Disclaimer: I apologize now, this is more of a rant/PSA. Oh, and there are no photos of shoes. I still feel you should read this so you don't fall into this category.
::Stands on soapbox::
Pirate: (n) a chick that wears her high heels when the screws are exposed; or when the tap(s) are missing
Think about it….when you think of a pirate, you think eye patches, tattered black and white striped shirts, walking off planks, and peg legs. Now think about the sound a pirate makes when he walks…when you hear a pirate walk, you hear the tap of their peg leg as they walk, right? Now the pirate can’t help it, he lost his leg to a shark when he had to walk the plank, but you my friend, have a choice. But you still chose to wear that shoe knowing good and darn well that your screws were exposed and you would be echoing down the halls at work and about to bust your ass because when that metal screw hits that slick tile, it’s gonna be game over. Shame.
The key word here is wears. That means you purposely looked at that shoe knowing good and damn well you are missing a tap, and still decided to wear it. I understand that sometimes you get lazy leg, and your heel scrapes against the concrete and it causes damage to the taps of your heels. It may even expose your high heel….You are excused. This is for the chick that knows her tap is missing and still chooses to wear that pair of shoes. It’s not that serious boo. I have at least 3 pairs right now that I need to have the taps replaced. I wanted to wear a pair to work yesterday as a matter of fact, but I didn’t. I have respect for myself.
For one, walking on your bare high heel without the tap ruins your heel. It wears the heel down to the point of no return, and if you wanted to replace the tap, you can’t because the actual shoe or the structure of the heel is uneven and ruined.
Second, it’s not sexy. High heels are sexy, the sound your making with your exposed high heel, isn’t.
A lot of designers are beginning to include an extra set of taps in the box, particularly when ordering online. If your box doesn’t include an additional pair of taps, there are several websites that you can purchase them from, for a very low price. One I’ve used is newheeltips.com. They carry various sizes and shapes and tip colors. You can get a 3-pack of tips for $6.99. If you have a pair of shoes that you want to wear soon and don’t want to wait for the taps to come in the mail, look for a local shoe repair store. It’s a good idea to have one anyways. These shops offer tap repair or replacement anywhere from $6-$8 a pair and you get your shoe back very fast.
Hell, buy another pair of shoes( if you can do that).
Friends don’t let friends be pirates.
::end rant, steps off soapbox::
@beauty84brains
@ShoesWithAView
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
My Top 5 Fall Must Have Shoes
With Fall right around the corner, ::queue the angelic voices:: I have already begun to make rearrangements in my closet from summer to fall pieces, cataloging my wardrobe, and making sure I have my must haves for the fall.
So how do you know what shoes make the cut for a must have? Everyone will be different dependent on your personal style and comfort level when it comes to heels vs. flats, colors, and styles of shoes. I have compiled my list of my must have shoes for the fall that will be a great winter transition based on my style and what I like to wear, but also taking in consideration the seasonal temperature, textures, and colors.
Fall is full of rich, earthy colors. Greens, browns, burnt Orange, mustard yellows, wood colors, raspberry, and of course your classic Black and Tan. The right shade of these colors, the right materials and textures, style of the shoe can take you into the next season effortlessly, so choose wisely.
First, I would like to recommend you take inventory of what is in your closet; be it mental or organizational w/ apps like My Fashion Closet. This will help remind you of what articles of clothing you have in your closet, and what you have the most color of.
Second, shop your closet for your fall must haves. Chances are you won’t have to purchase anything because you had these items in your closet all along. If you don’t have a particular item, and are willing and able to purchase it, take note somewhere as a reminder of what to get so you’re not aimlessly shopping and trying to remember what it is you went out for.
Third, go forth, and conquer! You are now officially ready for the fall!!!
