A woman's right to (cheap) Choos

Far be it for me to even pretend that I'm still running this blog regularly but sometimes the news is so stupendous, you have to come out your hole, blink shortsighted at the sun and say: H&M have somehow managed to convince Jimmy Choo - THE Jimmy Choo - to design a range of accessories for them. How do H&M do it?

The collection will include bags and shoes for both women and men and will be hitting 200 stores worldwide in November. Dear lord! I can just see the long queues and the mad scrum that'll ensue. There will be blood, I tells ya.

Shoe Lurve - Bronx wedge gladiator, £68.50

Boots, they look good on most people and really go well with summer denim. One problem though, they are essentially cold weather wear. No matter what we tell ourselves, the denim shorts/summer dress and boots combo borders a little too closely on WAG territory. What to do then? Step forward, the summer boot.

Here's a prime example of what I mean. Schuh have decided to call them gladiator sandals but we know better, don't we? This is not a gladiator sandal. This is not a sandal at all. This is clearly a boot; one made to be worn in the summertime.

Note the cutout detail and the peep toe, note the way the back rises to embrace the back of the foot and ankle (muck like an ankle boot would) and it has laces. Come on!

They would look damned good with some jazzy socks (especially if your like me and think that your bare feet are not fit for public viewing) and rolled up jeans. I am also totally smitten by that covered wedge. The perfect boot for summer.

Fringed benefits

As I mentioned in my outfit of the week post earlier this week, the High Street is teeming with fringe at the moment. Fringing, tassles - call them what you will - those dangly strips of silliness seem to be beckoning from every shop window on everything from bags to clothes to shoes.

I love the sense of movement created by fringe. You wear a fringed item and it immediately feels like you added another dimension to yourself almost hyper-real. Like you are your own stop action movie or an animation of yourself.

I love the fringing on this waistcoat from ASOS precisely for this reason. You can't get the full effect from these images but if you watch the catwalk video on the site, what I mean becomes obvious. And here is another fab pair of leggings from Topshop, this time with added tassles. I also love how the added fringing around the neck of this vest from Urban Outfitters makes it a two in one piece of clothing with jewelry attached. Accessory problems solved.

There's also plenty of fringeing going on at foot level. My favourites so far are these Suede peeptoe boots from Oli that remind me of old cowboys and Indians movies. There's something of the squaw about them. I think they'll look great with tanned bare legs.I bought the fringed, studded limited edition ankle boots from New Look because I was simply powerless to resist. They just looked so lovely on and comfortable too, considering the height. I haven't made up my mind what to wear with them yet but I think could add some edge to short summer dresses, and interest to denim shorts and a t-shirt.

I'm going to start calling peeptoe boots, summer boots because that's essentially what they are. They're wildy impractical for winter and if they were closed toed then they'd seem a little overwrought for sunny days. Somehow, however, we've managed to have another invention thrust upon us that it is neither boot nor sandal but something in between. I'm not complaining because I quite like the idea of them.

I've deliberately not included tassled bags in here as they are too numerous to mention and Tor of Fabfrocks has already done a brilliant piece on them. Check out the plethora of tassled arm candy on her blog.

Designalike - YSL Vs Topshop

YSL Caged Heels, £905

I have seen these caged boots from YSL so many times now that they are firmly imprinted on my subconscious. I full expect to one day sleep-walk to the nearest YSL store, order a pair and then calmly go back to bed, bankrupt and unaware. I'm also fully aware that the entire high street has tried to make something approximating the caged heel's charms.

Topshop caged heels, £70

The most passable copies I've seen out there so far are these from Topshop. We've all had a look at the original caged shoe and marvelled at the feat of engineering involved. So have Topshop by the looks of it and have opted for an easier and no doubt cheaper heel alternative. Still, good effort considering.

