing over mint green everything, and shoes were part of the mix. I found a beautiful pair of mint pumps at Forever 21, and wasted no time in snapping them up:

A self-admitted shopaholic at times, I've managed to whittle my habit down to only buying really great pieces, instead of my previous philosophy of "If it looks good, buy it in every colour!", though that sometimes rings appropriate. And, so, I chose to leave the peach ones behind, because, though beautiful, they were really just no mint green.

(a little more mint-spiration)

Pastels are huge this spring, and I will admit that in addition to my new pumps, I also added a peplum skirt, two peplum tops, a clutch and two pairs of earrings in the same minty hue.

I've written a blog post for my mum's store's blog on the subject, which can be seen here.

By the end of the trip, I was so mint-infused, I got my nails painted to match!

(Accent-nails are another love-affair for me at the moment...)

And, yes, I would absolutely drive a mint green vintage car, if given the chance.

Back in the real world...

2013-03-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

Or is it? Maybe the real world is New York. Or at least I would sometimes like to think so.

Sometimes.

This trip was, of course, a whirlwind of fabulousness! After the typical few days of working and shopping for the store (and me, of course!), we had one day left where the clouds gave way and the sunshine shone down while we wandered Bleeker Street and down through Little Italy. Sublime.

There was, of course, new shoe purchases and some drooling over designer beauties, but I'll save some stories for another day.

The only real disappointment was that, while gazing at the windows at Bergdorf's, I saw that Manolo Blahnik would be in the store to present his collection. Two days after we left.

Woe!

Ah well, another time.

Gone shopping, back soon!

2013-03-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

I've gone to the motherland.

Back on Sunday.

(Source: http://www.thisisglamorous.com/2012/08/take-me-away-34-city-guide-4-new-york.html)

Emerald and Vanilla

2013-02-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure why, but I've been having a hard time writing here lately. Partly, I think, because I've been writing for my mum on her company's blog, SWISH Notes, partly because I've just had a lot on my mind lately and partly because there hasn't really been all that much going on in my world that's blog-able.

Anyways, I hope that explains why I've been doing more sharing of things and less writing of things. Which will not be a trend.

Moving on!

I will be headed to New York, this coming Wednesday night, and there will be much more to tell you when I return, I promise.

In the meantime, I've been trying really hard to avoid spending mass quantities of money on anything, including footwear (though I have acquired some gems in the last few weeks)

These are my new friends:

The green ones are the result of much lusting after I stumbled upon them by accident. I was searching for mint green trend photos for SWISH notes, when I saw them on this blog. She had included them in this beautiful mix-match of all things emerald (which was the pantone-named colour for 2013:

I especially love the seat in the very middle. Beautiful!

Now, when I saw these, they were on the Target website, and I kept telling myself that I would go try them on when I was in the US next. Unfortunately, by the time I made it to the other side of the line, they weren't at Target anymore.

But, all was not lost! I was at my fabulous Bellingham-neighbourhood Goodwill, which happens to get all the cast-offs of things that Target can't sell. And, sitting in the middle of a pile of Target-rejected goodies was (you guessed it!) my emerald shoes! (And, in my size, no less!)

So, I, of course, wasted no time in snapping them up, and felt a little like Cinderella dancing about in my emerald glory. Did I mention they were only ten dollars!? (Which seems to be my magic number these days...)

The vanilla-patent perfection in the other photo comes with a little anecdote as well (of course). I was shopping at Kohls, looking for inspiration, and I stumbled upon them. My mum was shopping on the other side of the shelf, and we both exclaimed at the same time, in near-perfect unison, "Oooh! These are cute!" and held up the same pair of shoes so that the other could see. It was one of those sit-com moments.

These are LC by Lauren Conrad, which is a label I'm becoming more fond of. I also picked up a beautiful floral dress by her, which is making me feel a little more prepared for Spring.

New York will help with the rest of my Spring-y preparation.

My thrifty treasure (Or: ten dollars?!)

2013-02-18T15:12:00.000-08:00

My recent ventures into thrift stores are no secret, I've been regaling you all with tales of delight and disgust for awhile now, but I hadn't had any great finds in recent trips. Until a couple weeks ago...

