acquisitions: TOMS chestnut suede desert wedges

TOMS chestnut suede desert wedges

It came to my attention some months ago that I didn’t own any heels.

I have owned them, or tried to, but have gotten rid of them or returned them or otherwise disowned them on grounds of discomfort. I will tolerate some difficulties in the face of style, but outright pain is not one of them.

I do like the silhouette they can give, though, and want the option, and do not dislike being taller. So: the quest was on.

These wedges from TOMS were the first success. I heard that they were extremely comfortable (from many sources) and: they are.

TOMS chestnut suede desert wedges

Love this fawn color. The plaid interior was a surprise but I like that, too.

Can already imagine them in a number of looks…with a belted olive T-shirt dress, with baggy pants cinched at the ankle, with denim cutoffs and a white button-down…

Seeing it?

upgrades: new shoelaces (laces are so cheap!)

An inexpensive way to brighten and refresh your shoes? New laces! More to the point, contrasting laces.

For standard, flat, sneaker-style laces I recommend Converse laces, which come in a few lengths and many, many colors. ~$2!

For sturdy, round, boot-style laces, check out Doc Marten’s. ~$3!

[Make sure to get the correct length]

before & after:

pumas before

pumas after

converse before

converse after

docs before

 

docs after

and after

and after

and after

See what I mean?

(Which color would you go for with the doc martens? Tough call, right?)

N.B. New white laces tend to make broken-in shoes look especially tired.

classic: doc martens (vol i: winter edition)

When I (not infrequently) acquire something ostentatious, that wouldn’t seem to have many natural friends, I like to behave as if it goes with everything. And invariably, it then does.

I visited the Doc Marten’s site off and on for at least two years before deciding which pair to get, a pleasant, leisurely quest. It was down to a few styles, all quite different, and in the end (about three years ago now) I got these 14-hole boots with pink blossoms (plum, I’d say: a favorite) embroidered down the sides.

Doc Martens ‘Liele’ 14-hole boots

And, one way or another, they go with everything.

shirt: Old Navy, cardigan: H&M (thrifted), knee socks: American Apparel, skirt: Lace Affair, braided belt: American Apparel

ii

dress: American Apparel, knee socks: American Apparel

ii

sweater: Motel (asos), jeans: American Eagle (thrifted)

ii

sweatshirt: thrifted, jeans: American Eagle (thrifted), legwarmers: H&M, belt: Fossil (thrifted)

ii

iii

x

winter warmers: cloak and muff

Loving this Irish wool cloak I acquired raiding my step-grandmother’s closet over the holidays, especially all of the colors woven into the herringbone pattern. And muffs: so warm. Why did they ever go out of style?

Cloak by Moriarty Textiles layered over blond leather jacket by black rivet. Alpaca muff (eBay – I added the tasseled wrist strap), acrylic scarf, boots from Sorel. Legwarmers of mysterious origin layered over Free People jeans (thrifted). Gloves from Mercer & Madison,  8mm pearl studs from Peal Paradise. On the lips: Revlon Kissable Balmstain in Crush.Hope you are keeping warm.

x

p.s. thanks to my sister for taking these shots.