Apple Shoes

 I can't say too much about this one, as the lady in question wants to keep her outfit a secret - but I can tell you that there's a strong fifties mood and that we're looking for a pair of heels in the ballpark of apple green... but that the precise shade can be a little flexible.  Which is a good thing, because the sheer panoply of hues that could be described as 'apple' is somewhat staggering - making matching hard.  Basically, we're looking for a true green - with a fairly even blend of blue and yellow tones - somewhere on the line between lime and mint.

Which means that my first suggestion might be a little too bluey-toned. Which would be a shame, because these are rather splendid. They're by Fornarina (£89) and available on the website Yoox - a brilliant resource if you have time to spare, because they have a massive range of clothing and footwear and a fairly unhelpful search facility. These shoes have sexy retro ankle straps, a cute vinatgey grosgrain bow front, and that sexy classic heel shape. I've a bit of a bee in my bonnet about heels that go straight down from the back of the shoe: they don't support your weight properly, and more importantly, they don't enhance the undulating curve of your legs. But these are great - sexy - and they have a little silver star on the heel... it's a shame they're probably the wrong shade.

A better shade, albeit less pretty, are these vertiginous stilettoes from Ted Baker (£80) I could never wear a heel this high, but to be blunt: that's only because I'm too weighty for my freakishly tiny feet to support.  People of more normal proportions seem to do fine.  These shoes are less attention-grabbing, but I love the retro-sexy peep toe, the textured finish and that gorgeous pink lining.

My next option is all about textures.  These open-toed heels from Poetic Licence at Yoox (£59) have a lovely pale upper, a fun, slightly 'trailer-trash' cork platform, and a marvelously tacky vivid green basket-weave effect heel.  It's all very Las Vegas. Not tasteful, then - but one of the glories of the fifties look is that you can spin it in one direction and it's all Grace Kelly, and then from the other side it can be gloriously plastic and fake. Although for 'plastic and fake' we couldn't do much better than the next pair...

These shoes are defiantly inelegant, but there's something about their design that means it all works out. They're by RAS, again at Yoox, and cost £69 (also available in raspberry and the most fabulous orange, as well as predictable black).  These shoes aren't the right kind of retro at all, but they are a fun statement, and they're definitely apple green.  The multicoloured espadrille-style platform offsets both the overwhelming shininess and the uncompromising shade.  I reckon they look quite comfortable too.  The girl in question doesn't have the most conservative of tastes, so I wanted to offer her something a little left-field.

My last pair of heels is a little more expensive, but if this were my outfit, they are exactly what I would go for.  The company is Bespoke Big Day Shoes and they're a fantastic find if your requirements are specific.  Forget the 'Big Day' bit - their raison d'etre may be weddings, but these shoes could take you anywhere. Like all the styles on the site, here you can specify your own heel height from 1 to 4 inches in half inch increments.  You can also choose between gold and silver heels and then, most importantly, you can choose your own glitter colour. So - imagine the style below with silver heels and the shade of glitter called 'lime' in the chart above.  Glorious!

At this point I may have to concede that not everyone shares my barely-repressed inner eight-year-old's passion for sparkles - but that's not the only reason I chose these.  The heel is perfect, there's a slight platform for comfort and the peeptoe is sexy and retro. They're £95 plus p&p, and I want some 'sparkle'-coloured, silver-heeled ones very badly indeed.

Lastly, I found a pair that aren't on the shopping list at all, but which I think are essential.  As the evening wears on and you want to dance all night you'll thank your Auntie Charlotte for these.  Ballet pumps are perfectly period and super cute.  These ones from Boden are in perky patent, and again have a splendid pink lining.  I love the bow detailing too.  £69 is steep, and there's a wait for some sizes, but they fit the bill so well that I'd have to get these too.

A-mer-i-cano...americano...

A mission from my fabulous New York-based performance artist friend Davi:

Hey Ms. Charlotte,
 
If you fancy a swelegant style project, here's one for ya!
 
I'm looking for a cocktail dress and some shoes to go with it.
 
I've got a bat mitzvah PARTY (not the service) to attend.  And I have  
no idea what happened to my favorite heels, which also happen to be  
green so they're limited in terms of what I can pair 'em with in my  
wardrobe).
 
Here's the scoop; after 7 months of injury, I've gained a little  
weight and the dress I'd probably be most inclined to wear to this  
party feels a little tight on me.
 
I'd love to treat myself to a new dress.
 
I've got big boobs, big thighs, a reasonably small waist (but not an  
hourglass figure), and I'm short.  (you know all this)
 
I like dresses that show off my shoulders; halters work well,  
especially with structured support for the boobies.
 