I was with my mum in Bellingham, and we were walking the aisles at a fabric store, which is located less than a block from Goodwill. Suddenly, I was overcome with an undeniable need to go to Goodwill, post haste!

Without knowing why, we marched down, and I started my hunt. I didn't have much in the way of expectations, seeing as most of what I was looking at was ick than eureka...

(Yes, that is a pseudo-cowboy boot slingback. Ew.)

But, then, something caught my eye....

Those are black and gold Michael by Michael Kors sandals. And, they were ten dollars. I quickly slipped them on (they fit like a dream), and, boots in hand, ran off to find my mum.

She was at the cash, and I rushed up with a breathless, "I'm blinded by the label, are these cute or ugly?!" It was agreed that they were adorable, and became mine in a matter of minutes.

This is my thrift store success story. You're welcome.

Happy Love Day!

2013-02-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

It's Valentine's Day again, my friends!

And, unlike last year, I have a date tonight. With my man.

I'm pretty excited.

But, back to the task at hand... shoes!

I'm wearing something festive today:

At one point in my life, I recognized that wearing pink and red together was a very bad idea. And, this is a principal that I generally stick to when it comes to a ful outfit, but on a cute little wedge, I think it works quite nicely.

Plus, it's so appropriate for the day. Like these:

(A little Vivienne Westwood to get your heart pounding)

And, to all you singletons out there, all I have to say to you is: Spend some time today loving yourself. You're worth it.

More tips and tricks!

2013-02-11T21:06:00.003-08:00

I've stumbled upon another awesome trick for stretching out your shoes:

I found this little gem on coffee, light & sweet, though it's been originally credited to The Observer, and the original post can be found here. I've also linked the photo to coffee, light & sweet's post (got to give credit where credit is due, after all), but here's what you do:

Put on a pair (or two) of thick socks and squeeze your feet into the offending footwear. Then, blast the tight spots a few times with the hairdryer, while flexing and relaxing your feet. Keep the shoes on until they're good and cool, and then remove your socks and put the shoes back on. They should be must more wearable!

If it doesn't work the first time, simply repeat until they're properly stretched.

Easy, no?

If you try it, let me know how it works for you!

Trendhunting (Or: Mummy on a mission)

2013-02-01T18:43:00.000-08:00

Recently, my mum went to New York (without me, I know! Actually, I opted out of this trip, in an effort to be financially responsible) with my aunt and grandma.

Now, I know that when my mum goes back to our Mecca, that she's busy. How do I know this? Because, when I go with her, I experience it first-hand. So, imagine my delighted surprise when she told me that she and my aunt had been diligently documenting some things that they thought I (and you) would enjoy!

So, quickly, a retrospective of their trip, in footwear!

(duh)

Their first stop was Betsey Johnson, land of bold prints, colour-blocking, and pushing the envelope. I love that Betsey's designs are always a little loud (sometimes a little too much so), so they're pretty much guaranteed to be perfect statement pieces!

I'm not entirely sure where these little gems came from, but, with my spike-envy in full effect, I love them. And, I would unapologetically wear them to the office, and to a party.

Then, they brought me lots of patterns and embellishment:

It's no secret that I love an embellished heel, and I'm definitely lusting after the candystripes and the florals, but I think my favourites are the yellow curly-ques! They're so whimsical and bright, I think they belong in my collection! But, then there's those turquoise and feather beauties...

Then, of course, who could pass on a black and white maryjane? And, the cutout detail on back of the other pair (though a little hard to see) is beautiful (and studded, oh my!)

Plus, the capped toes are so now. I have a great pair of flats with the same gold toe, and, let me tell you, they make yoga pants look chic. Not that I would ever wear them with yoga pants... yuck. Not that I would ever even wear yoga pants outside of the house/gym. Double yuck.

Finally, my mum showed me these little numbers:

Not my personal style, but I can appreciate them. The hidden platforms are clever, and they look pretty comfy! With a pair of tights and a mini-skirt, they could be pretty cute!

But, I think my favourite shot of the lot of them was this one:

If only we could wear shoes as clothes, my life would change forever!

All in all, this little surprise was enough to make me feel like Cinderella!

And, I've just booked my own airfare to New York for March, so I'll be able to do some research (read: shopping) of my own!

