Who Wears the Pants?

Clearly, I do. And apparently, I need shoes to complete the look.

I'll be honest with you, I've been shopping a lot lately. Actually, not just shopping - I've been buying. Those closest to me know I may be a so-called fashionista, but I am certainly not a shopaholic. Thankfully, my recent purchases have been limited to pants and shoes, both of which are items in my wardrobe I can confidently say needed a refresh. I'm still wearing things I bought around 4-6 years ago, so yes, I think I can justify a few purchases. Besides, I've noticed considerable discounts popping up in the retail market lately. Now is the time to buy. And in my case, stock up for at least the next 4 years.

So brace yourselves. Here is what I bought:


PANTS

The Gap 1969 True Skinny Jeans

The Gap has been having some incredible sales lately. My parents bought me this pair of burgundy jeans for only $10. While you can't see in this photo, the jeans come with a bright gold button and hardware, which I think complement the tone of the pants. I liked that these weren't Crayola red, and instead were deepened to a more sophisticated shade. As soon as I tried the jeans on, I knew I would be keeping them. I've finally found my denim soulmate in The Gap's True Skinny line (which has served me well in the past) - the cut fits me like a charm.


The Gap Favorite Leggings

Before I get started on these pants, let me say upfront I actually ended up returning them the next day. I was initially seduced by the $14 price tag and the prospect of being among the trendy ripped jeans crowd. I thought if I was to buy jeans that are intentionally torn, then they might as well be cheap and done in a more unique colour. The one lacking feature that made me go straight back to the store the next day with receipt in hand, however, was the fit. Although my legs did look great in a Size 25, the rip on the left leg gave the pants away as being too tight. The threads along the rip were pulled taut against my knee, making it look like a sausage wrapped in twine. I tried moving up to a Size 26, but then the jeans looked oddly roomy around my knees. So because of the particular way these jeans are cut (literally), I ended up floating in limbo between two sizes. Without having achieved perfection, I decided to give these pants up completely.


Old Navy Pixie Pants

After the slight let-down with the ripped jeans (only slight because I don't settle for less than perfection when it comes to pants nowadays), I uncovered gold. The thing is, I uncovered it in a very unexpected store: Old Navy. Ever since my junior high days, I have not seriously set foot in Old Navy. I had labelled it as a place with suburban style and poorly made wares. Yet forced into the store by my mom who wanted to look at a shirt, I came across this pair of shiny gold, brocade-printed pants for $8. Eight. Dollars. I briefly wondered if these pants would be too outré for the workplace, but heck, when was I ever one to balk at being bold? My goal is to get a reaction out of people, and sure enough, the first time I wore them out, I got attention. One memorable instance was when my coworker stopped me to ask if she could feel my pants. She thought they were made of silk from a luxury brand, possibly Louis Vuitton or Gucci. Oh boy. I was incredibly flattered and got an extra kick out of telling her they were $8 pants from Old Navy. Even if the gold print rubs off (though I've already committed to hand washing), these pants are worth it just for the fun.


SHOES

I consider ankles one of the most fashionable erogenous zones, and as you will see, I went a little crazy with that notion. I've always thought my two bony joints were too skinny in proportion to the rest of my legs, which led me to feel comforted by ankle straps and their ability to create the illusion of more bulk. However, my closet contained not a single ankle strap, so when it came time to revamp my footwear, I was pretty dead set on getting strapped in.

Also, don't forget: pointed toe, always.

Town Shoes Brooke T-Strap Flats

Four years ago, I finally bought a pair of black flats from Town Shoes for work. At the time, I had splurged $120 on them (a total act of desperation) so I could dress appropriately in the office. Now after four years of wearing those flats almost daily to work, at business functions, and casually on the weekends, they were barely holding up. I had a hole in the left sole, and the leather was worn and torn from confrontations with the rough pavement and days when rain unexpectedly poured from the sky. I once again found myself with a pressing need for black flats.

I knew I wanted either d'Orsay cutouts or ankle straps - or better yet, a pair with both. I browsed shoe stores multiple times a week looking for an affordable pair of genuine leather flats, and was about to start stressing out when I spotted this pair of t-strap flats in a Town Shoes outlet. Never have I considered getting t-strap flats in my life (although I realize now Valentino Rockstud cage flats are technically t-straps) and I was concerned they wouldn't look professional, but at a nicely discounted price of $38, I had to snag the last pair while I still could. Once I tried them on at home with some business pants, I was sold. I like the additional straps criss-crossing across the toes, the gold buckle, and of course, the beautifully pointed toe. Sure, there were some loose threads along the strap, but that was easily resolved with a snip of scissors. With the foot secured underneath the straps and not much else to scratch against my skin, these are actually wonderfully comfortable. Plus, d'Orsay flats come with the added benefit of lasting longer because they don't get bent as much when I walk. Score!


