Flashback Friday! Naughty Monkey -Need To, Grey

Ciao a tutti!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, are there any amongst you who doesn't love a bootie?  Short and sweet, they have the luxurious appeal of a boot with a wear-ability of a shoe, and with the flirty embellishments like these buckled straps or fold over cuff, they add a dimension to footwear that can't be accomplished by a boot or shoe alone.  Do you have your sexy booties yet?

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Designer: Naughty Monkey

Name: Need To
(the suede version of this shoe is sold under the name Want To)

Color: Tan
Style: Platform Ankle Bootie
Heel: 4.75 inches (12.07 cm)
Platform: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with strap and buckle accents and fold over cuff

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

 

How I Styled It?

.One thing I love about boot season (besides the boots, that is) are all the accouterments that go along with these cold weather beauties: the coats, the hats, the leggings, the gloves and the winter fabrics that they come in: the leather, the tweeds and wools.  Grey, a very chic neutral color, is fabulous in every shade, and what's great about stying grey, is that you can wear so many different shades, and it still looks great.  The fold over, belted jacket I bought at Chadwicks some years ago, and the matching matching cap (complete with contrast piping) I bought from Auchan while in Sicily.  The skirt which is a thick, stretch cotton, I found on clearance at Old Navy, and the tights I bought at a Sicilian market for 2 Euros ($3).  The leather color-blocked clutch is from the GAP.  SN

Flashback Friday: Timberland 14" Premium

Ciao a tutti!

As promised, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, snow!  Okay, so it's not exactly snow...it's ice from the skating rink that the Zamboni cleared off; and although these Timberland beauties didn't get to play in the snow, they did take to an event to which I have never been before...an ice hockey game!

I can hear the collective gasp of my Canadian readers, but it is true, even though my high school had a hockey team, well two actually, even though many of my friends played for the school and in the Metro Toronto league, even though my high school's Senior (Varsity, for my American readers) team made it to the provincial finals and won, this was my first time going, and I loved it!

The first game of the double header in the annual Thrasher Cup between The University of Florida (Gators) and Florida State University (yes, they do play hockey in the tropical location of Florida), I rooted for the FSU Seminoles, only because there was a Canadian on the team.  Unfortunately they lost to the Gators 6-2.

The second game was more evenly matched, and the defending two-time Thrasher Cup champions, the Georgia Tech (GT) Yellow Jackets, iced the University of  Georgia (UGA) Ice-Bulldogs, 3-1.  It was a difficult decision deciding which team to cheer for considering GT had 2 Canadians and UGA had a woman player (number 5, with the ponytail).  So I did as any true Canadian would do, I voted for my fellow countrymen!

 

Something else I've never seen at high school or the small liberal arts college I attended, was a band that came to cheer on their competing team.  Check out the Georgia Tech band's rendition of War's Low Rider. 

 

Unfortunately, I'm experiencing some difficulties with You Tube this morning, but I'll try again later to bring you the video!

 

 

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Designer: Me, with some help of Timberland.com
Name: 14" Premium (Custom Made)
Style: Tall Lace-Up Boot
Heel: 1.5 inches (3.81 cm)
Platform: 0.5 inches (1.27 cm)
Shaft: 14 inches (35.56 cm)
Material: Full-grain waterproof nubuck leather upper with rust proof hardware, embossed logo and lug sole.  The attached tag is part of the monogrammed custom made option







How I Styled It?

When I purchased these boots, I had the unique opportunity to design them myself!  In the Design Your Own Boot  section of the Timberland.com website, you can customize your very own Timberland boots in an array of sizes and colors, down to the height of the boot and font of the monogram.  When I created mine, I was heavily into my Feminine & Pink phase, and not being able to find pink boots anywhere, I chose this delicate color to pair with this rugged style.  I chose the grey complement, because I have always loved how these two colors worked so well together.  Hard to tell, but the pink puffer jacket (which I found at a market in Italy), is much lighter than the setting sun would lead one to believe, (as shown when I first previewed these beauties here).  The hooded sweater dress is from Old Navy (several seasons ago), while the leggings and pink t-shirt with lace trim are form Forever 21.  The bag is Bongo and the scarf is from the market.  SN

Flashback Friday! Gabriella Rocha -Karissa, Black

Ciao amici!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics...it's cold outside!  And as quickly as winter went away (okay, for some of us it was 7 days ago), it has returned, and so I say again, boot season is back!  Back to freeze warnings, back to wind chill factors and back to tall, smooth leather footwear that keeps us warm and stylish during those times we'd rather stay bundled up inside, but are forced to forge the elements.