I don't really like pencil skirts/dresses because they  make it hard  
to dance.
 
I have a really great pair of gold wedge sandals (but, um, it'll be  
mid-march) and I will try to figure out what happened to these (my  
green heels):

 

I'd love to spend under $150 on the dress.
 
Ideas? I just ordered the Nanette Lepore Evermore dress off ebay and  
was looking at some DVF wrap dresses (though I own one and I know that  
it's pretty hard to find one that covers my boobs adequately).
 
Something sassy!

My knowledge of American-based shops is limited (although bigger girls in the Big Apple should visit Re/dress NYC - a fun and friendly boutique selling vintage and new plus-size gems... who knows if I'll make it myself, but were I to visit New York it'd be the first place I visited... but anyway, I digress...)   but I have found some great frocks at Pinup Girl Clothing - purveyors of punky, retro and rockabilly fashions to the American Swelegencia.

 

We're looking for some boob support (and preferably the coverage to allow for a bra), but low enough cut to flatter bigger boobs, and ideally showing some shoulder-enhancing skin.  All the dresses I've chosen have A-line or full skirts; Davi feels restricted in anything tighter, and it also makes it hard to accommodate a good fit if your thighs are proportionately larger than your waist.  The first dress ($68) is a fun cherry-print on black or white. The black is more eveningy, but the white is irresistibly reminiscent of Monroe's frock in The Misfits. Both are edged in green piping which, although it isn't the same shade as her green shoes, is tonally in the same family, and will tie the frock to the shoes.

More conventional on first look is this gorgeous black frock with blue swallow embroidery on the bodice and hip and  matching belt ($110). It's not too conventional, though: the swallows suggest sailor tattoos, and the full skirt is crying out for a net underskirt in peacock blue - or perhaps a more shocking contrast - raspberry pink, violet or emerald green. It won't show Davi's toned shoulders, but this dress is an absolute classic.

Next to website Baby Girl Boutique. A green dress here - cherries again, but this time less sexy and more girly.  I see it with those quite schoolish shoes.  The empire line is flattering to Davi's shape, and the A line will skim the thighs ($78.50). Ignore the wholesome model - this dress is funky and punky and lots of fun.

Lastly, it's back to Pin Up Girl Clothing for the Dolly Dress by Paperdoll clothing ($84).  Paperdoll make this style frock in lots of colourways - but I'm struggling to find the brighter ones in stock anywhere.  It's no good for shoulder flattery, but the length is perfect for someone petite, and again, the empire line is flattering. The one on the left has a cutesy cupcake trim, while the other has a design of retro movie monsters. I really see Davi in this dress, if all the black isn't too sober for her.

It's not easy being green.

...by which I don't mean eco-friendly (although there is a blog in the pipeline about combining sustainability with shopping). Green the colour. Bright, vivid green. Not for the faint hearted.

Various 'New Season' emails have been trying to persuade me that vibrant Absinthes and Apples are the go-to colour for spring and summer, and I was sceptical. I love dark greens: forests, bottles, British racing cars... and bluey-greens can be festive - emerald and jade... but the spearmint raincoat at the top of this blog? (Dotty P's, £60). It's everso in your face.

Maybe I'm prejudiced. I love vivid pinks and reds, oranges and purples. But it strikes me that green is a very unforgiving shade. This hoodie (£14, New Look) would make a lot of skintones look drained and pale. The exceptions are people with ruddy complexions (as the red and green 'cancel each other out', somewhat) and many Afro-Caribbean complexions.

Of course, it may just be easier to avoid the colour altogether, or stick to easier shades. But if you would like to wear bright spring green without looking peaky, there are some strategies to try. Firstly, it's much less draining if you keep it away from your face. The skirt above left is £100 by LK Bennett, and worn with either a stone-coloured or cherry red top would make a striking and lovely outfit. A more budget option is the green and cream version from Boden (£39 - above right).

You can use the colour in flashes on an otherwise neutral outfit, too - and leaf-green will accent all neutral colours. I love Kurt Geiger's T-bar court, above (£95), while a cute hair accessory, like this one by Tarina Tarantino (£30.40 - but check your local chemist for cheap options) will sit beautifully in brunette and redhead coiffures. Gloves, belts, handbags, scarves...

The reason I bring the subject up today is that I bought myself a really cute top at the weekend - it's the same as this Marks and Sparks floral top (£25), but mine is in a bright green and pink colour scheme (much brighter green than the photo would suggest). That's my last tip: you can wear most colours if they are diluted enough by shades which do suit you. It reminds me of my childhood bedroom wallpaper, actually, but it's also fresh and flattering. Spring will be sprung and I shall be verdant.