Study of Shoes and Stilettos

Bebe strappy leather sandals with chunky wooden platform and a staggering 6-inch heel. Surprisingly, these aren’t all that tricky to walk in, and are remarkably comfortable. Seriously. The platform makes the heel not quite so severe, and I can’t tell you how tall and important I feel when rocking a six-inch heel. Goodness, I love these shoes!

I love how this is a fairly classic outfit until you get to my ankles, and then it’s sass and spunk all the way. I kind of wish I’d worn this with a hot pink belt instead of the brown one, but I suppose that just means I’ll have to wear it again.

The Details

Blue and white polka-dot blouse: Banana Republic
White tank: Old Navy
Brown pencil skirt: TJ Maxx
Brown belt: Forever 21 (I think)
Shoes: Bebe
Pink bangles and ring: Claire’s
Silver bracelet: Tiffany

**This post is part of Kayla‘s 21 Day Challenge. Day 2: Tuck it in. Check out the rest of the participants in the Flickr group here.

Chocolate brown snakeskin t-strap espadrilles from Banana Republic…the exact same ones I wore last week.  Whatever, I love them and it’s not freezing or rainy or miserable, so espadrilles must be worn.  Truth be told, when I left the house this morning I was wearing boots, but one look at the slice of blue sky that was so lovely, I marched myself back upstairs and grabbed the first pair of shoes with peep-toes.

This dress started it’s life as a mid-calf, homemade pioneer dress from the thrift store.  I chopped off the hem (although I think I need to take it up another inch or two), took the sides in several inches, and made the sleeves a little less puffy.  I loved the summery plaid and the pockets–pockets!!–so any and all adjustments were totally worth it.

The Details
Dress: thrifted and refashioned by me
Cardigan: Old Navy
Belt: Forever 21
Necklaces: Horseshoe Necklace (no clue where this one came from), Mayan calendar necklace (Mazatlan, Mexico)
Earrings: Claire’s
Turquoise Ring: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Espadrille Wedges: Banana Republic

Chocolate brown snake-skin stamped leather T-strap espadrilles, from Banana Republic

These pics are from over the weekend, something a little casual and blessedly summery.  (A weather trend that has not continued throughout the week, sigh.)  I found this shirt at a SLC boutique and absolutely love it, the stripey knit is soft and the poofy sleeves are divine and I just cannot get over the bow applique on the front.

You may not be able to tell from this photo–or, really, any of them–but these are my best attempt at wide-leg jeans.  Mind you, I’ve had these for a few years, and now they are trendy again!

Banana Republic wedges
All-Star wide(ish) leg jeans, from Buckle
Navy and white stripey top with bow applique, from a boutique
Pile of silver and turquoise bangles, same as yesterday
Turquoise ring, from Mazatlan, Mexico

Soft brown leather pumps with almond-toe, 4-inch heel, and gold zipper details, by Liliana.  I found these last week and had to have them, I was so delighted when they were delivered less than 24-hours after I ordered them, thank you, free overnight shipping!  And thank you, Endless!  I just love the zipper detail, so funky and unexpected!

Liliana Escada Zipper Pump

They also come in red!

Can I gush a little bit about this photo?  I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this here before, but I don’t take most of the photos that are posted here.  I take a few, like, maybe 5%.  I am tricky, but the kind of contortion required for the shot above while still paying attention to light balance and composition are beyond my scope as a overly amateur photographer.  Also, my little point-and-shoot camera just doesn’t have the skills for that sort of thing in the first place.  No, I don’t take my own photos.  My sister, pinksuedeshoe, comes to visit me every couple of weeks with her big, bad SLR and a head full of creative ideas, and she will take photos of 25 or 30 pairs of shoes.  She’ll edit them up real nice and upload them for me to peruse and subsequently post here.  It’s kind of like that scene in Clueless where Cher has her entire closet loaded into her computer and can scroll through it.  That’s what I do in the morning (or the night before if I’m feeling productive).  I scroll through, find a pair of shoes I want to wear, and then dream up an outfit to go with them.

Up until recently we have been doing these photo shoots outside, ignoring the strange looks from my neighbors as I schlep an enormous bag of shoes around the block, looking for the right spot.  But this last Saturday we decided to set up a mini studio in my warm, cozy apartment and see how that would work.  Come to find, the photos take about 10 times longer to get right when you’re working with sunshine coming through the skylight and setting up different backdrops.  The good news is we both really love how they turned out (see above).  Thanks a million, Pink!

Chocolatey brown satin strappy sandal with 3-inch heel, from B.P.  The last few days it has felt like spring here, it even smells like spring!  In fact, my allergies kicked in last week due to a prolonged thaw!  Don’t worry, I’m sure it will plummet into sub-zero temperatures and a couple more feet of snow will fall in my valley before too long.  But for now I am enjoying the toe-baring weather!

