Out of the Realm

I spotted these Prada boots this evening and they made me stop and ponder for a second.



I don't really like the boots themselves but I do like the boot... "garter", buckle strap... what is it called?

I know I've seen these on vintage equestrian boots... maybe even in Out of Africa... but I can't find a picture of them anywhere.

Now it's going to drive me crazy!

Anyone else know what they are called?

Color Study - Hearts

The other day I was wearing the new Luella's and recieved the Minna Parikka's and realized... I have quite a few heart themed shoes!

I like the whimsy but is this getting ridiculous???

You'll see these in other groupings but I thought I take a break from the more literal Color Studies to pull all my "hearts" out of hiding.



From left to right:

- Viktor & Rolf for H&M
- ShoeMissy Dolly Dagger
- Vivienne Westwood Lady Dragon for Melissa
- Minna Parikka Belle
- Hetty Rose Love
- Luella Margar

You can't help but LOVE these shoes, especially the details...

I know I can't resist them so I just won't even try!

More photos on Flickr!

Outfit of the Day

A bit Alice-y today I think - red and black and white with red hearts on my shoes.



Do stripes and polka-dots got together???



My Minna Parikka's arrived all the way from Finland!







Top - Anthroplogie (from a million years ago)
Skirt - JCrew
Tights - Target
Shoes - Minna Parikka

Hey, Sparkler! What's So Great About You?

I think I'm ready for another Sparkler!!!!

Today's Sparkler is a new friend who is very inspirational to me. Miss Mmmeg (follow her updates on Twitter for info and smart dialog) continues to grow and inform on some of her favorite topics - creating a value driven life, being frugal, minimizing waste and mindless consumption.

Plus she has chickens too!

But while I know she's great, let's hear what she thinks:


How's this?

* I have a wonderful husband, whom I love very, very much. We've been married 7 1/2 years (we got married young).

* I'm definitely a nerd. I've had a 4.0 since middle school -- even through college.

* We have two chickens in our urban backyard: Cleo and Chloe. Best eggs ever! And they're super sweet pets.

* I have 5 cats, go ga-ga over kittens, know the names of my neighbors' cats but not most of my neighbors, and talk to cats I meet on walks. Fortunately, my husband shares the same obsession. We're very proud of our feline kids.

* I have a deepening appreciation for "weeds", now that I am learning about edible and medicinal plants that grow locally.

* I consider myself very green-minded. It's hard not to be when you start wondering if it's safe to eat normally edible plants growing wild in your own neighborhood.

* I am proud of my frugality and resourcefulness -- but I am not "cheap" by any means, or even a tightwad. My motto is quality, not quantity.

* We don't have any televisions. We watch stuff online & borrow DVDs from the library. We love how convenient and clutter free it is.

* My mom thinks our house is "Spartan" but we love it like that. We've worked hard to declutter our house and our lives.

* Despite being frugal and rather minimalist, I do have a large shoe collection with many brightly colored shoes. I love color and pretty things in general.

* I am a very loyal friend -- perhaps too loyal sometimes. And I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt and understand where they're coming from, even playing Devil's Advocate for strangers online.

* My husband and I both sing in a college chorus just for fun.

* I'm a musician. I have about a dozen instruments, though my main instrument is the saxophone, which I played in college for a while as a jazz major.

* I graduated college with a degree in Latin, Spanish, linguistics, and foreign language education. I especially loved classes in sociolinguistics and what I learned in college definitely helps me in business and life in general.

* I hate lawns -- especially ones that obviously take a lot of pesticides, herbicides, and gas (via lawnmowers) to maintain.

* I'm very proud of my father, even though he passed away when I was 6. He was wounded at the Battle of Normandy in WWII, helped organize many things in my home community, and had crosses burnt on his lawn and worse because he was so involved in the civil rights movement. Big shoes to fill!

- XOXO


Okay... who's next?!? Come on, Sparkler, Spill it!

Featured Shoe: Jimmy Choo Sissy

About a year ago I told this story of how my mother-in-law (Hey Barb!!!) spoiled me rotten by buying me a pair of Jimmy Choo's. This is the other pair... finally!

