Shoe of the Week #8 -A Tale of two Sandals

Update-Part 1

Reader, I bought them. After an evening perusing Fly London's entire sandal range, while half watching Posh Pawn- ( I wish I could discover an ugly looking necklace in my drawer worth ten grand)-I opted for these beauties.


They ticked all my style boxes AND I got thirty noops off the £80 price tag- I mean seriously, how could I not? And having worn them exclusively for the last three days, I can vouch that they're super comfortable too, despite blessedly being neither Birkenstocks or Crocs ( aka the ugliest shoes on the planet.)


I decided on the red, after somewhat excessive deliberation, but it was a tough choice because they also come in a gorgeous acid yellow and beautiful aqua tones. Eventually though,  I decided that the red would clash least with my bluey white ankles work best with my skin tone.


Part 2
In the interests of full disclosure, I should also mention another teensy purchase which arrived all the way from China earlier in week. (It was a late night purchase...there may or may not have been wine involved).

Ahem, remember all that stuff I said last week about high heeled sandals being terribly impractical yada, yada, yada? Well, scratch that, because I'm now the new owner of the silliest and least practical high heeled sandals ever made.

 But while the mere thought of navigating these bad boys around the caravan site is frankly laughable, there must surely be an exception to every sensible rule, non? Or have I lost the plot and gone a step too far...so to speak... if you will?

I'll be honest, I'm not quite sure yet what to wear them with, except that I know it should be fairly understated, because these babies will be doing all the talking. Comfort wise, they're better than they look, probably because of the humoungus wedge platform thing going on, but they're still firmly in the 'car to bar' category, with an elevated risk of ankle fractures.

Another slightly unnerving aspect was the creaky sound effects while parading them around the bedroom for Himself, and I wondered aloud  if this possibly had to do with the fact that they're made for a teeny weeny chinese lady and not a chubby big boned Irish woman, but (with a snigger)  he assured me that a squirt of WD40 will work wonders.

 NOT that any of this will stop me wearing them of course,  because despite, or possibly because, of their showy, zebra, squeaky mad heeliness, they are utterly fabulous, dahling!
 Look, if I wanted Hush Puppies, I'd have bought them!

Have a good weekend, my lovelies, Emxx

Shoe of the Week #7

I'm thinking summer, I'm thinking sandals, I'm thinking wedges. And every time, it must be said, I keep coming back to the same brand-Fly London.

 Let's face it, strappy high heeled summer sandals are fabulous, but they're not exactly practical, and realistically you might only wear them a few times over the course of a whole summer, especially if a major part of your summer in spent on a caravan site in Donegal. Harsh but true, peeps, harsh but true.

Saying that, I absolutely REFUSE to go down the hideous clog Crocs route, despite buying them in bulk for all my boys. Quite simply, it's a step too far, and even on a caravan site certain standards MUST be maintained, from a shoe point of view, anyway.

 (I should disclose at this point- for fear my sister outs me- that I DO actually own a pair of clog Crocs *sharp intake of breath* HOWEVER they are fur lined, and are therefore technically slippers. They're also NEVER under any circumstances worn in public AND are pink leopard print, which I do realise redeems them only slightly....we will never speak of this again)

My lovelies, wedges are my go to sandals-comfy, pretty and practical...and most importantly, not flat. Much as I can admire and appreciate ballerinas and gladiators on others, sadly they're not for me. Personally, I'd go as far as to say that the wedge is the new flat, and no one does it better than Fly London. (And no, this post isn't sponsored. For some inexplicable reason, my recent review offers have only included nursing bras and almonds.)

I have two pairs of Fly sandals in my wardrobe- a white pair and a green pair, and despite several summers' heavy use, they're still going strong. Dress 'em up, dress 'em down -they work with shorts, capris, dresses, jeans.....these are hard working, very pretty shoes my lovelies. AND they come in lots of different colours and styles-here's just a taster.

I've my eye on these bad boys myself!

