Stumbling - not falling - into fall
I perused through The Bible the other day - also known as Vogue’s September issue - and couldn’t help but wax poetic and question the inspiration behind the clunky soles on showcase. Rather than generating inspiration from faraway lands or generations past, it seems like Fall 2009 shoes - chunky, lace-up platform boots in shades of suede; painfully awkward platforms with nary a rhyme or reason; and those god-awful ankle booties that don’t make me want to shake, shake, shake my own - are a regurgitation of last year’s tepid styles that left me wanting less, not more.
Perhaps it’s the recession: creativity - not just funding - is running low. Perhaps there was a mass designer exodus, with Karl (Lagerfeld), Marc (Jacobs) and Miuccia (Prada) heading for couture haven. Or, perhaps it’s the speed of life circa 2009: with Twitter updates, iPhone applications and subways running at rapid pace, the transition between trends is at its highest speed yet. Trends, of course, are subjective to these very elements and the demands of the consumer; style, though, is highly personal and completely objective. So what gives?
As we exit gracefully from summer exodus, what will carry you - literally - as we march into fall?
Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Feet retreat
“Give us your tired, your poor, your hungry”… feet.
I hang my head in shame as I type this, Sole Envie readers, but I need to come clean: I’ve let my feet go, akin to a decadent woman living in Antoinette-era Versailles.
Yes, that’s right. I, a garden variety high maintenance-type chick, have exposed my calloused, cracked, and dare I say it - unpolished - feet and toes to the fair citizens of Boston for the past six weeks. On the sidewalk, on the subway, at the supermarket. Where I go, my feet invariably follow, but I suppose that’s relatively anatomical.
You might want to know how it happened. To be honest, I have no straight answer. The past few months have been stressful, sure; but I also happen to live within the vicinity of 20 nail salons, all within a 5-minute walk - how taxing could a quick skip to the massage chair be, really? Have I no shame? Did I flush my dignity down the drain along with the torrential downpours of June?
But, I saw the most amazing video exhibit at the Institute for Contemporary Art last week. I’ve gone swimming at Singing Beach not once, but twice. I was by my sister’s side at her wedding in June, bouquet and tissues in hand. I’ve also taken several leisurely sunset strolls along the Esplanade, had my fortune sporadically read at a cafe on Newbury street by a passing gypsy, and stumbled upon a great set of antique bookcases at a secondhand furniture store that I haggled for next to nothing. The time escapes me, but memories stay.
Life, as they say, is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. (And to keep in the spirit of that statement, I have a pedicure appointment with Tanya at V.I.P. Nail and Spa come Friday.)
Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment
The French pedicure: an American classic or tacky way of saying “Ooh, la la”?
I recently scheduled four sets of manicures and pedicures for my bride-to-be sister and her wedding party. Per her request, we’ll all shine with raspberry-colored raw silk dresses, silver strappy sandals, and complementary French manicures and pedicures. While taffeta and heels float my boat, I’m not so sure about my feelings towards a mockery of healthy fingernails.
Think about it. The purpose of a French manicure is to create the illusion of unnaturally healthy nails – nail beds so pink and smooth you’d swear they were salvaged from a newborn, and white tips so pure that one would think you’ve never lifted a finger in your life – and for an added cost of $5 to $15 per manicure and $10 to $20 per pedicure. And even then, the illusion is prone to crumble faster than you can say ‘croissant,’ thanks to the high likelihood of that delicate hot mess chipping away like a street performer at the Louvre.
Nude nails – a simple coat or two of beige, peach or sheer pink – look, ironically, more natural than a French manicure. Reason being: nude nails don’t try to hide and pretend they’re something they’re not. While the French manicure and pedicure attempts to defy physics with its unholy polish puzzle, a light coat of a nude polish keeps things clean, classy and under control – just how a bride wants to be on her big day.
Then again, it’s not my wedding, and I’ll not cry if I want to.
What are your thoughts on this nail color conundrum?
-Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 | Tips, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Just say “no”
In addition to the Blackberry, Paris Hilton and Crocs, one of the modern marvels of the 21st century that continues to befuddle me is nail art. You know, delicately painted shapes – usually floral or holiday-related – that are offered towards the tail end of a pedicure. Often, nail art is further emphasized by the use of rhinestones (some nail technicians refer to these rhinestones as “diamonds” - I hope Sole Envie faithfuls know better than to believe it) and an iridescent top coat.
Perhaps it’s the overwhelming blast of formaldehyde, or perhaps it’s the insistence of many nail technicians who encourage salon goers to add a tacky rose or two to their big toes for the bargain price of $10, but women – adult, grown up women – continue to add insult to their feet by allowing this form of style torture to continue. Look around you, readers: nail art is everywhere. It peeks out from a pair of Havaiana flip flops on the 5:30 P.M. rush hour subway; it rears its ugly head(s) through a pair of strappy metallic sandals at a black tie function. It’s at the beach, the supermarket and Little League practice pickup. It’s inescapable and impervious to women of all ages. Or is it?
Ladies, nothing ruins a good pair of sandals like feet that have more bling than Beyonce’s jewelry box. Keep rhinestones on your wrist, flowers in your vases and class in your strut. Just say “no” to nail art!
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 | Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments
Lacquered up: a review of Spring 2009’s hottest nail polish shades
Changing your nail polish, much like changing your jewelry, can change your look in a matter of minutes (five to ten, specifically, to allow for proper drying time). Whether vampy, sassy or simply chic, a well-maintained manicure and pedicure can set you apart from the crowd; plus, allows a fun upgrade to your standard look without tons of commitment, chipped polish aside.
In addition to unveiling bare feet after a winter of overbearing snow boots, nail polish manufacturers take heed to unveil spring and summer lines that have women lined up for feet treatment faster than you can say “Cuticle.” Without further adieu, here are a few nail-worthy shades that, like tulips along Commonwealth Avenue, have popped up in the city of Boston and deserve a second look.
OPI has come up with a notoriously fun line of shades in their South Beach collection ($8 at most nail salons or at opi.com), ranging from a sheer gold (“Clubbing til Sunrise”) to a dangerous plum (“Overexposed in South Beach”). OPI is also notorious for relabeling shades from years past; don’t be surprised if you see something that’s already in your personal collection that looks eerily similar. Odds are, it’s exactly the same shade – just with an updated name.
Caving in to every teenage girl’s and Lady GaGa’s wish lists comes Essie’s Neons collection ($6 to $8 at most nail salons or at essie.com), a shocking contrast to the sheer shades that Essie is known and loved for. Funky Limelight, a highlighter-like yellow, would be fun on toes, but might make your hands look guilty of dipping into a jar of mustard.
Chanel’s Le Vernis (a bit of an ouch at $25 a bottle, but with a patented gel formula that can last on nails for weeks) arrived at upscale department stores with ooh la la purple (“Vendetta”) and peach (“Fizz”) hues. Jungle Red, the ubiquitous red polish that every woman should own at least once in her lifetime, remains my favorite from the brand favored by French elite and hipster girls alike, but then again, when are red nails (and toes) ever not in vogue?
-Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 | Tips | No Comments
Make or break it: the shoe trends that have women saying “Oh, no!”
Sometimes, it seems like the gravitation towards the shoe trend of the moment is almost forced: the walk towards overtly festooned heels made of ancient Grecian columns is as wobbly as a woman’s feelings towards the shoe itself. I asked women – real women; women with jobs, leases and discerning wallets – what shoe trends for Spring 2009 they could definitely do without. Responses have been kept anonymous; no stilettos were hurt in this process.
