These shoes love you. Do you love THEM, though, that’s the question?
Well, I think shoes with writing on them are always rather hit-or-miss, and for me, they usually end up being a “miss”. With that said, something about these ones appeals to me: I like the pale yellow uppers, and they do make a change from the usual, very simple ballet pumps we see so much of.
What do you think of them? They’re £18 at Topshop. Do you love them back?
When it comes to packing for summer holidays, I always try to do the whole “capsule wardrobe” thing. I always fail miserably at this, and end up having to wear all my clothes on the way home because I’ve packed so much – and bought so much – that I’m waaaay over my luggage, but at least the thought is there.
Because of my well-documented love of the nautical look, my chosen colours for this so-called “capsule” wardrobe of mine are always red, blue and white. (And, er, green. Also: black.) Which is why these Accessorize shoes went onto my summer wish list as soon as I laid eyes on them. Not only will they fit in perfectly with the rest of the wardrobe, they’re also as light as only a pair of canvas flats can be, AND they’re only £20.
Now I just need to find room for all of the 20 million other items I want to try and fit into my suitcase…
I can’t say ballet flats are something I tend to be willing to spend a lot of money on. As pretty as they can be, the fact that the entire sole is in constant contact with the ground means I’m much harder on them than I am on shoes with heels, so they wear out much faster in my hands (or on my feet, rather) than other styles do. And I can’t say white ballet flats are normally high on my wish list, either: I almost always go for silver, gold or, er, leopard print when I’m buying this style of shoe, purely because they’re so versatile. (OK, maybe not the leopard print…)
With all of that said, though, these Chloe flats are really pretty, with their little chain-edged flower embellishments. Are they $495 worth of pretty? Not to me, I don’t think, but if they’re worth that much to you, you can buy them at Net-a-Porter.
One day, this horrible weather is going to end, and the sun’s going to come back out. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day it will happen. And when that blessed day comes, I’m probably going to want to buy something a lot like these red stripe pumps from Miss Selfridge. Because, yes, I’m STILL obsessed with stripes. And because they’ll merge seamlessly with my warm-weather wardrobe, which consists almost exclusively of shades of blue, white and red.
Ah, but summer is still a long, long way away. Shame: these are only £15, too!
Belle fleur mirror ballet flats
I never know whether to be sad that J Crew don’t ship to the UK, or relieved because of all the money that fact has saved me over the years. Take these little ‘Belle Fleur’ ballet flats, for instance: they’re $258, which is expensive for a pair of flats, but at that same time, they’re absolutely adorable. The mirrored silver leather and sparkly flower detail makes them perfect party shoes for anyone who doesn’t want to wear heels, and they’re every bit as delicate and glamorous as a pair of stilettos.
My bank balance therefore thanks J Crew for their shipping policy, but if you live in the US, Canada or Japan, you can buy these here.
Lately I’ve been craving a pair of cap-toed ballet flats. There are lots of these available at the moment, and I had been planning to go for something fairly classic… but then I discovered these ‘Lara’ flats at ASOS and found myself being swayed once again by the studs. (And the gold. I’m partial to a gold shoe.) They’re a nice twist on a classic style, and they’re also only £22, which is more good news. These are also available with a snake print upper (Which I HATE – it’s amazing the difference colour can make to a shoe!) but if you like the style, but not the colour, ASOS’s ‘Lyra’ flats are the same price, but have a more traditional look:
The idea of roll-up shoes isn’t a new one, but here’s the latest version of it: these are called Footzrolls, and they’re ballet flats that roll up tight, so you can slip them into your bag and wear them at the end of a night out, or any time your feet get sore. They’re also handy for travel if, like me, you like to wear your heaviest shoes to the airport to save space in your suitcase, and then change into something more comfortable once you’re on board.
They come with their own box, plus a bag to put your heels into once you’ve swapped them for the flats, and you can buy a pair from the Footzrolls website, where tehy’re $25 each.
There are few shoe brands out there who do ballet flats quite as well as Miu Miu. They give their flats the same luxurious, over-the-top feel they so frequently give their heels, and I think they deserve a pat on the back for it, because let’s face it, flats can so often fall into that “practical but dull” category, can’t they?
These ones come in a pink metallic upper, with a heavily jewelled toe, and are the perfect evening shoes for anyone who doesn’t want to wear heels. If I could afford to, I’d buy them just to wear around the house, but at £319, I don’t think that would be my most sensible move ever. If you have better plans for them, you can pick up a pair at My Theresa.
