Ensemble du Jour - 6-11-10

This dress may be the best thing I've bought recently. I have worn it plain, with cardigans and camisoles. It's the perfect shape and color and is just really darn comfortable.



On Friday, I wore it to work with awhite cami underneath and my new "mouse" flats.



Yes, it's just a cotton jersey dress but it has some cute elements like the great deep v-neck and pleats on the shoulders and little tabs pulling in the waistline.

The hem has an unexpected band with raw edges which match the waist tabs.

My jewelry was equally simple. A large oval moonstone ring set in beaten silver and this necklace I made from my posey ring and a small crown charm.

And, of course the flats...

Cute!

How do you stay comfortable and cute at the same time?

Make Art

I have a quick peek at some enticing boxes the other day and I was finally able to take the good shots that I wanted so I could really showcase these shoes for you. If you have "Liked" the Shoe Daydreams page on Facebook or follow along on Twitter, then you may already have a good idea of what the reveal will be.



What I have are two very different styles - the Camilla Skovgaard London S10012 pump and the Marc by Marc Jacobs "Love" Mouse ballerina flat - but they both appeal strongly to me.

Camilla Skovgaard makes some damn sexy shoes. She has a very defined presence with her strong and sexy shoes. I recognized this with the Chastity sandals I bought from her line last year and this season has been even better. One thing I've found with her designs is that they look even more amazing on.



These pumps, I have to say, are gorgeous to look at but are perfection on. They have the perfect round toe, the heel shape is amazing, they are high but have a very cushy internal platform and are supported by the amazing saw-tooth rubber sole.

Love!

They also come in a wonderful porange-y coral and an elegant sandy taupe. I so so soooo wish they came in sky blue as well. How amazing would that be?

I needed a simple black pump but then knew I could just get a plain pump. The shape of these are classic but the sole gives them that extra edge.

The second pair, the Marc Jacobs mouse flats are just the opposite. White, bright, sweet and flat, these iconic shoes have been reborn in a ton of different ways from a fuzzy leopard print to trompe l'oeil to encrusted with rhinestones.

But I am head over (no) heels for the white patent version I now posess. I've been in love with these whimsical shoes for ages and kept them in the back of my mind, mostly because they came out so long ago and I didn't like the newer versions. But then I stumbled across these on Amazon in my size!

They may possibly be the last pair in white anywhere because I've been searching for them online and can't seem to find them anywhere (they are still available in red, blue and black on Amazon, however).

Yes, these could be deemed too sweet or too silly but I think they are s'wonderful.

I love the details: the rhinestone eyes, the delicate ears and nose and the stitched on curly tail.

I know I'm waxing lyrical about them but feel as though I've acquired a piece of art. Like the Koons Balloon Dog, I value these as a bookmark in the design evolution of the designer.

I have four other pairs of shoes by Marc Jacobs that are now many years old and they are each wonderful but very different from his aethetic today. And their details spoke to me just as certain paintings and architecture do. My shoes are functional items and I wear them but, in many ways, they are also part of a very curated collection.

And this brings me to something I want to say, and will elaborate on in a future post - to some of the shoes companies, designers, buyers and stores: Make art or go home.

From sexy heels to whimsical flats, don't waste our time with less than your best. I value your work but resources and time and money are scarce. We should only be seeing the best of the best from what you create (and stop going the easy route with the knock-offs, okay. There is a way to do good design at all price points).

Designers, even if you have to bow to the economics of the real world and the demands of the company owners, the buyers and the stores with most of your line, keep a glimmer of art there. Maybe a deal can be made and only one is made available. Maybe you can only make a few of them, but I know they will be wanted and treasured.

I know I may not be able to get all of them or afford them, but I'll be behind you 100% and rooting you on!

Color Study - Orange

Ready for the next installment of the Color Study series?

Orange is pretty unrepresented in my closet. I cannot wear it in shirt form at all, although I really do like the color. And I only, obviously, have a few shoes that barely squeak in to the group.



Since there are only five (I don't think I've added any since I took these) it will be easy to break it down:

Top Row, left to right:

- Guiseppe Zanotti Cam Albiconna Nappa
- Hetty Rose Love Platforms
- JCrew Liz in Neon Orange

Bottom Row, left to right:

- Isaac Mizrahi Hannah Orange Flash
- Olivia Rose Tal Silvy II






The details are the best part:

I have a free weekend... maybe blues or greens next???

Back to Bespoke

Vintage Kimono Fabric from Hetty Rose

Almost a year ago I told you about my experience having a pair of bespoke Amalie heels made for me by the incomparable Henrietta of Hetty Rose.

At that time Hetty had done her first Kimono collection featuring twelve styles that could be custom made to your specifications from a selection of vintage kimono fabrics. Now Hetty is back with a second collection which has all new designs and includes adorable clutches as well. She's also received a ton of press coverage as well. Be warned, this post is very image heavy!

What I love about the whole process is getting to interact with the creator on a personal level. When I got back in touch with Henrietta she was on a buying trip in Japan, searching out new fabrics. She was also in country for the cherry blossom festival and sent me some surreally beautiful shots from there.

One of the first shoes in the new collection which caught my eye was the adorable Ella mary jane. It's just super cute and has a great chunky heel with front stitching down the toe. If you go to the press page you can see if has already been featured in several magazines.



Well I had to have it. As was done the previous time, Henrietta sent me a variety of fabrics to choose from and I decided on this very intricate and metallic phoenix pattern.













I like the way each shoe is individual. And, of course, the riot of colors!











They are just so cute on that I can't get over them!

As I was reading through all of the new press coverage Hetty Rose had received I came upon these articles: one, two, three. It seems Henrietta paired with theatrical wig designer Yuki Saito to create a special display for Valentine's Day and created these amazing "Love" shoes for the pairing.



Well, I fell for them. Hard. I especially love the platform element. And although they were not a part of her regular line, she agreed to make them for me.



I was lucky enough that Henrietta still had some of the same fabric that she used to create the original pair. I did make one change to the design. Knowing that I'm not going to get many opportunities to wear these with the ties wrapped up above my knee, I asked for them to be just long enough to tie around my ankle.







Oh, yes, they are super tall, but given the platform and that they are made to measure, they are very easy to wear.







I like the heart-shaped peep-toes too!





What's also cool is that the straps are not attached to the shoes. So I can wear these with and with out the leather ties. The beaded hearts just clip on, so I can adjust where they go, either on the shoes or on the ties.



A-dor-a-ble!









I know I've said this before, but she does amazing work. If you have the opportunity, drop Henrietta an email and work with her on a pair of shoes. She is a true artist. Not only will you be supporting her art, but you will be avoiding the the huge manufacturing machine and preserving a small piece of history.