Jessica Bennett -Korina

Ciao a tutti!

As the old year comes to a close and the new year draws nigh, I wish you all, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, a prosperous and shoe filled 2013!  For my last post of 2012, I shall leave you with the traditional Scottish song, written by none other than The Bard himself, poet and lyricist, Robert Burns.

Auld Lang Syne 

 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Now it is time for me to ring in the new year, so as the Italians say,

Auguri e Buon Capo D'Anno!

Baci a tutti!


Stella Notte

Day 296: Monday December 31st 2012
Designer: Jessica Bennett
Name: Korina
Color: Black
Style: Platform Open-Toe Cut-Out Pump
Heel: 5 inches (12.7 cm)
Platform: 1.5 inches (3.81 cm)
Material: Luxe suede upper and leather lining with goring panels, double platform, cut-outs and zipper along vamp

Zipper Peplum Dress: Love Tease circa 2010
Bag: Fergi Italia

Sunday Show Stopper Alert! Lucky Brand -June

Attention, Shoe-A-Holics!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog for this Shoe-Stopper of a post!

Nerd Alert:  I have always wanted a pair of penny loafers!  Along with oxford shirts, tartan print skirts and knee-high socks, this style of shoe, complete with penny slot, puts me in the mind of prep school chic (a style which eluded my own scholastic days, yet I like to play with every now and then).

 

Flirty, fun and functional, who knew loafers could be so fabulous?

 

How I Styled It?
Exploring my world of color, I look for style inspiration in a variety of places.  This primary color-blocked ensemble, I borrowed from the Candy Coated look from Tommy Hilfiger.  Adhering to the advice bestowed from Academichic's Two-Thirds Rule: pick only two colors from a color triad, (in this case red, blue and yellow, the primary colors), I have paired varying shades of a red-yellow combination (here), but never all three together.  Although wearing all the colors in a triad can be challenging, Hilfiger's styles are known for pushing the proverbial color envelope, and on a cold winter's day, that is exactly what I wanted to do!  What makes this outfit work (and not lend itself to a box of crayons look) is the fact that the blue is toned down with it's deeper, monochromatic shade of Navy. The yellow, toggle duffle is from Steve Madden (last year), and the Levi's corduroy skirt, I bought second hand while in Italy.  It was originally knee length, but I had it shortened to a mini!  The tights are from Hue and the computer bag, I got from Sears some years ago.

 

 

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte
 

Day 295: Sunday December 30th 2012

Designer: Lucky Brand

Name: June

Color: Tortoise

Style: Wedge Penny Loafer

Heel: 4.5 inches (11.43 cm)

Platform: 1 inch (2.54 cm)

Material: Leather Upper with penny slot on vamp

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am?  You can find them here at Amazon.com!

 

Flashback Friday! MIA -LaCrosse, Tan

Ciao a tutti!

Shoe-A-Holics, the weather is cold (still), and I must dress accordingly; another fantastic cold weather accessory (you will remember in my post on Kiva's by Privo, I wore tights) and undoubtedly one of my favorites, are Over-the-Knee (OTK) boots!

Over-the-knee boots play double duty: functionally, they add a layer of warmth to your lower extremities, while fashionably, they visually extend your legs (even if they are flats), causing any viewer to follow the long, sleek lines of the boot upwards. Ingenious, isn't it?  Do you have yours?

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Designer: MIA Limited Edition
Name: Lacrosse
Color: Tan
Style: Over-the-Knee Boot
Heel: 1.5 inches (3.81 cm)
Shaft: 23 inches (58.42 cm)
Material: Luxe Leather Upper with lacing detail behind knee

Crushing on these boots?  I found a few pairs here at Amazon.com!

Beautiful in any color;

click here to see these beauties in Grey or here to see them in Natural!

 

 

How I Styled It?

