Finding the Perfect Summer Sandals

Now that the weather in LA has officially caught up with the high 80s and 90s of my Palm Springs days, I've been on the search for the perfect pair of summer sandals to pair with my dresses. Since I don't consider myself too much of an adventurer when it comes to shoes, it's always fun to see what all the girls are wearing these days so that I can try out some less traditional styles myself.

I recently wrote about the Dolce Vita Able sandals I stumbled upon in New York, and was excited to find a little surprise while at the Banana Republic Factory Store this past week:

Pretty much a replica of the Dolce Vita's, right?! The colors aren't quite as lust-worthy as the originals, but I was still pretty excited to find them. The weaved backing gives that extra support that will help prevent the uncomfortable slipping around that I hate when wearing flat sandals. Unfortunately, the size 6 was still too large for me so I had to pass. For a fraction of the DV's cost, I wish I could've made them work somehow!

These Seychelles are everything I want and more! Comfy leather backing, cute embellishments, cognac-wear-me-with-everything color, and a 1-inch wedge for a touch of dressiness. Most of my summertime sandals really only last for the season, but I think I can wear these well into September/October.


Here's another pair of pretty cute Seychelles. I'm not sure how I feel about the white on my darker toned feet (will this make my toes look dirty?), but I really like how these are such a great alternative to the superfluous T-strap flat sandals. The straps are girly and fun.


Jessica came out to LA for a visit last weekend and she had on these adorable Bandolino wedge sandals for her trip. I've never really thought of Bandolino as a "young" shoe brand, but these looked great on her and I'm tempted to order them too!


I'm not sure how busy the top part of these Michael Antonio sandals might look when you're actually wearing them, but these have that nice balance between simple and interesting. I want.

I bought these Chelsea Crew gold sandals as a quick, whatever shoe, and they really are less than impressive. I thought the simple gold straps would make them a safe bet, but they turned out to be too boring and not quite as comfortable as I was anticipating. Can't wait to replace them with a much better pair! What shoes are you sporting this season?

East Coast Good-buys: NYC

Home, sweet home after an adventure-filled week with Janice and Jessica (of See Jessica Go) in NYC, followed by a short stopover in Washington, D.C. I can't believe my vaykay is already over! Having only been to both cities once before, it still doesn't fail to amaze me that there are just countless things to do and places to see. Thankfully, the great LA-style weather made roaming around even better (temps in the 80s in April? *GASP*). Although most of my trip was planned around indulging in the many yummilicious food offerings, the main excitement came from shopping, of course! Without actually focusing on making any big purchases, I came up with some great finds, nonetheless:

1) Project 234 (Mulberry & Prince in Nolita): A small, but humble shop, I was surprised to find some great deals here! After doing some more research on the store, it actually plays host to a bevy of local designers and focuses on soft blouses and dresses. We came in during a massive Yumi Kim explosion. I've always wanted to try the designer's pieces after seeing them prominently featured by Tiffany, but couldn't really convince myself to spend the hefty prices. It was more than a pleasant surprise to find that Project 234 was offering, on average, 60% off! Even better was that there were actually sale items in all sizes (yes, beloved XS and S were plentiful!).

Pictured above is the Shayla top, but I picked up a similar top in this print for only $48 (original price tag of $142). This will be the perfect flowy top to pair with shorts or skinnies for the summertime! Jessica also got the Elena dress for $78 (original price $193), which has a simple, but sleek silhouette (add a belt for a quick form-fitting fix). We were definitely excited about our good-buys!

2) Topshop (Broadway & Broome in SoHo): Of course, a trip to NYC would not be complete without stopping in at Topshop! I've definitely been wanting to check it out since its opening last year. Stopping by on a busy Saturday was a little overwhelming, especially during a photography event, so we didn't end up buying anything. However, two great features of the store was the Style Advisor element and amazing shoe collection (see photo to the left of Janice trying on one of the store's crazy offerings)! I definitely need to come back on a quiet day, with some time to really browse through the three-story megastore.

3) Century 21 (22 Cortlandt in Financial District): Oh bargain shopping... I am actually the worst person about shopping at these kinds of large discount retailers because my patience for rummaging and crowds is fairly low. However, Century 21 isn't that bad... It's decently organized and the two main areas I appreciate are the handbag and shoe departments. Having only packed a small carry-on suitcase, I desperately needed an additional travel bag to lug home (which will also be great for weekend overnighters). A LeSportsac Leigh bag was the perfect choice! Super cute and super durable, I've always wanted one. My favorite features are the sturdy handles and lightweight feel. C21 had quite a few available in different patterns for $59.99 compared to a regular price of $120.


After a long day of trekking through the NYC tourist attractions, I couldn't conjure up enough energy for the Women's clothing department, so no finds there. However, I did fall in love with some Dolce Vita sandals in the shoe department. I'm not very adventurous, so all I was looking for was cute and simple (and easily versatile for all kinds of outfits) and these were exactly what I need:
These Able sandals were on sale for $39.99 from $120! Such a steal! Why, oh why, are there never any 5.5/6's?! A few online sites, such as, 6PM, Endless, Zappos, and Shoes.com have them, but I'm sad about missing out on such a great deal.

I have to admit that the majority of my money went towards food, so I'm not too sad about not doing as much shopping in NYC as I originally planned. Plus, D.C. had some surprise finds that I was glad I stumbled upon! Will have to update on that next after I get some much needed sleep, sleep, sleep!

