Beholden Unto You

I always love discovering a new place to buy dreamy decadent shoes.  Somehow, probably through an image on Pinterest, I made my way to BHLDN (aka Beholden), a lovely bridal store based in PA, with stores in Chicago and Houston.

 If the pictures I've seen of the stores and of the products are anything to go by, this is a magical lush experience.   If you were not giddy about planning a wedding before, you will be once you see everything they offer.

Their "about" page spells out their philosophy as:

Our roots are with Anthropologie, so a passion for experience and creating one-of-a-kind moments runs deep. But our offering speaks more to the not-so-everyday occasions—ours is a voice that celebrates a woman’s most anticipated milestones. And one that gives tradition a twist.

We want, more than anything, to help a woman create an event that reflects her own unique perspective… to a tee. We want to give a bride that edit she’s been searching for—with heirloom-quality wedding gowns, artisanal hair adornments, footwear, and lingerie. And we want happy bridesmaids—in mix-and-match frocks with rich hues and unexpected details.

But it goes beyond the dress. Our goal, and the reason we drape, fold, bustle, and stitch, is to start a conversation with our customer—to build a resource where she can come to find inspiration and to share with those closest to her, as well as our broader coterie. BHLDN’s story is unfolding; and we’ll look to our customer for cues and guidance going forward.

There are no checkboxes. No fill-in-the-blanks. On the contrary, we think a moment should be as layered and dimensional as the woman standing within it.

How lovely.

While I'm far from my wedding planning days, I am still interested in pretty headpieces, gloves and, of course, beautiful shoes.

And, oh, do they have beautiful shoes.  Most are in shades of cream and white but a large number of them are picking up on the trend of injecting a surprise pop of color with a shoe in blue, green or even gold.

I had to get a few pairs.  They were too pretty to pass up.

The first pair were the Stratosphere Mary Janes from Chie Mihara.  I think they will be adorable with dresses but imagine having glittery stars on your feet as you walked down an aisle or twirled on the dance floor.

I was enraptured by the color of these saffron slingbacks from Something Bleu.  I love satin heels and these seem to glow.  I love the playful yet elegant bow too.  I'm going to pair these up with cobalt and brown and maybe even pink.

And I couldn't pass up these d'Orsay peep-toes made with vintage polka-dot fabric and gem-encrusted bows.  Limited edition pumps from Bettye Muller?  Yes please and thank you.

I'm not planning my wedding (maybe I need a vow renewal!) but wearing these heels is sure to make it feel like a special day.  I may have to go back to find some equally pretty accessories and see what new styles they discover next.