Nude Shoes

The number one way to make your legs look longer is to trick the eye into seeing your foot as being a continuation of its length.  Conversely, a bold colour difference between leg and footwear leads to a shortening effect.  In summer, when bare legs are much more the order of the day, then, it makes sense to banish winter black and opt for skintone shades as the go-to neutral.  Obviously skin colour is a varied palette - I apologise that the shoes I've selected for this post are caucasian in hue - clearly summer shoes are available to suit all shades of skin from ivory to ebony - but buying shoes in brown tones is somehow less of a departure, less radical - it's beiges and peaches that I think often go ignored on the shoeshop shelves, and so I'm featuring them here.

My first selection are these peep-toe, ankle strap wedges from Apepazza at Yoox. (£69)  What's great about these shoes, other than that gentle, wearable wedge heel, is the way they marry smart, durable leather with a summery espadrille sole.  Normally an ankle strap is a no-no for elongating the look of your legs, but because this one is skin-toned, from a distance, it won't be obvious.  Lovely, too is the peep-toe styling.  Perfect for a glimpse of polished toenail, and because it allows a certain degree of vertical movement for the toes, it's actually more comfortable too.
 

Does it have to be plain beige? Yes and no.  Lots of beige shoes have a darker strap, heel, sole, or even toe section - and while these might be stylish in their own way, they won't have the effect of elongating the leg because they create a horizontal line on the foot.  The shoes above, however (Vic Mattie at Yoox - £98), use colour as an accent - a splash that enlivens but doesn't break up the flattering monochromatic line. Another open toe, too - these shoes are unashamedly dressy and quite grown up. Imagine them with an iris coloured dress for a special occasion.  Love the sexy curve of that heel, too.

Can beige be young and sexy? Absolutely.  Look at these fabulously eighties-vixen stilettos from Love Label at Very.  They're a steal at £32, and beautifully detailed with tiny gold studs and a chunky concealed platform to make that heel more wearable.  These are enough of a statement to hold their own against a sexy short skirt, but are the right tone to flatter this season's fashionably pale pins.  (No really, tans are 'out' - you can thank the vampires all over our screens).

 

Lastly, not really leg-lengtheners, but something more casual-glam? These jewel-encrusted sandals from Boden are steep at £59 if you think of them as flip-flops, but would be perfect and flattering for a more bohemian look at a summer wedding, or if you're lucky enough to be going somewhere luxurious this year - comfortable too, having no toe-post.  The colours here are key: that metallic strap and footbed is subtle, but the warm peachy crystals add glamour without contrasting with your skin - call it 'sophisticated glitz'.

Oh - and if you're Friday Frocking tomorrow, don't forget to let the swelegencia know - and let the compliments flow.

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.

Ooh la ladybird!

Tonight I need cheering up, so I'm going to indulge myself by wallowing in some of my favourite clothes.

Polka dots have been a passion for me since childhood.  The young Miss Charlotte was enamoured of the aesthetic chosen by gothy Scottish popstrels Strawberry Switchblade (and the music, but that's a different story).  Then as a teenager my first true love was a young man who modelled himself on the singers Iain McCulloch and Robert Smith, and had a signature look involving polka dot shirts and skintight jeans.  I taught myself to sew with two polka dot skirts and a pair of baby-pink polka dot dungaree shorts... fast forward to more recent times and even my wedding dress had an overlay of cream polka dots.  But in the last year or so, I've accumulated three polka dot purchases which are all, inescapably, in the crimson and black hues of the lovely ladybird.

Click for larger pics.

It started with this dress from Rockabilly/Punk online boutique Collectif (although they don't sell it now - or indeed much else in the same size). I bought it because of the polka dots, but also because I wanted something new to wear for the late lamented regular People's Republic of Disco club night, where red and black was the non-compulsory dress code.  I know it looks short - remember: not only am I short myself, but it's also very wide.  And look - there I am on the right, in the clubbing section of Time Out - proving that it's an excellent party frock!  It's a great standby, this: my version of the 'little black dress'.  I can wear it over trousers if I'm feeling self-conscious about my legs, it doesn't show too much boob and it isn't too dressy... but it still looks like I've put on something a bit special.

