Sparkle in Your Step

The first word my goddaughter, Georgia, uttered some eight years ago was “shoes.” I’m not making it up! Her mother called me up from England to tell me; her father was none too pleased. In fact, her mother and I met over a pair of shoes—clogs specifically—in 1981 when my family moved to Oxford, England. Kate and I were both wearing the same pair (shoes were the only way to jazz up our dreary gray uniforms), and she crossed the playground to comment on such. And so the beginning of decades of friendship, during which for the past 28 years we have signed off every letter and email detailing which shoes we’re wearing. So Georgia comes by the obsession naturally. The first pair of shoes I gave her when she was just born were some palest pink suede Tod’s baby driving mocs, because let’s face it, every baby needs a pair. I feel confident Georgia doesn’t read this blog, so I’ll share that this year she will be getting a rather chic pair of Herringbone Sparkle Mary Jane Tiny TOMS. (And remember, for each pair purchased, TOMS will send a pair to a child in need.) I love the glitter in the toe, and if anyone can pull these off, it’s Georgia. Happy Christmas!

The Comeback Kicks

oudin's custom adidas barricade v kicks via getty images

It’s all tennis all the time over here—maybe too much so, in fact, given that my husband is at the ER at Cedar’s with his tennis partner, who is awaiting results of an X-ray. But while the guys were duking it out on the tennis courts, I was at home watching Melanie Oudin make a stunning comeback in today’s upset against Petrova. I’m thinking it was her shoes that gave her the edge. Look at them! Love the pink and yellow combo. Oudin designed them herself, and while WWD reports that hers won’t be available to the public, we mere mortals can customize our own using MiAdidas.com. It’s pretty safe to say that I am ALL OVER THIS.

One Word: Plastics

Yesterday on facebook, I noticed that my super style-y friend and photographer Sharon Suh had changed her profile pic. The above shows her standing on a painter’s canvas at a home that once belonged to Elaine de Kooning. Quick diversion, how great is this Timothy Greenfield-Sanders photo of de Kooning, circa 1980?

Obviously, I became immediately obsessed with Sharon’s shoes and as soon as she messaged back that they were Melissa Plastic Dreams, I was on it. Imagine my glee when I discovered that Vivienne Westwood had designed several shoes for the line? I jumped on these Melissa Ultragirl III peep-toe numbers designed by Ms Westwood. I had to given that Saks had one pair left—and IN MY SIZE. Also, they’re manufactured in a sustainable way, with practically zero waste. Do you think that line of defense will fly when I attempt to justify the purchase to my husband?

I Dream of Dries

Recently my husband and I found ourselves with a couple hours to kill in Antwerp, so I did what any rational person would do in said city and made straight for the Dries van Noten mother ship on Nationalstraat. It’s incredible, and a visit is truly a fashion rite of passage. I was particularly obsessed with belts and baubles, but inexplicably exercised restraint and didn’t purchase. However, now that I’m home I can’t get these sandals off my mind. What was I thinking???

Moc Speed Ahead

There’s one thing I’ve learned about my husband: you can take the boy out of New England prep school, but you will not get him out of a driving moc. Seriously, forget it. Since I’ve known him he’s gone through a variety of mocs in varying hues and leathers, ranging from an espresso pebbled leather pair from Zegna to an Allen Edmonds pair in British tan to a pair of dark brown J. Crew numbers I got him last year for Christmas and which he promptly returned faster than you can say “rubber studded sole.” He’s been on the lookout for a new pair for literally months now, until last week when we had a few hours to kill in Antwerp and we wandered into the boutique of French shoemaker, J.M. Weston. There he found a pair of hand-stitched dark brown nubuck mocs (shown here in beige calfskin), and I have to admit they are pretty damn good-looking as driving mocs go. Happy Father’s Day!

Guac the Walk

Okay, we are a little more than 24 hours out from the long-awaited Guac Off. I can’t believe it’s really here! To get my head in the game, I dusted off an old pair of guacamole-colored Manolos to wear to work today—just to intimidate my friend/foe/colleague Katie, who had done one better and had her nails painted a truly vile OPI hue of guacamole. We suffer for our art. 