Back to the boot basics this morning, and every Shoe Arsenal needs a basic black boot; whether heeled or flat, tall or short (or in the case of mine today, mid-calf), a basic black boot is my go to winter staple.  There is no over thinking it, and it's extremely hard to find something a pair of black boots don't go with; and once the footwear is figured out, everything else seems to fall in place...well for me at least!

Baci a tutti!


Stella Notte

Friday January 18th 2013
Designer: Gabriella Rocha

Name: Karissa

Color: Black

Style: Mid-Calf Wedge Boot

Heel: 3 3/4 inches (9.525 cm), Shaft: 10 inches (25.4 cm)

Material: Leather Upper with stitch detailing near collar

 

How I Styled It?

There must be something with these boots and ma fille intérieure françaises (my inner French girl), because the three times I have been photographed in these boots (here), I am wearing a beret! Believe me, it was not planned.  The inspiration for today's styling was warmth!  Being chilly isn't cute, and neither is looking like the Michelin Man; just because it is cold outside, bulky dressing isn't your only option.  The trick to winter dressing is layering; as children growing up in Canada, we'd play in the snow for hours (not all of us had snow suits), and how we did this and not manage to freeze, was layers of clothing.  Tights, although stylish, were functional under jeans, that were often under another pair of pants. Undershirts were covered by t-shirts, turtlenecks, cardigans and finally sweatshirts.  So I utilized this layering concept with a tank top, long sleeved t-shirt and a cardigan, all under my wool coat from Old Navy (last season).  Wearing seamless tights under my skinny jeans  ensures there are no extra lines under the fabric and I am warm when the wind blows.  Black and white are an on trend neutral color combination providing the perfect background palette for any pop of color!  SN

 

Flashback Friday! Type Z -Sabot, Camel

Ciao a tutti!

The first time I shoe-cased these beauties (here on my trip to Naples), I never really mentioned anything about the shoes; disappointed with all things Napoletano, I neglected how fabulous a pair of mules can be.

The mule, a style of shoe which dates back to the 16th century, is a french word used to describe a shoe of varying heights which is backless and closed-toed.  Once a popular indoor shoe in the 18th century, by the early 20th century, this style of shoe became associated exclusively with prostitutes.  In the 1950's, fashion icon, Marilyn Monroe re-popularized the mule, which has made a resurgence in the world of fashion in subsequent decades, but it wasn't until the 1990's when the mule (or more specifically, the mule's little sister, the open-toed slide) became a staple in woman's footwear.*

I love the versatility of the mule, the easiness of the style, the flirty ankle aspect of it (in warm weather, see pictures below) and the fact I never have to worry about cramped toes, especially in a closed-toed shoe!

How I Styled It?
I am not a fan of the color red (not by any stretch of the imagination), but the jeans were the first choice when I pulled out this Chenille sweater (a gift years ago), because of the fair isle print at the edge and sleeves.  In fact, the entire outfit I pulled from the colors in the sweater: the long sleeve grey t-shirt from Old Navy), my scarf and  bag from an Italian market, and the patterned socks (a gift).  The tan-twill cargo vest, I found on clearance at Old Navy.  The tuxedo jeans are Soho, from DKNY Jeans.

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Friday January 4th 2013
Designer: Type Z
Name: Sabot
Color: Camel
Style: Cowboy Mule
Heel: 2.75 inches (7 cm)
Material: Leather upper and lining with contrast stitching detail and leather sole

Beautiful in any color;

click here to see these beauties in Cognac or here to see them on my port-of-call in Naples!

 

Mule definition and facts are from Wikipedia. 

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

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

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

Flashback Friday! Steven by Steve Madden -Gwenn, Black

Ciao a tutti!

I have always had a certain affinity towards the water; perhaps it was being born under a water sign, or the endless summer days spent swimming in Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, or possibly it was vacationing in my family's ancestral home on the Caribbean Sea or summer breaks as a teenager frolicking in the Atlantic Ocean, or maybe it was the feeling the sun on my skin as I walked the Mediterranean's shorelines or the sand between my toes on my wedding day in the Bahamas, the water has given me a sense of solace and regardless of where I am or where I've been, has always managed to feel like home.

So today as I reminisce and gravitate towards this little lake, I am ever mindful of water, its vast beauty and life sustaining ability.  Equally mindful of the power of water, and its strength in the wake of the recent superstorm and subsequent snowfall in the northeast, I am humbled and more importantly, thankful; not just for the big things or the obvious (my shoes), but for the little things I often take for granted.

Baci!

Stella Notte

Friday November 9th 2012

Designer: STEVEN collection by Steve Madden
Name: Gwenn
Color: Black

Style: Clog Boot

Heel: 4.5 inches (11.3 cm)
Platform: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Shaft: 21 inches (61 cm)

Material: Leather Upper with contrast stitching along mid sole and cuffed shaft with lacing detail

 

 

 

 

 

Do you remember what event I was counting down to

when I first wore these beauties?  Click here to see!

