Taking Ugly To A New Level

The "G" must stand for "Great googly moogly, in what bizarro universe would anyone with a molecule of sense think these look good???" But hey, they're on sale!

Temptation/Redemption

All week, I had to walk by the Ferragamo store on the way to and from the office. And each time these patent lilac sandals taunted me from their glassy perch. Divine intervention: the store was never open during the hours we were passing by.

Another reason why...

...it pays to buy good shoes. Bought these Ecco's over a year ago, and just had them "refurbished" by my local shoe repair guy for $30. They look better than new and now I'll get another year or two's wear (or maybe more!) out of a favorite pair. Good shoe repair people are worth their weight in gold, IMHO.

Eye Wash

Because it would have been cruel to leave you all with that last post for the entire weekend, here's the antidote for the socksandals eyeworm. They call this color Red Quasar, and it's stellar!

Funky Friday - Cosmic Joke Edition

WTF?

Seriously, what kind of person wakes up one morning with the thought, "Hey, what the world really needs are sandals with built-in black socks! "?

I rest my case.

The Shoes, Part 2 "Happy Ending"

The Story of Red-Goldilocks and the Three Pairs of Shoes


So when I knew I wouldn't be keeping the Too Small Zappos shoes, I called Bloomie's where I'd first seen them, and requested they hold the next size up from the ones I ordered, which when I tried them on were....

Too Big!! So the Sales Associate convinced me to try the next size down (the size that had been too narrow in the toes) and....

they were Just Right!!! So I think the ones from Zappos may have actually been Narrow marked as Medium, or else the sizing is not as uniform as you'd expect from a higher end brand.

They are So. Comfortable. I can't believe I'm wearing heels! They have arch support! They don't rub anywhere! They're a Little Bit Retro! Here they are on, and the heel is a bit higher than it looks due to the angle of the camera. It's a fairy tale ending!!!

The Shoes, Part 1

The Shoes arrived from Zappos last week and are insanely gorgeous, but alas are going back. Too snug across the toes, and Zappos didn't have the next size up.

But all is not lost....

(to be continued...)

Shoe Fetish

Well, not really, but I've been dreaming about these ever since I saw them at Bloomingdale's over the weekend. They look even better up close; the color is more taupe than it appears in the picture and the metallic effect is subtle. Expensive, yes, but they are stunning and would go with everything!

Edited to add: apparently Zappos is sold out of the pewter ones now. Here's a link to the same style in black patent.

Shoe Fascination

I'm supposed to be on a serious budget right now what with all of the holiday spending, but can't get these shoes off my mind.

Strangely enough, what really hooked me was the profile from the back:

Arche "Fiona." I blame this new obesession on Duchesse who suggested in comments I check out Arche shoes and mentioned that they were washable (apparently, they are).

Les Chaussures Sans Douleur

Une femme has come to accept that she will probably never be a Manolo/Choo/Louboutin kind of girl. It's not that they aren't lovely, but aside from the fact that they don't fit my life, the flesh below the knees is no longer willing.

I used to take comfort in the fact that shoes were reliable. Regardless of how tough it might be to find stylish clothes that fit, I could always rock the shoes. Though I've never been one to jump gleefully into a pair of 4" heels, I rarely balked when it came to putting form ahead of function where footwear is concerned. Then something happened: mes pieds rebelled. Once narrow, they widened with pregnancy and never looked back from those broader horizons. I've always had a high arch and instep but now coupled with the new horizontal expansion, finding shoes that I can even get my foot into--let alone stand up and walk in--has become exponentially more challenging.

Search online for "comfort" shoes and you are assaulted with a plethora of beige lace-ups that scream "Senior bus to Laughlin!" Narrow the search by selecting wide sizing, and the prospects become even more dismal. Comfortable-yet-chic shoes have become a sort of Holy Grail pour moi.

Some recent successes:

These shoes from "1803" were my go-to walking shoes when we visited Paris, and though not the pair of stiletto's that all Parisiennes are reputed to wear (yes, another myth), they were perfect with the dark-wash and black jeans I primarily wore that week. They are exceptionally comfortable and supportive; I put several miles on them each day without a moment of discomfort or tired feet. They don't come in wide, but the regular size was fine.

