A tale of two satins

I’m not very good at haggling, so while wandering through markets is always fun I am quite capable of coming away empty-handed, pursued by the cajolery or heckles of unsatisfied vendors. However, weaving through Mumbai’s Fashion Street last Saturday, I had to make an exception for these adorable little satin ballet flats. The stylised leaf-print is very Orla Kiely, but the price (eventually agreed on) was less than that of an Orla Kiely shoe lace. 

Satin shoes are wildly impractical. I always forget this and wear them to weddings, where they get ruined by wine stains, grass stains, or – pointy heels in particular – sinking into damp lawns. But, butterflies of the footwear world that they are, while they last they are just so charming and winsome. They appeal to my (quite deeply buried) ladylike streak.

Of course, not all satin is ladylike. Satin has its own trashy side, as evidenced by the 5-inch (12-cm) stilettos below. Frankly speaking, these are – how shall I put it? – stripper heels.

I bought them in London back in July, in a process that was even more hassle than haggling with a Bombay street trader. I first spotted them in Debenhams in Westfield, excellently discounted in the sale, but it took two visits before I could actually score a shop assistant to er, assist me. And then it turned out that the second shoe in the pair was missing. The apologetic assistant took my number and promised to call me if/when she located the missing shoe. No call came. But there is nothing like being denied a left foot to summon forth a shoe lovers fighting spirit. Cue a mission to the Oxford Street branch of Debenhams, a whole new bunch of shop assistants to harass, and, finally, triumph.

The strippers are from Dune’s Head Over Heels range, a label I’m a big fan of (below: check out the blue zebra blue ponyskin zebra-print numbers I bought at HOH in July 2010,  which interestingly prefigure Balenciaga’s 2012 collection.) 

Left, blue zebra-print pony skin heels Head Over Heels by Dune, summer 2010. Right, blue zebra-print heels by Balenciaga, summer 2012. 

I am looking at the stilettos in the flesh (as it were) right now. The fabric is matt-finished satin, with this gorgeous pattern of pink and forest green fronds and feathers. The moment I saw them I was smitten, not least because they are perfect with W.I.C. “Toronto” by Herôme, my pedicure colour of the year. I had to have them, even with nary a wedding on the calendar. (And anyway, who wears stripper heels to a wedding?)

 

Monsoon menswear: the ultimate wet-look

Dear shoe lovers, after several weeks of loaf(er)ing about in Western Europe, your Shoeblogger is back in the saddle(Oxfords) and keen to get back to work. Work for the next little while takes us to Mumbai, and for starters we’ve got some really rather marvellous footwear for the gentlemen friends of ShoeClub.

Now, I haven’t checked what the weather is up to in London, New York or Moscow, but I can tell you what it’s doing here in Maximum City: it’s raining. It is monsoon season, which means that several times a day progress throughout the city is interrupted by sudden violent downpours. Generally this means being caught in flipflops or sandals and getting a filthy footbath as the detritus of the street washes over your ankles. At this point, one wishes one had worn something a bit less... exposed. A bit more like these gorgeous Just Cavalli black patent loafers, for example.

Their discreet heel and chunky sole raise them above the muck, while their high uppers with the fringed leather tab provide protection from splashes and drips. And they’re so shiny that a bit of rain will just look like meteorological accessorising.

Ditto the Gucci three-hole patent lace-ups below. Very understated, but very luxurious (check out the quilted insoles.) And of course, if they’re gonna get wet then wet-look is 100% practical too.

Afternoon delight

It’s the last day of June, a glorious sunny Saturday, and your shoe blogger has spent it in a darkened cinema. Watching the Met Opera perform Wagner’s Das Rheingold, as you do. (Seemed like a good idea when I was booking it, two months ago.) After several hours of Sturm, Drang, and Bryn Terfel with a Phil Oakey-style fringe, a change of pace is called for. So thank the lord I’m stepping out onto King’s Road, to be dazzled not only by the sunshine but also by some very fabulous footwear. 