Jan's the man

Given my natural predilection for extraordinary shoes, I'm surprised that it's taken this long for the name Jan Jansen to register with me. This is even though I'd come across a few if his designs in one of my favourite shoe books Linda O'Keefe. I don't know how I've managed to last this long without once googling his name or encountering his work in some other way. All I know is, if ever there were a crazy shoe-maker that I would most like to meet it would be this guy.

His shoe designs are beautiful, surreal, ugly, mesmerising works of art. Seeing all his designs together finally helps me understand how Irregular Choice or Dries van Noten or Antonio Berardi shoes exist. Jansen, for me, is the missing creative link.

Jansen has been making his distinctive shoes under his own name since 1964. He is also based in Amsterdam - information that prompted much kicking of myself as I had just been there recently and would've had to seek out his workshop for the appropriate hero worship. I do however have the next best thing within my grasp because I have just found out that there is a shop in Muswell Hill that sells his shoes. Yippee! At a price point of between £120 - £400 depending on style, they aren't cheap but I would gladly pay the £210 asking price for these winged platform shoes or £315 for the hairy boots: Here are some others that I would mind laying my hands on either:
To find out more about Jan Jansen and feast your eyes on a selection of his shoes over the decades go to JanJansenShoes.com

To find out more about the shop in Muswell Hill go to JanJansenLondon.co.uk

Happy shoe year

I love shoes and I have a lot of them but shoe storage is always a problem. I mean, it would be great if my wildest dreams came true and I suddenly discovered a fourth dimension of infinite storage in my current wardrobe but while the boffins are trying to figure out that particular scientific conundrum, I've hit on an interim three-dimensional solution.

I managed to procure for myself (and let's just take a moment there and bask in the beauty that is the word "procure"... Aah. Lovely). As I was saying, I managed to procure for myself - through a measure of charm, guile and elbow grease - one of those rotating card/book holding units that you might find in your local charity shop.

I immediately saw the possibilities: tall and relatively thin, with lots of little holders to hang things off, casters for rolling around and the rotating feature. Would make and excellent shoe tree, I thought to myself. And it does (click images to enlarge).

Neutral territory

In the red corner

All the pretty colours

I've hung all my heeled shoes off it, freeing up shelf space for my flats and boots, and it looks like a real tree with shoes growing of it like leaves. I've even got it colour coded. It's arty and practical. Love it. If I have the time, I might spray paint it gold. Just for fun.

High fashion and high kicks

Madonna is appearing in French bistro-inspired ads for Louis Vuitton, reports WWD. Can't say I like the old bag much, but I kinda like the new bags... And the shoes - although I can't say that I'm particularly happy about that spindly heel. I do hope they're not making a permanent return.

We get it Madge, you're 50 and you can still stick your legs in the air. You rock. *rolls eyes*

And is that another bloomin' grass skirt like the one from the Gucci party that she's wearing? I'm sorry, I don't know high fashion but I know when something ain't right. And that? Ain't right.

Buy a little Faith

Faith shoes offer: Get 30% of full price and a further 10% off sale price shoes from today, Thursday, 27 November till Sunday, 30 November.

I can always rely upon Faith shoes to throw up a least a few covetable items every year. Their designer range, is especially want-worthy. So it's woohoo! all round because they've also got an offer on this week.

Check out some of the beauties they have in store right now, if you don't believe me.

Get these booties
These booties from Finsk are guaranteed to get you noticed.
Going Solo
Exceedingly good looking shoes from the Faith Solo range. Do the tomboy look in the multi-panelled, stack heel, brogues or go ultra glam in these faux-skin, strappy platforms

Calling all red-heads
Major colour trend this season and always a head turner, red rules. This structured clutch is a ruby red to be treasured, while the high shine of these patent lipstick red lace-ups will dress up a little black goth number perfectly.
Vintage diva
If you like the vintage look, then you'll be getting a pretty sweet deal with these darling black t-bars with gold strap detail. check out the cute star cutout.
To get 30% off enter promo code XMASFRIENDS3008 at checkout
To get 10% off enter promo code XMASFRIENDS1008 at checkout

Matalan wows for Spring/Summer 09

I was invited to the launch of the SS09 range at Matalan today and I bring you glad tidings of great joy.