I was delighted to find out that most Ferragamo shoes are available in wider widths. (Don't be fooled by the "Luncheon at the Garden Club" styles available online; they actually have many more au courrant options in the boutiques.) So when I decided it was time to invest in a good pair of classic pumps, I was able to find a pointy-toed, stiletto heeled iconic pump in a C width there, and yes they are actually comfortable to stand and walk in, though probably not so much on gravel or cobblestones, nor for hours on end. Hint: they don't sell the wide sizes online, but you can call one of the boutiques and order.

Stuart Weitzman also offers a multitude of styles in wide widths, though the comfort factor is hit-and-miss. You can't always tell just from looking at the shoe either, you really have to try them and walk around for a while. I've never gone wrong with their boots, though.


Here are some other styles I've been eyeing. While they may not qualify as "Superfantastic!" they do stand out a bit from the usual comfort/walking shoe fare:

Pikolinos

Not your typical stodgy Mephisto's

More Pikolinos

Investments in Footwear

Whenever my husband refers to me as "Imelda," (he who cannot comprehend why anyone would need more than 3-4 pairs of shoes) I remind him that a) I have about 3000 fewer shoes than Mrs. Marcos, and b) it's not a closet full of shoes, it's a portfolio!

Seriously, though, a carefully chosen shoe can be a great style investment that when amortized will yield a very low cost-per-wear. Take for example, a pair of Stuart Weitzman ankle boots, quite similar to these that I purchased two years ago. I've worn them almost daily during the cooler months for two winters now, heading into a third. They show very little wear with periodic polishing, and still look current and fabulous. They were not inexpensive, yet I feel now that they were a great value, and I've never had a moment of buyer's regret.

While I do feel in general that when it comes to shoes, you get what you pay for more often than not, (or don't get what you don't pay for), I have had a few pairs of very inexpensive shoes that served me quite well. Back in my 20's, there was that pair of leopard print Aerolsoles loafers (barely worn!) that I found at a thrift store and wore almost nonstop for about three years until they finally disintegrated. More recently, a pair of beige Ann Taylor suede loafers, on January sale for around $25 have been my go-to shoes to walking dogs and puttering around the house for a few years now. These days they look like something the cat dragged in, but still are comfortable and structurally sound.

One factor that prevents me from becoming a serious shoe-holic is that I have a very high comfort threshhold. I have a high arch/instep, and thanks to going through a pregnancy at 40, a much wider foot than previously. Plus, arthritis in my hip means that I need to keep the heels low (2" or under most days). Many gorgeous shoes that I admire from afar I either cannot squeeze my duck feet into, or feel like Hell's own torment once I stand up and try to walk. I refuse to wear shoes that hurt. Period. There is only so far this femme will go in service of style.

So how do you spot a Blue Chip shoe investment opportunity, and avoid the Junk Bonds? At time it feels more like an art than a science, but what it boils down to is this: hit four out of five and you're in AAA territory. Three out of five and you're at least not pouring money down the drain.

• Comfort - they fit, you can walk in them, you don't get blisters, they don't pinch, or rub or cause loss of circulation if you have to stand for more than 15 minutes, soles are flexible. Bonus points if they're comfortable without hosiery of any kind.


• Workmanship - high quality materials, even stitching, rubber heel tips, evenly dyed leather or fabric, buckles/hardware/ornamentation are all firmly attached and without glue overflow, an overall appearance that is not shoddy.


• Trancendance - classic timeless design. This usually means a simple, more unadorned style. You don't have to ignore the trends altogether, but be careful of "It" shoes. Skip the Tory Burch ballet flats and go for Ferragamo Audrey's. (If you must bow to trend, get these in Chili Patent...TDF and when those Reva's are so last year, these will still look cool.)


• Versatility - Do they dress up or down? Can you wear them with at least five ensembles in your closet? Une femme is a fan of neutrals, but a red, green or a leopard print is also quite adaptable.