I think I might have the edge though. This evening, Tiny G and I were strolling home from Larchmont Beauty Center, where I had tried on three different shades of green eyeshadow, settling on Belly Dance by Nars—when we ran into two of the neighborhood doyennes, who were far too polite to say anything. C’est la guac. Still, I like to think I can carry green eyeshadow at 5 o’clock in the evening, better yet at 1 pm tomorrow. Here’s to hoping I take tomorrow’s trophy—a bottle of Casa Noble Reposado Tequila! Guac On!

Postcards from Billy: High School Reunion Edition

For the newly initiated, POSTCARDS is recurring feature with fashion advice from my dear friend Billy, an art consultant with a wicked eye and even wickeder wardrobe. In this edition, he packs his bags for his 20th high school reunion. And for those of you who caught the Gossip Girls ’80s flashback on Monday, the timing couldn’t be better…

POSTCARD FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AMID SUNNY PLANTATIONS

2009 has thus far been a year of great indecision. Perhaps the stress at work—I fundraise and the current economy doesn’t lend itself to having your hand out—has manifested itself in not being willing or able to make snap decisions. It took an old friend booking a flight to Atlanta to prompt my attending my 20-year high school reunion. I had been sitting on the fence about revisiting the ne’er do well days of my youth.

If you are of my generation, certain films were so integral to our youth—most of them from John Hughes.  Who could forget Molly Ringwald’s moment getting felt up in Sixteen Candles and that über-cool outfit she wore as Claire Standish in The Breakfast Club? But for this trip down memory lane, I am going to refer to a movie that was slightly post-college, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion.  As I contemplate this weekend of seeing old friends and acquaintances from two decades past, I wonder, shall I create a fictionalized version of who I am today? Why dwell on the fact that I am not living in the Park Avenue co-op that I thought I would be in at 38 and instead find myself in a rented Atlanta apartment?  So what if I am not running a successful art consulting business out of a chic Watergate-style highrise.  I might as well dress the part and let no one be the wiser.

FOR BILLY’S WARDROBE PICKS FOR THE 20-YEAR REUNION, CLICK “READ MORE” BELOW…

Glam on the Cheap

My sister was visiting this weekend, and was wearing a pair of gold “Fruit Punch” sandals ($32) from Reef. They are water friendly with a rubber sponge sole, and have all the comfort and anatomical arch support that makes Reef flip flops so great. Maddenly, they look almost identical to a pair of Kate Spade gold leather sandals I spent almost ten times as much on a couple years ago. My sister was wearing the Reefs with a coral-pink strapless Milly “Sumatra” print sundress. They would also be fun with a really good pair of white jeans.

B is for Breakfast, B is for Bags

The other morning I met a friend for breakfast at BLD—Breakfast Lunch Dinner—restaurant on Beverly. The ricotta blueberry pancakes and fried egg sandwich with gruyère here are legendary. Their coffee arrives in a silver French press, and has to be some of my favorite restaurant coffee around. I love it. This last time, I went a marginally more virtuous route than my beloved fried egg sandwich and got the house-smoked salmon scramble.

But the most delicious aspect of this week’s visit to BLD were the two incredibly chic women sitting next to us speaking what sounded like some sort of Chinese dialect, each with a white Goyard St Louis tote casually slung over her respective chair.

In addition to the matching Goyards and Cartier love bracelets, one woman was wearing a pair of leopard-print Tori Burch Reva ballet flats, which I’ll forgive her, because she was also wearing this gray Chloe sweater jacket I’ve been lusting after (in another life, that is). Her companion was wearing a lovely little lightweight Marc Jacobs-y khaki jacket, white jeans and these beautiful blue Chloe peep-toe sandals. (Someone has a teeny tiny Chloe fixation.)

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all, so why shouldn’t we dress for it?

Footloose and Sandal Free!

