What I Actually Wore #0080

Serial #: 0080
Date: 03/08/2012
Weather: 14°C, cool but sunny morning
Time Allowed: 10 minutes

It’s the middle of winter in 2012, and I am still inspired by the colourful and decorative look of the Ballet Russes. In a bid for interesting winter skirts, I had bought several by Anthropologie from eBay stores: this goldenrod and cream velvet dot skirt was one of them.

Some of my friends called this brown last week when I wore it again, but I deny that I would ever wear a baby poo brown skirt; so goldenrod it is. And because I like the unpredictable colour combinations, I went for a lilac butterfly knit and shades of periwinkle and cobalt in my accessories. It took me a while to locate that lilac knit – I eventually found it in a pile of laundered tops that don’t fit in my drawers (note to self: nearly a year later and I still have this problem, must add ‘clean out closets’ to my to-do list). The basic wool long-sleeved knit underneath is worn for warmth on this chilly day.

Last year I was on a coloured tights kick and purchased quite a few pairs; these ones are ombré, graduating from sky blue at the top to cobalt at the feet. The toes blend nicely into my suede and patent wedges. Sadly the stockings were cheapies from China and didn’t last beyond a single wear – they were so sheer (unlike the photos online suggested) and snagged easily. I fell in love with the shoes when I saw them on a sale website – what a magnificent bolt from the blue they are!

Every single item I am wearing – barring the jewellery – was bought online in fact. The periwinkle velvet bandeau is vintage 50s, but all the other items are contemporary, although only the beige knit is secondhand.

As for the jewellery, the wooden necklace was found in a charity store, the ring was a gift, and the earrings I made myself (from components actually purchased online too).

Items:

Long-Sleeved Tee: Kookaï
Butterfly Top: Witchery
Skirt: Maeve for Anthropologie
Hat: vintage 50s
Stockings: eBay
Necklace: charity store
Earrings: handmade
Ring: NGV giftshop
Wedges: Mollini

Cobbler Clobber

A little while ago I told you about a pair of Finsk dove grey wedges with a gladiatorial spirit about them. Here is their sister pair, all soft beige leather and wooden heels. I love the sharp angles at the back of the heel. They are surprisingly comfy (once I wrestle furiously with the stud buttonholes to fasten them) but those wooden wedges sure do heft some serious weight. I reckon I could clobber someone with them – if I could raise my leg high enough to deliver an axe kick with that weight at the end of it. Visit Finsk for your own clobber. 

The Last Word in Shoelaces

Look at these fancy-schmancy take on gladiator shoes! Aren’t they delightful? I positively languish over them. A beautiful light dove grey, they are made from buttery soft leather, and have a real wooden heel. I love the little triangle cut out of it too – what a great detail. They are like great pieces of sculpture in fact.

And how about those shoelaces, eh? They are the ultimate. In fact, they were a little difficult the first time I stuffed my feet into them (like one of Cinderella’s less attractive sisters) because the laces were pulled too tight, and I couldn’t figure out how to disentangle them! A work colleague, observing my struggles, was amused and remarked that one perhaps needed a science degree just to get into them. I didn’t care about her clever remarks. Not at all. I took them home and a little patience soon sorted those recalcitrant shoelaces out.

… one perhaps needed a science degree just to get into them

These wedges are by British label Finsk – I’d never heard of them before until I bought them online a few months ago from sale site, Ozsale. They were an incredible bargain too, costing one tenth of the retail price (I can’t normally afford to spend $500 on a single pair of shoes).

I’ve been drooling over their latest collection online – check them out. Those shoes are for modern urban warriors, made for STOMPING! Those barbarians better watch out for their toes …

Cruella’s Kicks

Two Dalmatians :: Watts // Big Up // No flash

Aren’t these Dalmatian spotted pony hair Mary-Janes simply darling? I squealed with joy when I glimpsed these shoes in a store window in February last year. I didn’t buy them though as I had recently blown my shoe budget, and now I am passionately regretting it. What was I thinking? They would have looked just perfect on my feet. Just call me Cruella …

Cast Aside

Another pair of shoes I had to be firm about tossing recently was this cute little pair of Oriental-inspired wedges by old label Unique. This was a great little shoe store – you could always count on them to find something unusual.

These wedges – bought long before any other shoe store stocked them – always made me think of glossy Chinese black and red lacquerwork. The two straps feature little bows reminiscent of Chinese knots, but look what tragedy befell them: the soles completely detached!

Of course, I could have had them repaired, but the leather heels were very scuffed and scratched with wear too, and in order to make way for new shoes one must be utterly ruthless. There is no room in my shoe cupboard for sentiment.