If the Shoe Fits

Have you ever heard of the phrase "to wear many hats"? It means to play different roles and to assume a new set of rules/functions based on that identity.  The analogy is true for me and shoes (I don't wear hats because my hair is already flat and I don't need any more help in that department, no thank you!)

Lately I've been on a shoe buying binge, and have justified each purchase by telling myself that each has a separate purpose - one is fancy going out, one is summer casual, and another is sporty practical (do you appreciate all my double adjectives? It's like I'm giving them a proper name. That or I'm further convincing myself of all their different utilities, ha!)

First, I recently moved into a new apartment and one of the best features is the top floor gym! Seriously, it has been a year since I've regularly worked out, and even longer when I last bought a new pair of running shoes.  I'm a little embarassed to admit that my current pair are K-Swisses that I got my freshman year of college (um, definitely thinking about deleting this last line), so with all these incentives, I decided it was high time to get a new pair. I knew I either wanted a pair of Nike Shox or Asics; the former because I like the look and cushion from the Shox, and the latter because I've heard great things about the comfort of the Asics running shoe. Well the cuteness of this pair won me over:

Nike Shox Turbo Mesh Si (what a mouthful). The Nike website showcases the shoes better...

Looove the color combo. Ladyfootlocker and all those similar companies were having sales on the exact style I was looking at, buuut they did not have the black/white/pink! Had to get this pair, but the baby blue pair would've been a second choice. There's a guy version of this shoe also, and I'm digging the black/white/yellow.

A note: when I ordered, the sales rep said Nike's tend to run small, so I got my normal size (6.5) + a half size up (7) just to see. After putting on socks and lacing them up, there's a bit of toe room in the 7's.  Not a lot, but I'm thinking that my feet will swell up and won't want to be restricted by a tight toebox when I'm working out. (You can tell I havn't actually worn my shoes yet, just admired its pretty color combo in its box.) I believe the rule of thumb is to order half size or full size up, depending on the company's usual sizing standards, and Nike is one to size down. If you get a pair that's tight, you end up with painful toenails, blisters, and decreased incentive to run. The key is to get a snug pair so that your feet don't move around too much, but not tight that it suffocates them.  The 7's give me about a half inch of room in front, which are good.

The second pair of shoes came after I realized I can't walk around all summer in NYC with just flip flops. I've always thought the gladiator trend was cute, but wanted to find ones that wasn't too out there. These fit the bill:

Seychelles Get Outta Town sandals

I've had a pair of Seychelles before, and the padded soles are the best part, super comfy! I'll be able to walk around all of Union Square, up to Central Park, and down to Midtown with these. I got the dark brown for practical reasons, but I love love the yellow! They're so cheerful and brighten any summer outfit. When I put these on, the side strap make my feet look slightly wide but they are cute nonetheless.

The last pair was purchased on a whimsy, after a random trip to J.Crew's final sale. Additional 20% on top of already lowered prices, making the decision to buy these babies easier. I was doing okay in the fancy heels department, let's face it, they all get dirty and stepped on at clubs anyway, and was only allowing myself to get a black strappy pair. Sadly, these are neither black nor strappy but they are beautiful!

J.Crew Greer pleated sandals in Golden Cypress

The pleats and satin material sold me. I really wanted to get the natural/shell color but satin + light color in a shoe just clashes with my sense of responsibility about shoes. They would be dirty and messed up in no time. This richer color will be great for fall, and the heel height is perfect for more conservative outings, like brunch with parents, or a wedding.

Shopping Indecision: Frye's

Frye's - to boys, the name brings to mind the electronic store and newest tech gadgets to play with.  To me, this brand implies beautiful leather BOOTS, and just today, I discovered that Frye also offers cute sandals and wedges!!

Aah, I am so ready for summer to hit.  Too bad NY is still tiptoeing reluctantly into spring.  Uggs are still appropriate for the cold drizzley mornings, and peacoats are still necessary to brave the wind. Come out Mr. Sun, so I can get bright pedicures and wear flip flops and open-toed shoes!

This week only, 6pm.com is having a 55% sale on all Frye shoes, and I am having a heck of a time deciding what I want (i.e. everything shown below) and what's available in my size (or rather, what's in my wallet).

These Cameron Skimmers ($67) are adorable in their weaved 1-inch wedgey summery-ness.  These come in lots of colors, and I want so many! Love bright accessories, because I can't wear it close to my face.  I'm imagining the cheerful lemon yellow ones adding color to a black/gray/white skirt outfit, or complementing my blue bookbag. A fuschia (which is actually a deep plum) would be cute tooo.  But to kick off the summer sandal collection, I'm picking up the easy off-white pair, and hoping that I'll fit the size 6!

(these would go so well with picnic baskets and sunglasses mmmm)

Dialing back from summer anticipation, I need to remember it's still chilly and I want to get my first pair of Frye boots.  I've never been a huge boots fan, since California's cold season was too short to warrant multiple pairs.  I've heard great things about the Campus boots and Veronica slouches, but the bumpy toes and flatness of them don't appeal to me.  These do though:

Frye Vicki Campus ($180 sale). The contrast stitching is holding me back...

I'm liking that rounded point toe and thick heel for comfortable running around the city... my main gripe is that the calf height/length is a bit short; I don't like anything hitting near my calves, emphasizing their disproportion.

Frye Ava Tall boots in Cognac ($224). Hello gorgy color

These would be perfect if they came in black. I already have a pair of brown colored boots, albeit not high heeled and patterened... Got to stick (loosely) to the list though, still waiting for the perfect Frye boots...