Then, as I mentioned in one of my first blog posts (here), I found a pair of super-cheap spotty low-heel shoes, meant to appeal to the kids' souvenir market in Barcelona. As I mention in my earlier post: they appealed to me immediately as 'ladybird shoes' - it wasn't until later that I realised that they match the frock.  These lovely low heels are comfy enough to be worn all night.  Around then I began to consider what it was about this particular permutation of polka dots that appealed so strongly.  The crimson tone is deep, richer than a more firey scarlet hue, and this more bluey red flatters my dark hair and pale skin (orangey reds are better for fair hair or for tanned complexions).  This red, then is juxtaposed with black - a powerful combination of mischief and strength.  Minnie Mouse sports a red dress with white polka dots, and that's a far more innocent look.  But for me, there's also something cool and cute about ladybirds themselves.  The female identity, the bright colours, the childlike pattern... ladybirds rock.

Then, last summer, when I was searching for something special to wear for my hen night, I went back to the ladybird pattern for a third time. I'd already decided on plain pink dresses from Vivien of Holloway for my bridesmaids, and now I went all out one of their showstopping frocks for myself, in what else but red with big black dots.  It's still available now - £59 for the dress and the matching bolero is £25.  The dresses are boned in the bodice and very full in the skirt - they look great on their own or even better with a full petticoat.

As you can see, it's quite a show-stopping look... you need to carry it off with some confidence.  Why do I love it?  The slightly larger size of the polka dots make it more flattering for my large build - more so than the first dress, and it's so flattering to this over-inflated hourglass body. The dress only comes in halterneck though, and although I customised a bra to fit under the halter, very big boobs make for a very painful neck by the end of the night - when I next wear it (on Saturday, for my birthday), I'll convert it to shoulder straps. Finally, a gratuitous closeup.  Photos like this make me love my body just the way it is - and what better reason could there be to have a passion for great clothes?.

                          

My sister's search for shoes.

My eldest sister is (also) getting married soon - her dress is a subtle shade of silver, and she's been looking for the right shoes. Firstly she found these, which at the time were only £26 in the January sale. (Now £60). They are gorgeous - very red carpet glamour, which is just right for her dress - but when they arrived:

"they were 1) a lot more mink than the photo (not silver at all) and 2) the 5" heel was a bit optimistic so thought I would get some lower shoes for later".

So she bought pair number two:

"cheap and cheerful and not so stylish lower shoes from BHS - a bargain at £20"

Well, it's a long dress - I suppose they don't have to be completely gorgeous, but then things changed:

"finally saw dress last week and knew minky shoes would not go so found the Lulus on ebay and thought I'd see if they fitted. Bought for opening price £39.99, unworn and much more glittery and vintag-ey than the picture. Also leather soles etc :-)"

and well she might smile - Lulu Guinness, she of the most covetable handbag fame, has produced some beautiful shoe collections, with a retail price in the hundreds for each pair. A bit of canny ebay research, and my sister has found the most perfect designer shoes for her wedding for less than you'd pair for a pair of bog-standard high-street heels. And as she says:

"Total spend £85 with just a couple of shopping errors on the way! Still cheaper than a pair of Choos!"

Although I say that she'd be well advised to get the first two pairs on ebay post haste. Even if they sell for no more than £20 between them, that's still one more bottle of champagne on the hen night!

Vintage Wedding Challenge - The Shoes

Ok - remember Cerian of the Peach Wedding Undies? Oh, come on - it was only a few days ago! Anyway, part two of her quest was the perfect pair of shoes. Let's have a reminder of her dilemma:

...I've got my wedding dress - a gorgeous 1930's art deco gown. Ankle length, halter necked and backless, it's peach silk and cotton with black deco detailing on the bust. ...I'd ... like some shoes that would fit the period and are elegant and pretty but have a not-too-high heel as I will be walking on grass for most of the day!

