The Case for Nude

The Nude Shoe rocks.

I know, I know, you think it's hard to pull off and should match your skin tone which is impossible, and anytime the word "flesh-coloured" gets used, people run as far away as possible.

But really, The Nude Shoe rocks.

1. Cream looks good on everyone. You don't have to match your skin tone - it's pure white that'll make you look pasty. And it's summer - get some sun on those feet!

2. Your legs will go on and on and on... who doesn't love that? I have a serious weak spot for ultra strappy and chunky black stilettos but I can't deny they shorten the look of my calves.



3. That killer cocktail dress will be all anyone sees. The Nude Shoe gives your entire outfit a subtle platform from which to shine.



4. Last but not least, they're sex in a shoe. There's something so enticing abou the suggestion that you're barefoot, while still on your tippy toes... Need I say more?

I've shown you some Christian Louboutin's to inspire you - I suggest looking for a substantial shoe like a wedge or espadrille, and/or something very strappy. My favourite incarnations are the summer-boot with peep toes and straps all the way up around the ankles.

And cause I refuse to pay money to see the second Sex and The City Movie, I got my fix by looking for nude shoes in the fashion-candy world of Carrie Bradshaw to prove my point.

Random Round Up

A random round-up of what's on my fashion mind this week.

I was interviewed for this great article on Montreal's Craft culture by Aaron Vansintjan. Check out - well articulated.

If you've admired this skirt I've been wearing, get it NOW - on sale for $39! So easy to wear. Comfy, soft and easy to combine with a variety of tops and leggings.

[While you're on Michelle's etsy shop, check out the new S/S collection. Delicious. I also picked up a pair of her luxe leggings which paired fantastically with my Denis Gagnon over the weekend.]


Upcoming Chatte Bottee sale at HQ on the 25th. Vintage boots n' shoes. Don't miss it!

Wedding Weekend

My dear, dear friend Danielle is getting married this weekend and in between memorizing my reading during the ceremony and building up my alcohol tolerance, I have been putting together my outfit.

I am wearing Eve Gravel's Melting dress in grey with made-in-Italy peep toe heels in navy blue from Mila purchased at Cortina (7100 St Laurent).

For accessories, I have fashioned a belt from a strip of black satin and my man's grandmother's brooch, gifted to me by his aunt, along with the silver cuff. For my hair, I am wearing the Victoria black lace hairpiece from Montrealer aprilMayde.

To stay warm during the autumn nuptials, I have a beautiful embroidered shawl given to me by my family.

Montreal Geek Girls rule.

I had a blast presenting last night at Montreal Geek Girl Dinner's "September Issue" - A Passion for Fashion.

Aleece Germano of The SWAP Team talked about their amazingly successful Montreal and Toronto clothing swaps the past two weekends, and about why clothes swapping is so fun and important and sustainable.

If you missed my presentation, I have uploaded it to Slideshare and you can check it out here.

Someone asked about jackets for taller women. I found this one at Melow, and I found an entire collection designed for tall women: The O Collection.

I also mentioned that a great place to get one of my Top Ten Wardrobe Must Haves - The Boot - is at La Chatte Bottees vintage shoe sales at boutiques around town. Well, there is one coming up Friday September 25th at Headquarters Boutique, 6 - 9pm. Don't miss your chance!

Featured Product: Eco-conscious foot bling from Neuaura

I've recently started following Magnifeco.com's blog and I just had to re-blog Kate's post from this morning. These shoes are TO DIE FOR - except that nothing died for them - AND this vegan, conscious-production foot bling is ON SALE!

Tailor Made: Shoes

Image by urbanmakr at flickr.com/photos/urbanmkr/471915540/
I got lucky while breezing through Zara with a friend recently, and found the last of a pair of leather sandals that had arrived and sold out that day. They were made in Spain, mostly leather and really affordable; but the sole was one very thin piece of leather that just wasn't enough padding between me and the sidewalk.

I took them to Imperial boots on Bleury, just south of Sherbrooke. It's the third shoe repair I've taken to them: they re-soled my cowboy boots (doing a far superior job than the original manufacturer, I might add) and replaced a long side zipper on a pair of riding boots from Paris.

I have been super happy with every repair and this time was no exception: he added a rubber tread to the ball of the sole and thick piece of rubber matching the leather under the heel. I walked out of the store wearing them and walked from Bleury to Guy and back with no issues.


The real beauty of Imperial Boots is their old-world customer service and quality. They actually make shoes from scratch (all those boots you see hanging in the window when you walk by? Handmade in Montreal. And they do custom work. I have heard many a testimonial to the awesomeness of custom Imperial winter boots. I swear you're gonna see me in The Winter Boots of My Dreams this year.

Imperial Boots
2117 rue de Bleury
Montréal, QC H3A 2K2

(514) 844-5611‎
(map)

Recessionista Snippets n' Stylings.

Bra Bling. I am going to admit this publicly for the first time. Until Saturday, I owned one bra. It's a LaSenza bra, forced upon me by a friend in 2002, and the bane of my existence. It is ill-fitting, the hooks poke into my back and it is now essentially a rag.

So when I heard that design & PR company 1milk2sugars was hosting a Marlies Dekkers liquidation sample sale, I set aside some funds. Some of you may remember the store in Les Cours Mont Royal, with it's crazy-ass thongs that are more metal than textile. Marlies Dekkers design some crazy-ass lingerie. Metal parts, lots of extra straps, crazy colours and prints. It has a very sexy bondage aesthetic that I never dreamed I would enjoy and feel comfortable wearing but man, was I mistaken! I tried on about a dozen bras and it was the first time I didn't cry in a lingerie changeroom! A lot of the crazier bras weren't in my size but I still ended up with some bra bling:

1 unpadded white bra, hummingbird detail on back, translucent sides, wide straps and two extra straps echoing the top edge of the cups.

