Flat Out Gorgeous

I love a good wedge, but my affection for ballet flats is no secret.

Help a terribly indecisive girl out. Which style is your favorite?

(From left to right): Madewell skimmers, J.Crew ballet flats, and Marais maryjanes

[photo cred to AMY STONE // COFFEE TALK]

For the Love of Leopard

On any given day, I walk at least 44 blocks to and from work. It's actually a fantastic commute—I just stroll down First Ave, under the 59th St Bridge, and cut over to Third. I think it's very good for my temper that I don't try to squeeze into a rush-hour 6 train, but the havoc that my walk wreaks on my feet? Not so much. Pumps are out of the question, and I'll only wear wedges when I'm desperate. (I keep a pair of each under my desk). (Obviously).

I'm crushing on a good pair of flats that, comfort and endurance aside, will make an easy transition to the office. My Bensimon sneakers won't cut it (cute as they are) and my satin Marc by Marc boat shoes are already really pissed that I let them near the gritty sidewalks of Chicago. These Madewell leopard print skimmers ($118; Click to Buy) are perfect. I love the pointed toe and the honest-to-God calf hair. Bonus: they're neutral enough to match almost everything, but still add a playful touch. And it's at moments like this that I regret memorizing my credit card number. But are they worth it? Absolutely.


[photo cred to Atlantic Pacific blog, top, and here]

The French Converse

I've wanted a pair of Bensimon sneakers ever since I read that they're the French girls' Converse. That's the best marketing ploy ever —just throw the word "French" in front of anything and I'm sold. French fries? Check. French toast? Yep. French braids? So pretty. French kisses? ...I don't kiss and tell. But yes.

I was exceptionally loyal to my beat-up, classic red Keds until last weekend, when they managed to bore a hole through my ankle. It was a highly unpleasant experience, and ever since I dedicated my column in Prep Talk to the merits of a cool, laid-back pair of kicks, I've been gazing lovingly at this pair of Bensimon vintage sneakers (available here):

Hello, lover. It's like Carrie Bradshaw with her Manolos, but for the lazy girl who wants neither to try too hard nor stumble into a gutter on her way to class. My issue (I always have an issue) is that although grey is my favorite color, the black pair is tugging at my heartstrings. I can't decide. Help a terribly indecisive girl out — which do you like?

[photo cred here]

Spring Kicks

I just want to scoop up an armful of the new ballet flats from J. Crew and run. I'm already indecisive, and now I have to choose between snakeskin, Liberty florals, jacquard, studs, and tweed? Neon orange toe caps? Really, snakeskin?! I'm a sucker for snakeskin anything. LE SIGH.

By the Seashore

As inspired by all things nautical:

1. I actually don't own a striped bateau top as of yet (I know, I'm so ashamed of myself) but I am beyond head over heels for this one by Cardigan New York, which was featured in a photo shoot on A Cup of Jo. It looks so gorgeous (and French!) with the red lipstick.

2. I adore the detail on these anchor earrings from Catbird. I rarely wear earrings and when I do, they're usually studs, but this pair is just so pretty and the fossil ivory, unexpected and quirky.

3. I already bought/have worn/won't stop wearing the black and beige pair of Marais flats, and now I'm hankering after the blue. A straight guy complimented them. A straight and very attractive guy. If that's not a good reason to buy a new pair of shoes, I don't know what is.

[photo cred to Our Edge via We Heart It]

Hints of Yellow

I spent my weekend making fresh kale chips, checking my credit score, and reading a play by Jean Anouilh in French. I'm also getting into cooking really luxurious breakfasts (they are the most important meal of the day, after all), so I spent an awful lot of time chopping onions and mushrooms for my luxurious little omelets. I also made the most delicious bacon sandwich on Saturday, which I topped with tomatoes, red onions, and two slices of Meunster.

Then again, I also watched three hours-worth of The Office reruns while eating handful after handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I was too lazy to bake them into cookies) — just in case you were wondering what sort of girl I'd become. So tell me, how was your weekend? Did you watch the Superbowl? (Did you know that there's also a Puppy Bowl? My best friend and I were dying over this).

P.S. If you'd like to see me waxing poetic (awkwardly) and prancing about in my new Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent wedges, I did a short video here for Northwestern's fashion blog. I pop up at 0:35, frozen by stage fright and only smiling at the very end. Thus goes my dream of doing stand-up comedy alongside Aziz Ansari.


[photo cred, clockwise, to 1, 2, 3, 4] 

Delicate Neutrals

This morning, I discovered this pair of L.A.M.B. crepe booties (pictured, lower right) and let me tell you, we're having the love affair of the century. This isn't our fault — winter has done a number on me, and I'd might as well admit it now that I am sick of wool, sick of fur, sick of Wolford tights, and even a little sick of my navy Hunter rain boots, which are, in their own right, pretty fantastic when I'm trying to wade through three feet of snow. I am so over you, winter. We are dunzo. I should really just give you a restraining order.

But seriously, these shoes! They look like they were made by fairies. I'm also one of those people who thinks that peep-toe booties are the most useless things ever, so this is an especially big personal breakthrough. All I want to do is wear these with dark skinny jeans or a frothy pale skirt, a white silk tee (I'm obsessed with these, although the white is now sold out), and no coat. Not even a light jacket. Maybe, maybe, a cardigan, but only for looks.