“I really hate that ‘trendy’ shoes only look good in very small sizes,” lamented one woman, an engineer at a biotech startup. “I mean, I wear a size 10 shoe. Anything with clear plastic resin [such as Yves Saint Laurent's styles that made it down the season's runways] elongates my already long foot; and to be frank, looks ridiculous.” “Yet,” she continued,” “what other options does a big-footed girl have? Dumpy, tweed flats or – ugh – manly-looking flip flops?”
I asked another lady (a gradate student at an Ivy League university) what her thoughts were on trends gone wrong, and without a second of hesitation replied, “Zippers. Zippers on high heels. I just don’t get the appeal of being ‘zipped’ into a shoe. It’s way too Vegas for me.”
A third complained about the cost. “There’s a reason why I don’t buy trendy shoes,” she explained. “I mean, why bother spending tons of money on something that’s going to go out of style the minute after you buy it? I just wish that classic shoes, like ballerina flats and traditional stilettos, were more readily available and not pushed to the back burner the second a platform wedge comes clomping along.”
Other responses included, but are not limited to: suede booties (“I only like to wear boots in the winter, thank you very much”); PVC platform wedges (no comment); gladiators (“I’m just over them”) and designer sneakers with logos blazing. And, finally, “those Pocahontas-like sandals with the fringe. I mean, what is it? A sandal or a moccasin?”
Whether cutting edge or effortlessly classic, the reassurance that there are as many styles to choose from as there are women who choose to embrace them is liberating – especially if your toes tend to get squashed in a pointy pump.
-Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 | Boots, Gladiators, Peep Toes, Platforms, Pumps, Sandals, Uncategorized, Wedges | No Comments
Well polished
For me, the most exciting part of a spa pedicure comes not when the bath jets are fired, or when the prototypical oversized leather chaise lounge goes into massage mode, or even when I’m asked to roll up my jeans to prep for a mud mask. Instead, it happens the moment I walk in the door and hear the three little words every girl pines for:
“Pick a color.”
I’ll walk to a dizzyingly vast display case of nail polishes arranged by brand, color, finish and season, overwhelmed by the selection and, perhaps, the scent of formaldehyde. The choice between cherry red toes and baby pink fingers or a simple French mani/pedi combo presents itself as a complex algorithm I must solve before the hoards of women standing impatiently behind me lose their cool. I’ll sheepishly shrug as I carry five or six variants of a nude OPI, shades so close that even the folks at Pantone would scratch their heads to see a difference, along with three trashy magazines and an indecisive mindset to the chair.
I envision the first color against my camel colored coat; no, it’s too light. I picture the second shade, flecked with bits of gold, wrapped around the stem of a martini glass as I laugh gaily at a joke that went right over my head at a generic lounge. Nah, too Vegas. The third through fifth shades are no good, either – either my skin will look too sallow, not sallow enough; or, I just don’t like the name.
At this point, I’ll reach into my bag, confusing the nail technician to a further degree as I’ve not officially decided if I want square or rounded edges, and pull out my standby bottle of OPI’s Polar Bare circa 2007.
“Um, this one,” I say, as if it isn’t obvious that I’ve either got commitment issues or a case of hypocrisy. No matter. I’ve already moved on to my next choice: which tabloid to read first.
-Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 | Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments
It’s a flop: the PVC platform wedge
As signs of spring continue to shine their way through New England, it won’t be long before flip flops, the ubiquitous and seasonal casual shoe, arrive back on the scene. And with that, flip flops’ arch nemesis: the PVC platform wedge.
With heights that rival resin heels that are often seen at the most notorious of, ahem, gentlemen’s clubs and embellishments that are apt to appear on a dog collar, the PVC wedge retracts the effortless “slide in, slide out” methodology of the flip flop. And did I mention that foam wedges look ridiculous on 100% of the female population?
I encourage Sole Envie blog readers to visit the Alley, home of nightclub locales The Estate, Liquor Store and pathway to hell. On any given evening April through October, there’s a good chance that 5 out of every 10 women you pass will be traipsing and tripping about in such footwear that better serves as a stepstool than accompaniment to getting on down on the dance floor. The other 5 out of 10 women will stare in horror as these women barrel into them, knockoff Coach hobos and raspberry vodkas flying. Five inches of manmade material intended to wash one’s car with doesn’t offer much stability.