 

Beautiful in any color, click here to see these beauties in Suede Cognac!

 

 



Flashback Friday! Steve Madden -Troopa

Ciao a tutti!

Last weekend, these fabulous booties took me to outer space!  Not really, but they did take me to a place which is as close to the final frontier as one can get with feet are still planted on Terra firma -Stargazing!

My fascination with celestial bodies began, oddly enough, while I was in basic training some years ago.  After 4 am reveille, and a mad rush to get dressed and make it through one's morning ablutions, there wasn't much else to do while standing in formation on the grinder (the place just outside the barracks where we put in formation) at four-thirty on a cold Wisconsin morning, while your Recruit Division Commander (RDC), due to lack of sleep, sheer delight in terrorizing recruits or just pissed off at the world (the last of which was quite common) or perhaps a combination of all three, stood, just inside the doorway in the warm barracks corridor and waiting until 5 am when the chow hall officially opened and we were walked to breakfast; so in the cold, solitary moment of repose, I looked up, and as I did, beneath my recruit ball cap, I saw three stars...all in a row, that were somewhat closer than all the others in the sky.  And over the next six months as I stood, morning after morning in that very spot, and the Earth and night sky with all into wondrous bodies shifted around me, I felt at peace; even when I was called away for my father's unexpected passing.

Sailors have always had a strong affinity towards those twinkling, luminous points in far off darkness.  They would chart there course by the stars -to wherever it was they were destined to go, and then again, to return home.  The children are each named after a constellation, so that if they ever got lost or felt like they were wandering through this journey we call life, they could look to their constellation, and always find their way back home.



Me & Kevin of the OAA

Me & Dave of the OAA
Yes, his eyes are closed because he didn't want the flash
to disrupt his night time vision!

On the Thursday on or about the last quarter moon, amateur astronomers from the Oglethorpe Astronomical Association (OAA) 'bring astronomy to the public'. Free to those who come out, they set up their personal telescopes allowing fellow stargazers to peer into the great beyond.  Our night of watching heavenly bodies began with Dav whose telescope was directed towards the crescent moon.  Our next stop was Dave (who built  the two telescopes he brought.  I was hopeful, briefly at the thought of building my own telescope, until Dave had mentioned it was, "Much like following a recipe when you cook," in reference to assembling his own telescopes. My hope turned to despair when I told him that I start out with the recipe, but when I get half-way through and realize I don't have all the ingredients, I substitute with something else.  Dave said that I should probably buy a telescope instead!).  He showed us the following (I am obliged to tell you, that these are pictures I pulled off the web, although I saw these images in the scope, no pictures were taken):

 

Crescent moon -wikipedia

Cassiopeia (the 'W' constellation) -wikipedia

Pegasus Constellation ('Box') -wikipedia

The planet Mars -Whim



Sagittarius Constellation ('Teapot') -OMSI

Ring Nebular (remnants of an exploded star) -wikipedia

 Next we saw...

Globular Cluster of over 100,000 stars -wikipedia

Andromeda Galaxy of over 100 million stars -Solstation

Uranus -wikipedia

 Just a word about the shoes:

I bought these boots early in 2011 from Amazon.com (at the time they had the best price and size; I like to size up in closed-toe shoes by Steve Madden otherwise I do feel a pinch!).  I read the reviews carefully, and in spite of the dire warning that these beauties were extremely slippery (they needn't be wet), I bought them.  One review jokingly wrote that at least when you fall, you'll look good doing so; that warning I should have heeded, because the first time I wore these, I was in Monaco, and as I was crossing the street in front of the Paris Cafe, I nearly took a nasty spill; I noticed at the time the heel had completely off the boot.  I have since had them re-heeled and non-slip pads added by a local cobbler!

 

Baci a tutti!

 

Stella Notte

 

Friday October 26th 2012

Designer: Steve Madden

Name: Troopa

Color:Black

Style: Military lace-up combat boot

Shaft: 8 inches (20.32 cm)

Heel: 1 inch (2.54 cm)

Material: Leather Upper with lace up vamp and side zip 

 

 

Do you remember the last time I wore these beauties?  Check out my trip to Monaco here!

 

How I styled them:

With a chilly night in the forecast, layering is key!  You can achieve a warm affect without having to bundle-up the first sign of frost.  I wore a corduroy mini (Old Navy) over tights I bought at the market, and a wool blend tunic (also from the market) over a long tank (Target).  This blanket sweater I got at Old Navy last year when they had 75% off sweaters Thanksgiving weekend.  It is quite bulky, so I belted it up with another market find.  The purple and pewter purse is from Target.com!  SN