Monday 26 August 2013

Shoes and Other Stories

If you don't live in London you might not have heard of & Other Stories. The brand was launched to be a more fashion-forward label than its sister H&M.  If you enjoy picking up the odd COS item, or wish you could afford a Jil Sander outfit, then this might be right up your street, I think all  three labels have some exciting similarities. 

Like COS I rarely walk out with anything when I visit but I always enjoy the experience of going. The clothes, shoes and accessories are rather simple yet lovely pieces. And best of all they are all... they are all at very affordable prices. I am looking for a good pair of black shoes to go with an outfit I wear at the office and shortlisted these. 



Lace-up pumps, £89.  Worn with some coloured tights underneath the pinked edges would create really striking negative spaces on your foot. Potentially very flattering and a nice take on an otherwise quite formal shoe. 


 Velvet and leather-toed wedge, £55. Again, speaking of silhouettes, the waves on the sides could add an interesting dimension to a simple black outfit...


Flat leather sandals, £29. Also available in 2 other colours. The leather laces create a flattering triangle shape to the foot. Nice nail varnish is not a must but an advantage. 


Leather and Suede slippers, £45. In general I am not partial to a slipper, I think that there is something too Hugh Hefner about them. Is it that they just look comfy in a sinister way (you might be familiar with my views on tracksuit bottoms)? I have no idea. Neither do I know how I can feel that way and yet like these shoes. Maybe it is because they remind me of a pair of Dries van Noten shoes I was contemplating selling a kidney for...sigh.

Have a look on the website www.stories.com and know that if you order before August 28th you'll get free delivery. Just saying. 

Sunday 25 August 2013

Liberté, égalité.


Liberty is the byword for luxury shopping experience. It is a joy to spend hours wandering through each room enjoying unusual trinkets and their curation. When I am there I become lost in an aspirational wonderland. Occasionally, when budget allows, and have been very, very good,  I dabble in a treat that will last but I always dream. 

One of the best-loved staples of the brand are their timeless printed fabrics so imagine my excitement at finding these William Morris inspired jeans in Zara to remind me of the down-the-rabbit-hole reverie of my favourite London emporium. They're skinny style and ankle-grazing so I will be wearing them with a ridiculous heel and a plain white top to offset the intense print.