The word for today's outfit is sleek!  One thing I love about the look of these boots (although I occasionally wear them folded down, almost like pirate boots, I more often than not wear them up), is how they manage to elevate any article of clothing I wear with them; from tights to jeans (as I am wearing today from Old Navy), these boots have transformed everyday into out-of sight!  Continuing with the polished look of the boots and jeans, I donned a basic black turtleneck with this satin scarf.  Crazy, yes, but when I saw it in a magazine, I thought it was chic, this ordinarily spring staple of mine, and especially when paired with this wool cape from a few seasons ago at Stradivarius (a Spanish clothing company in Italy) and the studded, elbow-length gloves are also from a few seasons ago at Camaieu (a French clothing company also in Italy).  My clutch from the GAP I added for the way the tan in the bag matched the boots, yet the red in the bag added a burst of color! SN

Privo by Clark's -Kiva, Purple

Ciao a tutti e Augurissimi!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, Seasons's Greetings!  I hope that Babbo Natale, Père Noël, Kris Kringle, St. Nicolas, Santa Claus or any other jolly individual who shares good will and brings cheer to your part of the world was generous to you yesterday (or is at least in the coming week or so); but for those us who may have ended up on that proverbial 'naughty list' and woke up to coal (or some other undesirable object) in our stockings yestermorn, hark and fear not! 

For many of you who are: 'Across the Pond', 'Down Under', inhabitants of the 'Great White North' (that is the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada respectively for those of you who do not live in those parts of the world), members or former members of the British Empire and/or Commonwealth...Happy Boxing Day (what is essentially known as a shopping holiday)!  And for my American readers, not to worry on this Feast of Stephen; while it may not be the biggest shopping day of the year, bargains still abound, (even for the naughtiest of us).  So slip into your comfortable shoes, (make that your most comfortable shoes) and venture forth; because in power-shopping, there is no room for weary feet and no time to stop for tired tootsies!

Auguri!  Buon Natale a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 294:  Wednesday December 26th 2012
Designer: Privo by Clark's
Name: Kiva
Color: Purple
Style: T-Strap Flat
Heel: 0.75 inches (2 cm)
Material: Perforated Nubuck Suede Upper with leather trim; T-Strap vamp and decorative studs

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in grey the first time I wore them,

 and here to see them the second go 'round!

 

How I Styled It?

Just because it's cold, one shouldn't have sacrifice style for warmth!  Cold weather dictates warm accessories, and with the frigid weather here (I consider anything below 65 degrees to be cold), I can extend the life of my warm weather clothes like this corduroy mini I bought from Old Navy a few years ago, with these fabulous tights I got from a market in Sicily.  Shopping Tip: When you find something that works, get several!  I bought these tights and several others in various colors (click here to see the grey tights I paired with brown clogs) for 1-2 Euros a piece (that is $1.50 - $3.00), like the wool scarf I'm also wearing.  The Coffee Shop military jacket I got at Target, while the bronze tote was a gift.  Buon Shopping!  SN

Sunday Show Stopper Alert! Betsey Johnson -Lucyyy P

Attention, Shoe-A-Holics!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog for this Shoe-Stopper of a post!

Confession time:  I've always wanted to own a pair of Betsey Johnson's shoes.  When I saw these beauties on sale (along with these Alexsaa in gold)  by famed shoe designer Betsey Johnson,  I bought them solely based on branding.  A completely indulgent purchase, appealing purely to my sense of vanity, I never realized just how gorgeous these shoes were until I first tired them on.

 

On previous posts, I mentioned how incredible a pair of shoes can make you feel; the sumptuous look and feel of these shoes awoken an emotion within me I haven't felt in a long time (not since I last donned these beauties here, by Michael Kors) -luxurious...and what an incredible way for a pair of shoes to make you feel! 

 

Baci a tutti!

 

Stella Notte 

 

Day 293: Sunday December 23rd 2012

Designer: Betsey Johnson

Name: Lucyyy-P

Color: Brown Multi

Style: Open-Toe Platform Wedge Pump

Heel: 5.5 inches (13.97 cm)

Platform: 1.88 inches (4.78 cm)

Material: Leather and calf hair upper

 

 

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am?  You can find them here, at Amazon.com!

 

 

How I Styled It? 