Coach Jameson Ankle Strap Flats

The thing with having bought the t-strap flats is it happened during a promotion Town Shoes was running: I was given a gift card for $20 off my next purchase. That's a decent amount to get off a pair of shoes, especially on one that is already discounted. You win, Town Shoes. You got me to buy another pair of shoes.

I went to Town Shoes multiple times a week again to find something worth using my gift card on, and was about to reach the expiry date on the card when I decided to revisit the outlet store. Okay, I get the appeal of outlet stores now. I've always thought they were dingy warehouses of B-stock clothing, but they actually do carry some current styles at cheaper prices compared to the regular stores. I came across this pair of Coach flats that had both d'Orsay cutouts and an ankle strap! I had actually seen these shoes advertised online a week ago and had thought they looked nice. It was fate I would meet them in real life. They aren't anything particularly special; even with the silver pebbled leather toe, it's a fairly conservative shoe. But I think these are bang on for work, and with all the discounts piled on, I ended up only paying $58 for them. Although there is more toe cleavage than I am accustomed to, the flats are clearly well-made and I appreciate the charm hanging from the ankle strap. Not a bad purchase considering these retailed for over $200.


ALDO Wiliwiel

Now this right here is a true success story. Last year, I fell for a pair of Zusien shoes from Aldo. I never ended up buying them, but shortly after, Aldo came out with a variation of the Zusien: the Wiliwiel. With a spattering of pearl-like embellishment on the heel, the Wiliwiel turned it up another notch on uptown style. However, having said that, I knew this shoe was of poorer quality: it was made of microfibre suede, had an unfinished seam on the end of the ankle strap, and already showed some discolouring on the embellishment. Despite being comfortable and classy, they were definitely not worth $70. I stopped monitoring the Wiliwiel for the next few months, until one day I noticed them on the sale rack for $35. By that time, the black version was no longer in stock - only the fuchsia and red were left. Since I didn't consider those colours to be as versatile, I decided to really push my luck and wait until they went below $30.

So I waited. And waited. And waited.

Until my mom ultimately convinced me to just buy them. I was disappointed at myself for breaking my discipline, but I made the trip out to an Aldo outlet one day to finally bite the bullet. I was already lucky enough they still had the fuchsia in my size, but then the sales associate rung up the shoes at the till and it came to...$18. What?! I got lucky after all. I had waited just long enough for the Wiliwiel to end up on the clearance rack. Cheapest pair of shoes I've ever bought! Yes, they're also not the highest quality pair shoes I've ever bought, but I think they look more expensive than they actually are. I'm so happy I now own shoes with a bit of a heel, and can't wait to highlight them come warmer weather with an all-black or all-white outfit.


Franco Sarto Brandy Booties

Tired of ankle straps yet? Here's an ankle boot for a change of pace. I purchased my go-to pair of ankle boots eons ago in high school, so I had been low-key on the look out for something to replace them. I decided I wanted a pair of cognac leather Chelsea boots after seeing how sleek they looked, but I had not yet found the perfect pair. What I didn't expect was my mom would beat me to it. In her own search for shoes, she found a pair of brown suede Franco Sarto ankle boots for $40. The defining feature is a silver chain sewn into the welt of the shoe. Although these boots aren't 100% my style - I wasn't fully keen on the button at the back and was hoping for a more traditional Chelsea boot in leather - I certainly don't mind sharing these with my mom. She is half a size bigger than me, but these boots fit great once I put my orthopedic insoles in. Well, that was easy. Guess my hunt for a pair of ankle boots is over!


CONCLUSION

I'm done shopping. I think. For now. I mean, I do kind of want some knee-high boots though...

Image Source: The Gap, Old Navy, Town Shoes, The Style Spy, Aldo, Franco Sarto

Breaking the Fast

Uncharacteristically, I've been avoiding the mall lately. I'm afraid of window shopping. Because I know that if I wander through the racks, there's a chance I'll come across an item that catches my fancy. And if it does, I might start obsessively waiting for it to go on sale.

Why is that a problem?

Well, I've realized I have. Way. Too. Many. Clothes. When it gets to the point you open your closet and continuously find "new" clothes you totally forgot/never knew you had, you might just have too much. It's like some reverse bandit is sneaking into my room at night and giving me new clothes. I literally have zero recollection of certain items being under my ownership. Not only that, sometimes I can spend 15 minutes just deciding what pair of socks to wear because somehow I have 7 different pairs of white socks in my drawer. Or an entire box of nylons. Or three boxes of jewellery. Or clothing stored throughout the house and in the basement. I could literally open a thrift store at this rate. In fact, I've been selling away my clothes, and yet it barely makes a dent.