Sometimes I wear flats, sometimes I wear heels, sometimes I wear nothing at all?

2013-01-23T11:57:00.004-08:00

Something strange has happened today. I'm not wearing shoes.

It sounds ridiculous, I know, and so out of character, but there's a reason.

I forgot them. I ran out the door this morning without the heels I had carefully selected for the day.

And, I can't wear my rainboots all day, because they don't breathe, and there's nothing worse than sitting at your desk all day with clammy feet.

So, here is what is on my feet today:

Sometimes, it's good to give your feet a day to breathe, relax and destress. I put mine through some serious hoops sometimes in the name of fashion, and it's actually really good for your posture to wander about barefoot every-so-often.

So, there you have it. Stocking feet on Wednesday morning. At work.

If there's a fire today, I'm screwed.

Thift in Vic (Or: Spring heels & Smurf's Greatest Hits)

2013-01-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite things in the world is thift store shopping. Not because I'm a wannabe hipster who will only wear clothes that have been worn by other people until they're useless (or look like they've been worn by other people, but have actually been destroyed and distressed carefully by the manufacturers, so as to warrant an enormous pricetag), but because of the strange things (and occasional treasures) you will run across.

For example, while visiting my favourite lady, Miss Estee, this weekend, I found myself in a Salvation Army Thrift Store in downtown Victoria. The first thing I noticed was the shoe section, which was right in the front (as it should be), and that was where I saw these eyesores:

Not a huge fan of orange and yellow plaid to begin with, I had to stop and giggle when I saw these. Yes, that is a spring in the heel, and, after testing it thoroughly, I will admit that these are probably quite comfortable, as the spring has a good amount of give. That being said, they are a little difficult to get the hang of right away, as they feel a little like walking on Moon Shoes.

Sitting right next to them were these:

A little too Barbie's stripper limo party for my tastes, though Steve Madden (who typically rocks my world, footwear-wise), I can't really question why their previous owner chose to donate them...

And, in case you're concerned that wearing actual bling around your legs in the rain will cause your adornments to rust, I have just the thing for you!

That's right! Chains and bling printed right on to your rainboots! Genius, no?

I joke, but let's move on. Not everything that people donate is worthless, I actually found a few things that I thought fit more into the treasure category than the "oh-my-goodness-why?" category.

These little pumps would be lovely for work, or a dinner out:

With black tights and a pencil skirt? Super cute! Again, these are Steve Madden, though an example of how he does it right, this time!

I've been seeing a lot of geometric patterns, metallics, and, of course, colour-blocking, so these little flats would be a sweet way to run around town in your favourite jeans, while still looking put together.

And, finally, I have a belt that these would go magnificently with, and how perfect for a night of dancing with the girls? Spicy!

Unforunately, none of my treasures fit, which is the chance you take shopping second-hand. One shot, one size. Sometimes you win, sometimes you take photos.

I did, however find something that was a definite one-size-fits-all: a full selection of Smurf vinyls. If only I had a turntable...

Stretch your shoes with ice!

2013-01-06T16:56:00.001-08:00

MichellePhan, you are a genius!

Check out her video on how to stretch your shoes with ice. So clever!

Personally, I've never used this method, have you? Let me know how it worked for you!

Michelle Phan also has lots of beautiful makeup tutorials, and some really cool costume makeup tutorials, make sure to check out her other videos!

Cause it's too cold to go outside and do it. (Or: My online habit)

2013-01-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

Well, now that all the excitement of the holidays is over, it's time to get back to the real world.

I had my last day of rest on Tuesday and then the rest of this week was about getting back into the pattern of being back at work (my office is closed for 10 days over Christmas and New Years), and trying to right my sleep pattern. So far, it's been a bit of a losing battle...

But, what better way to pass the time when you're playing the insomniac than to go online window shopping and see what things I could happily have in exchange for maxing out my credit cards.

I'm a bit of a vintage freak, so I like to check out Ebay, because you never know what you'll find (I can look through results for "vintage louboutin" for days). And, while I love vintage styles and details, I don't necessarily need to buy actual vintage shoes, as they're often in rough condition and incredibly narrow, which doesn't suit my feet at all. But, the good news is, by searching for vintage shoes 7 (which is generally my size), I will also get new pieces that are vintage inspired.