My Top Fall Picks
1: A suede or leather open-toe sandal: Particularly one with a thicker strap across the toes. Reason being, it is the fall and it’s going to be time to close up and hide those feet (but still taking care of them), the thicker strap can give an illusion of a close toe or a peep toe. The thicker strap also pairs well with your favorite opaque tights. Being that I am OOC (out of control), I got a leather pair and a suede pair for the fall. ::Kanye Shrug::
2: A Printed Flat: let’s face it; we all need a cute pair of flats. I think this fall, patterns are way in, so punch up your fall fave with your favorite print. When choosing my print of choice, it was a no-brainer: ANIMAL PRINT!! Fall is football season, and my team is the Jacksonville Jaguars (I’m all In), so I will be wearing my shoes for the home team, pairing them with a jewel toned skinny jean, or with a cute simple black dress.
3: Tall, Flat boots: here I am with the flats again, but for the fall, a tall, flat boot is a must have. The fall comes with many activities; Fall festivals, county fairs, and football games. For the sake of not breaking my neck or ruining a pair of high heels in animal poo, opt for a tall flat boot.
4: Black patent leather peep toes: Very specific description for a must-have and it doesn’t give much room for variation, but a definite must have (for me). Try and opt for a wooden or faux-wooden heel for a more fun, fall friendly look. The wooden heel brings an earthier feel to the shoe, therefore making it more fall appropriate. These are actually a great summer-fall shoe because of the wood. And since I shopped my closet first, when that first day of winter hits, I have a solid black shoe, to replace this must have.
5: Suede and Jewel Tone: Jewel tones rule the fall!! Colors such as mustard, royal blue, kelly green, grape, and raspberry. Pick your favorite color and rock it with errythang! For a more transitional look, opt for a closed round toe pump.
And my wildcard for the fall (come on, you didn’t really expect me to just stick to 5 did you?)
TIMBERLANDS!
Join me in my Timberland in 2012 campaign for the boot of the fall and let’s bring them back!!
Click here to see the campaign stragety---> http://shoes-with-a-view.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-campaign-for-2012s-fave-boot-is.html
@Beauty84Brains
@ShoesWithAView
My Campaign for 2012's Fave Boot is...
TIMBERLANDS!!
Join my campaign! Timbs in 2012!
Let’s bring them Back!!! Well they never left, but we are far from the Manolo Blanik/Steve Madden Days when everyone was rocking the Timberlands (circa 2002) w/ a heel, or rockin’ them OG style in the classic boot. (I still have my pair from college, they were my go-to during fall finals week)…and if you live in the North, they never went anywhere, but this is for my Floridians and southerners.
So you say, “E, I’m not a lumberjack, what do I wear my Timbs with?”
I got you….
Pair them with your skinnys and a cute hooded sweater, or with your fave flannel. Want to rep your fave football team? (go Jags) throw on your team shirt and your jeans and rock them. And since this is for my southerns/Floridians (because let’s face it, we are NOT southern) you can still rock them with your shorts and a flowy top while you anticipate the fall. Or with a cute sweater dress. Accessorize them with your fave beanie, and pull out the boot socks!!!
In celebration of fall and to kick off this campaign, I’m ordering a new pair of boots. Knee-high timbs. You can go on their website and customize your own pair. These are mine, I’m just waiting for September 22, 2012 to make it official, so you will know it’s real (first day of fall if you’re wondering). I opted for a similar color to the ones I already own because that is just my preference when it comes to these boots, but do you boos.
Why you may ask am I voting for the Timberland boot in 2012?
1. Because, I said so!! (I kid…..kind of)
2. These are the most super cool boot ever.
3. They will last you until the end of time. They are made of high-quality and durable leather, I’ve had my pair since…ehhh…2003 (the boots above are almost 10 years old!!!)
4. They will never go out of style. Timberlands are right up there with classic black pumps....So says me...
@Beauty84Brains
@ShoesWithAView
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Lets get NAKED!
OK OK OK, Nude....Get your mind out the gutter; you know where here to talk about shoes. In this case, nude shoes.
I feel like the nude shoe gets forgotten sometimes. Nude can be kind of bland, and they have the tendency to blend with your skin ….blah. So you may ask yourself….“What’s the point of wearing a nude shoe? You might as well go barefoot”. Well for the sake of not being mistaken for barefoot Britney (Spears)… and actually going barefoot, a good pair (or 3) of nude shoes are a wardrobe must have.
