Shoe Love

Since moving to England I've been REALLY good about shoes... as in, I've only bought one pair (for my birthday present to myself... because you should always get a birthday present for yourself; after all, who knows you better?), and they were out of sheer necessity-- I replaced a pair of boots that were killing my feet for a splurge; but they are good for both work and play (and more importantly, my feet). But generally speaking, I've resisted my shoe urges primarily due to lack of space (and compulsion to curb superfluous spending in general). But no storage for shoes has been my greatest irk (alright, alright-- a bit melodramatic, but hey, what's life without a little superficial melodrama).

However, this week saw the end to my self-imposed shoe famine. I've been coveting a pair of Poetic License shoes since last fall, but managed to resist until this week when I saw they had gone on sale. And what's better than buying shoes than buying shoes on sale?! While it's a London company, I actually discovered PL at Nordstrom in Chicago. I fell in love with their quirky, flirty, retro-inspired designs, in fun colors and styles. My favorite in my "collection" are a pair of red, mid-heel patent leather with brown side stitching, a brown wooden heel and little peep holes on the face with a leather tassle bow for a little bit of fun. They're perfect for adding a little character to boring business suits. (And as an aside, their packaging is brilliant... and I'm nothing if not a sucker for good design. Yes-- the "box" is indeed also a bag. Clever.)

But these may soon be knocked out by my new purchase... again, practical because they can be used for work and play (well, perhaps a stretch for the office, but I do like to spice up my work wardrobe with fun shoes...). The ballerina "toe shoe" front, rich suede and stain bow accenting a keyhole opening on the face is stylish but practical for colder climates. And the platform heel is entirely foot friendly-- because while I do love shoes, I am not a "pain for fashion" type girl. They must be comfortable-- and walkable. Meaning, I can walk at least a mile in them without killing myself (and seeing as I'm naturally clumsy, these type of heels are much more "maikib-friendly").

You can find PL in the US at the following retailers: Nordstrom, Piperlime, and if you're in Chicago, at Lori's on Armitage. I'm sure a google search will reveal a lot more retailers, but these are my favorite for interesting shoes.

Ahhh... shoe love....