Well, the good news is that thirties-style heels should be chunky, and for the most part they were what would now be termed mid-height; they will be suitable for walking on grass. I've had a look at some vintage shoes (top), but they don't age terribly well, compared to vintage frocks and the like. Also, choice is limited one size at a time, and shoes were available in a comparatively narrow colour palette except for the very wealthy. The pair on the left are circa 1930, and the other around 1940 - not much changes across the decade, and apart from the heel we're looking at some form of strap, and some deco-influenced structuring over the front of the foot.

Both of the shoes above were wedding shoes - everyday shoes in the 1930s were a deal more substantial, and it is this slightly heavy look, echoing tap shoes, which seems to be in fashion at the moment. Of this type, I did find two contenders, which I feel have enough elegance to suit the occasion.

The colour of these shoes is apparently 'coral', but surely they only call it that to make life harder for shopping bloggers - for anyone can see these are peach. It's a striking combination with the black - and the jet button on the front is a gorgeous period-inspired touch, which must echo the black Deco detailing on the dress. They are heavier than one might imagine a July bride to wear, but they recall the right era, and are smart and slender shoes. I also think Cerian would get a lot of wear from them after the wedding. They're £35 from Faith.

These dolly shoes are more 1920s, to be honest, but they wouldn't look out of place, and the very delicate peach will suit Cerian's palest of pale skin. They're brand new - but I found them on ebay, as they're past season. £32.99.

More along the lines of the vintage wedding shoes at the top are these Velvet Bee stack-heel sandal: £20 from £75. They're not peach, and perhaps the gold is a little glitzy, but shape-wise they're pretty good, and the pale gold is flattering to the skin. However - I've found some shoes that excited me so much, that I've already emailed Cerian, for fear that she'll miss out.

Oh my! look at those suede straps - they have a vintage look and are absolutely right for the era and instead of making a horizontal across the ankle, they encase the heel in long sweeping undulations. Very flattering. They are lightweight and open for a summer wedding, but with a wide enough heel to walk on grass. And they have sequins, godammit. (OK - this might be my thing, but come on - shoes with sequins versus shoes without?). But - and this is killing me here, they only have one pair left. And it's Cerian's size (if I remember rightly). And it's an absolute bargain. Cerian can't get online until tomorrow morning, and I'm so stressed about them being sold that I'm not even going to post the link, or the price - in case you track them down and snaffle them up before her! In fact, even my boyfriend has just been encouraging me to buy them for her 'just in case', which should give you a sense of my agitation. But I can't do it. It would be a bit pushy - and she might not think them as perfect as I do (it'll be those sequins - or the silver heel...), and she might feel obliged. Alternatively, the website might be lying, and they might have two pairs, either of those scenarios and I'll have a pair of shoes which are too big for me. Or I might have remembered her shoe size wrong. Hmm. On balance, I shall wait and see what happens. Que sera, sera - as dear old Dozza Day used to sing.

Feet and Balance

Lovely reader Ceej has just bought the dress above in black. It's only £17.13, but she's a habitual jeans wearer, and is a little stumped by her stumps.

Question - shoes. I've high round-toed black courts, or same with 3 mary-jane straps but both make my calves look huge and feet look teeny - big calves make even size 7's look little! Any ideas for trampy shoes that don't make me look like an upside-down triangle? Boots look weird. The thick calves don't really lend themselves to ankle straps, and as it's a posh-ish do, I want to wear stockings. Thinking dark black legs, and heels but the shoes I have make my size 7 feet look small and by legs look big (whereas they're both big, in truth!). I could wear lighter shoes, but then I'd have to wear lighter legs.

