Scale models

 Following last Sunday’s post on leopard print, Shoeclub is donning the pith helmet once again in pursuit of big game. This week: snake.

“Python is ousting leopard as the exotic hide of choice,” according to the December issue of British Vogue. There’s certainly plenty of it slithering about the fashion spots of Moscow. I’ve been admiring these Baldinini heels (above) in the boutique on Tverskaya Ulitsa for weeks. As for the display in Miu Miu on Stoleshnikov Pereulok (below), it will either totally charm you or provoke an Indiana Jones-esque hiss of horror at the sheer volume of reptiles gathered in one store window. (Not to mention the sheer volume of white mice sacrificed for their upkeep...)

With all due respect to Mrs Prada, your Shoeblogger’s feeling is that, when it comes to snake, less is more. Knee-high snake boots risk making your legs look like they are being swallowed by an anaconda. Compare the ones above with these restrained but very chic metallic-heeled slit-front python bootees (below) also spotted on Stoleshnikov this week.  

Even if I agreed in principle, I couldn’t justify indulging in a legful of this season’s serpent, as I already have these...

They’re vintage Roland Cartier snake-print ankle boots (and gratifyingly similar to the a/w 2011 Dries Van Noten version, below.) 

Image via style.com

But if I was investing in snake this season, this is the look I’d be tempted to go for:

 These are Lanvin python-print trainers with fat laces in mustard grosgrain, and this is the very cool Dasha K. rocking them. 

A morning in the Shoe Galleries

Selfridges department store on Oxford Street is both a venerable London institution and a bona fide emporium of up-to-the-second style. Last month they opened the Shoe Galleries, ''a 35,000 square-foot shrine to shoes featuring 55,000 pairs of shoes and 4,000 on display''. Naturally, I was very excited and a ShoeClub excursion was planned. To ''do'' the Galleries properly I drafted some help: Shoe Assistant and model for the day, Lily (aged seven-and-a-half), and her mum, Heather. The girls drove up from Suburbia on Saturday morning and we prepared to be wowed.

First stop: Dolce & Gabbana, where Lily tried on these shell-pink patent pumps (above). Very nice, but the pink sequinned peep-toe stilettos (below) were our favourites. Who can resist an update of Dorothy in Oz's red shoes? And Lily's candy-striped socks really rocked this look.

We were somewhat underwhelmed by Jimmy Choo, and surprised at how those Chanel yeti-boots that look so tempting on Freja Beha in reality felt a bit... polyester. So on to the boudoiresque Christian Louboutin concession, which was full of customers and even fuller of cheerful and friendly staff. We liked the mirrored display cabinets, and loved the bejewelled trainers and gold-studded shoe boots. These red and black patent and net stilettos (below) were comparatively understated but, oh, so chic.

While Lily tried on a great pair of red and black snake print Jonathan Kelsey peep-toe heels (above), I fell in love big-time with the Viktor & Rolf ''Coconut'' platform boots (above and below). At £495 they were considerably cheaper than many of the shoes that were catching Lily's expert eye – including a wonderful pair of Alexander McQueen wedge boots, which, she pointed out, had a very smart little silver plaque on the sole. Still, a bit of a splurge for a Saturday morning, so we kept moving.

Next stop, the main Designer Room, where I spent quite a while ooh-ing and ah-ing over some fabulous Lanvin wedge heels (below). Alberto, the very sweet shop assistant, almost had me persuaded that I could justify the price tag (somewhere north of seven hundred quid) – but not today.

Back in the ''Exclusives Arena'', Lily hit on a mini-trend for gold studs. These black suede and gold studded shoe boots by Mulberry were, she assured us, very comfortable (if about three sizes too big) and the neutral-toned Stella McCartney classics-with-a-twist (bottom) were also a hit.

Exhausted by our morning, we adjourned to Soho for lunch and gelati. As Lily wrote up our notes (below), Heather and I reflected on the fact that once she is actually old enough to wear these styles, my goddaughter is going to cost me a fortune in Christmas and birthday presents. Well, she does have excellent taste in shoes.