For example, I think these are beautiful:

And they're brand new! You can see them (and purchase) here.

I also like to play on betseyjohnson.com, pinupgirlclothing.com, and beyondtherack.com (which is actually where I picked up my newest shoe rack, so it's good for more than clothing).

There are always good deals to be had, and things to drool over!

Plus, anything droolworthy that I see, is yet another thing I get to share with you!

What are your favourite online shoe sources?

2013, here we are!

2013-01-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

We made it! 2013 is off to a great start!

I got to spend midnight at a party with my man and a bunch of his friends (some of whom are my friends as well!) and sadly, as it was a house party, I was unable to wear the amazing heels I had bought for the occasion. Take a look at these lovelies:

They're by Anne Michelle, and the style is called Assassin. And they went perfectly with my black peplumed, cut to my bellybutton, meshed out New Years dress. Oh, woe.

Ah well, I'm sure they'll get their day in the sun. There are plenty of excuses to wear killer heels. Like a Tuesday.

Happy 2013, everyone! I hope this year is extraordinary for us all!

Goodbye 2012, it's been a slice!

2012-12-31T18:58:00.000-08:00

Well, we've made it... Nearly. Just a few hours to go!

I'm all ready to tear the night apart! I'm headed to help a friend set up her party, and then attend another with my man. I'll show you the shoes tomorrow!

Here I am:

I hope that everyone has a great new years and I can't wait to see what 2013 has to hold for us. It's going to be a fantastic year full of opportunities. Sky's the limit, my darlings!

Hope your evening sparkles!

Walking in a winter wonderland

2012-12-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

This past Friday, I took a little trip with my man to Whistler, land of winter and snowflakes.

It was so lovely! I took a bus up and spent the night the Summit Lodge and Spa, had a lovely dinner at 21 Steps, and then got to wander the village and relax, all with my charming boyfriend, Milos.

Being the shoe-aholic that I am, I, of course, was in heels for dinner. One of my favourite things is when Milos and I get all dressed up and go out together, so I was not going to waste an opportunity because of the cold. So, with a wool overcoat and a velvet scarf over my lacey dress and tights, I popped on a pair of Vera Wang stilettos and stepped out into the snow.

They're a little hard to see in this photo, but those are suede, and strappy with open-toes. Not necessarily the cleverest choice to go tromping through the snow, but I made it work. The platforms kept me high enough off the ground to get wet, and the dry snow didn't stick. It was a chilly stroll, though!

I probably won't be attempting open-toes in the snow again in the near future... At least not unless there's a vehicle involved!

The rest of the trip was spent in my knee-high black boots, a much more winter-friendly choice, with their fuzzy lining and unexpected waterproof exterior (I was pleasantly surprised by my bone-dry toes after 90 minutes of kicking through fresh powder).

Overall, it was a sublime weekend, and got me very much in the Christmas spirit. So much so, in fact, that I spent all day Sunday baking Christmas goodies with my best friend, Estee.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

23? Done for me. 24? Time for more!

2012-12-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

Today, I am another year older.

Not that that really changes all that much in the grand scheme of things, but it's worth noting.

Or, at least I think so.

It's been a lovely day so far, I saw my Mum this morning, got some beautiful flowers from my Daddy, and a gorgeous bracelet from my man, followed by dinner with his family.

Tomorrow night, I'll put on some tall heels and a pretty dress and celebrate with my some of my favourite friends, and on Sunday, I'll see my family. Overall, pretty stellar!

Now, I think that one's birthday is a prime time to reflect, take stock of the last year, and come up with some goals for the next year. New year resolutions, as opposed to the traditional New Year's resolutions that tend to appear on everyone's Facebook feed on January 1st.

So, looking back on the year, I feel accomplished. Not only has my shoe collection grown, but I feel like I have too. I've gained some life experience, perspective and some fabulous people. I met the love of my life this year, as well as my best friend (two different people, to clarify, and I love and adore them both!). I've travelled, shopped, revamped, decluttered, and rebuilt my life. 23 has been very good to me.

And now, 24, is a clean slate, full of possibilities. I can tell already that it's going to be full of love, laughter and adventure, but there are some things I want to accomplish this year, beyond enjoying every second.

