MK and Tan-shley

Sorry I haven't been posting much, I've been taking practice ACT after practice ACT. It's getting to be sort of ridiculous, as this time of year is with all seniors in high school feeling the college crunch. Thankfully I've been able to garner some "me" time, which I used today to have a lunch with some friends and meander around Borders. Has anyone read Nina Garcia's Little Black Book of Style? I flipped through it, and was pleasantly surprised. Often fashion-based books like that can seem sort of gimmicky, or without substance. But I thought Nina Garcia's book was a pleasant read that made me think about my own wardrobe. Now, I'm not expecting to have a major wardrobe makeover after this, complete with a whole new outlook on life, but I definitely am contemplating buying a copy of the book for myself. From Amazon.com's independent sellers, of course :)

One of the things that "The Little Black Book of Style" mentions is the importance of shoes. It also, of course, has a requisite section about buying really classic pieces that will last you a while, instead of giving in to trends.

A little while back, I probably would have taken a second glance at these Michael Kors jelly sandals. Yes, they're jelly sandals, which automatically brings them down to "tween fashion" level, but they have an unobstrusive logo. I'm not much of a logo person, but a while back I used to purchase items based on how much "bang for my buck" I got. So, although I probably wouldn't get this pair of jelly sandals, if this was $30 and if those straps were made of leather (even fake), then I probably would have sprang for them.


Fast forward a few months, and I'm thinking about buying a $50 pair of flats. Well, $47.99, but that's a minor discrepancy. Though it may anger the bargainist in me, I've been looking for a pair of flats like these for quite awhile. Even in the summer, I tend to opt for ballet flats rather than sandals because I often feel like they add a tiny bit of polish to an outfit. So even if I'm wearing a T-shirt and shorts, pairing those items with flats makes them look nicer. The only problem is, it's so hard to match flats to outfits, because most of the ones I own are "statement" flats instead. Though I may not be that tan, these flats are pretty close to my skintone, if a tiny bit darker. So, these would be like the more relaxed younger sister of a nude heel, which in my opinion goes with a million different things. I may not buy them now, just because the season when I would wear them is almost over, and I tend to wear my more standout flats (of which I have many) during the cooler months of the year. But who knows...Nina's little novel has been inspiring me lately...

Fresh Scallops

No, no...I don't mean the seafood. Though I don't mind a nice seared scallop...mmm. Anyway, while I was perusing the Saks sale in search of pastel frocks for you guys (the post is right before this), I found this lovely white shift dress from Walter, on sale for $178.80. The scalloped detail is so fresh and light, and the white is perfect for summer. What I like about this dress is that it works for summer, but it could also be paired with a nice cardigan for cooler weather, or even black tights and a jacket for winter (very Zooey Deschanel).


If I had to pick a pair of summer sandals to wear this with, I'd probably go matchy matchy and pick a pair of white or cream sandals. Really, almost anything in a neutral colour (though I'm not so hot about the idea of black shoes and a white dress) would work, even a fierce pair of gladiators. Here are some choices from the clearance circuit that would complement this lovely dress perfectly.

For those of you that want a simple, basic summer sandal that you can use again and again I'd try this crossover flip-flop like variety from Steve Madden. It's on sale for $19.99, and it comes in silver, gold, and black. If I was coordinating this pair of shoes with the Walter dress, I'd go for the silver and gold, but if you need a pair of black sandals by all means try those.




For those of you that want something edgier to neutralize the super-girly scallops on the shift, I would try a more unique sandal, like one of these two pairs. I'd still stick with white, but the first pair of flip-flops, on sale for $25.90 from Chinese Laundry, are a great way to add a little tiny bit of punky studs to any ensemble. The second pair of shoes, on sale for $49.99 from Steve Madden, echo the gladiator/Grecian styles that have been popping up so much. The ankle detail is reminiscent of many avant-garde styles of footwear, yet the simple buckle detail and strappy structure keep this sandal wearable with many different outfits.