• Love - did these shoes haunt your dreams until you went back to the store and plunked down the plastic? Do you still love them now that they are sitting in your closet waiting for their debut? Do they bring forth your most confident self?

I didn't mention price. What I may consider a pricey pair of shoes may be "mid-range" for someone else, and visa-versa. I do agree in principle with The Manolo's assertion that one should save up for a few pairs of Superfantastic shoes, but I know that sometimes you need to leave the house, and don't yet have enough in the piggy bank for the Zanotti's or Louboutins.

Brands that I've found have a good selection of Investment-worthy Shoes: Stuart Weitzman (also feature lots of styles in Wide widths), Salvatore Ferragamo (though they don't offer Wide widths on their website, their boutiques carry most of the popular styles in wide; you can call and order), Franco Sarto (more moderately priced but well made, comfortable and I've found they wear like iron).

Not every shoe purchase has to be based on Investment. Sometimes that open-toed purple suede number with the bows is just what the doctor ordered. And you may be surprised; a pair of shoes that you LOVE although they don't seem practical may end up getting more wear than you'd think.

Tally Ho

Having grown up around horses, une femme has always had a soft spot for equestrian-themed clothing and accessories. The look is classic and timeless, but if you don't wish to appear to be on your way to a riding lesson, don't wear it head-to-toe. By mixing one or two equestrian inspired pieces with other basics, you'll keep the effect fresh, and not overdone.

Riding boots are hot right now, which means there are a lot of choices available. I prefer a simpler boot, without a lot of extraneous buckles, straps or hardware to look dated in a year or so. Here are some options, all under $200.

Etienne Aigner

Sudini

AK Anne Klein

Or, for a little over $200, you can have the real deal: Ariat.

A hacking jacket is another horsey item that translates well to a classic work wardrobe. Ralph Lauren made his bones on equestrian-inspired wear, and hasn't lost his touch.

Tweed hacking jacket.

Or again, you can go with the real thing.

RJ Classics Hunt Coat.

Scarves can also be easily incorporated into one's regular wardrobe. To keep from looking like the Queen Mum, pass up the elaborate knots and throw over your shoulders casually, with a "this-old-thing?" insouciance.

Brooks Brothers

Or, the Mother of Them All, Hermés.

I know jodphurs have made an appearance on the runways recently, but frankly, that's one item I'd skip. Not only are they rarely flattering, but they're tough to wear without looking a tad...costume-y...

...or worse.

Funky Friday - Spaghetti Western Edition

THE GOOD....
My sister always finds the coolest stuff.....

THE BAD....

AND THE FUGLY.

I know, "Pucci Makes the Smiles", but I have to believe people are smiling at these the same way they smile at a frat pledge who had one of his eyebrows shaved off the night before while passed out drunk.

Get a Job! Part 1 - First Impressions

Part of une femme's day job requires the periodic interviewing of prospective employees. Having seen the topic of what to wear to a job interview come up frequently on style blogs, I thought I'd chime in from the perspective of the person sitting on the other side of the desk, not only about what to wear but about the interview process in general.


Regarding what to wear, (as much as those of us who want to cling to hard-and-fast guidelines hate this) It Depends. It depends on the industry, the job, the corporate environment, whether it's a big or small company or department, whether you'll be dealing with the public or clients, and---


But wait, let's back up a minute. Let's talk about your resumé. Usually, this one or two pages (if it's longer than that, EDIT!) is what's going to determine whether you even get to the interview stage. If you can afford to work with a professional resumé service, do it. If not, here are some things to consider:

1. Typos. Yes, even in these days of spell-checking and grammar-checking software, we still get resumes with typos and grammatical errors that would make my hillbilly ancestors blush. I'm never going to believe someone who tells me they're "detail oriented" and "conscientious about their work" when they haven't proofread a resumé.


2. Tailor your resumé to the job, especially if you're trying to transition to work that's a bit different than what you've done previously. Highlight the aspects of your previous position(s) that might be applicable to the field you're trying to get into. A hiring manager for an administrative/office position doesn't care that in your previous dog grooming job you mastered five different versions of poodle cuts. Instead highlight your client recordkeeping system, or how you managed your time so that you were able to handle more clients.