Matalan is one of those high street gems that offer affordable fashion and good value for money. They're like a classier version of Primark. The only problem is their shops tend to be tucked away in shopping centres at the back of beyond. Getting to a Matalan near you can often be a mission and you're not guaranteed that all the stock you wanted will be at the shop you're at.

So you'll be pleased to hear the good news that, finally, finally, Matalan will be open for business online next year. Joy! They won't be offering full stock straight away but even if just favourites are available to buy online, it'll be a start.

So, what about the collection? It looks great. I forgot my camera to bring my camera, so I can't show you photos of some of the shoes and clothes I saw, and some aren't available in the look book. I hope to gets some more images later. However, I can say that the clothes look high quality but the costs are minimal.

An average item will set you back about £20. I'm especially liking the shoes, which range around £16-£20.

Remember those beautiful studded sandals from Burberry which were all the rage last year and the popular copies by Topshop? Well Matalan have got in on the act for next summer. Also on my list are ruffle-front, three strap Mary Janes; strappy, zip detail gladiators; and, stone the crows, they've only gone and done a copy of those black and white, Balenciaga gladiator sandals.

I'll do a best buys post later on this week.

Finding style in Solace

Last night, I finally saw Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond film. As usual, it was rollicking good fun, although sometimes I thought the action was just a bit too fast and adrenaline-action-ey. But you know that an action film is good - at least this is my take on it - when the baddie is dispatched in the most satisfactory manner. I won't give the ending away by telling you how, but it was definitely satisfactory.

"But," I hear you cry, "this a fashion blog. Why are we talking about James Bond?" Well it's because of the image below, a still from the movie, where 007 and his sidekick have just come out of the other side of a bit of roller-coaster ride (again, trying not to give anything away).
I was tranfixed by this particular scene because it says so much about women and style and fashion without saying a word:

1. A good little black dress will work for you anywhere, even if you're trudging barefoot through the desert after being chased down by bad guys
2. High heeled shoes may look pretty, and make you look taller and your legs look longer, but when it comes to the crunch you'll always be the most comfortable in bare feet
3. In the right black dress, your heels really won't matter at all (of course, it helps if you also have a killer body)
4. Sometimes, it looks pretty badass when you're walking barefoot and holding your spikey heels in your hand like a loaded weapon
5. Spikey heels are a loaded weapon

So, what do you think? Am I right or just making it up as I go along?

Cherry on top

I love cherries. They're probably my favourite fruit of all time, though they cause me no end of, um, "airy discomforts". I'll take them in any form from pie to cough drops (cherry tunes... Mmmmm).

Somehow this cherry love has stretched over to my sartorial life. How else do you explain my love for these cherry covered shoes and clutch bag from Faith?

Yes, they're matching and sort of twee but also utterly cute and workable.

You could work a sophisticated yet kookie look by pairing with a simple LBD and black opaque tights. Just for fun add this gorgeous cherry pendant. Work do sorted. Dress, French Connection@ Oli.

They'd also work well dressed down with some turned up blue jeans and pretty printed tee or check blouse. Rockabilliscious. Jeans, Urban Outfitters, tops, Oli

But I'd most probably want to wear them with this Peter Jensen prom dress from Topshop and some cherries in my hair.

So Fugly! Kurt Geiger Baltimore peeptoe booties, £120

Let me say right off the bat: I like Kurt Geiger shoes. I may not be able to afford most of them but I can quite honestly say that I am yet to meet a Kurt Geiger shoe that I didn't like.

But I see the run of love is about to end. Because now, there are these. What are these? These are fugly arse shoes y'all. Damn, they look like they were hit by the fugly stick all the way down the production line.

Seriously, how much is going on here? Are those flames on the side? The metallic ones look like something that Nancy Dell'Oleo's (right, click to see the nightmare in detail) bad fashion nightmare might've puked up.