Apparently Marisa Tomei does not like to wear shoes. And to be honest, when it’s close to 100 degrees outside and I’m wearing a four-inch stiletto that feels two sizes too small, neither do I. But wear them I do. Especially if I’m having lunch on the shaded patio of a favorite restaurant in West Hollywood, as I was today with a totally hilarious New York Times best-selling author. I may not have noticed Ms. Tomei (who looked gorgeous from the ankle up) had it not been for her shoes—a fantastic pair of black leather woven sandals with leather ankle ribbons. So chic. Had they been on, that is. I’ve been looking for a good pair of black sandals, so these, sitting on the ground all alone to left of her chair, caught my attention—are they Marc by Marc, See By Chloe, maybe Sigerson Morrison? I wondered. 

But then I got grossed out. Going barefoot in a restaurant has to be some kind of health code violation. Plus, I felt really bad for those abandoned sandals. So much so that I feel like I should adopt these, just to do my part:

TOMS Shoes: One for One

If you missed Booth Moore’s story about TOMS shoe founder, Blake Mycoskie, in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times, click here. My [awesome] acupuncturist has long been a fan of these slip-on canvas shoes with rope soles, purchasing hers at Uncle Jer’s in Silver Lake. They’re also available at American Rag. Recently I dove in and got a pair of University Navy Rope Sole TOMS. After all, these are shoes with a conscience: for every pair you purchase, TOMS will donate a pair of shoes to children in need as part of their ONE FOR ONE mantra. Check out these TOMS on tiny people in need, below. I love this company! 

Update 4/21/09: If you are looking for TOMS in your area, click HERE for a list of retailers.

Last Dance with Mary Jane

Breaking news! I’m free! The trial is finally over after three weeks, and I’ve never been so excited to return to work. Yesterday during closing arguments one of the lawyers was wearing a knock-off of this iconic Manolo Blahnik Mary Jane, a shoe that I inexplicably don’t own. I had long been eyeing it in beige patent leather, and seeing the very shoe in that very color on Larry Flynt’s dining companion at Nate’n Al last year only cemented my love for it (to say nothing of her teal crocodile bag). But given that I have two different pairs of Manolo slings both in a slightly darker camel, even I couldn’t justify the purchase. Besides which the shoe is everywhere. And it’s $645. In the meantime, I’m liking some of the other Mary Janes on offer this spring.

Christian Louboutin $875

 

Puma "Speed Princess" $80

 

Velvet Angels "Moonshadows" $160

 

Versace Patent Platform ($780)

The Color Purple

I’m going to stop analyzing Michelle’s fashion while she’s in France, because let’s be honest. It’s not a fair fight. So instead, let’s take a look at how amazing Carla Bruni looks in all shades of purple, starting with a stroll in Strasbourg earlier this morning:

 

Photo by Nigel Treblin/AFP/Getty Images

 Here she is in Dior Cruise, but let’s take a moment to pause and zero in on those shoes/bag.

 

Bastille Day 2008 in Dior Cruise

 

tortoise flats + structured bag

 

August 22, 2008, with the Dalai Lama

 

Wearing Hermès at the Elysee Palace

 

With Sarah Brown at 10 Downing Street

 

August 2008 in Cap Negre on the French Riviera

 

Photo Getty Images

 

March 9, 2009, at the National Palace, Mexico City

Guilt-free Gilt

A couple weeks ago I was at a party and my friend Shana was wearing this killer Missoni skirt. I totally freaked out over it, and turns out she snapped it up for a song (like under $100!!!!) from Gilt Groupe. Gilt Groupe offers sales of up to 70 percent on luxury brands. I hadn’t been on the site for awhile, because even 40% off an Oscar de La Renta dress can still rival the better part of a mortgage payment, but then saw that a Helmut Lang sale was on the horizon. Helmut Lang used to be one of my faves, back when the man himself was at the helm. I haven’t purchased a single item from the label since he left in 2005. Then again, I haven’t purchased a single item from any label in a quite some time, because let’s face it, who can spend the money right now?

But then I saw this crinkled taffeta blazer in oyster gray with single flap pockets (functional) and a vent at the back hem on sale at Gilt Groupe. The best part? The price tag: $158, down from $550! Of course it all adds up, which is why I’m talking myself out of a bone-colored Costume National square toe flat with suede trim for $198. Sometimes parting is such sweet sorrow.