Styling these Betsey beauties was too much fun!  I interpreted the random color pattern as almost leopard print-like, and wore it as I would any neutral color shoe: I wanted to match the boldness in the shoe's silhouette with equally striking colors.  Armed with this purple long sleeved v-neck t-shirt from Old Navy, I headed back to Academichic's fabric color wheel to see what I could wear with this rich jewel toned hue.  You will remember from my last post on Complementary Colors, I did an intermediate color swap instead of pairing colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel; today I decided to follow another variation of color complements and instead of pairing the purple with it's yellow complement, I opted for matching the purple blouse with this (deeper yellow hue) mustard skirt from Ross' Dress for Less, and wow, what an explosion of color!  I toned down the brightness with the neutral tan leather jacket from Newport News (several years ago), and grabbed my color blocked clutch from the GAP to add another element of color to the ensemble (remember, purple and red are neighbors on the color wheel and as a result pair well together. Also, red and yellow are part of the same color triad (pick two!) and can be worn simultaneously)!  SN

 

Flashback Friday! MIA -Pampa, Tan

Ciao a tutti!

It's Friday again, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, and I get to showcase another of my favorites, these Pampa desert wedge booties from MIA!  One of the most searched items on my blog, these are a must have for ever Shoe Arsenal.  Why?  With the desert bootie back in full swing, differentiation is the key to amping up their style; like their 80's counterpart, they are suede with the simple lace-up design, but as they say, the devil is in the details, and these booties aren't lacking: the wedge heel, lug sole, and menswear-perforated detail and stitching throughout, these are not an updated version of a throwback style, they are completely re-invented!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Designer: MIA
Name: Pampa
Color: Tan
Style: Desert Wedge Bootie
Heel: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
Material: Suede Upper with menswear detailing, oxford lacing and lug sole

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am?  You can find them here, at Amazon.com!

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Black or here to see them in Mushroom!

 

How I Styled It?

.  I went back to Academichic's fabric color wheel for inspiration today; I had the boots and found these skinny cords on clearance at New York & Company, but with their bluish-greenish hue (it's a little hard to tell from the picture), I wanted to pair them with something other than my go to black. So I followed the Complementary Color Rule, and I matched up items which appear opposite each other on the color wheel: red and green, yellow and purple, and with my ensemble, blue and orange. The module stated that while pairing a color with it's direct complement can be quite jarring, substituting an intermediate color (I'm wearing the blue-green cords instead of the blue) can create a more subdued pairing...and it did!  The sweater top is by Pink Rose and the scarf is from the GAP.  I stayed in the same color family but used the richer blue in the belt and purse, both of which I bought in Italy at Iper Coop and Carpisa, respectively.  The hooded sweater is from Old Navy (several seasons ago).  SN

Old Navy -Basic Pump, Brown

Ciao a tutti!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, taking a break from the color wheel, I decided to follow Academichic's advice in their Fashion 101 series How to Combine Colors: Neutrals (with a Pop).  I've had these basic brown pumps for years, a friend of mine highly recommended them, but believe it or not, I was at a loss with what to wear with them; my style aesthetic had changed so much that they almost seemed too plain, or basic, to wear (in Italy of course).  That is until today!  When I changed my perspective on how I viewed these shoes, this brown-basic style became a neutral-novelty, and I could easily style them!

What makes neutrals so amazing is that they are comprised from a mixture of other colors, and because of this, neutrals can be considered a blank canvas in your wardrobe.  According to Academichic, "'Neutrals go with everything' including each other."  The post continues, "Neutrals can provide a softer look on their own, or serve as a background for another color. When pairing one "pop" of color with an all neutral palette, the neutrals allow the brighter color to add a wow-factor."

And 'Wow' I did!


Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 292: Thursday December 20th 2012
Designer: Old Navy
Color: Brown
Style: Basic Pump
Heel: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
Material: Leather Upper

 

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Black or here to see them in Purple!

 

 

 

How I Styled It?

I received so many compliments on my outfit today, I just had to share!  I'll give credit where credit is due, and today, this outfit is courtesy of Old Navy.  The jacket, I reluctantly bought (several seasons ago), because my hubby liked the bell-sleeve design...(I didn't like it at first, but it has since grown on me).  The v-neck sweater dress, I caught recently for a bargain (in store).  It was marked down to less than $10 with an additional 30% off!  If you're thinking about buying it, size down!  The belt is from Forever 21and the bag is Bongo (both, several seasons ago).  The scarf is another of my market scarves!  SN

Thom McAn -Oxford Booties

Ciao a tutti!