 If you only buy one pair of shoes this summer, (Puh-leese), then these are  the ones for you.
They normally retail in or around the 80-100 quid mark, which admittedly is pricy but totally justifiable when you think in terms of cost per wear. (And I absolutely recommend that you do-it's soooo liberating)
But even though I say so myself,  I  MAY have outdone myself this time, because Amazon is doing 25% off  summer shoes with the code ESCAPE25 until 11th May AND if you go through Topcashback you'll get a further 8.4% back!
Who's the Mammy?? For goodness sake,  it would be rude not to-go work that wedge, baby!

Shoe of the Week

Sooooooooo, you know all that ebaying (verb- to ebay) that I've been doing lately?
Well, understandably, I decided to treat myself to a new pair of heels, and Peeps, sensible they are not! But trust me, what they lack in practicality, they more that make up for in utter fabulousness.

I first spotted these beauties by Carvela in the House of Fraser just before Christmas. Actually, it was my BFF Maria who clocked them first -one minute she was chatting away, the next she was just standing, open mouthed, pointing at them silently. To her credit,  I think she knew at a glance that they had my name written all over them AND they were 20% off at the time.
 
As I lifted them up with a trembling hand, I remember feeling quite faint and it took all the strength I had not to buy them right there, without even trying them on, but then my sensible head rushed in shouting that there were still presents to buy,  and even with the discount they were still £80, and didn't I have more party shoes than parties to go to, and unbelievably, showing remarkable restraint I walked away, crying inside.

Fast forward to last week, and as I perused my usual shoe porn sites, while simultaneously catching up on the goings on in Albert Square, what should pop up only the one that got away! With 50% discount! Well, I'm only human after all, and given the fact that they were now a steal at £50 AND I'd just flogged my entire wardrobe on ebay AND I have a Holy Communion fast approaching, I knew it would have been an absolute sin not to.

Cast your eye for a moment over these little pieces of heaven- the glinting, golden, almost shy sparkle of them, the elegant, yet quietly sexy peep toe, that subtle hidden platform. If Cinderella were a real person and living in 2014, she'd totally be rocking these babies to the ball.

And yet, they're not a one night wonder either, because these multitasking beauties will work equally well on a girls' night out, with skinny jeans and a dressy top, OR with a cocktail dress for a Christmas party OR, and let's just pause for effect here, all the way to the MAD Blog Awards in London in September!  (Did I possibly mention before that I'm a finalist in two categories and could really, really do with your votes?.... Seamless, eh!)

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise what an absolute steal they were- I'd even go as far as to say that adding them to my shoe stable has actually saved me money.
(Did you see what I just did there? That, my friends, is Master Level Shoe Logic.....I know I made it look easy but it takes years of practice, so don't try it at home.)

And if you do fancy a pair yourself, and quite honestly, how could you not, check them out here.
Happy Weekend Lovelies , Emma xx

Shoe of the Week #4

This may be pushing the boundaries of  'Shoe of the Week' s rules, but then again, they're my rules and I'm a bit of a rebel.

And anyway, I'm pretty confident that these little numbers will quickly become your NBF, if you're as much a fan of car to bar shoes as I am. (Of course being a fan, doesn't actually mean you get to wear them to an actual real life bar that often, but still.)

Because fabulous as high, sexy shoes are, they're usually only for tottering prettily in, and practically speaking, that means covering very short distances very slowly indeed, often coupled with a certain degree of discomfort, non?


NOT if you have with these foldaway, jewel encrusted, rubber soled, ballerina pumps in your handbag. Normally not one for flat shoes myself, I make an exception when they're sparkling temporary adjuncts to my killer heels, AND they fold away neatly in a little satin drawstring bag once I've reached our new destination.  You would not believe the green eyed looks I've gotten on a night out when I've produced these babies from my handbeg! I've even been offered cold hard cash for them on the spot, but I didn't sell- my bunions would never forgive me if I did.

I discovered their existence just before the Christmas party season and was very glad that I did. They come in all different colours and designs and I even bought both sisters a pair as part of their Christmas present. (Of course, the sister who had just had her third baby in three years, two weeks before, looked at me as though I'd lost my mind- by that stage though her feet had actually grafted themselves to her Uggs.....but I know she'll thank me some day.)

