Nippy weather

Dolce Vita Cyprus-2

As long as this weather stays in the 50's and 60's, I think I'm going to dedicate my time to sandals. I love boots but they just don't do me like sandals do. And its crazy because I'll have on 2 sweaters and a poncho but then put on some sandals. I really feel as long as I'm traveling or walking towards a heated environment, then my feets will survive. The weather will snap soon though and I will cease and desist with this sandal business. These are my favorite and I try to wear them whenever possible. These are most def my default sandals. They go with everything and I'm all about sandals that go with everything......just like I'm all about shoes that don't go with everything. These pics were taken in the library parking lot. I have to admit that this was my first time visiting in a LONG time. I was observing EVERYTHING because I was wondering if the people working there noticed I hadn't been in a while. And let me say there were some CUTE guys WORKING there. They looked really out of place, i don't know. A couple of them had on those wick-away the sweat running shirts and I know a runner when I see it. But I guess library science is where its at these days. Also, there was a girl standing behind me in line that was trying to print out a school assignment. Unfortunately, they were closing in 20 minutes AND the printers weren't working?! Chicago Public Library is going to have to do better. Oh, and yesterday was gorgeous. The temperature was in the low 60's with a tinge of 40's in the wind. My feets loved it.

Shoe Review

 
I usually don't buy shoes for the full/list price online that I haven't touched, inspected, tried on and/or fallen in love with in person. But a year ago I was willing to make an exception for these:


Seychelles Orchestra
Nothin too snazzy but I was interested in keeping these boots for at least 5 snowy and slushy Chicago winters and looked forward to how they would look when they got a little seasoned.  Also, a lot of the reviews on this boot were saying that the shaft was too big for their legs.  This was great news for me because at the time I had big calves.  I've lost considerable calf weight since then resulting in the pics above. But yes I was stoked about their potential in my head.  When I got them I was still excited but was disappointed at how stiff the leather was and they were kind of roomy at the ankle. Not an ounce of butteriness but I was walkin it out at least 4 times a week with these on and happy because they were still cute and comfy.  Two months passed and the thin rubber sole starts coming undone and flapping every time I walked, the paint on the faux wooden stacked heel starts to peel, and I was getting heated EVERYTIME I looked at these puppies.  I couldn't believe that after a couple of months of walking, I couldn't wear them anymore.  I kept thinking that I have bought shoes that were 1/10 of the price but definitely 5xs the quality.  This just wasn't acceptable.  I bought them full price on Amazon and so much time had passed that I wasn't able to resolve my issues with them so I wrote Seychelles directly:

"Comments:  To whom it may concern,
 
I was a potential loyal customer of the Seychelles brand. On October
12th I bought the Orchestra boot via the amazon website. I had no
problem paying full price for the boot because of the original style.
Unfortunately, after 2 months the boot is falling apart.  Also, I bought
them in October from the mentioned website making them nonreturnable
which is not your problem but the fact that the boot is falling apart
is.
After a few wears the paint on the rubber around the toe is peeling off.
This is not an issue I should be having with $170 boots. Also, the
material that was used to resemble a wooden stacked heel is peeling away
like paper. After a month of wear(didn't start wearing them until
November) these boots are an embarrassment to me and should be to your
company also.
Here's a picture so you guys can see your craftsmanship: 
http://tinyurl.com/yb82vtw
It seems whatever glue you used to attach the rubber sole to the plastic
heel has disappeared. I was hoping to have these boots for at least the
season and the next but this is making me think that Seychelles are
overpriced for the quality that you provide. I have written a review
about this on the retailers website to reflect all of the problems I've
mentioned.
 
Thanks for listening,
Kristen Culp"

The next day an EXTREMELY nice young lady responded offering to replace my boots and I accepted.  I really wanted these boots to work and I was really happy that they were so swift with offering a solution. This was a year ago when I received the replacement pair.  Fast forward to yesterday and I am looking at the plastic that was covered by a design that was supposed to resemble a wooden stacked heel.........on my replacement boots. Ah well, you live and you learn.

 

I'll probably wear them for a couple of more months before I try to get the heel totally replaced if its not too expensive because they're still adorable.

I have one other pair of flat patent leather Seychelles that I haven't worn yet.  They aren't that comfy, but that's my momma's fault (I have wide feet).

 

 

I love the color on these and the shape of the toe. Imma wide footed gyal that loves pointy shoes. Jeesh.  I once had a flat pair that were POINTY and TOO comfy and they were too cute. I wore those to the ground. ANYWAY, focus.  These flats are nice but I was kinda miffed that the paint is coming off of the sole and I haven't even worn them out of the house yet. (still trying to stretch them a little bit.) Oh, also the patent leather around the heel is buckling.   I'm not having good luck with Seychelles, it seems but I can say for sure that who ever is conducting the aesthetic part of the shoe designing is doing a great job.  I definitely would have more Seychelles if I hadn't had my experience.