24 is going to be a creative year. Lots of projects (I won't give them away just yet...). I've been steadily becoming more domestic in the last few months, and part of that is bringing my sewing machine out of hibernation. For you guys, this also means that I'm going to work harder to make sure that reading What's On My Feet never gets boring!

Not that it ever would be.

So, there are going to be many adventures coming, and stories, trends, photos and many, many posts to follow.

Thanks to everyone who reads me here. It's so much more fun to write knowing that you enjoy reading!

Here's to another year together!

Mix or match?

2012-11-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of interesting flats out and about in stores right now. I think they're darling. Especially these little charmers I picked up in New York (of course):

Just a little Missoni knit to brighten your day! They aren't real (unfortunately), but adorable none-the-less.

We're also seeing lots of bright colours (remember my bright blue tassels?) and details (cap-toes, fabric, studding, etc, etc, etc), and the big dilemma becomes: mix or match?

Do you mix patterns, colours, metallics, brights, fabrics, or let the statement stand alone?

And the answer is: it's really up to you.

Depending on the day, I will do both. Today, I'm wearing those lovely little cobalt tassels, but the rest of my outfit is neutral (actually, black, to be honest), so that those shoes are my statement piece, and they get the spotlight (it's working, too, I've had three compliments on them, already, and I've worn them to my office already). But, I've also worn the Missoni knit flats with a bright cobalt polka-dot shirt (I'm just realising that that is a lot of cobalt for one paragraph), mixing patterns, quite boldly.

If you're going to mix colours, try to stick with two brights, max. Do bright shoes with a bright dress, and then black tights, or bright tights with bright shoes and neutral clothes. Some people can get away with three (I remember nights where I would be in a bright skirt, bright tights, and bright shoes of all different hues), but, especially if you're not used to colour-blocking, play it a little safe. At least to start.

As for patterns, if both are multi-coloured and obvious, keep them as far from each other as possible. For example, you'll look more fashionista with a bold patterned shirt and bold patterned shoes, but if you wear a bold patterned dress, shoes, belt, and tights, you may look more like you got dressed high on acid. And these aren't the kinds of things one wants to broadcast.

If you want to mix patterns closer together, look for pieces that are tone-on-tone, or softer colours and that the patterns lend more texture to, for example: tweeds, flocking, meshwork. Keep it subtle, and you can mix all sorts of patterns!

Metallics are neutrals, so you can do whatever you want when it comes to mixing them. Don't be shy!

Except maybe this:

So, you really can mix or match, to your heart's content! As always, go with your gut, as to what you're comfortable with, but have fun with it! Who says that because the winter weather is dull that your look has to be?

The great UGG debacle (Or: Why I hate UGGs)

2012-11-29T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I can't stand UGGs. My mum thinks they're adorable, I have friends who adore them, had classmates in fashion school who wore them daily, and am sure that many people will disagree with me and proclaim their undying love of them after I post this, but I hate them. With a firey burning passion. (I also hate Crocs, but we'll talk about that another day)

Here is why:

They are slippers. Slippers are meant to be worn inside.

Now, I'm not innocent in this, I've worn slippers outside. But, I learned my lesson, fast. Though my "boots" were much cuter then flumpy UGGs, they got wet in rainy Vancouver, instantly. And I threw them away when they had gone through the wash a few times and still smelled like someone's feet had died inside of them. Ew, not pretty.

But, I'm getting side-tracked. UGGs originated as surfer boots, to wear between sessions, so one's toes didn't get too cold. Sounds like slippers to me: footwear that one puts on during periods of rest between activities so that one's feet stay warm and toasty.

Plus, they just look like slippers, and if everyone would just wear them inside, I would be totally ok with that. But, more often than not, the street is taken over by girls in their skinny jeans and squealchy UGGs as soon as the weather gets a little nippy.

And, they think they look like this:

All cute and cuddley and Kate Hudsoney (notice she's wearing pyjamas in this photo, proper UGG-wearing attire). When in reality, most UGGs end up looking like this:

Slouchy and crumpled and more bag-lady than fashionista. Not to mention that they take about 30 seconds to go from snuggly to soaked:

Ew. Who would want to put their foot in that? Not to mention that they take eons to dry, and smell like wet dogs in mud puddles during that drying process. I've had roommates who like them too, I know.