So point is, I can't buy anymore. I don't need anymore. Aside from a couple wardrobe staples here and there I could update, it would be silly of me to buy more.

But yesterday I broke the fast by walking into an ALDO store. Luckily, I didn't walk out with an item on my wishlist. All I walked out with were a couple quips about their latest collection.

ALDO is actually my favourite shoe store. I think it's good at producing shoes that are trendy, affordable, and can have decent quality - though let me expand on that last point. The majority of the time, ALDO shoes fall short in quality. However, they do always have a selection of shoes that I think step it up. While most are faux leather, it is possible to find a few made from genuine leather, and there are always a handful with better construction. You have to look for them, but they're there.

Yesterday, I found myself more conflicted than usual about ALDO. They have really interesting designs lately. If we look past the blatant Gucci imitation items (Floral embroidered sneakers? Horsebit hardware? C'mon.), or the Fenty x Puma copies (though honestly, who isn't copying those nowadays), there are some cool concepts. Heels and sneakers became canvases for metallic rainbow finishes, sparkly embellishment, shiny gold hardware, encrusted pearls, flecks of glitter, and soft fur. It was just plain FUN. I was honestly impressed with the attention to detail this season.

The only thing was...it all looked tacky. Not because of the design itself, but because the quality was not up to snuff. The fake leather had an unsettling sheen, the metallic was dull and probably easily scratched, and the pearls looked a bit pasted on. I find outré, trendy detailing like this does require some level of craftsmanship to make it look stylish. Otherwise, it can look like an item from the kiddie dress-up aisle (sorry).

I appreciate the design effort, ALDO, and to give you credit, I'm sure there are a couple good pieces in there. But, regardless of whether I'm abstaining from the mall or not, would I purchase any of it? Unfortunately no.

Image source: Aldo, Pinterest

UGG, Really?

Let's talk about shoes.


ALDO Zusien

Remember when I fell for ALDO's Digosien boots? I still Google them every once in a while hoping ALDO will bring them back in stock. Yeah, that's how sad I am. However, that's besides the point. I didn't think ALDO would impress me with another pair of shoes so soon after Digosien, but they did. Introducing, Zusien. I first discovered the appeal of strappy, pointed toe, low block heels from Marzia Bisognin, one of my style icons. I waffled for days over whether I wanted to try these shoes on (and potentially fall down the rabbit hole of lust), but finally, I went into an ALDO store and took them off the shelf.

Oh dear, did I fall down that rabbit hole. I squealed in excitement as my boyfriend looked on with a confused, yet slightly amused, smile on his face. I think even the salesperson took a hesitant step back. These shoes were so classy. The black is sharp against the foot, emphasizing the d'orsay sides. The toe is perfectly pointed, and the block heel is cute and stout. My mind flashed through so many outfits I could wear with these shoes. Alas, at $60, they were too expensive. I didn't want to spend that much money on a pair of suede shoes that I didn't necessarily need.

Shortly after, these shoes went out of stock. I stalked around ASOS for fun, and saw they had a similar pair, but the toe box and heel just weren't shaped as nicely, making the shoes off-kilter in comparison. In an unexpected turn of events though, I checked ALDO again last week, and it looks like Zusien has been revived for another season with more materials and colours. I hope these shoes aren't here to tempt me again, but frankly, I would trade these in to have Digosien brought back from the dead.


Tod's Chukka Boots

A while ago, I was given a pair of brand new soft blue (different colour than above) Tod's chukka boots as a hand-me-down (they were never worn by my predecessor, hence why they are still in brand new condition). Over the years, my wardrobe has acquired some designer shoes thanks to the generosity of my friend, but no matter how big the brand name, I have never been as impressed by a pair of shoes as I was with these Tod's. These boots are of absolute incredible quality. The craftsmanship blew me away.

First of all, the suede. The suede is of the softest, most buttery kind. My fingers slid smoothly over the completely blemish-free upper. Shoelaces were the next thing I noticed. The are made of a thicker, stiffer rope, resulting in a satisfyingly secure tie. Overall, the shoe is a feminine and sleek take on the traditional chukka boot. The elongated toe box narrows into a beautifully gentle curve, and the leather sole is done in a clean birch colour - my favourite shade for shoes like these. While short and demure, the heel is still noticeable, adding just enough negative space underneath the arch to lend the boots a sophisticated polish.

I've always known Tod's to have well-made driving shoes, but I am utterly astounded by this particular pair of chukka boots. When my dad saw them, he told me he too was once floored by the beauty of Tod's, yet could not bring himself to pay the price for a pair. I agree with him when he says these are the type of shoes you don't even want to walk out of the house in due to fear you will ruin them. I love how these shoes help my style venture into more masculine territory, so one day, I shall have to muster up the courage to wear these out. In the meantime though, just let me admire them while they're still in pristine condition.


