shoesday tuesday: fall edition

just a few shoes i'm loving right now... chic little go-with-everything leopard pumps, the perfect black ankle boots (mine are starting to look pretty bad), high-shine scalloped sandals for next spring, and edgy pumps that look comfortable enough for a day at the office or a night on the town.

II emily

stud finder

zara pumps

while you're saving your pennies for those valentino rockstuds, these cute little pumps from zara should fill the void pretty nicely. i'm wearing mine with everything from jeans to flippy skirts to embroidered dresses, and the walkable heel means you can go, go, go all day long. 

get yours (on sale!) here.

tribal mix

zara shoes

tribal/ethnic prints are going to be huge this season, and these sandals by zara (!!!) are crazy cool, shockingly affordable and would be the perfect mixed-media punch for all of my basic summer outfits. i can picture these with all of my favorite skinny jeans -- from my trusty rag & bone "legging" jeans to my trendier destroyed styles -- as well as with a simple loose tank, black wrap skirt and sleek accessories. it lets the sandals take center stage but still feels totally effortless.

{ oliver peoples sunglasses, t by alexander wang muscle tank, zara wrap skirt (another great one here), giles & brother earrings, repossi ring, prada bag, & zara sandals }

II emily

put a bow on it

everyone who knows me is fully aware of my love for bows. i can't even count how many bow-adorned clothes and accessories i own, including a black leather hair clip i am constantly losing and then finding again in the bottom of my bag. you can imagine how excited i was when carven introduced those uber-popular slingback bow-tied flats and pumps, as worn by blair eadie (and about a million other bloggers/editors/models) below:

the $500+ price tag deterred me from even considering buying these shoes, but i was triumphant when i stumbled upon these very similar slingback flats at miss selfridge for just $38 (they come in black too). they're just what i need to put a spring in my step this season -- fingers crossed it actually starts getting warm soon!

this blush pink color would go with everything, especially the following... 

{ clu sweater, current/elliott jeans, essie nail polish in geranium, bijoux heart earrings, gorjana bracelet, clare vivier clutch, miss selfridge flats }

II emily

buckle up

in other intense shoe news, i discovered a pair of topshop wedges (above) that simply must appear in my closet by summertime. i only refrain from saying "immediately" because, sadly, they are temporarily sold out. they are exactly what i've been looking for ever since chloe sevigny designed those awesome shoes for opening ceremony, seen on chloe herself, leighton meester, & hanneli mustaparta below:

when i was in new york last summer, nearly every editor had a pair of these statement-making shoes (or at least a very similar style). they look cool with literally everything -- skinny pants, crisp dresses, leather shorts... they give an extra oomph to even the most basic outfits. i never thought in a million years i would be able to find an affordable alternative, but topshop's are just $120 (a bargain compared to the chloe sevigny x OC $600+ price tag). fingers crossed they restock them one of these days! (ps: i prefer the black/silver pair but they also come in brown and black/gold)

laced with love

when i bought these black lace-up gladiator heels from the prabal gurung x target collection, everyone thought i was crazy. my boyfriend thought they were a little "intense," liz wasn't a huge fan (and has yet to ask to borrow them), and i'm actually a little afraid to show them to my mom. but the instant i spotted them in the look book, i knew they had to be mine -- mostly because of these two photos: 

images via my new favorite blog, le catch

both of those shoes are wildly out of my price range (at least i assume -- i know the bottom ones are giuseppe zanotti, and i'm not sure about the other ones, but they just look too fabulous to be affordable). i never thought i'd find a gladiator-style substitute under $200 until prabal gurung swooped in and saved the day. 

i love the idea of wearing the tough (and yes, intense) shoes with more feminine pieces, like full skirts, silky florals, and tiny clutches (plus my leather jacket in cooler temps, as in photo #2). in fact, i would especially love wearing my new shoes this spring with some of these lust-worthy pieces...

{ topshop crochet tank, marni ruffled skirt, stella mccartney sunglasses, dannijo cuff, pamela love earrings, proenza schouler clutch, prabal gurung x target heels }

II emily

blue suede shoes

in case you were wondering what your next purchase would be, i have the answer. 

i was browsing the forever21 website today (i know, big surprise) when i stumbled upon the most perfect pumps ever. as in, i've been searching for this EXACT shoe for months and have not found an affordable option until this precise moment. 

 

i've been on the hunt for cobalt blue, pointed pumps ever since i saw jenna lyons wear blue monolo blahniks to fashion week last year (see below). obviously manolos were out of the question for me -- they cost $595 -- and i soon fell in love with a nearly identical, less expensive pair at j.crew. still, their $245 price tag was not cutting it.

after many failed attempts, forever21 came through for me, as they tend to do time and time again. the pumps (below) are just as lovely as the pricier varieties, and i actually like the less-pointy shape a lot more! plus, they only cost $29 -- can you even believe it? i almost want to buy five pairs and stock up for life. or maybe i'll just buy one of every color... they're also offered in citron, melon and mint green.