Speaking of old Nan, is it just me or is she looking rather good on her new image makeover. I am so glad she finally took out the hair extensions and bought herself a few skirt suits.

Back to the shoes... They are hideous and as if that wasn't bad enough, they also look cheap. To ask £120 for these in the middle of credit crunch mania... Why, it's like some sort of bad taste joke. Is it April Fools Day? No!

Kurt Geiger, please stop this. You are not just hurting me, you are hurting yourself.

Ack! I've been Primarked

Despite all my good intentions with the not spending more money and the focussing on the stuff already in my wardrobe, I've fallen at the feet of the mighty Primark monster.

I went there to check out the Gucci-alike shoes. They are rubbish. I mean really, really cheap looking - which, yeah, what do you expect for £15 but also, I've bought Primark shoes before and really, these are just cheap and tacky to look at. Disappointment.

I noticed that didn't stop anyone else buying them though. There was one woman who was stock-piling the shoes as if there was a famine coming and these shoes were on the menu. They'll possibly turn up in some market somewhere. Ebay, maybe? Trust me, don't bother. Buy something else, er, like I did.

Well I say, something but I believe the accurate term would be somethings. Because as soon as I had got into the store and been thoroughly disappointed by the Gucci-alikes, I became totally overwhelmed by the wall to wall shoe-age. Long story short, I am now the proud owner of some Primark red, faux-patent foldover pixie booties, purple faux-patent shboots, aaand black snow boots.

What do I want snow boots for? I don't know. I just took one look at them and a sleeker, taller image of me in shiny black leggings and other suitably frozen-tundra-chic garments, finished off with my new Primark snow boots, flashed before my eyes. I will. Make them work.

Silver lining? I only spent £35. Result.

Designalike: Gucci Vs Primark

Vs


You'd be forgiven if you're looking at these two shoe images right now and thinking: "what's the diff?" Because that's exactly what I thought. Here is the simple answer:

On the top we have a £585 Gucci shoe. Available from all fine purveyors of designer gear. Obviously made of leather.

On the bottom, we have a £15 Primark almost exact replica shoe (apart from the fact that it has two buckles). Available from most local high streets. Possibly not made of leather.

The next question is, which pair do you think most people are going to buy? Answers on a postcard please.*

*Or in the comments box (thereby saving yourself time and money)

ADDED NOTE: In the flesh, the shoes tuned out to not be very good. See my review here

Shoe Lurve - Irregular Choice t-bar sandals, £64.99 at Schuh

If you are in any way interested in the whole pin up look then these shoes must've caught your attention. They have just the right amount of apple-pie cuteness to make any pin up outfit look even more perfectly quirky.

The shiny pillar-box red is offset beautifully by the blue candy stripe and I love that delicate, manageable, demi-wedge of a heel.

Wear with big hair and a tiny dress or a naval-inspired outfit; or clash 'em up with some contrasting prints and patterns.

So pretty, I could eat them with some ice-cream.

Shoe Lurve - Kurt Geiger Scania lace-ups, £180

How do I lurve these gorgeous lace-ups? Let me count the ways:

1. I lurve them for their beautiful curves, that rounded platform and that cheeky, slightly pointed, slightly snubbed toe.
2. For their two-toned, shiny patent, navy blue and white loveliness, made even lovelier by the spiky red heel.
3. For the perforated vamp that adds extra fun detail and texture, and the playful little red tab at the back.
   

Alas, I do not lurve the price tag... *sigh* Maybe they'll appear in the sales.

Step away from the shoe sales!

My thoughts on buying shoes at sale time run something like this:

Before I hit the shops: Hmmm, time to buy a decent and reasonably priced pair of sandals and maybe snap up a pair of sturdy shoes/boots that'll see me through Autumn.

Once I'm in the shops: Shoes, lovely shoes and all so cheap! Shop assistant, I'll have every pair you've got in my size!! Yippee!!! *gibber, gibber*

Trust me, loosing your mind in the presence of shoe choice overload is not the most useful way to approach the sales. All you end up with is a load of cheap shoes many of which you will never wear unless you live in a place of perpetual summer and have genetically modified centipede feet...