The solution to this footwear faux pas is so simple, any woman can do it:
- Be fabulous
- Wear shoes of your liking that won’t give you blisters, bunions and other unsightly podiatric ailments
- If the temptation of sky-high stilettos has you hooked, pack a pair of plain old flip flops in your purse for quick relief in the ladies’ room
- Repeat as necessary
-Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Monday, March 30th, 2009 | Flat, Platforms, Sandals, Tips, Uncategorized, Wedges | No Comments
Here comes the bride (and bridesmaid)
My sister and I often agree to disagree: I like gold jewelry; she prefers silver. I enjoy a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream as is, while she’ll have hers chocolate and with sprinkles, please. My taste in men is tall, dark, handsome and fleeting, while hers is a boyfriend of five years who turned into her fiancé last February.
And so it began: the planning of the wedding of the century (or so it seemed to a preternatural single girl). Topics of discussion quickly transformed from Boston gossip and general silliness to cakes, florists and centerpieces. And then came the bridesmaid dresses: battles over fabrics , color and cut ensued on a seemingly daily basis. When my sister finally narrowed it down to a gorgeous, plum colored sheath dress from Coren Moore, I was satisfied – until the topic changed to bridesmaid shoe regulations.
My sister wanted me and the other two bridesmaids to have matching footwear. Multiple problems arose with this idea, ranging from our geographical distances to height to foot width. I finally put my foot down (no pun intended) and chose a pair of metallic strappy silver sandals from Benetton, with my fingers crossed that they would pass. Not only were the sandals on sale at 65% off, they’re well-made, stylish, and most importantly, comfortable – how else would I be able to dance the night away to the sounds of Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind and Fire?
Moral of the story: when shopping for your bridal party, flexibility should come from more than just the sole. And the girl and her sandals lived happily ever after.
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 | Sandals | No Comments
Time to buy? Not so fast, fashionistas
Put down those Christian Louboutins and slowly back away. The fashion police, on full recession alert, are here to offer proverbial smack down to any fashionista who dares to defy the rules of sale shoe shopping.
First things first: everything is on sale right now. Televisions, cars, Botox and shoes are just a handful of consumer products that retailers and specialty stores are anxious to push onto wallet weary customers. A properly fitting, well-made shoe is worth its weight in gold (or leather, or suede, or crushed velvet), almost regardless of the price. If marked down, $200 zebra-print Jimmy Choo strappy sandals with crystal heel embellishments really strike your fancy, by all means – go for them! But if you foresee those sandals getting more action in their box than the dance floor, think twice before dropping hard-earned cash on a name. Staples, such as wear-with-everything pumps in neutral brown and black, are worth buying at full price. The return-on-investment of a shoe that truly speaks to you and your style is multiplied with each wear.
Second: we’re mid-season. To get the best deal on winter-friendly gear, wait until June or July, where venerable steals will abound. Likewise, spring and summer sandals, flip flops and peep-toe pumps will beckon from the sale rack come October and November. Planning ahead, the same way a gourmet chef would stock up for her kitchen, can pay off. Visualize, visualize, visualize, and ignore the snow falling outside when you’re trying on the perfect gladiator lace up flat at 75% off.
Last: re-evaluate what you already have. Spend a weekend afternoon reworking various wardrobe/shoe/accessory combinations – mix and match pieces you wouldn’t dream of possibly pairing. You might find a new best friend for those hardly worn slouchy suede boots in a camel blazer; or, consider consigning the lime kitten heels that just don’t do it for you anymore. With days of excess in our past, sometimes a good housecleaning is just what the doctor ordered.
-Karyn Polewaczyk
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 | Boots, Flat, Gladiators, Peep Toes, Sandals, Tips | No Comments