The shoe advice this morning, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, is coming from something I observed from my fashion insider, Mike (check out what Mike said to me and the inspiration for my blog, here in Welcome to my Shoe Arsenal).  I met Mike in 2010 while planning a fashion show for the non-profit for which we both volunteered.  Mike came to the production with a vast amount of fashion experience, greatly contributing to the success of the show. 

The atmosphere in the office during the weeks and days prior to the fashion spectacle (although chaotic) was relaxed as far as clothing and dress.  As one-half of the Community Liaison team, I liked to step up the style and heels, because my interactions were mainly with the Local Nationals: from Italian Mayors and Provincial Vice Presidents to Military Leaders and vendors, while Mike, the other Community Liaison,  mainly worked with the respective American counterparts, and equally expressed his love of shoes from his formidable collection of footwear (an avid runner, Mike's shoes were often limited editions of styles, and hard to find colors).  But when the time came for a formal interaction, Mike donned, what I teased him for being 'smart shoes' -a pair of leather oxfords.  And he couldn't have looked smarter and put together in his designer suit than with those shoes.

These booties when I bought them (abut 20 years ago), I bought for function.  The mild southern winters would only prescribe something warm enough for a chill, not the functionality of a true cold weather boot.  But this timeless style, although it changes periodically, has remained basically the same, and is a very smart choice in anchoring any outfit.



Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 291: Tuesday December 18th 2012
Designer: Thom McAn
Color: Black
Style: Oxford Bootie
Heel: 2 inches (5.08 cm)
Material: Luxe suede upper

Some styles are truly timeless...check  out the oxford booties they have at the GAP!

 

 

How I Styled It?

Styling these booties was actually a lot of fun!  I read some time ago that the best way to tone down bright colors (in this case these electric blue DKNY Soho skinny jeans I bought at T J Maxx), is to pair the color up with black and white; so I did with this Urban Vibe tweed moto jacket I got from Wet Seal (several seasons ago).  For what color to pair with the jeans, I headed back to the clothing color wheel from Academichic.com, and followed their advice on Analogous Colors: Unlike complementary colors (colors opposite each other on the color wheel), analogous colors are neighbors and play subtly off each other, such as the primary color blue and the secondary color green (remember green is a combination of two primary colors: blue and yellow).   When you combine a primary color like blue, with it's analogous color green, you get a tertiary color: blue-green (teal), which pairs very well with either blue or the green!  The teal long sleeve t-shirt I got while overseas, and the snood (pictured here, I'm wearing it like an infinity scarf), I bought at the market along with the cuff.  The bag was an easy choice this time: this color blocked blue and teal clutch from the GAP!  SN

 

Until the 1990's, Thom McAn was a US retail shoe store chain which focused exclusively of well made leather goods at affordable prices. With the popularity of athletic shoes in the 1980's combined with subsequent decline in sales, Thom McAn retail stores closed, but the name brand can still be purchased at Kmart.

Sunday Show Stopper Alert! Mossimo -Vianca

Attention, Shoe-A-Holics!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog for this Shoe-Stopper of a post!

 

 

Let me introduce you to the newest neutral...anything with a leopard print!  It is amazing how this  seasonal favorite has become a wardrobe staple, pairing well with everything from rich jewel tones to bright pops of color!  Whether you get this print in a power pump or a laid back flat, it will be your new go to shoe!

Baci a tutti!


Stella Notte

Day 290: Sunday December 16th 2012
Designer: Mossimo at Target
Name:  Vianca
Color: Leopard
Style: Smoking Slipper/Tuxedo Flat
Heel: 0.625 inches (1.59 cm)
Material: Sueded Upper

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am?  Click here to get them from Target!

How I Styled It?