Nude is an all-encompassing color. Nude shoes are meant to match your skin tone when chosen properly. That means nude can go from a light cream, to blush pink, greyish, to a brown. All based on the undertones in your skin, but make sure you keep that in mind when you shop for a nude shoe. Not to say that because of your complexion, nude contrasting to skin looks great if you pick the right shoe. Part of that is the material the nude shoe is made of. Personally, I’m partial to patent leather, leather coming in second. When looking to purchase a nude shoe, nude isn’t the color that you can just plug in a search engine and purchase online. (I mean,…technically, you can, it’s just not recommended…unless you have already tried the shoe on, but you know what I mean).
*Side Note...Aldo always has a great nude shoe...
Nude shoes create the illusion of longer legs (“yes!” Screams the 5”4’ me) and in turn slims your silhouette out. And to answer the question as to what is the point of a nude shoe, because it goes with EVERYTHING! A nude shoe is more versatile than a black shoe (opinion turned fact). A nude shoe can really pull a look together, especially one of the colorful kind. Think of that wildly patterned dress or skirt that you bought and have nothing to wear and can’t decide on a color to wear with the busy pattern. Throw on a nude shoe and BAM. Perfect. Nude can instantly class up you basic neutrals like black, navy, and white. Another personal favorite with nude? Coral! I wore a coral ruffle-front dress with a patent leather nude shoe below. Punch up and bold, solid color and add a nude shoe and see what happens. (You can thank me later)
A different approach to going nude? Try an Andreia Chaves shoe.
The Brazilian-Born designer has a line of “smart” shoes, as I like to call them. She uses math her “Invisible Shoe” Line of shoes takes mathematics and art, and turns them into shoes. (If You don’t know who Andreia Chaves is, Google her immediately, her concept for shoes is amazing and she is a brilliant mathematician, my inner geek loves her for all the right reasons ….shoes+math=happy me) This shoe takes nude to a whole other level! Ok so this shoe is a BIT adventurous and Pricey. The custom made shoe will run you about $2795.95, but damnit if that isn’t an amazing shoe! (That I will admire online)
Different ways to wear Nude shoes
enjoy!
@Beauty84Brains
@ShoesWithAView
Monday, August 6, 2012
Black* Shoes
*...and by shoes I mean heels except when I really mean shoes
*You will always own and have a need for a black pair of shoes.
*If you don’t own any other color shoe in your wardrobe, you own a black pair of shoes.
*If you’re not really into shoes and just own 3 pairs, one of them is a black pair of shoes.
*If you have an interview and need something to wear with your skirt suit, you will look for a black pair of shoes.
*If you decide at the last minute that you’re going out with your friends, and at the last minute you find something to wear, it’s probably going to require a black pair of shoes.
*If you have a funeral to go to (My condolences), you will need a black pair of shoes.
*That little black (freakum’) dress you have been itchin’ to wear because your man pissed you off and you just need a night out with your girlfriends, you’re going to need a black pair of shoes.
*If you’re going on a covert mission with your homie cause they told you their significant other was creepin’, and they need someone riding shotgun while you do a few drive-bys, you guys are going to dress in all black, and you will need a black pair of shoes.
*If you’re going on a blind date and you want to wear some nice jeans and a blazer, nothing too flashy just yet, to keep things low-key, you’re going to put on your black pair of shoes.
*On your first day of work, you know the one you interviewed for a few lines up, you’re going to wear those same pair of black shoes.
*You need some sexy heels for your Halloween costume cause your gonna be a sexy cop/witch/bumblebee/Cleopatra/RuPaul, you're going to need a black pair of shoes.
*Your first pair of high heels, they were a black pair of shoes.
*The pair of shoes your roommate/friend/sister wants to borrow to wear to her 3rd grade best friend’s wedding, they will be a black pair of shoes.
*The first time you took pole dancing class, you wore a black pair of shoes. (I know I did)
*Your grandma only wears one pair of shoes nowadays, (OK, maybe great grandma with the times we’re in) they may or may not have Velcro, but I bet they are a black pair of shoes. <---in this instance, they really are a black pair of shoes
*5 in every 13 people are wearing a pair of black shoes right now.
