Hanging with the Humble hipsters

This month, your Shoeblogger has been spending more time than usual in Hipster Heaven (or, as The Royal Mail refers to it, London E2.) The photography exhibition I’ve been curating, Modern Love, opened on April 12th at Theprintspace gallery in Shoreditch (click here for info about the exhibition and here for the gallery’s site. The exhibition is currently open to the public, so please do check it out). Plus a succession of friends and visitors passing through town post-Easter means that I have been shuttling between Da Bush and The ’Ditch (ahem) on an almost-daily basis. 

 Sunday’s excuse to go east was the Humble Sale, hosted by style site What I Wore Today. For those unfamiliar with the term, a “jumble sale” is where people get together to sell personal stuff – be it unwanted clothes, old books, home-made cakes, whatever – generally with the aim of raising money for charity. This weekend’s event was a small but carefully put-together event (I can’t use the word “curated” twice in one post) – hence “Humble” – with proceeds going to the British Heart Foundation.

There were some great pairs of shoes, though sadly the grey Miu Miu ankle boots (above) weren’t my size. I did score a rather excellent t-shirt, though, thanks to Shade, wearer of the red Ralph Lauren deck shoes below and purveyor of very cool clothes via iwhoretees.com

From Old Street to Spitalfields and Brick Lane, where the spring sunshine and an ever-expanding street market made for a festival atmosphere. Floral patterns, bright colours, and bare skin were the order of the day.

I particularly liked the multi-coloured Superga plimsolls (top), and the blue-banded Ferragamo flats (above) teamed with hot pink blossoming capri pants.

Even the girls opting to go a tad more covered-up were keeping it cute. How sweet are these black, white and orange Mary Janes worn with grey chevron-patterned tights? Ditto the brown suede moccasins with grey fake-fur muffs. 

She’s in fashion

As the days get shorter and darker, it gets harder and harder to drag ourselves out of bed and into work. Luckily for a shoe lover, the girls in the Vogue office can always be counted on to make the day merrier and brighter. These beautiful, classic black patent Prada pumps (above and below), for instance, would put a spring in anyone’s step. They belong to beauty queen Rita, whose Valentino heels and Massimo Dutti Chelsea boots have previously guested on this blog.

For a shot of super-cool style, check out fashion writer Nana in her “Serena” platform bootees by Loeffler Randall (below). 

You may have spotted Katya Z’s leopard print last month on the blog. Her “Anouck” Chelsea boots from Alexander Wang (below) have smart leather ribbed sides and braided leather collars at the back, but of course the standout detail is their metal hinge-effect heels. They flash across the office as Katya darts in and out of the fashion cupboard.

Two (of many) things to love about fashionista Liza: her beautiful smile and her gorgeous Burberry wooden wedges (below). 

Stylist Elena B has an eye for killer details (the Attilio Giusti Leombruni ponyskin brogues we blogged in October for example). Love these cobalt blue Giuseppe Zanotti peep-toe heels with the zips up the back – and love the way she teams them with seamed stockings.

I had to include these (below) because sometimes all you have to do is look down to feel like things are looking up.
Representing the art department, your Shoeblogger in Corso Como bootees. These are baby-soft black leather (so soft in fact that you can only pull them on with the aid of a shoehorn). The heels are metal spikes, cup-shaped under the sole, and buckled with a matte leather harness around the ankle. J’adore.

But my favourite look of the winter so far has to be this (below).
Elena S’s Miu Miu leopard-print ponyskin platform Mary Janes earned their own blog post back in the summer. Here, prefiguring the s/s 2012 trend for print on print (it’s going to be huge) she rocks them with tiger-striped hose. And the effect is electric. Anna Dello Russo eat your heart out.

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. 

Moscow Miu Miu

My friend Elena has an inspiring passion for fashion. She also happens to be one of the most efficient people I have ever met. On one recent occasion when I neglected to apprise her of my whereabouts, she telephoned three countries to track me down for confirmation of a photoshoot involving a dwarf and a severed reindeer head. So when she found out I was going to London and asked if I could do her a favour, I hastened to assure her that I would keep my cellphone turned on and check for messages at least, er, once a day. 

"It's not that," replied Lena, "It's these."

Handing me two pink cloth bags which looked like they might contain contraband baby animals, Lena explained that she needed these changed, and our friend Sarah would do the necessary if I could courier them to London.

The contraband turned out to be almost as breath-taking as a brace of cheetah cubs: these TDF Miu Miu stack-heel Mary Jane platforms in leopard-print ponyskin.

Normally I am somewhat begrudging when people ask me to run errands when I'm traveling, but on this occasion – what can I say? A Shoe Blogger never gets between a gal and her Miu Mius. And seeing Lena sashay around the office in these beauties, I can only say it was an honour to tote them.

22 ways to say ooh!

Monday evening at 450 West 15th Street: Phillips de Pury and Swarovski were auctioning 22 little black dresses, each a unique design incorporating Swarovski crystals. A very glittering event in every way.

I had lots of fun at the champagne reception shooting glorious footwear, such as...

...a couple of pairs of marvellous Miu Miu platforms, in red and white satin (above) and pink and black with diamante detail (below).

Also loved these grey mini-polka-dot platform Mary Janes (below)...

...and these black suede studded ankle-strap heels (below).

Below: a gorgeous pair of green camouflage Dior kitten heels. Note the silver Dior dice on the toes.

More Dior: the wearer of the gold gladiator heels below poined out that these were Carrie's wedding shoes in the first ''Sex and the City'' movie.

The gold pumps with the twisted heels (below) are Donna Karan.

I was introduced to the Constanca Basto by Paulina, in fabulous pink snake and black patent heels. Take a look at the website for more gorgeous creations in patterned and coloured patent leather.

Loved these satin slingbacks (below), the black ruffled suede ones and the two-tone strappy heels that follow. These peep-toe looks show why a classic red pedicure is always the epitome of chic – especially when paired with red patent Louboutins.

Graceful ankle-tied pointed heels in grey leather from Gucci (below). The black satin with diamante detail (following) are by a designer who makes exclusive pieces for celebrities and special events – sadly I didn't get tipped the designer's name.

Black multi-strap suede stilettos (below) with zip-up heels look fabulously directional with black lace hosiery.

Below: more zip-up heels, this time on one of my favourite looks of recent times, the cage boot from Yves Saint Laurent. These boots cost over a grand (in sterling!) when they came out last year. Seeing them here made this shoe blogger's night.