Ahh, I do sympathise, having even bigger, shorter calves and considerably smaller feet myself, I am aware of my silhouette below the waist looking like this: W. It's not an easy one to solve. Not least, you have the basic problems to contend with relating to heel height. The higher your heel, the smaller your feet look, and so are less able to balance out the size of your calf. However it's just as true that the higher your heel, the thinner your calf looks... Lose:lose. In some circumstances you can add balance to the feet by choosing quite a chunky high heel, but that isn't appropriate here. One option is to go for a platform shoe, such as these patent shoes from Faith (£49). Taste may vary regarding these: they're quite Minnie Mouse, but I love their curvy-chunky shape. The high gloss finish will also help to make the feet look wider, and the heel is chunky while still being feminine. It's a really good idea that larger-built women choose slightly thicker heels to balance out their rear view.

Ceej is right about mary janes and ankle straps. Any horizontal line will shorten and widen the leg, visually - moreso the higher up the foot it comes. A mary jane strap (or three) - that is a strap across the foot, dolly-style - will also widen and shorten the foot. Now widening isn't a problem, but we don't want shortening. Consequently any detailing on the shoe needs to be as close to the toe as possible, in order that it doesn't interfere with the uninterrupted clean, black leg-line. Detail, though, can add to the visual impact of the feet, and help with that desirable visual balancing. The first pair are £22 from New Look. Again with a concealed platform, the bow adds interest, although the cork effect heel might be a little casual. Not casual at all is the other pair. They're from Schuh and cost £43.87. The knot detailing over the toe adds focus, as does the peep toe (sheer tights with peeptoes? I say 'yes') but most glorious is the subtle shimmer effect. These shoes are less obviously bulky, and so perhaps an 'easier' choice - but their 'balancing out' qualities will be more subtle, too.

My right to Choos

My, my. Longstanding fans of SSS will know my method for owning the tippety-toppermost quality shoes. (If you missed it, read "The Only Way to Buy Shoes" and prepare to get excited). Well this time, I've come up trumps.

My big sister is getting married in May, and I've bought a gorgeous aqua satin dress to wear. But I was somewhat saddened to observe that I already own a pair of Kurt Geiger peep toe mary-janes which match almost perfectly. There was no way I could be considered to 'need' new shoes. Hmm. Unless...

Unless I found a pair of shoes that embodied absolute perfection.

Let me tell you why these shoes are so special.

• The colour is perfect. The photos look a little pallid, but that doesn't matter because it's the colour compared to my skintone that is important, and that looks a bit pasty in these pics too (below). They are a cream colour with a subtle old-gold shimmer. It warms up the cream to skintone levels, which makes my legs look longer, since there's no horizontal colour-change to break up the line. If you want bare legs and you want them to look longer and slimmer, go for a warm version of your skin colour.

• Most shoes of this colour are sandals, or open-toed. Which is fine, except that it can be tricky wearing tights with them. I might not always want to wear tights, but I'd like to have the option.

• The heel is high, but realistic. They are going to hurt, but I can at least walk in them. Why wear a high heel? I was trying to explain this to my boyfriend, but he didn't get it. Essentially, the dress for this occasion is old Hollywood glam. Flat shoes would just look a bit weird. But also high heels make you look thinner. Or your legs, at least.
  

• There's something a bit 1960 about the design. At any rate I wear retro clothes quite often, and these won't look out of place - but then again, they're not so specific to a period that they'll look out of place with a modern outfit.

• Bit of a personal one, this, but I adore the elongated toe. My feet are stupidly stunted. These shoes make them look more elegant.

• Oh, come on... they're Jimmy Choos.

Anyway, these ended up costing me £77 on ebay - about £8 below my maximum bid. They're in mint condition - worn by a bride in 2004 and kept in their dustbag and box ever since. They cost her £400 at the time, which is fair enough if you're the bride. I'm a bride's sister, and having spent only £30 on my frock, I think £77 on the perfect shoes is completely fair enough too.

A chat about shoes.

This conversation I had with a friend on a web forum amused me, so I thought I'd share.  She's recently bought the dress above, by the way...

