Footwear Gallery

Hospitality Part1

re-post

There are some who think that asking guests to remove their shoes is contrary to the principle of hospitality.

This is a culturally relative matter. Albania and Turkey are countries in which hospitality is greatly valued and yet it is expected in those countries that guests remove their shoes.

The shoes-on people argue that a hostess should primarily be concerned with her guests comfort and not with the state of her carpet or floor. However, most guests will feel more comfortable after removing their shoes. They may, admittedly, be uncomfortable because they are embarassed about their feet or they feel their shoes are part of their outfit. Those problems can be dealt with by letting guests know in advance that shoes-off is expected and so they can either bring slippers or plan their outfits with bare or stocking feet in mind. Any embarassment should be minimal if guests are not taken by surprise.

In my opinion, those who insist that guests should be allowed to keep their shoes on take hospitality for granted. I may well invite you. I will give you the best seat. I will cook for you. I will serve you the best food I can. I will give you whatever you want to drink, whether it be alcoholic or not. I will give you my undivided attention. I will entertain you with conversation. If you live nearby, I will drive you home in my car. If not, I will let you stay the night. I will wash up the dishes and cutelry you have used and clean up any mess you make. Given that I am willing to do all this for you, do you really think it is so unreasonable that I ask you to take your shoes off?

Tumblr Roundup April1, 2011

Here's what I posted to my Tumblr this week...

Finally warming up!! Stella McCartney wedges ♥

These Louboutin Maggie's are one of the most uncomfortable pair shoes I own... but dang they look good!

It rained at the end of last week so I put on my DSquared2 "rain boots" ;)

My new Prada runway wedges! They ended up being lower than the original runway shoes, but they're still adorable.

Addicted to Glitter?

Gaga wearing the boots that the JC Lita boots were "inspired" by. LOVE ♥

Shoe INSANITY! I mean.... what??

I took this photo of my Fendi slingbacks... what beautiful lines!

The same Fendi shoes

I snuck a shot of our new bebe glitter wedges I designed!!! Do you love them as much as I do!?!?!

And finally... a sick April Fools joke from Prada?? I hope so! Who would pay $1500 for these monsters? WHO??

something else

venison

as yet untitled.

i'm not sure who's worse
the unacquainted or the connoisseurs
there's nothing quite so sad
as a smile for the camera, and a pat on the back

don't make me laugh
it's just dot to dot
and a tick in every box in the book

vacuous and bored
you trip and tumble further from the source
i don't know how you sleep at night,
on a bed of big bux and dotted lines

we promise we won't eat you
even if we need to
we all know what you're up to
it will all end in tears

A Flare for Fashion

I first saw these killer flares on Callandra, Amy and Kim, and they wore theirs so well that I couldn't help but be inspired. So I snagged a similar pair on Ebay (J. Crew, you make the darn good denim - now bring back the hipslungs and petite inseams so I'm not stuck scouring the web for your jeans that fit me) and am happily hustlin' and bumpin' my way through this Friday. Anyone wanna play some Twister?

What I love about this style blogging community is also my wallet's downfall - I'll often see another gal look so good in a piece I never even considered before that I end up going on a crazed hunt to find that exact item or something similar - all-the-while trying to decide whether I really like it, or am just being inadvertantly fashion-enabled (I do mean you, d'armee). Or I get in full-blown butt-kick mode for missing out on pieces that everyone seems to look gorgeous in - yep, you, field game, and you, horizon line, and you, liberty bouquet. I've got to learn to put my fashion blinders on more often - but then again, I would've missed out on these groovy new jeans.

Any of you gals see a fella blogger rock something so well that you immediately had to go out and snag one of your own?

(BTW, thanks so much to Mugdha from A Vigilant Muse for the blog award!)

Top: Forever 21 extended hem dot
Jeans: J. Crew high heel flare (similar here or here)
Belt: Forever 21 metal bead skinny (worn here before - similar here)
Shoes: Xhiliration by Target teanna (worn here before - similar here, here or here)
Bracelet: J. Crew studded bangle (similar here)

Things of beauty...

Here we are again! Some weeks, Friday arrives and I feel like I blinked and the week flew by; today is one such Friday.

I have been thinking about childhood and how each stage of your children's lives seems to be the defining stage. But then it passes and you realise that it was just one phase in the whole journey of parenthood. I have attended lots of school events this week and have observed the Boos standing amongst their peers. The realisation hits every time how much they have grown. Especially my daughter, whose contemporaries have been by her side at her school since she was 4. To see them all grow up - how worldly and mature they seem now. And just to cement that view, Boo then returns home and asks me 'what is antidisestablishmentarianism Mummy?'. Pipped to the post by 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' for being the longest word in the dictionary, apparently. You have to think on your feet as a parent! They break up from school today for nearly a month....eeek.

A weekend ahead of more activities - I am longing for some quiet time. It's Mothers Day on Sunday so maybe then? I have tactically scheduled a duvet day on Monday...can't wait.