3. Beware of meaningless or superfluous "business speak." Yes, use those "action" words where applicable (implemented, reviewed, designed, processed) but be sure they make sense in the context of your responsibilities and experience.


4. Embellish carefully. DON'T FIB. Most employers these days WILL do background checks and reference checks. (I once received a resumé from someone who listed an office manager job at a small company, during the exact same time I'd held that particular job at that particular company.) If you lie on your resumé and get caught, that is grounds for dismissal at a lot of companies.


5. Appearance counts. Be sure your resumé is organized and sequential. Keep as uncluttered as you can while still cramming your work history onto a single page.

So you've put together a kick-ass resumé, submitted it, and you get The Call. Hopefully you've prepared and planned out a series of interview outfits, (more on that later, but chances are you'll have more than one interview) but if not, ponder these:

1. To Suit or Not To Suit? Though many businesses have succumbed to the Business Casual juggernaut, I think there are very few venues where a suit will count against you (unless the position you're interviewing for is video game software developer or alligator wrangler). In all but the most conservative environments, a pants suit is fine. If you're applying for a management position, a suit is probably your best bet.


2. If you don't have a suit, and can't purchase or borrow one, no worries. Again, unless you're in a very conservative environment (law, accounting, banking) most modern hiring managers won't expect people applying for non-management positions to show up in a suit, but three words to live by are Simple, Polished, Professional.


3. Simple: keep jewelry to a minimum, avoid wild clothing designs or patterns, leave your favorite handbag with the chunky hardware/studs/leopard print/fringe at home. Now is not the time to wear all 25 of your sparkly butterfly hair clips or your favorite holiday-themed sweater.


4. Polished: it still shocks me that I have to say this, but you should be clean. Hair not hanging in greasy clumps, hands sans dirt under the nails, clothes without fresh food stains. (Yes, we've had people show up to interviews like this.) If your shoes are scuffed, polish them or at the very least take a Magic Marker to the most obvious marks. If you don't regularly wear makeup, don't feel you have to for the interview (unless you're applying for a position at the Nordstrom's makeup counter) but again your face should be clean. Clothes don't need to be impeccably tailored, but they should fit. If you don't have a briefcase, portfolio or handbag big enough to carry copies of your resumé and references flat, bring them in a manila folder or envelope to keep them clean and crisp.


5. Professional: yes, this depends on the "profession" but these guidelines are for jobs that primarily involve working at a desk in an office environment. Low rise jeans and a midriff-baring top (all the better to show off your new back tattoo) are not appropriate for an interview, no matter how cool the tattoo. Sleeveless tops used to be frowned upon in the workplace, and while they seem to be mostly accepted now, I'd advise against a sleeveless top or tank or camisole, or at least wear a light jacket over it for the interview. I don't care if you've been staking out the office for a week and everyone you see coming and going is wearing jeans, t-shirts and flip-flops, you still need to ditch the denim, leave your favorite vintage Psychedelic Furs concert t-shirt in the closet, and wear real footwear. It's about showing respect for the company and the people who are deciding whether you're a suitable candidate for a job (yes, that thing that helps you pay for stuff like rent and double-mocha-frappuccinos). Personally, I think most sandals are iffy for an interview, and would advise a closed-toe shoe. Unless you're interviewing for a job as a fashion editor or stylist, save the more avant garde ensembles for expressing your identity once you get the job. Excessive cleavage or visible bra is also not a professional look for most indoor work environments. The same goes for very short skirts.

In the next installment, some specific outfit suggestions and tips for the actual interview.

Funky Friday - Scrolldown Edition

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Isabella Fiore boots.

Boots for Funky Friday

Thanks to my new internet friend materfamilias, and her weekly My Shoes Wednesday feature, I've become enchanted with John Fluevog shoes. They are funky, whimsical, maybe just a little bit bratty (in a good way) and seem to be designed for the woman who knows her own mind.