• What shoes shall I wear with orange dress please? Tall black patent looks a bit not right. White stilettos (I know, I know) look better but I have lost one. I am thinking a completely unrelated bright stiletto but where could I get it????

• What size are your feet - these are a steal but only in some sizes now...    here - £9.                         

• 5-6. Oooooh. They are lush.

• Or something like this:  
•  

• Hell yeah! But tights with peep toes. Is well cold!

• Or this:     
• 
  last two from schuh, btw.  Opaque tights with peep toes is fine.

• Black tights? I am ordering the silver but feel I might die if I don't get the leopard ones too! They are the shoes I have been waiting my whole life for!

• Yesss - but i'm not sure about black opaque tights with your frock. really you need sheer seamed stockings. but they would look ok with peep toes - those ones aren't too open.  

• Yeah, I was thinking sheer stockings. I've never bought shoes online. What if they are too small? The disappointment would kill me.

• Nothing ventured - you could always bind your feet.  Did they have the silver ones in your size? cool. i just checked and felt awful cos they only had them in size 3.

• Only in red. Do I need red patent heels? Would like nice with new jeans...
  Though has decided must buy the others. Oh feel dizzy with shoe lust!! Thank you!!

• hmm - these ones are only a tenner, and don't have the peeptoe...
  
  
  
  here.  Red patent heels can be good... the silver ones are special though. I have a pair of the silver ones coming...

• Ta, but have been thinking about peep toed leopardskin for ages and have ordered them. Not sure if will wear with ze orange...oh yes I will. No one will notice the toe thing. And will hopefully just think: "she is wearing stockings", huzzah!
  

And for a boy...

As promised I have a 'boy challenge' today.

This is Xan, guitarist by night and all round studmuffin.  He writes:

Hey missy!

[These] were meant to give me more of a rock n roll look (according to my dear big sister) for when I'm playing gigs.  They're faded black/grey, tight around the butt and thighs, but bootcut. They've been altered a little since those photos - slightly shorter, so they don't drag across the ground as much.

My sister recommends some kind of biker boots, but I'm looking for other suggestions too.

I have two suggestions for our boy.  Both of which are a little less 'bulky' than biker boots - and perhaps a little more 'showman'.  Firstly, my immediate impulse was a pair of razor-sharp black Cuban-heeled boots.

These are from an online store called Atom Retro, and sum up exactly what I mean.  Clean lines, presence - the heel gives swagger in your posture and emphasises the hips/guitar zone.  They're not cheap at £69 - so you may want to look around...  But beware - these are not cowboy boots - they finish at the ankle and have no stitching.  Think Ronnie Wood or Brett Anderson.  Maybe eschew the T shirt in favour of a fitted black shirt, open at the neck.

Or, alternatively - something younger and more casual.  Not trainers as such - trainers just aren't very rock and roll - but traditional baseball boots.  They don't have to be Converse - but these iconic All Star Hi Tops (Schuh, £34.12) are perfect in their profile - so look for something similar.  You want a boot, in case you need to sit down and cross your legs - a glimpse of sock is not Rock and Roll - but the kind of insubstantial, juvenile vibe of these glorified plimsoles is fun and somehow dynamic.  

I've chosen purple for those flashes of colour peeping out.  Red would be too bright, and suggest ill-coordination when worn with other colours, whereas purple is nearer to being a neutral.  If the idea of colour scares you, go with beige or off-white canvas.  Black looks a little odd, and Navy is wrong with jeans of any colour.  

Worth a look...

There's a sale on at Dolly Dagger - a website with a part rockabilly / part artschool babe asthetic. The shoes above remind me (in a good way) of the eighties - I think it's the heel. They come in pink, red or black rosettes and cost only £11.25, reduced from £40.

I'm also quite taken with the knitted bow beret (£15) which comes in Red, Black or Grey and also have matching fingerless gloves (£12) and scarf (£16.50).

The rest of the sale tends toward the smaller sizes - but if you are petite, it's well worth a look for some fabulous discounts - particularly on rocakabilly frocks.