You'd think that, as a booties made for people who surf (a water sport), they would be waterproof, or quick-drying. Apparently not.

Recently, I was at Nordstrom, killing time while I waited for my mum, and I thought I would check out the shoes. And, of course, I stumbled upon a whole bunch of UGGs.

Look! Slippers! Oh, no, wait, those are supposed to go outside?

And sparkley slippers? Sure, why not.

But, then, they admitted it! These are actual UGG slippers:

That's not to say that everything the UGG company does is terrible. Their riding boots are pretty spot on:

And, though I'm really picky with motorcycle boots (most of them are too clunky for me), the styles in their Motto collection are pretty on trend:

So, let me end the great UGG debate by saying: UGG, you and I can be friends! Just, please, stick to making real footwear, and keep the slippers at home.

What do you think of them? I've love to hear your thoughts, whether you are pro- or anti-UGG!

Oka-b? Ok by me!

2012-11-23T13:02:00.001-08:00

After we finished about 90% of the work portion of our New York trip, my mum and I decided to take a day off and do some leisurely wandering. And, what did we end up doing? That's right, shopping!

But, this time, we found ourselves at the fabulous GreenFlea Market on the Upper West.

Flea markets are so much fun, as long as you're not searching for anything particular. The treasures that you stumble upon are so much more fun, because you didn't stress and race about trying to track something down. And that's just what this flea market was, a treasure trove!

I wound up coming home with a beautiful 1940's navy velvet evening bag (it even had the tiny matching change purse still intact and on a chain inside), and something I've been seeing in magazines for awhile:

These are Oka-b flats. They are jelly flats, but they're nothing like the jelly shoes of our childhoods! These clever little friends are waterproof, odor and bacteria resistant, and recyclable.

That's right! When you've worn them into the ground (and believe me, you will, they're super comfy, and have massage beads in the soles.), you can mail them back to their roots just outside Atlanta, Georgia, and they will be fully recycled into either new shoes, or industrial mats. That's pretty cool, if I do say so myself!

They'll also recycle the shoebox, so you can send them back in that. If you hold onto it that long without recycling it yourself, of course!

The waterproof part really appeals to me too, being a West Coast Rainforest dweller. It's nice to have another option to wear in the rain without having to worry that they'll get ruined. Did I mention that they're machine-washable?

Georgia's answer to the rainboot has arrived! And it's cute!

Hurricane Shopping

2012-11-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

I've returned, once again, from New York. Ah, New York, shopping mecca of North America, fountain of life for my sizeable closet! My second home.

It was, as always, a whirlwind trip, a hurricane of retail insanity, if you will (too soon?).

And, of course, there were shoes.

The plane ride was spent doing some much needed research in InStyle, and I have a few quick gems to share (pick up the issue if you have a chance, there's some good stuff in there, footwear and otherwise!) before I get on with my stories!

Just a couple of cute things!

After a good nap and some page flipping, we had arrived! Then it was off to the hotel, then straight out to shop. And we didn't stop for three days.

At one point during this spree, my mum spied these in the window of New York Look:

Naturally, we popped in for a closer look. And, that was when I found something glorious!

Beautiful, no? Ok, I admit it, I was afraid to look at the price tag. The floral booties were $218, these had to be around $500, right? Wrong! They were $96! That's just all sorts of right. And, my amazing mummy offered to purchase them as an early Christmas present!

So, the only possible outcome was:

Floral booties for mum, and purple tweed for me! How divine!

Of course, I picked up a few more pair through the rest of the trip, but I'm not going to give the whole game away just yet.

Although, to my previous point about tuxedo slippers and androgyny, I did pick of these pals:

Blue, tassels, tuxedo? How can you go wrong!

And, I tried on the closet thing I'll ever wear to tacky New York tourist souvenirs:

Which I think are actually rather adorable. Irregular Choice. But then, who else could pull off putting the New York skyline on a pump?

Sadly, Tuesday came all too soon (though I was glad to come home, as I was missing my man and my kitty!) and it was time to pack up and fly away!

I think that that last photo is evidence of just how successful a trip this was! Eight pieces of newly-filled luggage later...