And so to price. Well, I took a look on their website and nearly choked when I saw they were £80 because I got three pairs on a Groupon deal for £9 apiece. But do check out Amazon and eBay for better deals.  I don't think I even realised what a bargain they were at the time-I just thought they were a great idea AND I loved the look of them.
And if I ever see a deal like that again, I promise you'll be the first to know.
Laters lovelies, Emx

Shoe of the Week #3

My inspiration this week is the greenest and most Irish of days in the whole of the year- St Patrick's Day on March 17th.

Although if I'm really honest, poor old St Patrick is just an excuse to showcase my fabulicious green, cat print, wedge shoes, trimmed with gold and silver piping, and wantonly adorned with jewels and pearls of every shape and size. But actually,  it seems to me they're much more appropriate for honouring our dear patron saint than a leprechaun hat and a fake ginger beard anyway.

Now I know they're a little OTT, and I suspect not for those of you who appreciate the sensible nature of a sturdy pair of Hush Puppies, because these do have it all going on. But IMHO, these delightful offerings from Irregular Choice are absolute works of art. They're 'Shoe Art',  if you will.
(Late last night, I even rather cleverly-or so I thought- coined the term 'Shart' in their honour. In fact, my working title for today was to be ' A Little Green Shart'  before I realised that the term was actually already in use, and refers to something altogether less wholesome.)

I've noticed that I tend to wear these shoes when I'm feeling a little down, not because they reflect my low mood but because they act as an antidote to it. I only have to glance down at my bejeweled tootsies and my inner sadness begins to lift.
 They're not reserved, as you might expect, for special occasions either, but rather are worn with jeans for school runs, up and down supermarket aisles and even on trips to the park. Comfortable, yes, but not slippers either- that wedge is higher than it looks!  So I don't wear them every day... but then I wouldn't want to either.

And now to price. We-ellllllll,  these darlings cost £140 new, which really isn't bad, given their high level of finish, adornment and detail. But okay, let's just cut right to the chase, because you know me well enough by now to know that I didn't pay that for them. Nope, it was in fact, a quare bit less than that.. like £100 less. *sigh* I know- an absolute steal!

So what do you think of them yourself?  Too hot, too cold or just right? I'd love to know.....Emx


PS. Final call!  If you haven't nominated me for the MAD Blog Awards 2014 could you take a minute and do it now as closing date is this Friday 14th? The categories of Best Writer, Most Entertaining or School Days seem to be the ones I fit into best.
Thanks loveliesxxxx

Shoe of the Week #2

Next up on 'Shoe of the Week' is in complete contrast to the much less practical, but utterly fabulous, leopard beauties of  last week, but they're still pretty darn stylish in their own right.
It's a Converse shoe with a...wait for it...wedge heel.

I've always had a soft spot for Converse shoes, possibly because Himself wore them constantly in our early days. (FYI- he actually owned both a red and a purple pair and sometimes even wore ONE OF EACH COLOUR - the sheer madness of it!). So yes, I've always loved Converse...just not on me- they're too darn flat. Or so I thought...

Because a few short months ago, I discovered these wedges, and overnight they became one of the hardest working shoes in my wardrobe! The absolute best part is that you can wear them with pretty much everything AND they're comfortable too - which kinda makes them the holy grail of shoes, doesn't it? The thing is, until recently I didn't even know they existed, except in my dreams!

True story - waaaaay back, (okay two years ago), not long after I started writing this blog, I featured a very different pair of lace up wedges. (Larger than life leopard print and gold ones, which actually turned out to be surprisingly versatile). But, on that post, I broadcast a whimsical SOS  for this very type of shoe. Check it out if you don't believe me! One might even, quite reasonably, speculate that I managed to channel Converse designers using my psychic shoe abilities?

Anyway, fast forward to last November, and I'm walking down Newbury Street in Boston with my cousin and my sister, (Ooops, did I just drop something?), and unexpectedly came upon these babies in a shoe boutique. (Translation - a VERY small shoe shop.)
Well, I don't mind telling you that at first I thought I was seeing things. Imagine my incredulous joy when I realised that not only were they in my size, but they were also ON SALE......sometimes things are just meant to be, I suppose.

