shoes
Boys, Don’t Cry
As I sat, gingerly spooning my M&M frozen yogurt into my ravenous mouth at a favorite ice cream parlor of mine and my boyfriend’s…I looked over and spied one of the most puzzling combinations I’ve ever laid eyes upon. This gentleman was sporting Dansko clogs (strange enough seeing that he’s a man and not a chef), completely sockless. They lead the way up to jeans, a tight, dark grey T-shirt and, heavens, a gold chain around his neck. What was he attempting to accomplish? That Weekender Mafioso look? “I’m a dedicated foot soldier for Tony Soprano yet I also enjoy antiquing with my wife on the cape and feeling crunchy once in a while?” It was then that I realized: I am well aware that Sole Envie is a company dedicated to custom shoes for women….but as far as this blog has been concerned…Men have been allowed to roam free…completely off the hook. So this one is for the boys. Here are a couple of simple tips for the gentlemen out there, numbered for your convenience and short attention spans.
1. Socks Some men have the terrible habit of wearing socks when they are not supposed to (under Birkinstocks, for example, which, if you’re wondering, should just be eliminated alltogether), and not wearing them when they really should. Socks do not belong with sandals, and they do belong with sneakers.
2. Velcro Some men are allowed to wear velcro. These men are under 8 years of age.
3. Unisexuality Simply, if they make the same exact item for women with little to no variation, don’t wear them.
4. Pink I know you think you’re bold, daring and stylin in your popped collared bright pink Lacoste shirt. But “takin it to the street” as it were by putting it in shoe form on your tootsies goes waaaaay beyond the realm of acceptable. And straighten your hat, for heaven’s sake.
Posted by alyssa on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
“If only?” Only if.
Often, while browsing around, looking at shoes, as we all know I am want to do, I see a design or pattern which I find, frankly, bizarre or unsightly. Whilst gazing at the computer screen, tilt headed like a puzzled Golden Retriever who seems bewildered by human actions, I too wonder what on earth some designers who I have observed to be otherwise sane and rational could possibly be thinking. If only I could get into the minds of these certain designers and put to them the questions racing through my brain. Instead, I present you with a short list of shoes which make my “I would only wear that if…” list.
Sorry Marc Jacobs
I would only wear those if I were playing Guitar Hero in my rec room. Alone.
Excuse you, Jimmy Choo
Only if I were on Rock of Love, heaven forbid, would I don such a creep toe. Or if my family and I didn’t have our own cheese grater at home and I thought I could put the heel to work on a block of Romano.
Yes, Indeed, UGG Australia!
I would LOVE to wear these boots. They would be perfect for my costume only if my feet were playing the part of “The Bedsheets” in a play entitled “The Unnecessarily Rustic Country Inn.”
Burberry, Burberry, Burberry
I’d only don this pair if I didn’t believe in taking any style license whatsoever and insisted that the design of my footwear had to match the design of my underwear. FYI, by those standards, the correct re-nomer of a Flip Flop is “thong”, not “G-string.”
Tory Burch, I admire some of your more adventurous creations but this:
is something I would subject my feet to only if I were playing the part of the Lumberjack in the village people (is there even a lumberjack in the Village People?)
So there you have them. What I consider five terribly botched attemps by five designers to create something fasionable. I should mention, however, that such transgressions are comitted by many more designers every single day. Do I perchance envision a more careful scrutiny by these couturieurs before they unleash more designs like these in the future, post this very blog post? If only.
Posted by alyssa on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 | Boots, Flat, Platforms, Pumps, Sandals, Uncategorized | No Comments
The Perfect Black Ballet Flat: My Personal Holy Grail des Chaussures
I have long considered the perfect black ballet flat to be a staple in any shoe collection. Like an effectively designed calendar book or the ideal phone with all of the capabilities one needs, it is the type of accessory one can always fall back on. I can count on them looking great with anything from a lovely cut of dark flared Banana Republic jeans (another staple of mine) to a bright kelly green knee length day dress. However, this wonderful little necessity is rarely done justice when considering the attempts of some designers to offer their own interpretation of this timeless classic.
I will admit that when attempting to find the perfect black ballet flat, I am insatiable. The princess and the pea (or maybe, the princess and the ped). I manage to find a grievance with almost every single black shoe I come across in browsing either the internet or in boutiques or in department stores. Often a design will be completely adorable, if only it weren’t for that terrible, gigantic gold bulbous ornament affixed to the upper toe, the similarly placed giant bit big enough to fit one of the tiny little ponies I care for, the bow made of cheap fraying material that will untie and unravel after only a few months of wear, the unfortunate buckle [often paired with an open toe (?) ], the terribly thin soles (have you ever tried walking down Bolyston barefoot? Such is the experience in even one of my more expensive renderings of this black shoe edition when not faced with enough padding where we need it most) or the shudder worthy wide elastic band placed directly across the top of the shoe in some futuristic interpretation of a mary jane which would only be appreciated on the Starship Enterprise. Sometimes the elastic is even in the waist of the shoe, making the whole thing look like a crumpled, shiny little showercap pour les pieds.
