The Clog Trend

I clearly remember my first pair of clogs. I had wanted them for ages and when I finally got them I had a whole order of clothes to pair them with. I wore them through blisters and on to callouses. I continued to wear them even though they made me trip all the time. That was 1993.

These days I’m not as certain about clogs, in part because you have to be careful which kinds you buy in order to not spend weeks wearing them in, and also because there are just so many damn ugly styles out there. (Versions so ugly they take a perfectly cute outfit and ruin it with troll feet.) That said, when they are done right, they can be damn adorable (and comfortable) and recent styles tend to be much more creative than those of the 90s!

Here are seven styles I’m digging…

The Sexy Clog: Lace Up Corset Clog, $245 at No6

The Classic Summer Clog: Ollie Clogs, $80 at Topshop

The T-Strap Clog: Sonoma Clog, $168 at Free People

The Fashion Forward Clog: Twelfth St By Cynthia Vincent Tamara Clog, $350 at Revolve Clothing

The Spanish Clog: Sanita Frida Clog, $51 at ASOS

The Chunky High Heel Clog: Jeffrey Campbell Charlie Clogs, $150 at Singer22

Vintage Shoes on ETSY

People tend to have mixed feelings about buying vintage shoes. I have no problem with it-I just clean them very well before wearing them! They are a great choice when you want something unique or, say, good Italian leather without the hefty price tag. I have a ton of my mom’s old Italian sandals from the early 70s and not only are they perfect for summer but they are much more comfortable than new hard leather shoes…plus unlike something you’d find at Urban Outfitters, no one else has them. Here is a variety from ETSY.

Leather Slingbacks Peep Toe Pumps, $24 at REDANGORAVINTAGE

Vintage Navy and White Open Toe Heels, $55 at LAWALL

Garolini Cognac Leather Peeptoes, $24 at JULIAFENELONVINTAGE

Rose Cut Out Peep Toe Heels, $32 at BECKYDROLEN

Tan Leather Dexter Loafers, $38 at HOWWEGOTHERE

Woven Pink Huarache Shoes, $28 at PLASTICTAGS

1970s Leather Platform Sandals, $35 at STYLEVINTAGE

Hello Memorial Day Weekend!

For Memorial Day weekend my husband and I were invited to our friend’s beach house in Bodega Bay. I am seriously looking forward to relaxing on the beach, barbecuing and catching up with old friends. And three days of beachside holiday weekend means three days of beachside outfits, so here are my picks!

SATURDAY

Juicy Couture Embroidered Cotton Dress, $280 at Net-A-Porter.
Havaiana Slim Flip Flop in Light Golden, $24 at Boutique to You.
Designers Remix Beach Bag, $110 at SSense.
Wendy Nichol Black Diamond Spike Necklace, $368 at SHEboutique.
La Mer Waterproof Watch, $60 at Urban Outfitters.
Aqua Stud & Mirror Bangle Set, $28 at Bloomingdales.

SUNDAY

Milly Crochet Cotton Beach Dress, $195 at Net-A-Porter.
Emmanuelle Khanh Plastic Sunglasses, $137 at Farfetch.
Milly Ikat Print Bikini, $110 at The Outnet.
7 For All Mankind Jane Espadrille Wedges, $220 at Shopbop.
Gap Floppy Straw Hat, $30 at Gap.

MONDAY

Citizens of Humanity Wyatt Shorts, $343 at My Theresa.
T by Alexander Wang Striped Classic Tank, $80 at Kirna Zabete.
BC One For the Road Sandals, $51 at Zappos.
Sea of Love Mini Shell Charm Necklace, $138 at Madison LA.
Alex & Ani Rush Endless Hoops in Coconut Cream, $58 at Max & Chloe.
Raffia Crochet Bag, $62 at Athleta.

Summer Sandals Under $100

There’s nothing prettier on summer feet than the right pair of sandals. I love how these beautiful (and affordable) pairs each have their own unique detailing.

Seychelles Carousel Sandal, $80 at Swell

Rangle Rope Detail Sandal, $64 at ASOS

Matiko Ash Sandal, $98 at Revolve Clothing

Ecote Salsa Sandal, $38 at Urban Outfitters

Antik Batik Beaded Leather Sandals, $83 at The Outnet

Steve Madden Chainge Sandals, $68 at Lori's

Luichiny Reach For It Sandal, $90 at Endless

Ikat Keds

The Ikat trend has hit shoes! Keds did a great job of creating a summery, light and on-trend shoe. I saw these yesterday while out shopping in Hayes Valley and I’m surprised TOMS hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon. These would look great with cut off jean shorts and a relaxed t-shirt!

Ikat Keds, $68 at Steven Alan

Glorious Shoes!

Black & Milk Heels by Marc by Marc Jacobs

I recently purchased these and I could use some 2c on whether I should keep them. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS

*They are gorgeous
*The are comfortable
*They pair perfectly with my wardrobe
*I’m in need of some low heels for interviewing
*They were 50% off at Macys

CONS

*The top bow/strap makes my feet look a bit wide, which they are not, which makes them a bit weird
*Even at 50% they are still pricey
*They do not look good with my new minty fresh toe polish

Thoughts?

The poll is in with 2/3rds saying to return. Seems most everyone liked my nail polish color more than the shoes and once I heard “Minnie Mouse” I couldn’t stop thinking about them being part of a Disneyland costume.

Hello Weekend!

Since my first trip to Paris at the age of fourteen, I have been an avid francophile. Though I am only 1/8th French, I am attracted to many aspects of French culture. And when it comes to fashion, French women tend to have a casual elegance that seems effortless and I am constantly trying to transform my closet into something that, just maybe, a shorter version of Charlotte Gainsbourg might find comfort in. Hence I am a huge fan of the Breton stripe, and an even bigger fan of Bensimon sneakers, which make everything I wear feel a bit more French, feminine and casually elegant. Perfect for a relaxing spring weekend in the city!

Roxanne jeans by 7 For All Mankind, $180 at Net-A-Porter.
Stripe top by American Vintage, $85 at Revolve Clothing.
Lacet Shoe by Bensimon, $55 at Habitat Shoes.

Summer Style

When I think of summer dressing, I think of light and airy, with touches of gold and sea blues. I adore the breeziness of this Joie dress, especially when contrasted with this colorful Ikat bag. The best outfits tend to be a mix of high and low, vintage and new. (Note: “high” to me is a $250 dress. Anything couture I’ll probably just call “the unaffordable” or “the dream on”.)

Jilly Dress by Joie, $228 at Shopbop.
Sunglasses by Marc Jacobs, $97 at Revolve Clothing.
Vintage Stretch Belt, $16 at UnforgettableYou.
Ikat Boho Sak by Cleobella, $94 at Shopbop.
Diamond Coin Bracelet by Gorjana, $85 at Shopbop.
Dylan Sandals by dv by Dolce Vita, $55 at Shoes.com