But as this is a very balanced piece of  writing, and not the OTT rantings of a shoe fanatic, (Himself told me to reel it in a bit), I'm now going to touch on the downsides of these particular shoes..... only I can't actually think of any. Except for a few obvious ones, like if it's really cold outside you'll need to wear thick socks because the canvas is quite thin, and to try not to get them wet, because they're not waterproof and your feet will get really cold if you do.

Aside from that, don't hesitate, just buy.  I even sourced them for you on here and it looks like
you'll pay about £60, which isn't bad, but this possibly isn't the best time to share with you that I only paid £20. What can I say - the pound was strong, and my guardian angel loves a bargain!
What about you - do you like or loathe them? I'd love to hear!
Laters lovelies xxx

 PS-Don't you just adore my shoe collage pics? I think I feel Pinterest coming on.

PPS- If you haven't done it already, could you take a wee minute and nominate me in any of the categories you think I fit into in the Mad Blog Awards 2014? I'm hoping it might be a case of three times a charm.Thank you - I very much appreciate it. xx

Shoe of the Week

Drumroll please...and put your hands together for the new weekly addition to the blog - 'Shoe of the Week!' Aside from my rather sporadic, (or spasmodic, according to my Ma), 'Friday Quicktakes', I've never actually had my own weekly feature. I'm really quite excited about it - can you tell? Especially, as it's going to be all about my most favourite things in the whole wide world - shoes.

This will truly be a labour of love, because as any of you who know me IRL can attest,  I DO adore my shoes - always have, always will - possibly because, unlike clothes, they've always fitted. (Except, years ago when I was pregnant with Anna during a hot Virginia summer, my feet grew to such Fred Flintstone proportions, that I had to wear hideous Tevas ALL THE TIME - bad karma, or wha!)

I can picture the colour draining from Loverboy's face as he reads this. Don't panic, my lovely - it doesn't mean that I'll have to buy a new pair of shoes every week, because I plan on featuring some of the already fabulous shoes residing in my wardrobe. Then, of course, there'll be the ones I'm currently lusting after - truthfully, a day rarely goes by without a little shoe porn in there somewhere. (And say nothing, but I'm fairly certain that a few sneaky shoe purchases might well just find their way on here too, so keep your eyes peeled for #theseoldthings?)

I'm planning on featuring all types of shoes - yes, even flats and sling backs, (and maybe even mules, Kimberley Anne), so stay tuned. I draw the line at slippers and running shoes though - I do have some standards- so if they're your thing, you're on the wrong blog, I'm afraid, so jog on.
 There'll be shoes for parties, school runs and workdays, barbeques, walking tours and dancing, stilettos, boots, sandals, wedges, kitten heels - you name it, you'll find them all on here. So stick the kettle on, pull up a chair and check out my very first 'Shoe of the Week'.


 I'm starting with a bang, because these beauties are truly a jewel in the crown of my shoe wardrobe.

Definitely NOT for the school run, these bad boys are firing on all cylinders. A spiky, hairy, leopard print peep toe- what's not to love? I've worn them lots and believe it or not, they're also quite comfortable*, thanks to the slight platform in there too.


They're made by the edgy brand Iron Fist and designed by Avril Lavigne (of Skater Boy fame - ring any bells?).I bought them on Amazon over a year ago, and I think they cost under £40 in the sale. They had been £90, so it would have been an absolute sin not to. A word of warning though, you may not want to 'playfully' kick someone up the bum while wearing these shoes...those spikes are sharp!

 Now, obviously, shoes such as these take central stage in any outfit, so less is definitely more when it comes to the  rest of the outfit. I usually wear them with all black or brown ensembles, and just a little gold jewellry.**

I promise you though, I don't wear any other leopard print when I'm showcasing these ... except maybe in the underwear department, but that doesn't count.
So now it's over to you peeps, would you wear them? Love 'em or hate 'em, let me know what you think!
Laters, Emx

* Relatively speaking, as it goes without saying that these babies are strictly 'car to bar'.
** Alright, maybe slightly more than a little.

PS- If you haven't done it already, could you take a wee minute and nominate me in any of the categories you think I fit into in the Mad Blog Awards 2014? I'm hoping it might be a case of three times a charm! Thanks lovelies-I very much appreciate it. xx