Boot Business

These are boots I'm either lusting after at the moment.  This post is dedicated to the United Nude Mobius boots that came out a winter or two back.  These boots would fail to take me much farther than the sun porch that is steps away from the walkway that is steps away from my car.  Not because they aren't comfortable or even a chore to walk in.......but you just don't walk long distances in art.  I just flipped my imaginary bangs outta my face when I typed that.  They remind me of retro furniture that you might find at an estate sale or Ikea.....whatever floats your boat.


United Nude Mobius


Maison Martin Margiela Line 22
These look toasty, buttery and cute. Sign me up.



All Saints Bonny  I'm still on the hunt for some cowboy shoes with a heel pretty similar to these yet slightly shorter and more angled. In the mean time in between time I wouldn't mind adding these puppies to the collection.  I have to say while I do love these boots, I don't know how I would feel after a while about the fringes at the ankle.  While I do like the fringes, I'm not always in a fringily mood.  Maybe If me and the fringes could work out a compromise with some Velcro tabs, then we would be in business.



We Who See Lace Up



Steven Buckled Wrap Bootie
Another pair of shbooties that are worn to perfection.



River Island Suede and Snake Wedge I thought I was tired of snake and animal print anything.  I think I may be still but these are interesting enough to be the exception.


Pink Studio Ankle Boot



Pied A Terre Pilsbury


 
Pied a Terre Peri



Miss KG Claudette


 
Max Studio Umberto-2



KG by Kurt Geiger Victor 3



Jeffrey Campbell Zipped  I think I'm in love with the texture of these boots because they're severely worn  in a way that remind me of boots that the antagonist from the Saw movies or Freddie Kreuger might wear if they ever felt like subtly coordinating an outfit.  And let me be clear......LOVE the boots. HATE scary movies.



Jeffrey Campbell Christie


 
Jeffrey Campbell Bjork



Elle Ryde Ankle Boot

Dune Pipers



Delia's Sofia



Daniblack Lilette



Boutique 9 Shanna



Blowfish Walsh



APC Madras



All Saints Sand? (maybe IN sand?)


Aldo Kreuziger



Aldo Brizzey

Versatile Blogger Award

 

Woo. Hoo. My oh my. Sew into Fashion has nominated moi for a Vesatile Blogger Award.  I'm loving her blog, by the way.  So I'm going to open up about 7 things, um, some people don't know about me and pass it on to 15 bloggers I'm interested in:

1. I am 5' 0" tall.
2. I'm a photography enthusiast.
3. I'm also a bread enthusiast.
4. I'm knock-kneed
5. Every 2 years or so I've been known to cut my hair to a mini fro or shorter.
6. I know alot of the dialogue to the movie "Little Shop of Horrors"....the one with Tisha Campbell. FEED ME SEYMOUR!
7. Oh yeah. I'm a hair braider on occasion.


15 bloggers:

I'm Fashion Stoned
Stylescrybe Says
Mythology 20
Confessions of a Beautyholic
That's so Yesterday
Done n Done
Coily Mystic
Stingy Style
Princesse Sisi
Roses and Pearls Vintage
Dree's Closet
A Brown Girl's Beauty Blog
Shoebox Decor
Beautiful Sundays
Life Happens Be Positive

Reworked Dress Before/After

Before




I was able to fun around with a thrifted dress getting tips on how to hem and shorten from youtube. This was truly an experiment that I enjoyed every minute of. I have to admit though, if you look VERY closely it does have a slight Gordon Gartrelle quality in certain parts. I'm proud though. Took the shoulder pads out. Shortened the hem and sleeves. I think I might add the buttons back onto the sleeves.

After




And my favorite cowboys Aldo DePreist





Gordon Gartrelle

Swirl by DailyCandy

 
I want!
Charlie My Love ATM Bootie

Swirl by DailyCandy

These shoes were inspiring.

 Derek Lam  Daphnee
 I cant draw but saw these shoes last night on missmeanshoe and was inspired to draw them.  Um yeah, I don't draw.  I was actually looking at these *drool* which led me to missmeanshoe which somehow? led me to necole beechie (that's how I say it).  So then i was interested to read up on the maker of the shoes that Raven Symone wore on Wendy.  They're actually not the super expensive one I thought. Who. Knew.  They're actually by a young woman named Natischa Harvey with a shoe line called Fever.  She started out in her early 20's opening shoe boutiques in Atlanta and moving on to designing her own shoes.  With no formal training, she was able to visualize and draw shoes and turn them into shoes that others were inspired by.  I was inspired by her persistence and dedication AND the fact that she has 3 little ones at home while doing all this.


I'm also working on an accordion skirt that I thrifted and just wanted to see if I could draw the process. yeah so this is what I got.  Besides that, its almost Friday and I'm so glad.

THE HIT LIST: RODARTE SPRING 2011 - OPENING CEREMONY

 

THE HIT LIST: RODARTE SPRING 2011 - OPENING CEREMONY


The shoes at the bottom are truly wearable art. I love the antiqued brassy look of the chunk heels. They look heavy, bold, and sturdy and still airy and feminine. And of course the wedges are my favorite. The carving reminds me of a scene from Alice in Wonderland carved into a tree trunk. I hope Rodarte keeps this up. I enjoyed just admiring these puppies.
The heels on these wedges are so intricate yet still wearable. I want to be where they are.