 

shop them HERE. you can thank me later.

the inspiration:

 

the super savers:

 

 

II emily

 

springtime savings

in case you haven't heard, shopbop has been having a massive sale this week and today is the last day to take advantage of the savings! the way it works is the more you spend, the more you save -- i.e. spend $250 and save $30, spend $1,000 and save $200, etc. etc. just remember to use the code SPRINGEVENT at checkout! 

has there ever been a better reason to start start stocking up for spring weather? i put together some of my favorite pieces that you can start wearing right now and will continue rocking all spring (and summer) long. you know i'm all about transition pieces!

{ from left: tibi "athena" dress, pjk x man repeller "tinkerbell" dress, red valentino scalloped jersey dress & three floor "frenzy" skirt } 

{ from top left: 3.1 phillip lim "pashli" satchel, house of harlow "marley" clutch, samudra "flamingos" pouch, & 3.1 phillip lim "31 minute" bag (reverses to white!) }

{ from top left: nicholas "jocelyn" suede sandals, pour la victoire "sierra" sandals, rebecca minkoff "mabel" sandals, & alexander wang "emma" pumps } 

happy shopping!

II emily   

happy feet

i'm taking a break from studying for finals to share an amazing holiday promotion with you! one of my favorite  online shopping destinations, sole society, has teamed up with haute look (another fashion goldmine) for one of the best deals i've seen all season. it's simple: just join sole society (if you haven't already) and use HAUTELIDAY20 at check-out to get $20 off your first purchase! (ends december 16)

$20 may not sound like that much, but consider this: every shoe on the site is only $50 or $60, and shipping is always free. it's almost too good to be true.

the only problem is, i can't decide which ones to order. which would you choose -- the kimberlee, kaylie, gina, or suzanne?

 

loeffler randall resort 2013

{ from top left: mint rider bag, water snake rider bag, skye gladiator sandal, starrett platform sandal, mini rider in nude, white and neon orange, electric mint lock clutch, and cobalt mix rider bag }

the general consensus is that structured bags are the only kind worth having this season. my slouchy 5-year-old marc by marc jacobs hobo may suggest otherwise, but believe me, if i could drop $500 on one of these loeffler randall beauties, i'd be a proud new member of the bags-that-look-like-briefcases brigade. these are clean, modern and sleek, but nowhere near as boring as some of the other iterations out there. shiny closures, smooth piping and mixed textures add plenty of necessary interest. 

these bags are also really... resort-y, as the name suggests. in pastels, pale beige and even pure white, they were literally made for jet setters who plan exotic december getaways. but i can see a lot of these bags looking just fine with standard winter wardrobes -- it's all about finding balance. wear the minty number with greys and camels, or let the emerald clutch pop against an all-black ensemble. and that tan, black, and python number would function absolutely perfectly all year round -- it's the perfect mix of neutrals.

but the shoes... the shoes should probably be reserved for poolside parties and barbecues. i'm not one to encourage frostbite. but they're definitely worth scooping up now if you have that luxurious vacay in mind (or, you know, if you're already planning your spring break outfits).

II emily

velvet crush

{top row: j.crew x stubbs & wootton}

{bottom row: stubbs & wootton, j.crew, stubbs & wootton, stubbs & wootton, stubbs & wootton}

last fall, smoking slippers were the new shoe. every magazine, boutique, blog and storefront featured slightly different variations; animal prints, stripes, solids, tassels, suede, studs, glitter, you name it. i was on board, and even wrote this post about how much i loved topshop's selection (though i must admit i never got around to ordering any). 

i've since started a small, somewhat predictable collection: a leopard print pair from BP and a hot pink suede pair by cole haan. i think smoking slippers are still very chic and i've worn mine with countless ensembles, but nothing really feels new about them. (if you want to make a statement, you should probably stick with givenchy's unspoken boot of the season.)

however, the latest offerings from j.crew are a complete game changer. the retailer collaborated with stubbs & wootton to create slippers that feel all at once classic, on-trend and a little cheeky. velvet jewel tones and preppy hand-embroidered designs can take even your most basic outfit to the next level: with a grey cable knit and black skinnies, it's chic, a bit retro, and perfect for fall -- so of course i love it.

{crumpet sweater, j.brand jeans, monica vinader earrings, catbird rings, michael kors watch, proenza schouler bag, stubbs & wootton loafers}

II emily

fall footwear

news: style.com just released their top 10 shoes for the fall season. 
excuse me while i pick my jaw up off of the floor. whoa.

from colorblocking to thigh-high laces, this season is bringing the freshest, most fashion-forward shoes i've seen in a lonnngggg time. the shapes are unique, the fabrics are rich, and i couldn't dream of a better color combination for those funky pierre hardy wedges. which stunners are your favorite(s)?

i have to go with the metallic snakeskin valentino pumps. between the shimmery finish, skinny ankle strap, and perfect chunky heel, these are the shoes i wish i could live in. 

images via style.com

II emily

minimal sandals

after seeing how gorgeous tibi's sleek, minimal sandals looked with their new spring line, i couldn't help but go a little crazy looking for similar, affordable beauties online. as usual, zara more than delivered - not only are the silhouettes perfection, but i cant get enough of those bright pops of color! i mean, neon yellow + python? genius. 

can i get them all in a size 8, please?

all shoes, zara.

II emily