Zara's spring summer shoe extravaganza

Spending the last couple of weeks of the radar with a nasty chest infection that pretty much left me confined to my own bed, didn't really help much when it came to fashion inspiration. 

However, shoes are one of these items that not even a nasty medical condition can stop me from thinking about and Zara's new spring/summer collection is full of some of the most exciting spring/summer shoes I have seen in the last few years. 

I have to admit I'm terribly picky with shoes especially when it comes to summer shoes but it seems that this summer , the list of option is endless and quite exciting and Zara is certainly leading the way on the high-street in my opinion with plenty of choice. 

Paint it black

After my last admiration post dedicated to the gorgeous Stella McCartney shoes and my disappointment that I will probably never have a chance of actually owning a pair, I remembered this pair of black pointy block heel shoes from Zara that for some strange and mysterious reason Zara only had in green, although a lovely shade of green, when I first saw them I kept saying to myself how much I would love to own a similar pair in black, the green was just not convincing or worth the investment, but it's funny how things have changed. A couple of days ago I popped to Zara to have a quick look around and noticed they had a few pairs of these green shoes in the sale and thought to myself whether I'll be taking a giant gamble buying them and painting them black. Now I can honestly say, I'm really terrible doing any type of DIY work and usually stay away from anything as it would probably end in a disaster, but after a quick online search I realised there are plenty of simple shoe dying colours which are quite affordable ( 5 pounds in comparison to the 20 pounds the local cobbler asked for). The colour I used was Dylon black leather shoes dye  and the process was quite simple , albeit a little messy because the dye is really watery, almost like ink which means it gets a little messy and splatters everywhere, my biggest worry was having the dye leaving marks on my floor so instead of newspapers I used old plastic water resistant envelopes which seemed to be a safer option. Overall I'm really happy with the result, the dye didn't leave any nasty marks or residue, and a little bit of shoe polish helped getting rid of the matte look after the dye and I now have a great new pair of black pointy shoes.

It's the shoes!!!

Photos: Stella McCartney - Fall 2014 Lookbook

There were plenty of sighs of happiness and joy on my part when I first saw Stella McCartney's Fall 2014 lookbook. It's pretty clear going through my posts archive that I'm quite a fan , so there's no wonder I kept going back to the lookbook looking at every detail and every item, getting excited about prints, the cuts and the gorgeous bags but somehow I managed to miss  these fabulous shoes until I had another look last night. I've become quite obsessed looking for the perfect pointy shoe and these two pairs are exactly the sort of pair I would love to own, but unfortunately Stella McCartney shoes are slightly over my budget so I guess I will keep dreaming of these perfect pointy shoes and maybe start saving so one day I can get a pair like that for myself. 

Monster

Whilst I still get myself to properly think about what I'm wearing now , I can quite easily build a fantasy summer wardrobe in my head and at the moment I'm having a serious discussion with myself about which of these shoes would fit into my imaginative summer wardobe?

I have a soft spot for chunky and somewhat clumsy looking shoes, some might consider those as a bit of a fashion monstrosity but simplicity and practicality always seem to come first on my list, so no wonder I'm slowly becoming captivated by this trend and whilst I really can't see myself jumping on the Birkenstok-mania that is slowly unfolding, these sandals from Zara are certainly tick the boxes as to the type of sandals I can see fit for my imaginary summer wardrobe. 

Essentials and non-essentials

Recently I've noticed a pattern in my approach to shopping and the sales period this year was a proof that there is a slight change in my approach to shopping and spending which I'm actually very happy with. Probably the best evidence for that is my reluctance to shop the sales, not because I hate the stress of diving into messy sale rails and pushy customers but because I truly got to the conclusion that there was nothing I really needed to spend my money on, at least nothing that I can consider completely essential to my wardrobe at this time of the year. I have plenty of basic items, knitwear and by now, enough jackets and coats to last me a few good winters but one thing I noticed I can't get enough of recently is shoes and handbags, these shoes from Topshop and Maanii handbag have been two items I marked quite a long time ago as two pieces that I will buy once the end of season markdowns start and I'm quite happy I managed to hold myself until the sales and save some money but I was also really happy that I bought exactly the two items I set my eyes upon and didn't get distracted by any other sale items that I simply didn't need at this point. 

One of the things that I noticed is that pretty early on in the season I had a list of items that I wanted but didn't want to pay a full price for and with that list also came a more sensible outlook on what I need or don't need so when the sales started, most of those items I thought were essential at the beginning of the season, suddenly disappeared from my list simply because as times passed I started realising I did not really need them and eventually I was left with just two items on my list - a pair of shoes and a bag, certainly not big sale scores but definitely more practical then most other items I set my sight on when the season just started.

I'm hopeful that I'll be able to keep up with this as the new season arrivals start to hit the shops, it was certainly something that not only saved me a lot of money but also taught me to evaluate carefully what I need and what I can live without. 