Friday Follies in Film: A Checkered Past

Friday Follies [n., pl.] postings on Fridays about fashion and food in film from guest bloggers with impeccable taste.

When Sean Penn took the stage to accept the Academy Award for his performance in Milk, it made me flash back nearly 30 years to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the 1982 movie that burns brightly in my memory not just for the slow-mo, topless Phoebe Cates sequence, but for Penn’s pot-smoking, wave-riding Jeff Spicoli character—and his particular choice in footwear: the iconic black-and-white checkerboard slip-on skate shoes known as Vans.

The first time Spicoli wandered onto the screen sporting the canvas kicks I knew I had to score me a pair. To a rural Vermonter, they seemed to represent the exotic world of cool California, the skate rats, the surfer dudes – the assorted sun sponges, free spirits and law-benders that enjoyed a hedonistic Eden that was 3,000 miles and three time zones away.

I bought my first pair that year on a class shopping trip from boarding school to Holyoke Mall in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

When I broke my left leg in three places that summer, friends used a black Magic Marker to give the foot of the cast a checkerboard pattern to match the right. By the time the cast was off, I’d worn out the right shoe. It wasn’t until a quarter-century later, when I actually moved to Los Angeles, that I owned anything other than those first black-and-white checkerboards; I now own some 30 pair, including beige/espresso checkerboards, custom-designed pink and black checkerboards, (in honor of the Bride), tweeds, palm-trees prints, Galinsky prints, Marc Jacobs crossword-puzzle designs, green aloha prints, the limited-edition Simpsons chukkas (black lace-ups emblazoned with Kwik-E Mart shopkeeper Apu) and even the 40th-anniversary re-issued original maroon-colored lace-ups in the original blue-and-white “Van Doren” shoe box.

Curiously, I no longer own a pair of the black-and-whites that started my collection, but something about watching Penn win the Oscar – maybe it’s because I happened to be back in the frozen hinterlands of my home state – made me want to put on a pair, pop in a copy of Fast Times and as Spicoli himself might put it: “catch a tasty wave.”—Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times

Tiny Baubles

These Chloé flats are one of my favorite pairs of shoes, and they are miserably snug post baby, but I’m never giving them up. I love the baubles on top. They sort of remind me of the shoe equivalent of a coupe of Champagne or cava. 

The Next Step

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow morning I have to be up bright and early, and it is muy importante that I put my best foot forward. Or at the very least a metallic foot forward. Which is why I will be sporting a pair of ore (the “it” metallic of the season) and black Chanel ballet flats, which tend to be kind of frumpy unless one is careful. I’m hoping they’ll take a playful turn with this little olive ruffled dress from DvF, which I plan to wear either unbelted or with the metallic belt, below, that my mother gave me for my birthday a few months ago!  

 

DvF Ornella dress

 

 

Prada leather belt

 

And the Oscar goes to…

If you’ve seen FROST/NIXON—The Foodinista’s pick for Best Picture—you’ll undoubtedly agree that the classic men’s Gucci loafer with silver snaffle plays a pivotal supporting role. Los Angeles restaurants also make the scene, with nods to the original Hollywood power restaurant, Ma Maison bistro on Melrose, as well as takeout from Nate’n Al’s and Trader Vics delivered to Suite 817 in the Beverly Hilton. There’s also a powerful scene involving a cheeseburger, but I’ll say no more.

For more in-depth fashion analysis on Frost/Nixon, check out Los Angeles Times fashion critic Booth Moore’s thoughts on the subject by clicking here.

Days of “Ore”

Nothing screams festive like a good metallic shoe. (Except for maybe a Christmas sweater.) Several pairs of metallic beauties are tucked away in my closet, including a favorite pair of silver tinsel Louboutin 4-inch stilettos, bronze patent-leather Prada d’orsays, a pair of silver glittery Miu Miu flats and some red metallic slingbacks by an obscure Spanish designer—none of which I can wear post-baby. Ach! This season, however, the “it” metallic hue looks to be “ore” as evidenced by my stylist friend Vincent’s Pierre Hardy ankle boots from Barneys and my sister’s Manolo Blahnik Carolynes picked up next door at Neiman’s that sauntered into a holiday party last weekend.