By the way, is anyone else as excited as I am about Matchbook magazine? They even have a editor's wish list for bookworms and it's calling for me. I can't wait to curl up with it and a steamy mug of green tea tomorrow morning.


[photo cred, clockwise, to 1 via Musings in Femininity, 2 and 3 via Patterson Maker]

Monday Morning

I apologize for the sparse updates - my commute to NYC is hellish and I sleep during most of it. I absolutely love my internship at Allure, though; I learn something new every day and particularly enjoy having a security pass for the Condé Nast headquarters in Times Square.

I bought a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti peep toes. They're lilac and have enormous platforms, so there's a good chance I'm going to topple over while wearing them. Unfortunately, they were only available through a Ruelala sample sale, so I can't seem to find a photo of them. During my hunt, though, I stumbled across this sweet duo:

Typically, I'm not partial to anything that matches perfectly. I like when there's a working relationship between two pieces - they complement one another, but manage to avoid looking like a set. These broke my rule. Wouldn't they look awesome with a short black dress for a night out? I love that black patent perfectly grounds the python print and puts a spin on two great classics. On the other hand, I would wear these with a flowing white dress:
The bright, spunky hues are perfect for the summer, and the embellishment is beautiful. They somehow manage to back away ever so carefully from gaudy (as I usually tend to find gemstones to be) and towards elegant. The best part is that I'd want to wear the pieces together instead of separating them and trying to find some way to incorporate each one on its own.

Actually, the real best part is that they're available here, where many of the Summer 2010 styles are marked down. And with that, my dears, we start off our week!

Wedge Extravaganza

Weak spot: wedges. Wedged boots, wedged sandals, wedged anything. I can wear them to class without feeling too dressed up or out for the night without worrying that I'll end up barefoot on the walk home. I don't have the longest legs in the world, so these provide length without sacrificing comfort. A nude-hued style is by far the most flattering, as it visually extends the leg line. I happen to be a sucker for cute ankle straps as well: my two favorite picks from the list below are the Charles David "Dizzy" and Pour La Victoire "Tarissa"; if I could afford the See by Chloe wedges, they would be cradled in my arms right now. I prefer spare details and the occasional bold pop of color (couldn't you just see the red with worn, rolled up jeans and a slouchy striped tee?). It's just sheer convenience that these are considered "trendy" right now. I'd like to rename them "never leave my feet ever I love you I promise I'll get pedicures we'll be together forever."






(from top to bottom)

Charles David Dizzy Espadrilles, Zappos, $135

J. Crew Sardinia Wedge Espadrilles, J. Crew, $118

Dolce Vita Pela Wedge, Piperlime, $165

Kate Spade New York Metro T-Strap Wedges, Bloomingdales, $225

Pour La Victoire Tarissa Strappy Platform Wedges, Bloomingdales, $290
See by Chloe Ankle-Wrap Wedge Sandals, Saks Fifth Avenue, $335

The Case for Lanvin

I have an inherent weakness for any ballet flats that make my size 9.5 feet seem dainty. But when these magical shoes ring in at a tear-inducing $530, you'd better know what you're paying for and why. I worked for about two months before I was able to save enough cash to afford the tax on these shoes. Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you calculate the value of price per wear, they cost me about $0.20/day.
A huge perk is the exclusivity. I first saw the Lanvin ballet flats in Elle magazine about two years ago, in the issue where Naomi Watts is on the cover. They were green, they were worn, they were perfect. Unfortunately, by the time I could afford them, Barneys (the only retailer on this side of the Atlantic that carries the flats. Big misstep there, Saks) had sold out of everything but the patent leather pairs. I refuse to pay more than $10 for patent leather - regular leather wears better than patent, looks more expensive, and lasts far longer. I was lucky that Barneys had just received a limited-quantity shipment of white leather flats with metallic silver edging. I tried them on. Housewives of New York gasped as my feet suddenly became a size 7. Factor in the assurance that no one west of Broadway would make it to Barneys in time to snag a pair, and I was sold. Rather, the shoes were sold. To me.
It's been two years and I have my eye on another pair. Why? Because it isn't until you buy them and open the rich, sky blue box that you figure out that they're handmade in Italy by craftsmen out of the finest calfskin available. Not one craftsman, but two! And they devote two weeks to your two shoes, that fit snugly and perfectly on your two feet. It's a sickness, sure, but the best sickness ever. The calfskin is soft, supple, and durable, though it does require care. I don't eat veal so I consider this a proper tradeoff.

I'll admit that this isn't the shoe's best angle, so try to find them up close and personal and tell me you don't fall deeply in love. I've decided, upon my family's recent decision to go to France for the fourth year in a row (we really enjoy escargot), that I'm going to waltz into the Lanvin flagship in Paris and choose from a much wider array than what Barneys offers. I also want to find Alber Elbaz, give him a hug, and make him my best friend forever. Conveniently, I have a good three weeks before this dream comes to fruition, so hopefully I'll work enough to compensate for the dollars (decreasing) weakness against the euro.