Funnily, today I'm wearing the same skirt I wore with those other Choos. Different top though.

These shiny metallic-y numbers are a light cafe au lait color and are called Sissy.



They are quite strappy.

Surprisingly, they are also comfortable. There's that architecture for you.

I don't wear these nearly enough. I fell in love with them because of the color even though it's not a color a wear a lot of. I need to find more to pair them up with.

Doe a Deer

Going to the drugstore ended up with me getting a trio of dark sparkly eyeshadows and two matte dark red lipsticks to be played with.

So this:



Plus this adorable which arrived tonight...



Equals crazy make-up playtime!



That was relatively normal... then I started to test everything and clean out my make-up case which created the "drunken harlot look" (or so I was told! doh!)



Ignoring me... how freaking adorable is this?

I can not wait to wear this tomorrow. I haven't taken it off since I came home. Sadly I can't sleep in it. It really is the most comfortable headband I've evern worn too.

If you want to see someone else looking adorable in this piece, check out Miss Mademoiselle Robot who is even shown wearing this in her site header.

Deer headband via Pretty Good Things on Etsy. Also, check out here blog listed over there to the right under Where The Money Goes.

Sweet Surprises

Yesterday was a day filled with so many great surprises. Not only was it my 2nd blog-o-versary and I received a bunch of lovely comments but I was also named a "Cool Blog about Fashion and Style" by Seventeen magazine! I was soooo surprised and excited.



Then when I got home I had a large parcel sitting on the table waiting for me...

What could it be?

Well about nine months ago, way back in November, I totally fell for Luella's Spring/Summer 2009 RTW collection after seeing it via a post by Miss Susie. I had to get something from this collection but I was especially smitten by the shoes! They reminded me of the whimsy of my Miu Miu teacups but in even more sugary colors.



I love that her influences for this collection were a bit mad, a bit aristocratic - "I wanted it to be a proper, ladylike character—but a bit psychedelic," Bartley said. "And I wanted color, but in a sort of sick way. When I saw it all lined up, I thought, Ew! Can we do this?"

Right up my alley, because, look at the shoes!



So I've been patiently waiting for months for the collection to come out and then the online store to open. Then I found out the shoes would not be sold online only via the UK shops. Why? Why? Why?!?!

So I finally called the store and they said that the Spring/Summer pieces were actually on sale and only a few left. Well I had to jump on it right then and there! I asked about any of the heart heels in any color in the smallest size they had. They started at 36 and they only had a pink/purple pair left. Not even being sure which ones they were I said I'll take them.

But there were more hurdles! They didn't ship out side the UK.

Noooooo!!!

Luckily for me, my lovely friend and penpal (and co-Cool Blogger per Seventeen) Mademoiselle Robot graciously offered to receive the package and then re-ship to me. What a dollface!

They made their way over the big blue ocean and landed on my table last night.

But then what to wear? I wanted to be equally eclectic and have the same frothy sugary fun with my outfit, that the runway outfits had. But most of my wardrobe is more streamlined and less patterned, if you can believe it.



In the end I pulled in pink, blue, fuschia, silk, tulle, damask and vintage pearls to create a look that I think captures the spirit of the collection using items I had already.

I wore a cropped damask jacket from a clothing swap I held, a fuschia cami, my new Liz/Isaac silk pink and white plaid skirt that has tulle and an underskirt so I'm a big meringue, a faux-pearl necklace and a vintage sweater clip.

I love this mix of colors. Oh! I almost forgot that I wore my new fuschia cropped gloves from Sermoneta.

They tied in with the cami and a stripe in the heels.

And here they are. I love heels with hearts. Is this number 3 or 4? Yikes!

I was so pleased when I saw which pair I ended up with. I think these are the best pair in the collection.

And did you notice the pretty distinctive profile shape?

Yeah, how did I forget/not know that these were made for the runway show for Luella by Georgina Goodman? I'm not that bright.

Now I'm doubly excited by these! Plus, they have little heart cutouts on the back too. Wheeeee!

I am not a patient person but I will stalk down shoes over time and space. Maybe I need to apply that patience to other areas of my life.

Luella Spring/Summer Ready-to-wear images via Style.com