Here are a few sassy pairs of satin heels to tide you over until summer (or, if you happen to live somewhere where it’s always 70-degrees and sunny, you can wear them now)(it has not been 70 here, more like 50)(excuse the excessive parentheticals), or if you need to dress up for a fabulous party or swanky event or an otherwise uneventful Tuesday.

Calvin Klein Rudie T-Strap Sandal

BCBGeneration Erica Pump

Ok, I know these next two aren’t strappy or summery or anything–but there is snow in the forecast and these ankle booties just seem so cozy and snuggly!

Kenneth Cole REACTION How Chicky Ankle Boot

Liliana Carrie Open-Toe Ankle Boot

Chocolate brown suede vintagey pumps with slight pointed-toe, 2.5-inch heel, and bow detail.  These are one of the very few pairs of shoes I own that came from a thrift store, I absolutely love them.  They are so feminine and sweet and perfectly shaped.

Chocolate brown faux-croc leather, brown tweed, and camel suede peep-toe 4-inch pumps by Amanda Smith. I love these shoes; I love them so much, in fact, that I have them in three different colors; brown, black and red.  I’ve had all three of these shoes for several years now and I find that they will go with absolutely everything.  Jeans, casual skirts, dressier outfits, suits, whatever.

Toe Nail Polish: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Polish, Floral Taffeta

Make sure to enter my giveaway for a FREE pair of Muckboots!  Contest is open until December 15, 2010.

Today has been insane.  Like, crazy insane.  I have an enormous meeting with some of the most prestigious people in my industry (I am not participating in this meeting, I’m just in charge of making sure it runs smoothly, thank heavens). I woke up late, had a bit of a wardrobe crisis, ran out the door without my camera to document my shoes for the day, and am now running behind in every possible aspect of the day. So what have I been doing? Every hour I take a 3 minute mini-break to look at something beautiful online to calm my insides. I have been craving a pair of flat boots and I think this Olster Cognac Boot fits the bill.

Dear Santa,

Please remember how good I’ve been this year. I’m a size 10.

Love, heidi

Make sure you enter to win a FREE PAIR OF MUCKBOOTS, contest is open until Dec. 15, 2010.

Come back tomorrow for a gift guide on the most fantastic footwear for the shoe-lover in your life.  (If it’s you that’s totally okay, I’m the only person I like enough right now to buy shoes for anyway.)

Chocolate brown pointy toe 3-inch stilettos with ruching and bow at the toe.  I can’t remember where I purchased these, and the brand name has disappeared from the inside.  I love the sassy ruching on the toe and I love the classic shape.  In snooping around for something similar, I found this suede pair that I love, and this faux croc pair from Bandolino (I’m a sucker for anything snake skin, reptile print, or croc stamped).

Note from the Editor:  Skipping about the internet looking at delicious chocolatey brown heels has given me a serious hankering for about 12 new pairs of heels, all in various shades of brown, all lovely.   Do I need more shoes?  Not particularly.  Do I want them?  Absolutely.  Will I buy them?  ….I will not buy shoes today. I will not buy shoes today.  I will not buy shoes today (repeat 100 times).  I am announcing this here on the hope that it will keep me from running up credit card today.  Cross your fingers for me!

Two-tone spectator pumps with polka-dot cutouts, ankle strap, and 5-inch heel, by Guess.  That heel is intense, and there is no platform to help cheat the height and these can be a little tricky when you are trying to skip or run.  (Yes, I run in most of my shoes prior to purchasing them, you never know when it will be essential that you are able to run trot about in heels.)  I love the two-tone of these shoes, the capped toes are divine and I don’t think I will ever be over the polka-dot cutouts.  These were a Nordstrom Rack find a few years ago, I spent at least an hour searching to find both ankle straps amongst the piles of loose shoes; an hour well spent, I’d say.

Are you ready for a little shoe lesson?  Ok, here we go.  A spectator shoe is typically two-tone in with caps on the toes and heels, something similar to this classic black and white pump or these slightly funkier ones.  Spectators first made their appearance in the mid 1800′s in England as a men’s wingtipped cricket shoe.  For decades this wingtip style heavily influenced two-tone spectators.  In the last century there have been hundreds of different design-takes on the  spectator shoe, they are now in a range of colors and fabrics,  and the influence of this classic can be seen in lace-up ankle booties, heeled loafers, platform stilettos and gorgeous, swoon worthy pumps. (Seriously, I can’t get over that last pair.  They are so beautiful!) Now, go forth and search out a fabulous pair of spectators, heeled or flat, classic or colorful, pumps or ankle boots!  Class dismissed.