That’s my spiel on black shoes.
...and now, some black shoes...
@Beauty84Brains
@ShoesWithAView
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Outfitters
“Girl, I have to find shoes for this outfit”
….is NOT how you should shop for shoes. One should never shop “outfits” ::being fashionable is a process, something you build by purchasing key staples and pieces and adding to them:: but you if you happen to purchase just an outfit for whatever reason, make sure the shoe isn’t exclusive to the outfit, here are some tips to pull you out of that mentality and show you new ways to think about a “one hitter quitter”. This Blog is for you, the “outfitter”.
True Story: I’m talking to a friend at work who loves high heels, but I can tell she is still new to the game (an ex habitual “Gateway Shoe” abuser) She made a comment that she has a lot of cute shoes that she has only worn once or twice because she only has that one outfit for that shoe. She then sent me an email about a shoe sale at Macy's, and sent a picture of the shoe she purchased. When I saw her later at lunch, she, again, said “now I have to find an outfit for these”.
“Outfitters”, now this is a fairly simple color scheme to match up different outfits with, so I won’t use this shoe in my example. I'll show you something more complex in color so that you get the idea of what to look for. The shoe I’m going to use is the Steve Madden Raimi.
This shoe is a Multicolored fabric with an open toe and an adjustable strap around the ankle (did anyone else think of the Ying-Yang twins when they read “strap around the ankle”?......No, ….Oh)
<-----I bet you did now ;) The most stand-out color in the multicolor fabric is raspberry, so that is the obvious choice, in the case of the “outfitter”, when looking for a top (In real life, the “outfitter” would have bought the shirt first, and then purchased the shoes). Other stand out (but not so obvious) colors in this shoe are Indigo, white, green, and Yellow. A few tips to consider before you shop your closet for additional outfits: Shoes with primary colors in them are always your friend, so don’t forget them when shopping your closet for alternative outfits to wear with your shoes. The primary colors in the form of solid pants and /or tops pair easily. Another tip, don’t be afraid to mix patterns with patterns. A pattern doesn’t mean you are limited to wearing a solid color shoe. Find a pattern with similar colors and match them up with your shoe. You will want to make sure you have a solid somewhere in that mix for a balance. Black and white goes great with patterns as well! (you really can’t go wrong with black and white). Also think of ways to bring your shoe to another season. The Raimi is an open toe sandal, but because of the texture and the deep, rich colors in the Raimi, you can carry it into the fall. I was also able to incorporate this shoe into a dress for work. Here are a few ways to get more wear out of a shoe you once thought “only go with this outfit”.
The Obvious first Choice
Top: H&M
Bottoms: Joe's Jeans
Clutch: Goodwill
Primary/Solid Colors
On Top:
Top: Express
Bottoms: Target
Clutch: Steve Madden
On Bottom:
Top: Express
Bottoms: Nordstrom Rack
Scarf: Mom
Patterns
On Top
Top: Target
Bottoms: Goodwill
Belt: Forever 21
On Bottom
Top: express
Bottoms: Forever 21
Belt: Forever 21
*Same for black and white Below
Black and white
All solid black and all solid white work fab with this shoe as well
Fall Transition
Top: Express
Bottoms: Vera- By Vera Wang
Work Flow
Dress: Dillard's (I think)
Belt: Forever 21
….is NOT how you should shop for shoes. One should never shop “outfits” ::being fashionable is a process, something you build by purchasing key staples and pieces and adding to them:: but you if you happen to purchase just an outfit for whatever reason, make sure the shoe isn’t exclusive to the outfit, here are some tips to pull you out of that mentality and show you new ways to think about a “one hitter quitter”. This Blog is for you, the “outfitter”.
True Story: I’m talking to a friend at work who loves high heels, but I can tell she is still new to the game (an ex habitual “Gateway Shoe” abuser) She made a comment that she has a lot of cute shoes that she has only worn once or twice because she only has that one outfit for that shoe. She then sent me an email about a shoe sale at Macy's, and sent a picture of the shoe she purchased. When I saw her later at lunch, she, again, said “now I have to find an outfit for these”.
