Happy Feet

Here's an outfit that I put together specifically for comfort while walking to work. For the walk I wore my Bastien short boots, and packed the ones you see here (which are comfortable, but not 3 miles' worth of comfortable) in my backpack for swapping once I got to work.

The Bastiens have been getting a lot of wear lately, so much so that I recently went scouring both the internets and the stores in search of some additional walking shoes, because even the best pair can't be worn every day for 3 (or more likely 6, because I often walk home too) miles of walking.

I ended up with a pair of Ecco boots, which have the bonus of being waterproof, and a pair of Romika short boots, which pretty much feel like slippers, only with really good arch support. Both meet my criteria of being cute enough to wear with most outfits during the walk, or even for the whole day if I don't feel like carrying extra shoes. My feet are happy.

Dress: Red Dress Shoppe
Cardigan: H&M
Tights: Sock Dreams
Boots: All Black

Dubious

I hope all my friends here in the States had a fun Labor Day weekend. It was a little bittersweet knowing that the man was burning and we weren't there, but I had a great weekend nonetheless. I spent the last few days up in rural Oregon with my family, where we were joined by Jess as well as her mom. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a lot of laughs and drank a lot of wine. A few days in the country is definitely a lot more relaxing than Burning Man, that's for sure.

This outfit was my first attempt at wearing these flats with tights. Not being a flats sort of gal, I wasn't even sure if they could be worn this way. I think the outfit turned out alright overall, but I'm still a bit dubious about the tights/flats combo. It felt a little strange somehow, I think because I'm not used to seeing so much of the tights pattern stretched out horizontally; with heels, the tights make a longer, straighter line when I look down at my feet.

What do you think? Do you wear flats with hosiery?

Shirt: Target
Capelet: Forever 21
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Skirt: Anthropologie
Tights: Sock Dreams
Shoes: Born

Something Studded

I originally planned this outfit with bare legs in mind, but the persistent cold weather necessitated a last-minute swap. These boots had just arrived in the mail the day before, so I thought I'd try them out.

I'd had my eye on these boots for many months, but wasn't willing to pay full price for a brand I'm unfamiliar with. Then last week I was poking around on Endless.com looking for something studded, and these turned up on clearance; between the additional $20 off that Endless was offering and the 6% rebate I'll get from Fat Wallet, they came out to less than half the original price.

I like the fact that the studs on these boots are fairly subtle; to me this bodes well for them not looking hopelessly dated 3 months down the road. So many of the studded items I've seen in recent months seem to have been created on the belief that if a little is good, then a lot is better. These boots already have a biker vibe going on, so to me a little goes a long way when it comes to additional embellishments. By the way, the boots are really comfortable and the tops have a clever overlapping construction, which makes them able to fit different sized calves without the need for elastic. The leather is buttery and supple and the construction seems to be good quality; I would order this brand again.

Cardigan: Solemio
Scarf and flower both came with other garments
Shirt: Max Studio
Pants: Poleci
Boots: All Black

Sequined

How does one get away with pairing a sequined top with a sexy pencil skirt at work? Well, I'm not really sure, because it seems I get away with everything I wear to that place. But this is what I tried, and here's why I think it worked.

The skirt. Though the wiggle shape of the skirt is sexy, its rather staid tweedy fabric and below-the-knee length keep it tame and classic. No way would I have paired this top with a miniskirt or any kind of shiny fabric. It's best to let your super flashy item be the only one in the outfit.

The waistcoat. Denim is a great way to make just about anything look more casual. Not only that, but the structure of the waistcoat gives the outfit a more suited feel; blazers are another great approach for casualizing flashy tops.

The accessories. I kept accessories to a minimum in this outfit and selected jewelry with antiqued finishes instead of polished ones. The shoes have a metallic finish, but even those have a soft sheen and are light on embellishment.

Tune in next week, when I'll feature the first-ever guest post from Mark! As you may well imagine, Mark is quite the stylish fella, and I've asked him to contribute from time to time with some perspectives on men's fashion. I'm certain you'll enjoy the post he's cookin' up. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Waistcoat: Promod
Top: vintage
Skirt: Banana Republic
Shoes: Born