Ensemble Du Jour: 6-3-11

Yep, it's been a while since I've done an outfit post.  And I had to brave afternoon heat stroke and mosquitoes to get this.  How do you people do it???  Hat's off to you! 

It was Friday and hot so I'm in a simple outfit - red 3/4 sleeve cardigan and madras skirt from Target paired with my new Prada Minimal Baroque sunglasses and espadrilles.

I really love these red and white polka-dot wedge espadrilles from Payless. In my small size they are totally Minnie Mouse shoes.

My new glasses had arrived that day so I couldn't resist taking a picture of my Miu Miu glasses and Pradas together.

Instant Access - 5/31 - 6/5

Maybe it was the sunburn from Monday, but I was in the mood to wear red all week.

Summer means strawberries.  I don't wear these ShoeMissy Strawberry Patch shoes nearly enough.

But I did wear the heck out of my Knock-Out Karen matte red polish. It's so classy, I love it.

Is it sad that one of the highlights of the week was a peanut butter sandwich?  It's crazy but this stuff is awesome.

Sound Advice.

Snaps from the Shoe Cabinets - Miu Miu

And Stella McCartney Jupiter platforms (I need to wear these!)

I had to resist.  Sad Face.

Red polka dot espadrilles ARE Summer - These are American Eagle from Payless.

A pretty visitor on Saturday morning.

And, nerd that I am, I spent all day Sunday catching up on Doctor Who episodes.

While Clarence took a nap on one leg.

Hope you had a good week!

Spring Kicks

Although you may not think so, I'm kind of a fan of Payless.  They're doing well (pretty well) with their designer collaborations and have some cute shoes.  If you're looking for some fun flats for spring and summer, these are cute and affordable options.

I really think these Lela Rose Carolina black flats ($35) are interesting. They're not totally peep-toe so they'd still work in the office but aren't plain jane.

Also by Lela Rose are these Miraflores flats ($35) that are really neat with their mixed materials. I especially like the knot detail on the toe and they'd be great to ground a sundress or with a denim skirt/shorts.

I adore gingham, especially in the summer. It just says sunny skies to me.  These American Eagle Audrey knot ballet flats are so sweet ($17, in multiple fabrics).

I love that Isabel Toledo is back.  I've been wearing my oxfords and flats all winter and I think these urban Mesh flats ($35) would be great walking around or biking around the city shoes.

And the Champion Gem skimmers ($28) just say "yoga shoe", which to me equals comfort.  They come in black as well and the toe band is adjustable. I like to wear shoes like these to walk around our favorite near-by destination, the mountain town of Asheville, because they are soft and light on my feet.  Perfect for shopping on a relaxing weekend.

I still love my heels, I promise, but with all the cute flats out now, it's hard not to get get my eye redirected.

Classic Comfort

I'm not really a flip flops kind of girl but I do like to take a break from heels every now and then. In the Summer especially we're doing a lot of running around and walking to events so I actually need to wear flat shoes.

I tend to prefer the classic comfort options of ballet flats, Keds, Topsiders and Converse.

I'm just as picky about my flat shoes being fun and interesting as I am for the heels. I love ballet flats with color, pattern and detail. Last summer I nabbed this preppy striped pair from American Eagle but Old Navy and JCrew have cute options with color and embellishments as well.



I'm a recent Chuck Taylor Converse devotee and can't live with out them now. I have low tops in red and in silver sequins but a cute pair of high-tops in bubble-gum pink. I'm debating a black pair or maybe a pair of custom created ones from the Converse website.




If I ever had to limit my shoe closet down to a ridiculous low number (like under 10 or something), I can guarantee you that Keds Champion classics in white canvas would make the cut. I can't remember a time I haven't had a pair or two of these in my closet. There used to be a high top version which I had in high school and I miss them terribly. I think I could wear these 80% of the time and not feel out of place.





Right now I'm wearing these Sperry Topsiders in this great green. These are another shoe from my childhood. My Dad always wore them on weekends and I love my pair now. They do come in some great colors (although I think my green ones are out of stock). I'm currently debating if I need a pair of bright pink patent ones.




What are your go to comfort shoes for the Summer?

Imitation = Flattery?

It usually takes the value brands about a year to catch up to the designer trends, but you see the influences of this:


Prade Degradé Riding Boots (on sale for $750 from $1250)

in these:


Payless American Eagle Ombre Rain boots (on sale for $29.99 from $37.99)

I don't think Payless is trying to do a Prada knock-off but I think the color cues and inspiration were definitely there. If you like the ombre look, this could be a fun way to incorporate it into your wardrobe.

What do you think?

Ensemble du Jour

The Outfit
After a busy week and those killer heels yesterday (in more ways than one), I'm going for simple and comfortable today. I'm wearing a simple green v-neck from Gap with my denim skirt. Flats are definitly in order today, so I pulled out my American Eagle green tie ballet flats.



I also went lazy on the accessories - just a simple but big moonstone ring and a green headband (which I'm not even wearing right now).



Over lunch I walked my shoes to my shoe repair guy. It was so nice out and these flats were very comfy. It wasn't a long walk, maybe 5 blocks each way, but it was good to get out and enjoy the weather. Except now my hair is all wind-blown!

Ensemble du Jour

The Outfit
Well it's Friday. Yeah! I am just too pooped to wear heels today so flats it is! I'm wearing my Gap jeans, a vintage white Lacoste men's sweater over a white camisole from Target. No jewelry except my rings.



Vintage Lacoste sweaters on eBay are my new favorite thing. I'm looking to get some of the great colors they have in big slouchy sizes.



The Focal Point
My new American Eagle flats from the ae.com sale. These are going to be cute all summer.



Happy Weekend!

Recaps and Updates

These flats, in person, fit a little big. So if you can order a 1/2 size down, you may want to consider it. Also, they are made of a matte cotton fabric and not silky like a tie, not that this is a bad thing. They're still cute and comfy.



THESE are even more adorable in person. They are more magically pink and delicate in real life and the photos do them no justice. I am a smitten kitten.



As a gift with purchase I got this book of Manolo Blahnik illustrations. The sketches in here are just amazing and it's a great retrospective. It is now one of only two books I have out on display because they are just pure art.



I've seen a few of these on eBay, if you are not able to get through Neiman Marcus.

Highs and Lows

I never really wore espadrilles until just two years ago. But now I'm officially in love with the dizzying, potentially ankle-turning heights. Given they are such a seasonal shoe and not hugely versatile, I try to be frugal on my espadrille purchases. But that doesn't mean you can't get some cute ones!

I just got these multi-patterned pair from Target for $23.



And yes, I ventured back to Payless. But how cute are these green espadrilles? And only $23 also. Or $12 if you BOGO. Which I did because I also got...



... these. I wasn't planning on it. But they were there in the store and they have a really cool ochre color, plus the shape is pretty good in person. They were like $7 on sale, so what the heck, right?



I'm actually kind of digging these polka-dot heels from their Lela Rose line. They actually look almost JCrew/Banana Republic to me.



Or am I just completely deluding myself and just need to step away from the plastic?

Stripe-y Cuteness Comin' Up

Okay, how frickin' adorable are these ballet flats????

They are just so pretty and fresh and Summery. They're classic without being overly preppy.



Guess where they are from.

No seriously, go on, guess.

NOPE!

They're from American Eagle.

I haven't looked at AE in ages since I don't get to the mall that often. But these are a-dor-a-ble! They also have some really cute suede ballet flats in four colors and they have these in a very classic navy blue which would be perfect for your beach outings.

And they're $34.50! Much cheaper than any of those JCrew flats.