The Perfect Pair for a Party - Jeffrey Campbell Noel Tinsel Heel

Do you ever see something totally outrageous and think "Dammit, that has 'Me' written all over it!" and know that it had to be yours?

 No?   Just me?

Well, the other day on Instagram I saw that Refinery 29 had reposted this image from Rockie Nolan of amazing, out-of-this-world, who-would-buy-these, silver tinsel slingback heels and was immediately smitten.

I mean, how could you not be???

I had to have them!  Luckily Rockie posted who made them and the style name - Jeffrey Campbell Noel Tinsel heels.

How fun are they?!?

They're actually even better in person.  I do love a subtle, conservative heel...

I joke, but don't put this past me to just wear to work or out for dinner or something.  I mean, why not?

You have to have fun with your fashion and if these aren't fun, I don't know what is.

Inspiration = Flattery? Prada Fall 2011 Mary Jane vs ModCloth Girl of my Dreams Heel

I don't typically do two posts on knock-offs in a row but today has been a day filled with them.

 From Jeffrey Campbell (right) straight up thievery from Simone Rocha (left) with their lucite heeled oxford wedges...

 and now this...

I was looking for neon heels when I came upon these Girl of my Dream heels via ModCloth.  And I was stopped in my tracks.  Not because of the bright neon orange color.

But because they are a straight lift from the Fall 2011 Prada RTW runway mary janes.

These mary janes were done as pumps and boots and sandals.  What made them distinctive was the wide strap, that large button and the curvy heel.  All combined to exaggerate the mary jane style and create a new design.  A design created by Prada and "leveraged" by Jeffrey Campbell.

I don't know why I'm surprised by Jeffrey Campbell or Steve Madden and their stealing of designs.  I scrolled through a page of JC's on Shopbop and it was nearly every shoe or boot.  They were almost all a lift from a more innovative talented company, just taken and tweaked ever so slightly.

I've said it before and I will continue to do so... this is intellectual property theft.  If you admire a designer and their work but you can't get it or can't afford it, do you really think it's better to dilute their work so they, eventually, can't continue to create or are you fine with someone coming along, dumbing their work down and mass producing it.

Do you support the artists or the thieves

Playful Polka-dots

I need more polka-dots in my life.  If I can track these down in my size, I seem them both in my immediate future.

Jeffrey Campbell El Carmen

Jeffrey Campbell Skate

lThere is no reason for me to like this but I'm kind of intrigued by the Jeffrey Campbell Skate booties.  I'm a Florida girl.  I have no fond ice skating recollections. So I'm not sure why, but I think they are cool (pun intended)!

Maybe I just want my Silver Skate moment

Hans and Gretel Brinker have a much nicer story to aspire to.  I was going to say I like famous Norwegian Sonja Henie but then I read some more of her history and backed away from that asap.  I mean, Yikes!  She was a pretty, talented and successful woman who seems to have had a much darker past - from drinking issues to Nazi ties - than I would have ever imagined. Guess those white skates weren't so pristine.

Jeffrey Campell Skate comes in white, tan and black - $198 at Singer22

Imitation = Flattery?

Not so long ago the Jeffrey Campbell Michelle, aka "Unicorn", heel was exceptionally popular. This whimsical heel was sold out all over the place, but is back in stock and available in shiny black patent, shiny gold, a beautiful nude and a subtle gunmetal.

The unique piece of this shoe was the spiral hell but much of the allure came from the flirty ruffles that cupped the heel and showcased your ankle.

So it's no surprise that I stopped in surprise when I saw a strikingly similar ruffle on this Carlos by Carlos Santana Venetian d'Orsay pump.

I don't think the lines of the Carlos shoe are as pretty and the price-points are nearly the same.  The influence is obviously there.

Which version do you prefer?

Carlos by Carlos Santana Venetian Pump - in black, blue, tan and red - $99

Jeffrey Campbell Michelle Peep-toe - in black, black patent, gold, nude and gunmetal - $119.95

Ensemble du Jour - 6-6-10

I don't have arty rooftops like all you cool NYC people. No, I have a corner of my work building that has a grill, two plastic chairs and a random pallet. Plus mosquitos so I have to run out, grab a snap and run back in before I get eaten alive.

But the dress is cute!



This is my other JCrew romper-ish dress. It's grey with pink and yellow flowers and I paired it with a JCrew cardigan and the Luella pink and purple heart heels.



The colors are all so cute together. I'm all bows and hearts and flowers.



This outfit is so comfy and perfect for Summer that I wore it to Saks over the weekend but paired it with the Jeffrey Campbell unicorn heels, since the purse I was using has gold hardware.



The two dresses are great for the summer, but it's been so hot I hate everything else. Summer is my least favorite season. But I can't wait for Fall!

The Last Unicorn

I know the title is a little cheesy but after all the effort going in to finding these, I couldn't resist.

These Jeffrey Campbell Michelle peep-toe heels seem to be a popular as the Corso Como Dodies and, currently, just as hard to find.



I was a little late on the uptake and saw these on Marie's site. Of course she is down with the flashy and fabulous!

After searching around (no luck) then finally pestering a Jeffrey Campbell employee (made them get on Twitter too!) I was able to score a pair from Vintage Fox Boutique. A few sizes are left if you want to get a pair. But keep in mind, these babies run about a 1/2 size small. I got a 6, which is the smallest size they made, and they were not overly loose on me.

I wore these with a dark dress denim pencil skirt and this fancy polo from Anthropologie. What i like about it is that the collar and placket are a creme silk and the ruffles sort of mimic the shoe ruffles.

They are very soft and comfortable and I like them alot... now, would it be greedy to try and track down a nude pair?

I couldn't resist sharing this. When I was younger I read the strangest book called Summer of the Unicorn. It looks like kind of a bodice ripper but is more of a sci-fi/fantasy novel. I actually still have this....

Get one of the $.01 used ones and let me know what you think.

Blogger Inspiration: Jane from Sea of Shoes

I'm not afraid to say it... when I see someone with great style, no matter her (or his) age, I like to break down what exactly it is that I like, what I can expand on and what can help me to stretch stylistically.

Jane of Sea of Shoes has a great sense of style and a great way of creating unique outfits from vintage and eBay finds as well as a healthy dose of amazing designer pieces. And I'm sure it doesn't hurt that she's lovely and has an extensive wardrobe of high-end shoes and clothes.

One of my favorite style of shoes that she wears are peep-toe boots, like these gorgeous Prada ones. This is definitely a style that is outside of my typical comfort zone but the more I've seen if the more I like it. Jane has done a great job styling hers, both casually with jeans and dressier.

What I liked about the Prada pair is their height, the way they lace up and the wider peep-toe opening. I searched around for a while and found these great boots from Jeffrey Campbell. I got them on sale at Urban Outfitters.

I just got them so I've only had time to take a few quick shots.

Now I need to come up with some outfits to wear them with!