1 padded black bra with a t-strap at the cleavage. Wore it out on Sunday and it got a lot of attention.

But the best part is that they are so comfortable! I have never been one to gladly sport a bra everyday but I think the tides are changing...

There were plenty left once I was done shopping and I was the last to leave. Uzma and Priya assured me that if anyone still wanted to go by they are welcome to drop by - so don't be shy! There are a wide variety of sizes - a lot of them are unlabelled samples so it's a matter of trying a whole bunch on and seeing what fits.

1milk2sugars
1117 ste.catherine st. w., #715
montreal, quebec
514.807.9578

Gladiators. Speaking of straps, I see that this shoe trend just isn't gonna go away. A small tip for those of you still in the market for a gladiator sandal: go for a covered heel. When faced with heel vs a-million-straps, go heel. It is the element that most cinches this style and without it all you'll have two years from now is an overwhelming amount of strappage with no clear structure to define your foot.

You can buy the pictured pair at: http://shoesandyourmom.blogspot.com/2009/05/cynthia-vincent-luella-gladiators-365.html

Recessionista. Thanks to my friend Tanya's blog, I heard about Sarah Slean's neat Recession-Ista Tour eco-wardrobe-initiative. Read about it at Tanya's blog here. Let's hope more celebs take a page from her book.

Featured Purchase: Strappy Sandals

All signs for the spring shoe trend point to strappy black sandals - lots of thick straps up to the ankle and a chunky heel. I had my eyes open for a pair when I was in Vancouver on layover, because the one thing they have up on our shopping scene is amazing shoe stores. I found these Campers at Umeboshi, a tiny store on Main with an orgasmic selection of high end shoes.

I like that the design is a minimalist nod to the strappy sandal, and I love the solid wood and rubber wedge as I dislike chunky heels. My favourite part is the gladiator-esque leather heel cap that comes up above the highest strap. And, because they are Campers, it's like walking on butter.

Unfortunately, Campers are no longer made in Spain - the company has said there is no way they could compete if they didn't manufacture in China. They also claim they don't use sweatshops and that the quality hasn't suffered in the least.

Maybe one of these days it'll be warm enough for me to wear these, and if I've had a pedicure, I'll post another photo!

All Hail The Sale: La Chatte Bottée!

Tomorrow evening, La Chatte Bottée will be holding another fantastic vintage shoe sale at Headquarters Boutique. No need to scan the bare shelves at another friperie, these ladies make sure to stock the house with a huge range of styles and sizes.


The deets:
6 - 9pm
Friday March 27th
Headquarters Galerie and Boutique, 1649 Amherst

http://www.myspace.com/lachattebottee

The Great Divider: The Ankle Boot

You may remember my 2008 New Year's resolution to not purchase anything other than food and toilet paper and the like for a whole year. I made it through with only a few cheats which I feel were totally justifiable: 3 pairs of dirt cheap strappy sandals when I was in the U.S this summer, an m0851 wallet I blogged about , and a pair of Italian leather driving gloves so I can keep biking into the fall (which added up to what I would spend on a bus pass for a month).

And now...I have just made my first purchase of 2009. The Ankle Boot.


Ankle boots divide people - you either love 'em or hate 'em. If you are like me, and love them, now is the time to get a pair. Everything is on sale, and they are seeing the end of their most recent incarnation. They come in and out of fashion every five years or so but are a classic look that never looks at odds when paired with current trends, be they skinny jeans, pencil skirts or shorts-over-tights.

I got these from Maritz, 123 Laurier Ouest. They were half off of $160 and the last pair of 7s. They are a very soft caramel brown and the heel has a nice curve on the inside that gives them a very soft silhouette. And lo' and behold, when I brought 'em home it turned out the Mister was a lover and not a hater!

Furry Shoes?

Well, no not really.

Here’s an addendum to my blog from yesterday, that my friend Sarah sent my way back when there was still snow on the ground.

What would optimize the winter outfit?

This:
Annie Deschêsnes Recycled Fur Belt Bag, available at: Delano Design, 70 St-Paul Street West, Montreal. $220

Also, if you are in Montreal this weekend, check out “I HAVE A LOT OF SHOES”.

Some friends of mine are having their “first shoe installation and sale” at their gallery/studio.
Details below.

I HAVE A LOT OF SHOES

vernissage Friday the 11th January 2007
7 pm - don't know when
also open on Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th from noon till 5pm

CTRLLAB
3634 St. Laurent Blvd

And speaking of shoes... I want these so bad. Ok, wait, maybe I should take that back. I want a beautiful pair of above the knee, patent leather boots. But flat. So if these were flat, I would want them. Here's hoping this trend doesn't disappear too soon, or that if it does, there are enough leftovers on the sales racks. I still have fantasies about the brown leather, wedge-heel thigh-highs that BCBC came out with in Fall 2006. I would have put a photo of those up, but no where to be found... and I am too lazy to scan them from my catalogue.

(I will leave that catalogue for another post, for I could go on and on about how that BCBG Fall 2006 epitomizes class and style and if Max Azria only made them in sizes that fit real women's bodies and wallets, I would never need to purchase another piece of clothing EVER.)