For starters, these wonderful blue suede wedges (above.) The girl wearing them laughed, “It’s a day for photography!” Hardly surprising she was getting snapped, as she had a very cool look going on (note the black pedi.)

More great suede wedges, above, this time with from Aldo. Shoehorn has just been admiring her candy pink nail polish, and noting that it’s an unusual but very successful choice with cyan, magenta and olive. A flash of cork on the soles, a neatly buckled ankle strap – altogether a very sharp look for summer in the city.

These blue denim t-bars, above, with black wedge soles, are from Kurt Geiger. A little more covered up, they are still totally on the money for a summer weekend and work brilliantly with her loose light jeans.

I also love these dark navy suede wedges – very simple, very chic, with a classic cherry pedi. “They get more comments than any other shoes I own,” according to their wearer. And where from? Would you believe it – Clarks.

From the great British high street to designer central: these wonderful plaited tan leather and raffia wedges(above) are Michael Kors. Very sophisticated for an upmarket Saturday look.

More tan leather, above – and these are also Clarks. The wedge heel with broad stitching and wide wrap-straps give them an old-fashioned glamour, a bit fifties starlet on holidays, especially teamed with deep wine-toned nail colour.

Stylish wedges were clearly the order of the day, but not the only game in town. These sage green patent slingbacks with wooden platforms and stack heels are from Sergio Rossi. They looked completely brilliant with khaki linen parachute pants. 

Straw dogs*

The First Rule of Street Style Blogging™ is “Thou shalt not cause public pile-ups trying to get a decent shot.” However, rules are made to be broken and falling in love with a subject is an occupational hazard for us shoebloggers. Which is why I am apologising to anyone on Portobello Road who was trying to get past the small crowds which built up when I was trying to get more angles on the brilliant lace-ups here. The wedge soles are covered in thick black raffia, and the uppers appear to be made of... straw. 

Genius!

 They are Robert Clergerie Z Line, for Carven. 

I can’t find out exactly what these divine trainers (below) are – Adidas, obvs, but Adidas what? 

At first glance the gent sporting them appears to be wearing odd shoes, but it’s an optical illusion. They are an unusual play on two tone: blue on the instep, orange on the outside. More genius!

* A little something extra for foot fact fanatics: “Dog... Orig. U.S.A foot. Usually in pl. It has been suggested that this is short for dog’s meat, used as rhyming slang for feet, but there is very little evidence for such a use.” – Oxford English Dictionary 

Gold chain #9: For queen and country

It’s a four-day public holiday here in the UK, thanks to the diamond jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II. So naturally, it has been freezing cold and flogging rain since Friday. Whilst this is not a problem to us non-Brits who have been making the most of the celebrations ensconced in French restaurants with visiting American friends – vive la différence! – one’s heart does go out to the poor loyal subjects who lined the Thames yesterday to wave at the royal barge in weather conditions more reminiscent of October than June. Not to mention the 86-year-old granny herself, who must have been shivering in her ermine undies.

What is really called for at a time like this is something blinging but... cosy. Like these rather marvelous gold Doc Martins (below), which my friend Katya Z called into the Russian Vogue office a few weeks ago. Sturdy as well as shiny, they would be warm and waterproof aboard the Gloriana, not to mention a fashionable wink at that other pillar of great British heritage, punk.

Alternatively, for something with a bit more stature (the queen is only 5’4” after all), how about the gorgeous 5-inch (12.7-cm) ankle boots below? The gold leather has an appropriately antiqued finish, the “hidden” platform and smart white block heels could be helpful for kicking recalcitrant corgis. Wee nod to the Duke of Edinburgh: they are from 3.1 Phillip Lim.

This evening there’s a concert at Buckingham Palace, so a chance to ditch the sensible footwear in favour of something to dance in (or at least tap the royal toes in. Let’s not get carried away, the bash is organised by Gary Barlow.) You can’t go wrong with a pair of gold pumps. With a modest 4-inch (10.2-cm) heel, these Louboutins (below) are fit for a – well, you know who I mean.