Stepping up

I've been on the look out for a nice pair of ankle boots for a very long time. I have a hard time looking for boots and ankle boots are probably the worst offenders when it comes to fit and proportions, at least for me. I was fortunate to be blessed with what I lovingly call 'chunky and short legs' and although I jokingly refer to them as such, I'm totally fine with what I got but sometimes finding a flattering pair of boots can be a real nightmare. I've been on an ankle boot hunt pretty much every winter in the last three or four years but eventually I gave up, until last week when I spotted this pair at Topshop. They had all of what I wanted in a pair of ankle boots, a slightly pointed toe , chunky heel and a little buckle. Unwittingly, I did exactly what everyone would advice against and ordered them on-line without trying them on first! I waited nervously until I finally got them delivered yesterday and the thing that I realised immediately is that I didn't actually check the heel height which was much higher than I expected it to be, but then I tried them on and it was love at first sight, the fit was perfect and the boot cuts around the ankle just at the right spot which means it doesn't make my legs look shorter than they already are, but there is only one problem left to solve and that is getting used to walking in those heels! They're actually not that tall at 3.5inches but they're by far the tallest heels I ever owned which means they'll require a little bit of practice and 'breaking in' time but since I finally found the perfect pair of ankle boots I'm willing to put my feet to the test and maybe hopefully learn to walk in heels properly for the first time in my life!

Combat mode

It's been somewhat of a manic Sunday morning for me, I'm currently writing this while on a train journey to visit a friend who's leaving for a long period to travel around the world.

I woke up in a bit of a combative mood ( a mixture of not feeling very well an waking up way too early) and this outfit was the first thing I thought off. Sadly it was still too dark to actually snap a proper photo of this outfit so a quick browse through polyvore while on my train journey has helped to sort it out. 

I was trying to steer clear from the camouflage trend but I really fell in love with this pencil skirt from Topshop, it has a bit of an elegant touch to it despite the camouflage print. The shoes from Office were meant to be my winter shoes this year but I'm still having a hard time breaking into them so I have a spare pair of shoes in my bag in case it all gets too much!

Sensible summer shoes? Not for me ...

Clearly a pair of shoes worth 500 pounds wasn't what my mum had in mind last night when she begged me to find at least one sensible pair of shoes to bring with me when I go to visit them this weekend. By that she meant something affordable that I can actually walk in in the heat, not a pair of designer shoes I can only dream of , but oh well, since I can't find a pair of shoes I really like , I think I'm allowed to at least browse and dream of a pair I would love to have, after all there's nothing better than a bit of fashion fantasy.

All Clear

I'm really into clear plastic and lucite accessories lately, I'm not sure why since I have detested anything that has to do with clear perspex since my secondary school days when we used to have art classes that involved creating terrible jewelry and all sorts of ridiculous accessories from perspex and other types of plastic. Needless to say I was absolutely useless with that type of 'art' and constantly disappointed my mum by coming back from those classes empty handed so at least now I can tell her her wishes for some plasticky perspex made accessories have been granted as this summer is the summer for all the plasticky accessories she can only dream of.

I do actually think there some brilliant and interesting items worth having a look at and it looks like there are items to fit any budget from high-street brands to high end designers. I really love the slight futuristic vibe you get from some of those items and I love how simple and sharp they can be without being too much in your face.

My favourites at the moment are the boxy clutches and clear heels but a special place in my heart goes to the gorgeous Marc Jacobs satchel which is so beautiful in my opinion (although really not something an un-organised handbag owner like me needs!). 

Shoe lust - Cheap Monday Cube Pump

A little obsessed with this pair of pumps from Cheap Monday since I've seen them in the London store earlier this week. I really like the combination of the pointy toe and the chunky heel and although I skipped the opportunity to try them on, I'm regretting this a little bit as they definitely made an impact when I first saw them.

I might give them a try next time when I'm in London as they're sort of my combination of a perfect shoe, chunky heel , pointy toe, simple but a little out of the ordinary. Not sure I'll actually be able to walk in them so can't really discuss the practicality but they still leave me very fascinated, at least until I get a chance to try them on myself.

On shoes and changing tastes

If someone told me three years ago I would develop a mad crush on pointy shoes one day, I would probably laugh and cringe at the thought. For me pointy shoes for a long time symbolised a fragment of the 90's I wanted to forget about but I noticed recently how my heart is warming up more and more towards pointy shoes. I don't really know if it's age but I can certainly tell my shoe preferences changed considerably over the last two or three years and pointy shoes certainly have found a place in my heart, especially over the last year. I think this is also why I'm not entirely surprised I developed a slight obsession recently with flat d'Orsay shoes. I've been looking for a decent pair of shoes for the summer when I found those gorgeous Phillip Lim and Jenni Kayne shoes, they're way off my budget obviously but I really love the way they look, simple, light but still elegant and can probably work great in either a casual or elegant outfit. I love the fact they can be placed somewhere between a shoe and a sandal and  wish I could find a pair that would be within my budget to help ease my summer shoes vows. 

If you can't beat them join them ...