Okay thinking about what that would look like is really freaking me out... Moving on...

So this summer, I've decided for my mental health to do a little forward planning and set a tight budget. First I'm online checking out what might be onsale and deciding what I need to buy. Then, I'll go see if I can find what I want in the shops and hopefully return with only one pair of summer sandals and - if I'm lucky a nice pair of boots.

Summer sandals (click on image to enlarge):
I adore those lace-up flat pumps from ASOS, even though their pleather. They are dirt cheap at £5.

Sturdy autumn shoes (click on image to enlarge):
Those Chloe wedge shboots are now reduced to £99 at Kurt Geiger! They're dark green, perfect Autumn colour.

Shoe Lurve - Topshop Scarlet platform shoe, £65

I love a good platform shoe, I do. And over the past couple of years the High Street has been going absolutely platform mad.

I've recently been burning my way through my future childrens' inheritence by collecting these irrisistable boosts to my ego and height and, just when I think I couldn't possibly need or want another pair, these gorgeous shoes from Topshop turn up.

They're a pretty, simple shape but that lovely pink platform just takes them to the next level. Makes me think of teaming them with something quirky - harem pants, high-waisted shorts, ditsy printed skirts, comic book tees, brightly coloured plastic jewelry/accessories... Or doing something 80s- black with accents of bright colour.

These shoes give me aches of longing in the pit of my stomach. Must have them.

So fugly! Toms shoes, £25 at Shoe Studio

Take a look at these shoes. Fugly, aren't they? They look like the bastard offspring of an espadrille and a deck shoe - neither of which managed to avoid a few slaps from the ugly stick in their production.

Now, what if I told you that by buying a pair of these £25 fugly shoes you would be ensuring that a third world child would get a free pair just like them to wear on its otherwise bare feet. Good idea isn't it?

And herein lies my dilemma. Because although giving a poor child a pair of shoes to wear, is a laudable and charitable thing to do, it still does not take away from the fact that these shoes are... not nice to look at. They look like rejects from grandpas old slipper pile. And that doesn't make want to buy them. At all. Which, I guess, makes me a bad person.

Thing is, I don't want to buy fugly shoes, that I will never wear, just because the action of buying the shoe will eventually go to a charitable end. That, to my mind, is not the point of shoe buying. I buy shoes, mostly because I think they're lovely, because I think they'll look good on my feet or look good with an outfit, for the sheer hell of owning another pretty pair.

So what to do? Well here's a suggestion: buy shoes because you like them. Then, if you're feeling charitable, go to any of the following, and buy stuff that makes a real, practical difference to people's lives:
Save the children
Cows n Things
Oxfam shop

Better yet, sponsor a child and provide them with food, clean water, education and healthcare. Then, maybe one day when they're all grown up, they'll be able to buy a pair of pretty shoes all by themselves.

And in other news... Shoe Studio are offering 20 per cent off any of their shoes until June 9. Just use promo code: FF20 at the the checkout.

Shoe Lurve - Red or Dead Maxa, £69.99 at Schuh

It's no secret that I like Mary Janes. It's even a less of a secret that I like bright colours. So it's a no-brainer that these shoes from Red or Dead are rocking my world right now. The jewel bright colours and contrasting pink lining are gorgeous (and, oh look, there's pink and green again).

There's a nice, manageable, 3.5 inch heel and it's all finished of with that enormous brass buckle, which leaves the shoes just the other side of cute.

If I have one niggle, it's that the buckle is emblazoned with the Red or Dead logo and - FYI guys - let's be a little more discreet. If I've bought a pair of shoes, the last thing I want is to be someone's walking billboard.

Their perfect round-toed loveliness, is just the right alternative to sandals for this summer's round of parties. They also come in black or tan, if you are at all interested. I prefer them bold and bright.