I've been waiting some time to showcase these beauties; styling them proved to be a little difficult for me...at least at first! I finally found a pair of oxblood color pants from NY & Company, but them I really wasn't sure how to match them.  I went to my fabric color wheel from Academichic.com and followed their Two-Thirds Rule:  

The eye gravitates toward color combinations that make up two-thirds of a triad -a triad is comprised of three hues equidistant from each other on the color wheel. If you were to draw and equilateral triangle in the middle of the color wheel, the points would touch a triad of colors such as red-yellow-blue or orange-green-purple. Triads can be tricky to wear simultaneously, but picking just two colors from a triad often results in a terrific, eye-catching palette. I chose red and yellow, but like the Complementary color match (I discussed here), I went with the darker more subdued color complement (oxblood instead of red and the mustard instead of yellow) to create a more sophisticated pairing.  The long sleeved t-shirt, I got while still living overseas, and the cropped wool coat is from Anne Klein (a few seasons ago).  The scarf I  bought at an accessory story in Italy called Carina, and the clutch is from the GAP.  SN

Flashback Friday! Exchange by Charles David -Jovial, Black

Ciao a tutti!

With chestnuts roasting and Jack Frost nipping, my favorite cold weather accessory is a tall boot...especially a leather boot!  They have an understated sleekness about them, and the high shine (I waxed them) give them a rich, luxurious look which undeniably screams, glamorous!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Designer: Exchange by Charles David
Name: Jovial
Color: Black
Style: Tall Wedge Boot
Heel: 4 inches (10.16 cm)
Shaft: 14 inches (35.56 cm)
Material: Smooth Leather upper and lining with contrast decorative stitching along cuff and vamp.  Metal studs throughout vamp

Beautiful in any color, and on any continent,

click here to see these beauties in Brown that I wore on my Roman Holiday!

 

How I Styled It?

One of my favorite things to do when styling an outfit, is to let my footwear dictate what I wear; I started with the subtle purple contrast, decorative stitching along the vamp and around the top of these beauties.  These boots, I have yet to wear with pants (not that I don't think they would pair well together, but because to me, these boots have a soft feminine feel, that would be lost on a rugged piece of legware), so I opted for this summery denim dress from Body Central (a few years ago) and warmed it up with tights from Hue and a Macy's Style & Co. turtleneck.  The jacket was an end of season clearance special from Target (again, a few years ago).  I bought several wool blend coats that had been marked down, and when I used Target's $5 off $50 purchase, the coats ended up costing me about $6 dollars each!  SN

Steve Madden 4 The Cool People -Cortlynn, Brown

Ciao a tutti!

Shoe-A-Holics, as I continue to be spoiled with this extraordinarily warm weather (82F/28C), I shall continue to blog about the remaining plethora of sandals in my Shoe Arsenal (okay, so there may not be that many sandals left to wear, but I still have quite a few that I didn't get to this summer); and hands down, these are one of my favorites!

WARNING:  These wedges are not for the novice shoe collector!  At a staggering 5.5-inches, if you are not what I consider to be a Professional wedge-wearer (those of you that can manage a 4 to 4.5-inch wedge), then you made have to proceed with caution when slipping into these slides.

DISCLAIMER:  These shoes will provide you with the illusion of height.  For all Professional wedge-wearers throw caution to the wind!  Go forth and strut your stuff in these wonderful wedges!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 289: Wednesday December 12th 2012
Designer: Steve Madden 4 the Cool People
Name: Cortlynn
Color: Brown
Style: Platform Wedge Slide
Heel: 5.5 inches (13.97 cm)
Platform: 1.75 inches (4.45 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with buckle detail. Raffia wrapped wedge and platform

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am?  You can find them here at 6pm.com!

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Black!

 

 

 

How I Styled It?

I love sky-high wedges paired with a maxi dress!  Why?  Floor-sweeping maxi's are a dressing staple, used to create an incredible amount of height (even though it's only an illusion) in those of us who are vertically challenged. But the problem with the floor-sweeping maxis is that they sweep the floor!  I have never been one for a dirty look, which I have seen on many a women who love the style, but have not mastered the look.  That's where these 5.5-inches of wedge come in; not only giving me height, but enabling me to pull off this amazing look!  The dress is from Blue Asphalt (several years ago), the belt I borrowed from a dress by Donna Morgan and the wooden bangles I bought at a couple of markets in Sicily. SN

A Word About the Cool People

The Cool People is a cutting edge brand that is committed to bettering the world through charitable contributions. A portion of their sales go directly to charity. Bringing passion and determination into every shoe that they design, The Cool People is the brand for the dreamer in all of us. The Cool People clothing and shoes are only available at Zappos.com and its affiliates.