Last night when I went into bed I thought to myself that this episode of mad freezing weather and snow is pretty much over, it seemed last night that the snow stopped and started melting and it actually felt a little warmer but this morning I woke up to realise my optimism didn't seem to make a giant impact on the weather. It was snowing again and by mid-day it didn't seem like the snow will be going anywhere, the problem was that I actually did need to go somewhere, nowhere nice or happy but an urgent visit to the chemists to stock on cold relief medications as it seems my brave attempts to defy the cold weather have ended in defeat which meant I just had to prepare myself properly for going out of the house. The jumpers were layered, the gloves were ready as was the giant scarf and a pair of fleecy leggings I simply refused to admit I'll ever wear outside , but there wasn't much choice - I now have a proper cold and need to find a way to get to chemist , even if it means looking like I just got out of bed. As I was already defeated , there was only one item I was in denial about - the wellies, yes, that pair of boots I hide far far away in my wardrobe and deny the existence off every time someone mentions I should probably wear a proper pair of boots for the snow, that pair of boots that makes my legs feel like sausages and makes me want to lock myself in the house , yes I guess it's the time for our annual meeting , there's no other way around. I admit my defeat and trawl in my wardrobe for a few minutes until I pull out a black bin bag, this is where they hibernate most of the year, sitting there just waiting for me to pull them out. So there it is, the wellies are out and I guess this means this is where my winter denial sort of stops, all I have left to do now is get out of the house and at least try and enjoy running around in the snow for a little bit before it's gone, after all , I finally pulled out my winter fashion nemesis out of hiding. 

**and on a more serious note, if you know any homeless shelters open around where you live and see a homeless person in need , please let them know where they can go to keep warm and get a hot meal. It might be fun for me to rant about my dislike for wellies and the winter, but there are some people who really need help in this cold weather and sometimes just simple directions to a warm place can save a homeless person's life. 

New year, new shoes

There it goes , another pair of shoes, the guilt trip started when I opened the box. 

I ordered this pair before the new year and because of the holidays it took forever to get here , the problem is that by the time I got them I already made another shoe purchase so told myself I will be sending those back the minute I get them but then I opened the box and completely fell in love with them, it's bad but I guess not too bad considering I'm the proud owner of only 4 pairs of shoes (now 5), I could do with just another pair after all. 

Always last minute

Trying to pull myself out of bed after three nights of pre-holiday festivities wasn't easy but I still had some few last bits of shopping and gift wrapping to do today before going back to bed for a well deserved rest.

I took advantage of the fact it stopped raining decided to go for a few simple items for my mad dash for the last few hours of Christmas shopping.

I chose my Topshop biker jacket and teamed it with a white button up and a boucle skirt, for the final touch I wore my new Kurt Geiger shoes which I got in the sales and topped it all up with my coat (yes I like to layer up and keep warm...)

So here it is , what is probably my last outfit before the holiday officialy starts. 

Eye on the sales

Kurt Geiger Leana shoes

My fascination with manly shoes will never go away, this is a lovely pair I've been dreaming about since hell knows when. They're finally on sale but I made a promise to myself that I will absolutely wait until the end of the month, once I'm done with all the Christmas related shopping , the bills and all of this month's expenses ... I hope they're ugly enough to wait for me till then ! 

On the lookout

Sale season is almost upon us and one of my rules when it comes to this time of the year is to have a look around and mark my favourite items so I can manage my budget and splurge a little when the items are finally discounted.

I have already hunted down some of my favourite items, my criteria is very simple, a good quality item that I'll be able to wear either year round or in seasons to come. This list has a little bit of both, some will be way off my budget even when the sales begin and some might be forgotten by the times the sales come but nevertheless I always enjoy making a list of my favourite items so I don'y have the urge to buy whatever I see and allow myself to easily skip the madness that is usually part of the sales season.

Trying to keep warm on the run

Jumper H&M , Skirt Miss Selfridge, Brogues Office

Today was meant to be a quiet day at work but somehow it turned to be one of those days in which I found myself running around from trains to busses to taxis to get to meetings on time.

I had an early start and as usual failed to make a decision on what I should wear the night before (I always promise myself I'll do that but somehow always end waiting until the last minute). Knowing I'll be spending a lot of time today going in and out of meetings and running around a lot I decided to stick to something comfortable and warm. A good thing about my job and most of the meetings I go to is that casual outfits are OK, so I picked this warm and chunk sweater and this jacquard like skirt and decided to step it up a little bit by teaming both with a pair of studded brogues to make the outfit slightly more exciting while still keeping warm. 

It's the first time I wore this combo but I'm actually quite pleased, it's still a simple outfit but the shoes definitely help to keep a little more exciting. 

The almost perfect shoe

Bershka creeper shoes

Because no shoe will ever be perfect, but this pair is certainly one of my top contenders.

Best thing that could happen on a day your busy running around dodging heavy rain because the pair of shoes you had on decided it's time to call it quits whilst you're trying to avoid drowning in pulls of water.

Luckily I randomly wandered in to Bershka and found those, it's the sort of shops I rarely check out but I was really happy to find a pair of shoes that will save the day!