UGG Janney Boots

UGG, really? Yes, really. I've given UGGs a hard time on my blog, though to be fair I'm only opposed to those loaves of bread they call boots. This winter, we were hit with bone-chilling cold weather. In the five minutes it took for me to walk from the train station to work, my toes practically froze over. I knew it was time I took action and wore some better boots. Luckily, I ended up finding some insulated, albeit hideous, winter boots in my closet. Although I cared about warmth, not style, at that point, I've still been low-key on the lookout for stylish winter boots (is there such a thing?).

Today, browsing though Nordstrom's sale rack, I came across these UGG boots. I picked them up immediately to try on. I don't normally go for wedges, but I'm fine with them if they are sleek enough. What appealed to me about these boots were the military-style lace-up and buckle (which reminded me of Burberry Fall/Winter 2010/2011 RTW - a great collection), and the smooth waterproof leather. The boots were nice and lean compared to my chunky winter boots, and I liked how they were slightly bad ass, but in an elegant way. I would have bought them if it weren't for the $160 price tag. I'm not sure whether these boots are practical enough for our cold, messy and slippery Canadian winters, so I need to ponder some more before I lay my money down.

Image Source: Aldo, Lyst, Zappos

That Bootie Though

Every year around this time, I start fantasizing about summer. I start having idyllic visions of walking along the streets of downtown, taking in the beauty of local parks, and checking out adorable boutiques. However, since I live half an hour away from downtown in suburban quarters, I generally just end up staying at home doing nothing. I'm hoping this upcoming year will be different, and in anticipation of warmer weather activities, I've been daydreaming about new outfits to wear. For some reason, my latest daydreams have me focused on ankle boots, and I find myself craving the sensation of walking down the streets in a darn good pair of ankle boots (I'm not weird, I swear). To satiate my craving (or make it worse, rather), I took a scroll through ALDO's website. In the process, I came across some shoes I'd like to chat about:

DIGOSIEN
Let's start with ankle boots, since they seem to be the latest objects of my obsessions. These Digosien boots were the best pair of ankle boots on the site. They've got smooth leather, a gorgeously pointed toe, and a stylish heel with metal detailing. What's even better? Last time I checked, they were on sale for $56. I would seriously consider buying these, and coming from a self-professed window shopper, that is saying a lot.

QINIEL
I've wanted oxfords since high school, but back then, I had my eyes set on more feminine iterations. Now, as both trends and my tastes evolve, I really appreciate the appeal of something unabashedly masculine (over the summer, I wore a pair of black menswear-inspired shoes snatched from my mom's wardrobe). These Qiniel oxfords strike the perfect balance between feminine and masculine. I love the dusty shade and polished demeanor. Although I had second thoughts about the cap toe, I think it's subtle enough and adds authenticity to the oxford design.

NIKA

Oh boy. Where do I begin. Look, I like translucent heels, that's not the problem. The problem is the horrendous synthetic material. While visible steel rods can be a fun design element, when encased inside a plasticy heel, they only work to further emphasize the questionable material. The coloured sole makes me a little queasy (these are certainly not Louboutins we're talking about here), and the fact these heels also come in bright red and highlighter yellow is unsettling. A shoe with a design so dependent on material and crafted in such a bold colour should not be skimping on quality - it just looks awfully tacky. Want to see a shoe like this done well? Check out Christian Dior.

ALIZE
Ah, the trendy lace-up flat. At first glance, I thought these Alize flats were great. It had a gold heel against pale leather (they reminded me of ALDO's Nydellan flats, which I almost bought one time), and appeared to have a flattering shape. Yet on closer inspection, I noticed the eyelets along the edge. They ruin the shoe for me. If I were to buy a pair of shoes like that, I would prefer to do without the sneaker-inspired lacing. Close, but no cigar!

Image Source: Aldo

Shoeaholic

I just received an amazing Christmas present yesterday: a pair of Aldo Giombetti gladiator sandals.  Technically, it's not really a present because it's actually a hand-me-down from my friend, but she has only worn it once, and the shoe is in pristine condition.

I also received a pair of gold Tory Burch flip-flops, in somewhat less of a pristine condition, but still only worn a couple of times:

As much as I'm ecstatic to own a bit of Tory Burch, the gladiator sandals really steal the show.  I've always wanted a pair of gladiator sandals, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money on such a trendy style.  The sandals are not made from real leather, but that's not really a problem in this case.  And I'm so glad that there's a slight wedge on the sandals, because I love having a bit of a heel on all my shoes, even my flats.  I can't wait until Spring comes so that I can finally wear them out!  Whoever said you can never have too many shoes is a genius.

Image Source: Aldo, Tory Burch