These boots for example, are perfect for stomping away in a huff from the coffeehouse where your date has just declared that he always votes Republican, and thinks "Newt Gingrich is making a lot of sense these days."

Leopard Print a Go-Go

Une femme is beginning to suspect that she and Miss Janey of HATtastic may indeed be sisters separated at birth.

















Une femme has rarely met a leopard print she didn't like. But only one at a time, s'il vous plait.

More Lovely Greys

No, not on une femme's head. When it comes to hair color, my motto is "Better Living Through Chemistry," though if my shade of grey were a nice silver instead of a faded dishwater, I'd go au naturel in a heartbeat.


I'm speaking (again!) of this fall's grey pallettes. If you love this neutral as much as I do (it looks softer around the face than black, and can be paired with just about any other color), it's a great time to take advantage of the popularity of grey to stock up. Right now greys and pewters are everywhere, and I do mean everywhere.






Chico's jacket. (This looks SO much better in person than in their photo, you'll have to trust me on this one. It's a lovely crinkly metallic pewter jean-style jacket. And machine washable!)













jjill 3/4 sleeve tee in Pewter. (This is actually quite flattering, again machine washable.)









Here you get two trends (grey and patent leather) for the price of one: MICHAEL Michael Kors shoes. (NOT machine washable, I'm pretty certain.)





NYDJ Jeans in Charcoal. (LOVE this brand! Again, these look better on than in the picture. Yes, machine washable too.)

Classiques Entier Portrait Collar sweater from Nordstrom.com. (Very soft to the touch and such a flattering neckline! Sorry, this one is Dry Clean Only. And yes, the model needs a better hair stylist.)



And to accent that lovely grey ensemble? How about a pop of fall color, like this Bungalow Bag in Yam from Hayden-Harnett?

How High the Moon?

Is it une femme's imagination, or are shoe designers these days embracing ever more psychotic heel heights? And I'm not just talking about those wacky Balenciagas, but the shoes intended for work and play for those of us whose last name is not Beckham.


Take for example, the new lace-up oxford shoes, which this femme is highly enamored of. Too Fat For Fashion recently posted about this trend, showcasing several versions at different price ranges. Lovely, n'est-ce pas?

But wait, what's wrong with this picture??? I only see one pair with a heel that looks to be less than 3", and several that at first glance appear to be 4" at least. Who can walk in these??? Especially if one's foot is on the small side, the heel height can almost equal the length of the shoe. It used to be that 4" heels were reserved for ladies night out, or ladies of the night. Now it would seem we're expected to wear them to the office, to coffee, to walk the dog.

We currently are living in a world of heel extremes, either totally flat or skyscraper height. Has the 2" heel been relegated to the scrap heap of footwear fashion, considered now as dowdy as your Grandmother's Easy Spirit pumps? Will saner heads prevail at some point? Can anyone help une femme find an oxford-style shoe with less than a 3" heel???

Feeding Frenzy!

Otherwise known as the Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale.

I was actually paying attention this year, and came home with some nice new wardrobe and makeup additions, most of which at a nice markdown. (Hey, we all need a couple of rationalizations to get through the day.)


I'd "pre-saled" (is that a verb now?) the MAC Brush Set and MAC Coral Lip set so went in to pick those up today, and in a whirlwind 45 minutes, came home with those plus a Laura Mercier Lip Plumper (which I really like--the color is sheer and makes my lips look smoother), and also with this jacket , (I'm so going to be known as That Older Chick With All of the Cropped 3/4 Sleeve Jackets.)





these shoes, (can you tell I'm loving grey this season? It's the new black!)

And some more Footpetals (essential if you want to go sockless and avoid Sweaty Foot).

The thing that I love about this Nordstrom's sale is that it's the new stuff, so sizes aren't picked over. I was actually able to find my size in everything I looked at today, which is nothing short of a miracle for a big sale. If I have a chance this weekend, I may go back and peruse some more. Or maybe common sense will prevail. Between this loot and the two custom bags I've ordered (more on that later) I'm going to be on a spending hiatus between now and December!