My Pefect Black Ballet Flats - The Landon by Coach (photo: Coach.com)
And so, due to wear upon the pair that slated said insatiability for a while, I have been on the hunt for the perfect flat yet again. My search has lead me not to Jerusalem as it lead King Arthur but to Coach, my own personal style haven from which all of my handbags hail. The shoe I found there was perfect. Round toe, lovely delicate little fray-resistant bow, an ever so slight square heel and yes! enough support and padding to make walking in Boston a pleasure. Unfortunately, the retail store was out of this lovely little shoe in my size, and I feared myself devoid of it forever. I saw plenty of other shoes in the meantime, but I held out. I knew I shouldn’t spend money on another shoe I didn’t really like, or a nice looking shoe that might be of terrible quality, thus forcing me to buy another pair even sooner than I would have had to if I had found something I really liked. And then, there they were. At Lord and Taylor at the Pru, there they sat, the same shoes I had seen in the retail store, waiting to be swept up into my arms and squirreled away until the warmer weather arrives. When that will be is a topic for another blog altogether. I happily left Boston with my new purchase in hand, glad that I hadn’t bought a different pair just so I would have something to wear.
So what then, is my point? That I love black flats? Well, yes, I do. But the point is that you should hold out. Whether it’s in a partner or a job or yes, even in shoes, you should hold out for what it is you are really looking for. Whatever it is, it is out there. Spending more money on a shoe that will last longer and which actually fits your style and needs in a shoe is, in the end, far more lucrative in these tough economic times then blowing your cash on something that merely subdues your thirst for the perfect shoe instead of actually satisfying it.
Posted by alyssa on Thursday, February 26th, 2009 | Flat, Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments
What kind of shoe is Michelle Obama?
With Barack Obama’s inauguration abuzz across virtually every media outlet around the world, everyone wants to know: what will Michelle Obama wear to the inaugural ball? And here, at Sole Envie, we ask: what kind of shoes will our future First Lady dance on?
Michelle has appropriately paid homage to American designers throughout Barack’s entire campaign, from Oscar de la Renta to J. Crew and back, sticking with classic yet stylish looks that complement her famous athletic build and often paired with low-heeled pumps and flats to offset her 5′11″ frame. At last check, the word was mum as to what she’d choose for what will arguably be the biggest social event of 2009, but one assumes that proper care will be placed on such selections while making history. How can a woman, after all, help reach for the stars while standing on solid ground?
I envision her in a gown of sorts, paired with metallic ankle strap sandals - perhaps silver - and with a three inch stiletto heel. American shoe designers have gone the way of the jelly shoe; there are hardly any (well known, at least) to be found. After researching one of my favorite brands, Cole Haan, I learned that not only did it establish its roots in Chicago in the 1920s, but that it’s currently headquarted in Maine (though now a subsidiary of Nike), with a design center in New York City - you can’t get more American than the home of Lady Liberty and fellow shoe fiend Carrie Bradshaw. Perhaps Michelle will pick a pair from Cole Haan’s eponymous G-Series line , which includes actual Nike sole support, to help her dip, tango and twirl her way to the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Or, in the spirit of keeping us on our proverbial toes, perhaps she’ll surprise us, accompanying the change that will serve as the breath of fresh air we’re all in need of.
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Shoe-fficiency.
As I sit massaging blisters that dot the pads of my heels, battle wounds from maneuvering through a Monday in 3-inch St. John calfskin d’Orsays, I wonder if I’ll ever turn into one of those women who bravely marches through the subway sporting sneakers and socks over their pantyhose and under their Calvin Klein suits. I’m reminded of a particular episode of Sex and the City when Miranda, shortly after she moved to the dreaded side of the Brooklyn Bridge (or, Brooklyn) from her beloved Manhattan, complained to Carrie about how sore her feet were after walking a far distance from the subway. Carrie, clearly on the right side of the bridge, asked why Miranda didn’t wear sneakers and carry her shoes like everyone else, to which Miranda replied - and I quote - “Stop. You can take me out of Manhattan, but you can’t take me out of my shoes.”
What is it about our egos that refuses to embrace practicality - L.L. Bean duck boots when it’s cold and wet; Reebok hightops when you’ve got to get somewhere quickly - and instead embrace the idealism of making our way through the day in 3-inch heels with the occasional Band-Aid poking out the back to shield us from abused Achilles tendons? The ancient Greeks had a word for “tragic pride”: hubris. Then again, they typically got around in gladiator flats, and while theirs may have helped build the Parthenon, my modern day version are bejeweled and meant for pairing with twill shorts and a venti soy latte from Starbucks. The truth of the matter is, we affiliate lots with our shoes: our wardrobes; our moods; our plans for the day or evening, and heck - I’ve even gone with a flat over a stiletto depending on how long my bangs are. Shoes can be icing on the cake (us!), and whether that confection comes in leather, pleather, suede or satin, it truly can help a girl put her best foot forward.
Besides, being practical is for your 30s.
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 | Boots, Flat, Sandals | 1 Comment