“Outfitters”, now this is a fairly simple color scheme to match up different outfits with, so I won’t use this shoe in my example. I'll show you something more complex in color so that you get the idea of what to look for. The shoe I’m going to use is the Steve Madden Raimi.
This shoe is a Multicolored fabric with an open toe and an adjustable strap around the ankle (did anyone else think of the Ying-Yang twins when they read “strap around the ankle”?......No, ….Oh)
<-----I bet you did now ;) The most stand-out color in the multicolor fabric is raspberry, so that is the obvious choice, in the case of the “outfitter”, when looking for a top (In real life, the “outfitter” would have bought the shirt first, and then purchased the shoes). Other stand out (but not so obvious) colors in this shoe are Indigo, white, green, and Yellow. A few tips to consider before you shop your closet for additional outfits: Shoes with primary colors in them are always your friend, so don’t forget them when shopping your closet for alternative outfits to wear with your shoes. The primary colors in the form of solid pants and /or tops pair easily. Another tip, don’t be afraid to mix patterns with patterns. A pattern doesn’t mean you are limited to wearing a solid color shoe. Find a pattern with similar colors and match them up with your shoe. You will want to make sure you have a solid somewhere in that mix for a balance. Black and white goes great with patterns as well! (you really can’t go wrong with black and white). Also think of ways to bring your shoe to another season. The Raimi is an open toe sandal, but because of the texture and the deep, rich colors in the Raimi, you can carry it into the fall. I was also able to incorporate this shoe into a dress for work. Here are a few ways to get more wear out of a shoe you once thought “only go with this outfit”.
The Obvious first Choice
Top: H&M
Bottoms: Joe's Jeans
Clutch: Goodwill
Primary/Solid Colors
On Top:
Top: Express
Bottoms: Target
Clutch: Steve Madden
On Bottom:
Top: Express
Bottoms: Nordstrom Rack
Scarf: Mom
On Top
Top: Target
Bottoms: Goodwill
Belt: Forever 21
On Bottom
Top: express
Bottoms: Forever 21
Belt: Forever 21
*Same for black and white Below
Black and white
All solid black and all solid white work fab with this shoe as well
Top: Express
Bottoms: Vera- By Vera Wang
Dress: Dillard's (I think)
Belt: Forever 21
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
What to wear with those colorful new shoes?
The August 2012 issue of InStyle Magazine posted this reader question: "What do I wear with my colorful new shoes?"
I LOVE colorful. I will throw colors together and not think twice. I always get from friends or other people, "How did you think to put that together" or " I wouldn't have thought to put that together" or, "I like those shoes, but I wouldn't know what to wear with them". For me, I'm random, that's how I think to put colors together...I don't have any other explanation, that's just how I roll. But, I thought I'd share this article (or my rendition of the article) by shopping my closet and using my colorful shoes as examples. Hopefully it inspires you to make a colorful purchase, or get more wear out of those colorful shoes that you purchased and didn't think you had anything else to wear with them. (See "Outfitters" coming soon) Don't be afraid to experiment with color!!!!!
1. When wearing a pattern, like the skirt below, my first thought was to pair an Indigo shoe with the skirt. It is a dominant color in the skirt, and it is somewhat of a "neutral" color (blue). My second thought was to pair this skirt with a nude shoe to tone down the colorful-ness of the skirt. But I have this great, bold Pink shoe, an unlikely contender for color, and paired it with the skirt. Its easy to pick a blue or a nude, but sometimes going for the more challenging color brings a whole new perspective to the skirt. The shoe is a a canvas, hot pink shoe with a gold plated bottom near the toe on the platform. The shoe was purchased on shoedazzle.com.
2. Monochromatic ::Definition-having one color, having tones of one color:: for my example, i chose a pair of tights, but of you don't have tights of a similar hue of your colorful shoe, a skinny jean can give you a similar effect. Monochromatic pairings can elongate your legs (great for me being 5'4") and unify your look when matched with a neutral top half. My shoe is a Purple suede Jessica Simpson shoe and a similar shade of purple tights from Target.
