When Tamara Mellon announced her decision to leave Jimmy Choo last month, the news left me feeling sadder than I would have expected to. I’ve mentioned before that the brand has never really been one of my absolute favourites, but this past season? Well, it’s been truly magnificent: one of the best ever, in fact, and I’ve gone from being an occasional admired to a full-on fan.
These two-tone pumps are one of the reasons for that. They’re far from the most dramatic style in the current collection, and they will be far too simple for some, but I think they’re beautiful and classic, and the kind of shoes I would wear for years, and mourn when they finally fell apart. That tan and black combination always does it for me: it has a very understated, sophisticated air, and fits in seamlessly to a professional wardrobe, or just a very classic one.
I can only hope that the brand can keep up the good work without Tamara: if you want to grab a pair of these rather than waiting to find out, they’re $850 at Net-a-Porter.
For one thing, they sort of look like a cartoon version of a cap-toed pump. Like, if you asked a little kid to draw a pair of white shoes with a black toe, this the the kind of thing he’d come up with. And if your shoes look like they belong on a cartoon character, well, there’s a good chance that YOU’LL look like the cartoon character they belong on, isn’t there? I somehow doubt that’s ANYONE’S main style aspiration. Well, OK, maybe Katy Perry’s, but celebrities don’t count.
There’s another reason why these shoes bother me, though. It’s the nose. I mean, it DOES look like a nose, doesn’t it? In fact, it looks a bit like my dog’s nose, and while that’s perfectly cute on him, I can’t say I’ve ever looked at it and thought, “You know, that would look great on a pair of wedges!”
Is it just me? Office are urging people to snap these up “before they’re all gone”, so I’m thinking maybe it is. If you want to obey them, these are also available in black, and you can click here to buy them for £95.
So, Zara’s website sold out of those green and gold peep toes I love so much. That’s the bad news. (Or at least, it is for me, as I’m now doomed to a lifetime of eBay searching: damn.)
The good news is that they now have these two-tone slingbacks for me to obsess over instead. These shoes are perfect in their simplicity, and the camel/black colour mix gives them a very elegant, sophisticated feel, while the curved slingback adds a little bit of sex appeal. I’ve been really drawn to tan and gold colour palettes recently, and these would blend in perfectly with my planned winter wardrobe, which is one of the reasons I like them. I also think they have a very classic look, however, which means they could probably work for pretty much anyone.
These are £59.99, and you can click here to buy them. Just ignore Zara’s description of them as “flat shoes”.
Following on from what I was saying earlier today about websites you wish you hadn’t visited, because as soon as you land on them you realise they’re going to lead you into temptation, as Kurt Geiger has already claimed a significant amount of my money this month, I’ve been forced to employ a strategy I call, “Pretending Kurt Geiger Doesn’t Actually Exist”. Snappy name, huh?
My strategy worked perfectly. For, ooh, at least five days. On Friday I did not look at Kurt Geiger. On Saturday I did not look at Kurt Geiger. On Sunday I did not… well, actually, OK, on Sunday I may have had a quick look. Just a very quick one. It wasn’t until today, however, that I discovered Google. The shoes, I mean. Not the search engine. If I was only just now discovering Google the search engine, that would be a sorry state of affairs indeed. But I refer, of course, to this beauty:
Gold leather. Cream suede. Such a perfect combination, don’t you think?
“Aha!” I thought. “Pretty though it is, I will not be swayed by this Google, for it has an open toe, and I have promised myself I won’t buy any more shoes with open toes until all of the existing pairs have been saved in the Shoe Challenge.”
“Damn you, Carvela, and your toe-capped goodness!” I cried. “You know perfectly well I can’t resist a toe cap!” And this really is a lovely example of one too, isn’t it? The colour combination is somehow very luxurious, and while the pale suede isn’t exactly winter-proof, that just gives you all the more reason to buy them now.
If ever there was a pair of shoes fit for a shoeperhero, these would be the shoes, wouldn’t they?
I’d wear them with my bright blue unitard and my red cape. They’d be perfect!
No, I’m joking. They’re actually a little bit too loud for me to wear at all, unitard or not.* They ARE very “superhero-esque”, though, which I why I knew they deserved to be featured here – and, actually, they’d also have been perfect as patriotic shoes for the 4th of July, if only I’d found them in time!
When I was looking at the New Look website earlier today for my post about polka dot shoes, I couldn’t help but notice these:
“It’s OK,” I told myself, “I’m going to be able to resist. I mean, I don’t really need another pair of black shoes, and they look a little bit like my Kurt Geiger Ediva pumps, which I like better. My money is safe from you, New Look!”
Then I found this version:
Aaaand now I’m in trouble. Because even although I don’t need another pair of beige court shoes either (as evidenced by the second level of my shoe storage shelves), there’s just no getting away from the fact that I want them.
I love the t-bar and bow combination, and I also love the colour of these, which would be so versatile, and would work in summer or winter. They’re not real leather, but then again, they are only £27.99, and you wouldn’t really expect them to be for that price.
I’m doing my best to resist. I may or may not have added them to my Wish List, though…
These shoes have me briefly (only briefly, though, mind) wishing I still worked in an office: wouldn’t they look fabulous with a black pencil skirt or dress, a smart handbag and a little jacket? Of course, there’s nothing stopping me going for that work-wear kinda look if I want to, but luckily I think these shoes will translate well to other looks, too. The tan suede and black patent leather is such an elegant combination, and I can just as easily see these with black jeans, wide leg trousers or a whole host of other combinations.
What do you think of them? If you like them, they’re £50 at Miss Selfridge, and you can click here to buy them.
Ah, that black and cream (or black and white) colourway! It’s probably always going to be one of my favourites: there’s just something so classic about it, and when you add just the tiniest hint of gold, as in these Buffalo sandals, it becomes even more special.
As well as the two-tone uppers, these shoes also stand out because of the 4.2″ heel, and, of course, the t-bar strap:
Lovely, and one of those shoe styles that will really earn its keep, because they’re smart enough for work, or any other semi-formal occasion, but the high heel and hint of gold also makes them dressy enough for afterwards, too. Make them office-appropriate with a pencil skirt or tailored trousers, or go for a more casual look with skinny jeans and blazer, or a simple dress.
These shoes are £110 at Spartoo, and the bad news is that they’re only available in a few sizes: click here if you want to check whether yours is one of them.
