ClandestineChic

One thing I have always said about fashion is that you never say never.  You may have your personal style resolutions down pat, but there can always be an item or two that pulls you in and you just must concede.

I religiously wear my ballet flats when there is no snow on the ground.  I wear them out like Amy Winehouse wears her light pink ballet slippers.  I only try to buy one new, durable pair once a year.

However, flats are not easy to wear during Chicago winters.   Walking in piles of snow that turns into dirty slush leaves precious flats open to ruin.   Yes, boots are the best solution, but how about an alternative?

So I’ve opened myself up to a shoe that I swore I’d never wear: oxfords.

There really isn’t a good reason as to why I swore off wearing oxfords.  They just never really were my style, I suppose.  However, as my own personal style continues to slowly evolve, I’m becoming more open to wearing items that I’d otherwise never considered.   My biggest reason for opening up to oxfords is practicality.  I think they are the next best pair of shoes to wear when I want a break from my boots–and when I want to remain comfortable.

Here are a few pairs that I’ve had in mind:

Aldo Chasten Oxfords

Sam Edelman "Kat" Oxfords

Boutique 9 "Brazen" Oxfords

Marais USA Oxford

So it turns out that I did tell a little fib: I wasn’t quite done with my F/W 09 shopping just yet.    The problem is that I love wedge heels in the Fall and my Seychelles wedges are basically falling apart.  After almost 3 years of wear and tear in bars, on the muddled streets of Chicago and beyond, it was time to find a new pair.  The problem was, I just couldn’t find a pair I liked.  Well, I found a pair and they were the Acne Atacoma wedges shown below:

Love em.  But for $480 USD, I couldn’t see these appearing in my closet anytime soon.

Then, as I was perusing the web for nothing special this morning, I stumbled upon these Jeffery Campbell wedges:

They are at a more manageable height (3.5″ wedge with a 1″ platform), from a shoe brand that I like and I have found great success with their shoes and…$99!  That’s a bit more like it for my budget.    No, they are not quite the Acne Atacoma wedges, but they will do for the days when I want to wear a comfortable heel to give myself a little more height.

And so yes, I did broach my “I’m done with Fall shopping” pact that I made, and yes, it did happen quite easily.  I’m hopeful that I won’t falter again.

Image Source: Acne website, Solestruck website

One of my few self-authorized purchases over the past couple of weeks that I’ve been looking to capitalize on has been a nice, comfortable, fairly inexpensive pair of flats. My mother and friends relentlessly clowned my Payless flats and said they looked like house slippers, so I decided another pair might be in order.    I’ve never really felt that flats should cost over $150 and even that would be a bit steep.   I even bought a pair of Tory Burch flats because I thought that they would be the everyday shoes and I wouldn’t need a pair of flats for a long time.  Wrong.  The cute golden T/T medallion fell off after two weeks and I had to go to Nordstrom to get them replaced (for free!).  And after another 2 months, the bottom of the shoe has started to display some serious signs of wear and tear, including a torn sole.   And these are $195 shoes, folks.  No sweet deal there.   On the lower end, I bought a pair of Nine West flats over the weekend for under $60, but those flats were hard and my feet were starting to look like some serious ugly was about to happen.

So, ever since I’ve seen Susie Bubble’s post about this shoe company, Marais USA, I’ve been quite intrigued what they will have to offer.  Most of the shoes are flat or have an extremely low heel (1 and 1/4 inches) and the prices range from $49-$69.   In the “About Us” section of the website, it explains that the creators, Catherine Chen and Haley Boyd, just wanted to create “simple, versatile and essential styles that don’t break the bank”.  Amen to that.  They’re not yet available from the online shop, but I do think I’m going to take the plunge and buy a pair.  Normally, I hate buying shoes online, but I think this might be worth the gamble.  Here are two pairs of shoes I’m contemplating (but in black):

Pics from Maraisusa.com

The first pair aren’t flats, and have a baby wedge, but that’s fine.  And I quite like the second pair since they have a round toe.  Either way, once they become available to order online, I’m definitely going to get a pair and if this company can win me over.

Spring is in the air and I’m starting to get excited.    Beautiful weather,  beautiful scenery and open-toed shoes.   In the colder months, I won’t even let myself slip into a peep toe.  So right now,I’m going a little crazy with all of the selections I have to choose from.  Here are some of my favorite picks–and eventually, I will buy one of these pairs. Also, please note that I’m not even going to go there with expensive shoes.  It’s  just not even in my realm of possibility right now, so it would would just be cruel to do so.

These Corso Cormo sandals are not exactly gladiator, which is a continuing trend this season, but they are well within the spirit.   I’m thinking these would be perfect for shopping and/or brunch with a friend/significant other.  Selling for $129 on Piperlime, they are a bit steep, but I’ve found Corso Como to be of good quality, so plan on these being a keeper for a few seasons.

These braided sandals by Wanted are adorable and the braiding displays intricate detail.  For $50 at Piperlime, they are a steal.

Generally, I don’t like wooden platforms and no, they are not showing any toe.  However, these Seychelles platforms have caught my attention. They are adorable and come in black and purple.  For $100 on Piperlime, someone might think I’m sporting a pair of Chloe wedges instead.

Leave it to J. Crew to to provide comfy and stylish flats for multiple occasions.  Wear it on a casual day to work or dress them up with a cute dress.  A little boring?  Maybe.  If I wanted to revert to my usual safe route, I’d snatch them up in a minute.

I once said that if Dolce Vita was the last moderately-priced maker of shoes, then I’d be content for the rest of my life.   Loving these black platforms and I could see wearing these shoes whenever I get ready to make a statement.  Not too bad for $162.

And I found these Dolce Vita shoes on the Urban Outfitters website.  Cheaper than the aforementioned Dolce Vita shoes for $128, but I’m still a bit unsure.  Maybe it’s the 5″ heel.   Still, I can envision so many outfits that these shoes would be perfectly paired with.

Overall, I haven’t done much shopping for Spring clothes, let alone shoes.  I did relent and bought two pairs of comfortable and moderately chic everyday shoes from Payless.  Yup, you got it, Payless.  They are the shoes that I wear everyday to work and  since my $195 Tory Burch Reva flats need to be replaced for the 2nd time,  I refuse to another pricey pair right now.  Feast your eyes on these:

Both pairs were $11.99 each.  Not bad at all.  And no, I am not showing any toe yet.