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Neutral wedges in butter-soft leather
OK, I know, it’s fall and I’m posting sandals…but as I mentioned, the end of season sales can just be too tempting. It’s often worth investing in a great item in anticipation of wearing them in seasons to come. After an unplanned marathon shoe event I found this pair of Celine wedges. One pair left. In my size. 85% off. Really. Impossible not to buy them. Love the color of the leather and the way it wraps onto the wood wedge, which also forms a stiletto-like silhouette with it’s tapered heel. I continue to stalk the RL’s but in the meantime these are a great neutral sandal addition to my hot weather wardrobe. Luckily, the 95 degree weather let me show off this pair one more time before packing them away until next spring.
prov⋅e⋅nance
[prov-uh-nuhns, -nahns] –noun
place or source of origin: The provenance of the shoes has yet to be determined.
Date of Purchase: Fall 2009
Circumstances: I recently had an unintentionally eventful and exhausting Saturday. Starting with a relaxing brunch on a patio with my friend Vee, I had very little lined up to do and planned on a peaceful afternoon. We decided to take a leisurely stop by DSW for fun, and I wanted to show her the Ralph Lauren wedges I am still (yes, still) stalking. Little did we know this was about to turn into an all out shoe-shopping extravaganza. It began slowly. As we picked up pair after pair it turned into an all-out fever pitched event. Blame it on the fact that neither of us have done much shopping or the fresh shipments of fall shoes if you like. Either way, we ended up at not one but two different DSWs searching for our sizes. It paid off. We each went home with multiple pairs and even picked up a pair for our friend AB. Spreading the shoe love.
Compliment Meter: 5. Great responses today, from ladies and gents alike. Shoe confidence level: Very High. It helps that they make me easily 4″ taller. Always an added bonus.
Comfort: Fairly comfortable, actually. The wedge keeps them from taking a toll on my feet. Overall, an 8 out of 10.
Worn with: In one day, both a v-neck top and scarf with my Seven wide leg jeans and a Fossil magenta sleeveless knit dress belted with a light khaki croco belt from Club Monaco.
Thoughts: “Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels.” ~Faith Whittlesey
new summer staples, even a bit late
Truth be told I took a month and a half break from shoe shopping. That’s right, not a pair, and barely even looking…and that’s saying something for me. As you know from my Replacements post I was on the hunt for a pair of summer sandals, casual, nice and high, to be worn with abandon with shorts and skirts. I’m still hunting, rather, stalking, these from the Ralph Lauren Collection and waiting for them to approach a more realistic price. For some inexplicable reason, they are still being sold for full retail at DSW even though we are three weeks into September.
A few weeks ago, I had been shoe stalking the aforementioned RL’s when I came across the pair above last month on Yoox, also from the RL Collection. Not surprisingly the striped canvas preppyiness was attractive to me, beckoning thoughts of a late summer jaunt to Nantucket. For everyday life, I pictured wearing them with all my shorts and summer skirts. A stripe can be neutral, but a more interesting one. I scooped these up at 85% off and they became my first pair of replacements, the first post-challenge pair.
I know, buying espadrilles in August seems late as all the new fall shoes have already hit the floor. However, being that I live in hades-hot Texas, our summer continues practically into October. Besides, all savvy shoppers know the best deals can be had at the end of the season. If it’s too late to wear them now, a classic pair can be saved for next spring. And around here, that’s only a few months away.
Thought: “Always buy a good pair of shoes and a good bed, as if you aren’t in one you are in the other.” ~Gloria Hunniford
My first pair of replacements have been purchased. How did I do?
Well, hello there. I know, I know, I’ve been away far too long and I’m lucky if I have any readers still wanting to tune in. I took an initially unintended hiatus from my blog this summer. Work became overwhelming and I gave less and less time to thinking about and posting to the blog and then, it just happened: a full-on absence. Not a peep for a month and a half. I didn’t want to post things unpreparedly just to keep it going so I accepted the fact that I couldn’t do everything I wanted, and had to focus on work for a while. Work isn’t any less insane, but I realized I really miss writing, however poorly I pen my thoughts. So I started organizing myself and with a little encouragement from friends, fellow bloggers and Julie & Julia, I’ve gotten back on the blogging horse.
Fact: I’m out of shoes to wear and blog about from the original closet count.
So, what to do now?
I will continue to display my shoe purchases for you to view and vote on, and with Fall approaching, there will be no shortage of boots, booties, flats and heels to be purchased. Will I post a new pair every day? However fun that may be, that would be just ridiculous, and would quickly drive me straight to bankruptcy. My goal is to have a better-edited collection of shoes; not boring by any stretch, but focused and in general, more fabulous. Along my shoe journey I will continue to show you purchases, but also my inspiration, finds, desires and a few pair of contenders for which I will need your input.
And of course, I will continue post the lovely pairs, and their stories, that you send me.
I’m here. I’m awake. I’m officially out of hibernation.
Your Thoughts