A Quick Fashion Tip

I bought the cutest Matt Bernson gold gladiator sandals at the end of summer sale at Scoop last year. It's rare that I pass up a sale and just as rare that I pass up a shiny accessory so it was truly a meant to be buy. However, I got home and realized that gladiator sandals don't exactly flatter my figure. Oh well. I wore the sandals a few times and then it was fall and boot season again and so I forgot about them. Then this summer rolled along and there were the gold sandals again - and the gladiator dilemma. Only now the situation had gotten just a tiny bit worse. Not only do I not like the way the gladiator strap looks around my ankle, but the gladiator shape is not even in style anymore. I didn't know what to do because I still loved the shoes but they were not getting worn.
Then an idea hit me. Cut off the ankle strap to leave just the lower, across the foot strap. Out came the scissors and my trepidation. Is it right to cut a designer's product? Is it like altering a painting by an artist? I would never do that. But the sandals were not getting worn which was their whole purpose for being. So I took the plunge and cut off the straps. And what did I learn? That making something your own is never a bad idea. In fact, I love the sandals now more than the day I found them on sale. So my fashion tip is this: don't be afraid to customize your look. Scissors can be a great fashion editing tool.

Limelight Marketplace?

I am all for shopping, for overpriced designer goods, for fancy artisan chocolate, and for the allure of glamorous new shoes, but this is just not right. The Episcopal Church that was home to the famed Limelight Nightclub and then Avalon Nightclub is now a high-end, boutiquey mall. It's called Limelight Marketplace and you can get caviar, Hunter rain boots (that are now made in China despite their status), and $650 pajamas - that you sleep in! - there. As I went through each corridor and came upon each balcony I remembered bits and pieces of nights I'd spent there before. Crazy adrenaline pumping, laughing and screaming, dancing till dawn nights. And now it is just another place to shop. Oh well, I thought, time to move on. Anyway, despite being super depressing for me the place still has the same beauty and enchanting sadness that it had before, albeit in a different light, so I took a million photos. Here they are:

Online Shoe Shopping and the Reason that I am Perpetually Broke

I just opened up the internet with the intention of visiting the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s website to find out what exhibitions are going on right now. However, once the Google page was open I typed the word “superga” into the Google search field and pressed Enter. The results came up for the official Superga website, some online retailers that sell Superga sneakers and then, three results down, the words, “Shopping results for superga” with five pictures of adorable sneakers in white, grey, navy, yellow, and army green. Without thinking I clicked on the photo of the grey pair. Grey is my second favorite color next to black. But no, this isn’t the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s website, I think as I recall my initial internet intention. This is Amazon.com! I press Backspace and return to the Google results page. Then again without thinking I click on the official Superga website. No, still not the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s website! But this is a very good looking website indeed, I think. Why am I here, I wonder? Well, let me click through a few pages of this just to see the pictures. Oh, is that a picture of a beach on the Italian cost? How lovely! I do want to go there. I wonder if they have the same grey pair here that I clicked on before. I check because I’m curious. Yes, they do. And I wonder if they have my size. Yes, they do. As I select “Steel Grey Canvas” from the drop down menu a red arrow appears next to a red button marked “Add to Cart.” Well, if you insist, I think, but only to find out how much they charge for shipping because I am very curious at this point. I am vaguely aware that this is not what I meant to be doing. However, I’ve come this far, I think. And then out comes the credit card and now there’s a pair of Italian sneakers on their way to my office in three business days.

How did that happen? I want to blame the internet for making spending money so easy. I want to blame credit cards for making money look like plastic – because who cares about plastic? I’d give it away if I had an account full of it. If only it really was just plastic that I was trading for a shopping experience that I barely partook in over the internet. Honestly, I feel quite helpless about internet shoe shopping, but I know the blame is with me.

Oh Well, I think, it’s over. At least now I can peruse the Metropolitan Museums of Art’s website without distraction. There aren’t any cute shoes in their online gift shop.

The Alexander Wang Bootie

When I decide I like something I tend to become obsessed with it. Anyone that reads my blog probably already knows that based on the high number of Tokyo posts. Well, I have a new obsession: Alexander Wang.

Only three years ago in 2007 Alexander Wang created his first full line. Just a year later he was given Anna Wintour's stamp of approval as the CDFA Fashion Fund Award Winner for that year - and $200,000. Since then he has created widely acclaimed collections, mostly goth-inspired and utilitarian.

But what Alexander Wang is really known for are his shoes, more specifically, his booties. The Alexis Fringe Boot was the first to make waves in the fashion industry.


From there he has created the Edita Classic Thong Heel and the Hanne Three Buckle Bootie.


But these are the ones I want. They are from the Spring 2009 collection and they cost about $600, so, I'll just keep obsessing.

I'm A Dope

I recently fell for an online writing scam that I wont specifically mention here. Wiser now and with the gift of retrospect, I decided to put the articles that I made for that scam here on my blog so as to make them my own again. They will be in the next two posts. They are articles that I have put here before, but not in their entirety or current context. Also, I have added shiny new pictures to them for your internet viewing pleasure. As for this post, here is a photo of my favorite pair of shoes. I am considering doing a post all about my shoe collection (there's over twenty pairs), what do you think?

New New Miu Miu

Every season I swoon over the new Miu Miu shoes. This season is no different. Look at these gems (literally)!


I’m reminded of my friend Brian who always says, “Glad to see you’re wearing your sensible flats, mama.” Brian, there is nothing sensible about these flats!


I’m having a Rachel Zoe moment.

Here's the whole collection.