Le Sigh - Valentino Studded Kitten heels

I've always loved kitten heels with pointy toes.  I think they have the most elegant heel shapes and the advantage of being walkable as well.  And now I'm coveting the Valentino combination of kitten heel and studded straps.

They come in black with nude studded straps and the reverse. Nordstrom has the all tan version. There is even a flat version in a pinkish-tan and a skimmer in black with tan edges.

Studs and kitten heels, a crazy combo as the new classic.

Featured Shoe: Stella McCartney Nude Kitten Heel

I'm still on the search for a great nude heel. I'm thinking patent but non-patent is fine too. Here is the latest contender - Stella McCartney's kitten heels.

I think they'll be great for walking and have an asymmetrical cut to the toebox (very similar to my favorite Louboutin Helumt, very feminine).

I was thinking a pump rather than a sling-back but these are pretty good. One to add to the list!

Stella McCartney nude patent kitten heel via Net-a-Porter - $645

Saturday Shopping and Wardrobe Changes

I'll admit it, sometimes I forget the stuff I have, especially if I've never worn it or if it's tucked way back in the closet (or if it is in one of the secondary closets out of necessity).

I had to do a few errands (including going a bit crazy at Old Navy - more about that later...) today and remembered that I had this silk bustier top from the Proenza Schouler Go International line. After wearing the dress from the line, I thought this might be safer as a weekend item. Probably not so much for work. I love the top but it's a bit too loose and a bit too busty for the office.

Anyhow, I decided to pair it with my denim skirt and, for modesty's sake, I wore my white cropped cardigan with it.



To tie the colors together a bit, I decided to wear these little kitten heeled white slides from Hype. These are more of the girly little slides that I like so much and used to wear so often.



My fa-vor-ite part of these adorable little shoes are the two buttons on the strap. Super cute.



Then, tonight we had a neighbor's party to go to. I was a bit tired but knew it would be fun, so I pulled it together. I wanted to be cool and comfortable as the party was an outside BBQ/potluck. I ended up wearing a dress I bought today from Old Navy which I had bought because it just looked so fresh and felt so comfy.

Yeah, I know, who is stupid enough to wear white to a BBQ? That would be me.

Actually, I felt the risk was minimal because we had had a late lunch so knew I probably would not be eating a lot. The dress is an adorable white cotton with red smocking and needlepoint stitching.



For some reason this isn't on the Old Navy site yet. Maybe it's too new.



Cute detail, huh?



It was warm out, but a bit buggy. I covered up from the late day sun with a straw hat and the same white cardigan from earlier today. I had a Chinese paper fan to keep cool and wore my favorite classic Keds sneakers. No fancy shoes when you are traipsing across the street, walking in gravel and standing in the grass.

It was a lovely night. My neighbors are all so great. We're lucky to be where we are.

Lower East Slide

I know with all the SATC product placement giddiness everyone is gushing about the Patricia Fields kick-off party that happened in NYC. But looking at that stuff on-line, it really does nothing for me. Maybe it's supposed to be part of the aesthetic but it all looks crummy to me.

I haven't looked around the site much lately but these are one of the few things that caught my eye. I don't need more little pink sandals, but if you're in the market, they seem pretty cute and, hey, they're only 10 bucks.


They also come in green, and slightly less cute, black.

UPDATE: I've gotten some feedback that the Patricia Field's pumps are much cuter in person. If I see them myself or get some pics, I'll be sure to share. Thanks all!

Ensemble du Jour

The Outfit
Friday was a pretty low-kew day. I was getting back my energy from working on a proposal so I just kind of grabbed something simple from my closet. Just a pleated denim-y skirt and a short-sleeved top with a knotted neckline. I didn't even really wear any jewelry.




The Focal Point
I'm still reorganizing my closet and I get caught up trying on shoes that I haven't worn in a while. A part of my haul from when I had my Nine West outlet store shoe luck, I decided to wear these Nine West black and white fabric flats edged in pink.





They're not anything overly fancy or special but, as I don't have a huge amount of flats I like having a cute pair in basic black and white.





The heels are cute. Kitten heels but they're kind of rounded so they have a little piggy snout shape. So Babe-like.

Princess Poochie says...

Here is the latest challenge that has been put forth before me:

How do you walk in low heels? I've just recently purchased a vintage Chanel peep toe heel, but I don't know how to walk in low heels. I feel like I pull my feet up too high and my heel hits the ground at an awkward angle! Imagine that! I can prance around in 5 inch Louboutins (with or without the platform) but I can't wear low heels. They don't hurt, I just can't walk in them. Flats are fine, but add that kitten heel or up to 2.5 inches and I can't do anything in them.

- Anelle

Anelle,

Hmmm, low heels. One thing you, and everyone, should do is make sure you are wearing a range of heel heights all of the time. If you wear higher heels one day you should switch to a flat or low heel the next, ideally. This way your foot and ankle are not trained into one position.

That said, what problem are you having with the low heel, and are they slingbacks? A kitten heel is slender and since, in the lower height, you are placing more of your weight on the back of your foot it can get wobbly. You don't have the problem with a skinny heel in a higher height because you are on the balls of your feet and your balance is probably good.

I would try standing (in bare feet) and walking around your house on the backs of your feet - lifting the front of your foot off the floor. This can help stretch your ankles out and get you used to balancing with the weight in the back.

Of course walk around in your new shoes to get used to them. I'd also make sure the back of your heel is snug in the shoes and they fit well there. Add a heel cushion if they are not.

When I walk in low heels, I tend to glide my foot forward sort of ballet-style - not balance on my toes and not striking with my heels. Your foot doesn't raise off the ground as much and stays flatter which should give you better balance.

I hope this helps. If not, let me know!

Luv
Poochie

P.S. I'd love to see a picture of your vintage find! They sound great.