Nicholas Kirkwood stripe pumps, £695
Confession: I picked these shoes purely to go with the outfit, rather than the other way around, which is how I usually operate. I think the Shoe Challenge has gotten me into the habit of always wondering what to wear with various pairs of shoes, but of course, there are also plenty of times when you have a particular dress, or other outfit, which you need to find shoes for, and this was one of those times. I’ve loved this green Ted Baker jacket for a while now, and although it’s hard to find in stores at the moment, I thought it would be fun to style it anyway, and that’s what led me to the shoes.
These are classic Nicholas Kirkwood, with that characteristic ruffle detail on the heel. The ruffle hasn’t gone down well when I’ve featured it here in the past, and I’m not sure it’ll fare any better this time either, but I like it more every time I see it. Sure, it’s a little bit unnecessary, but then again, so are most shoe embellishments, and I think this one gives the shoe an extra bit of flair, and a rather delicate feel into the bargain. As for the uppers, well, stripes are almost always my cup of tea, and gold and black is one of those combinations it’s hard to go wrong with, so it gets the thumbs up from me, too.
A quick word on the jacket: I know a lot of people absolutely hate elbow-length sleeves on outerwear, and think they render the item completely useless. I actually really like them: they have a very elegant feel, and are a great excuse to wear a pair of elbow-length gloves, which will keep you warm while adding a giant dose of that old-Hollywood glamour. This jacket is obviously designed as eveningwear, so it would be a “car to bar” kind of item, this making practicality even less of an issue.
I positively adore them, and if they didn’t have that ruffle I would probably be ordering them right now.