3. Coordinating accessories with neutrals: Yes, your shoes are accessories!! When pulling a look together, think of them that way. Pairing your shoes with, lets say a bag, can revamp a simple, everyday outfit. I paired a simple black dress with a Red ankle boot and matched them with a yellow bag, a primary color pairing. The boot was purchased from Bare Feet Shoes (In VA).
4. Bold colors and Denim: Pretty self explanatory. Any of these shoes can be paired with Denim, take advantage of that! This is a green shoedazzle.com wedge that was a past #shoeswithaview and featured in my "Wedges" blog (look to the right if you missed it!)
5. Black and White: This is overall the easiest way to incorporate your bold shoe into your wardrobe. You can mix black and white like I did in my example, or go all black, or all white. Pairing your bold with a black and white showcases the shoe. My indigo shoe is a Blue suede shoe from Nine West.
6. Additional pop of color: Just because I like to incorporate color into everything I wear. This is what I wore today at work, and How i incorporated 2 different concepts, pairing primary colors (skirt and shoes) and incorporating colors into black and white. Again, these are the same Nine West Blue suede shoes above.
I LOVE colorful. I will throw colors together and not think twice. I always get from friends or other people, "How did you think to put that together" or " I wouldn't have thought to put that together" or, "I like those shoes, but I wouldn't know what to wear with them". For me, I'm random, that's how I think to put colors together...I don't have any other explanation, that's just how I roll. But, I thought I'd share this article (or my rendition of the article) by shopping my closet and using my colorful shoes as examples. Hopefully it inspires you to make a colorful purchase, or get more wear out of those colorful shoes that you purchased and didn't think you had anything else to wear with them. (See "Outfitters" coming soon) Don't be afraid to experiment with color!!!!!
1. When wearing a pattern, like the skirt below, my first thought was to pair an Indigo shoe with the skirt. It is a dominant color in the skirt, and it is somewhat of a "neutral" color (blue). My second thought was to pair this skirt with a nude shoe to tone down the colorful-ness of the skirt. But I have this great, bold Pink shoe, an unlikely contender for color, and paired it with the skirt. Its easy to pick a blue or a nude, but sometimes going for the more challenging color brings a whole new perspective to the skirt. The shoe is a a canvas, hot pink shoe with a gold plated bottom near the toe on the platform. The shoe was purchased on shoedazzle.com.
2. Monochromatic ::Definition-having one color, having tones of one color:: for my example, i chose a pair of tights, but of you don't have tights of a similar hue of your colorful shoe, a skinny jean can give you a similar effect. Monochromatic pairings can elongate your legs (great for me being 5'4") and unify your look when matched with a neutral top half. My shoe is a Purple suede Jessica Simpson shoe and a similar shade of purple tights from Target.
3. Coordinating accessories with neutrals: Yes, your shoes are accessories!! When pulling a look together, think of them that way. Pairing your shoes with, lets say a bag, can revamp a simple, everyday outfit. I paired a simple black dress with a Red ankle boot and matched them with a yellow bag, a primary color pairing. The boot was purchased from Bare Feet Shoes (In VA).
4. Bold colors and Denim: Pretty self explanatory. Any of these shoes can be paired with Denim, take advantage of that! This is a green shoedazzle.com wedge that was a past #shoeswithaview and featured in my "Wedges" blog (look to the right if you missed it!)
5. Black and White: This is overall the easiest way to incorporate your bold shoe into your wardrobe. You can mix black and white like I did in my example, or go all black, or all white. Pairing your bold with a black and white showcases the shoe. My indigo shoe is a Blue suede shoe from Nine West.
6. Additional pop of color: Just because I like to incorporate color into everything I wear. This is what I wore today at work, and How i incorporated 2 different concepts, pairing primary colors (skirt and shoes) and incorporating colors into black and white. Again, these are the same Nine West Blue suede shoes above.
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