For Your Feet

Shoe retailer, Ros Hommerson, is closing down their online site and have marked everything down to 50% off.  That includes their shoes, boots and sandals.

Why am I telling you?  Because their motto is "We have your size."  They carry shoes from size 4 to size 13 in widths from super slim to extra wide in most sizes.

So, if mama has hard-to-fit feet, but needs a new pair of shoes, go take a peek.

Gracey


Oh, and a special thank you to the ladies at The Junoesque for the heads-up!

The Non-Replacement Shoes & a Closet Orphan

Friday I was so proud of myself for having purchased replacement shoes and for somewhat following my one-in-one-out policy for buying new items.  Today I have to admit that I fell off the wagon.  I ordered these shoes the other day and they�re not intended to replace anything, I just really like them:

Image via Piperlime

I have been looking for a pair of gray shoes that weren�t gray suede and I think snake is such a fun print, I had to get these.  And, of course, I had to wear them today:

For their inaugural outing, I paired the shoes (Pierre Dumas Chic-1 via Piperlime) with hot pink pants (Michael Michael Kors via Ross) and a lightweight sweater (v. old Hinge via Nordstrom).  This sweater is the closet orphan I alluded to in the title.  I love the color and the open weave on the back is pretty cool�

But, I never wear it because it�s kind of an odd length.  I think that on non-giants it�s probably a proper tunic, but on my giant-self, it hits me at the worst possible place on my thighs.  And you know how thighs get if they think they�re not being shown in the most flattering clothes; they get mutinous and stabby.  Or, at least mine do.  To avoid Mutinous Thigh Syndrome (MTS), I tried to work with my thighs by reverse-tucking the sweater under my belt, and I think it worked.

Oh, and, in addition to new shoes, I�m also wearing a new necklace:

Isn�t it fabulous?  I mean, sure, it�s a bit off-kilter in this photo, but that�s just how I roll.  And, even off-kilter, I think it�s awesome.  I bought it this weekend at Lil� Gypsy Vintage.  It�s from the 70s and the stone is moss agate.  And it's fabulous.

In addition to the vintage shopping, I also went thrifting and somehow managed to limit myself to only a blouse and a coat.  I�m very proud.  Oh, and I went to pole dancing class where I got some more bruises and mastered Naughty Carousel.  I�m also proud of that.  Next week?  Peter Pan.

Finally, because there is nothing shy about hot pink pants and snake platforms, I've linked up to Patti's Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style.

Happy Monday, All!  

Gracey

The Replacement Shoes

This was not a good summer for my shoes.  My blue suede platforms broke, my leopard peep toes are years old and starting to fray, I ruined the soles on my ankle boots falling down some concrete stairs and the linen straps on my espadrilles gave up the ghost:

The thing is; I�m hard on my shoes.  I use my heels to put my kickstand up, I ride my bike in the rain so my shoes can get pretty wet, and, let�s be honest, I�m not the most delicate flower in the blogosphere, so my shoes have to contend with a not small amount of weight.  I do what I can to protect my shoes against wear and tear, but they do eventually wear out.  Which means Mama needs a new pair of shoes.  Or four.

Luckily for me, I�ve added all of these to my shopping list.  Because, after my admittedly brief, but still grueling, shopping ban and closet purge this summer, I am actually doing better about sticking to my list.  And, because I am getting rid of the shoes I�ve replaced, I�m also following the (admittedly half-assed) one-in-one-out policy I�ve implemented.  Yay, me!  

Even more luckily for me, Nordstrom Rack had a clearance sale over Labor Day weekend and I was able to score two pairs of replacement shoes for under $50.00.  I bought the yellow pair I�ve been wearing the past couple days to replace my blue pair, and I bought this pair to replace my espadrilles:

I paired my new sandals (BP. Shoes) with a new-to-me thrifted dress and added a thin belt (Steve Madden via Ross) and a vintage bangle.  I know these shoes don�t resemble the pair they replaced that much, but they had everything I was looking for: they�re two-tone (black and natural), they�re strappy (T instead of ankle) and they�re comfortable.

Enough about the shoes though, let�s talk about the dress for a bit.  I love this thing:

Not the print so much � I have no idea what it is.  But, I love the cut and the fit.  And what I really love are the possibilities of this dress.  Because it buttons from hem to neck, I think it will be extremely versatile.  I can�t wait to layer it over, under and next to things all year round.

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Have a great weekend!

Gracey

Pattern Mixing 101

I think a lot of people shy away from pattern mixing because two patterns close together can be unsettling to the eye.  I don�t mind being unsettled or unsettling, but can understand how pattern mixing is an acquired taste.  So, today I am demonstrating one of the easiest ways to mix patterns in an outfit.  It�s Pattern Mixing 101:

Photo via Piperlime

For today's lesson, I paired a striped tee (Jones New York via Ross) with abstract floral flats (Nine West �Fascinate� via Piperlime) and dark jeans (Gap Real Straight).  I also added a vintage turquoise-colored bracelet for a little color in the top half of the outfit.

Now, let�s break down why this works: 

One, if you�re going to mix patterns, it really is best, especially at first, to keep the patterns in the same color family.  In this case, although my shoes are a lovely shade of tangerine, the pattern on them is the same color as the pattern on the top (or at least close enough for government work). 

Two, the stripes and floral aren�t at all jarring because they�re not close together; instead they separated by the expanse of the jeans. 

Three, it works because I believe it does; seriously, a little confidence goes a long way.

So, how about it, Reader Friends; if you don�t already mix patterns, does this help you get started?

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Gracey

Elastic

These are my new shoes:

They are from a brand called 80%20.  And they make me feel 80% elated and 20% ecstatic; they make me feel� elastic.  They came in the mail yesterday and I carried them around the house for an hour cooing, petting the shoes and feeling elastic.

And of course I had to wear them today:

I paired the booties (80%20 �Tessa� in Cream Kiwi via Piperlime) with an oversized white shirt (thrifted) layered under a wool, double-breasted cardigan (vintage Pendleton, thrifted) and black leggings.  I added a bit of color with a red-orange beaded necklace, but otherwise let the shoes shine.

In exercise news, I went back to pilates last night.  I fell off my mat twice.  I don�t know.  Don�t ask. 

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey