Measuring feet is a big problem when buying vintage online!

We all know the situation. We find the perfect pair of vintage heels in our size online but are weary if the sizing is correct and whether they will actually fit right. Sizing and measurement changes massively for vintage heels so there is always a risk that the heels won’t fit. There are risks that can be worked around. The first thing to ensure is that you measure your feet properly. This means using a proper measuring gauge to ensure you have accurate sizing.

Once you have done this measure the length of your own vintage heels using a tape measure. Measuring the width of your heels is also advisable as well. Once you have done all these foot measure you will have all the information that you require to ensure you can have full confidence when buying online.

It is also highly advisable that you only buy from online retailers that have a quibble free returns policy. This way you can be sure that even if the heels do not fit at least you will be able to get the full refund. If your buying from Ebay or Etsy please do make sure to view the feedback and history of the seller. You can be confident if the seller has done 100 successful transactions that they are likely to be fairly helpful with their returns policy.

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Bringing a Little Sparkle to your Life this Christmas!

Jewellery seems to be the ultimate in fashion accessories and with the party season well and truly underway it is little wonder that women up and down the country are on the hunt for that perfect piece of jewellery to accentuate their outift.  And if you aren’t looking for that one piece to accessorise your Christmas party outfit with then you are more than likely to have included jewellery as an item on your Christmas wish list this year.  So it is a good job that I have found the perfect place to solve all of your jewellery woes.

Astley Clarke is jewellery boutique, which sells some of the most beautiful pieces of designer jewellery I have ever seen.  Jewellery is often quite a personel thing with everyone having their own individual preferences, some like pearls whilst others prefer contemporary or fine jewellery, and in this respect Astley Clarke has something to suit everyone’s tastes.  But if you are buying a piece of jewellery as a Christmas present this year and are unsure about what to get you could always check out Astley Clarke’s collection of diamond jewellery, after all you know what they say, diamonds are a girl’s best friend!

With so much to choose from and with such a wide variety of styles available, one thing is for sure Astley Clarke most definietly has soemthing to suit eveyone’s jewellery needs.  Just think with a piece of jewellery from this boutique to accompany your outfit and you will be the envy of all the girls at the Christmas party.  Or if you are lucky enough to wake up and find a piece of jewellery from Astley Clarke in your stocking on Christmas morning I doubt very much that you will be disappointed!

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Designer Fashion Sources

As I mentioned in my last post it can be a bit of a mission finding online stores that sell the right clothes at the right price. Equally so it can also be a huge effort keeping up to date with the latest designers, trends, sample sales, and discounts. Well I’m going to let you in on another little pocket rocket of mine that keeps me in the loop and well equipped to navigate the shady and seductive World of designer fashion.

The name: Fashion Confidential

Fashion Confidential is basically an affiliate site for all the top designer fashion stylists worldwide. This means that you get all the options in one place, allowing you to develop a real feel for the direction current trends are moving in. They also have a really up to date look book that is additional eye candy if you feel you are left wanting more.

Besides this, Fashion Confidential also have sections of their website that are dedicated to all the latest sample sales and discounts. If you’re too lazy to constantly check the site then simply sign up to their newsletter which will keep you posted on all the essentials.

Here are some heels I particularly like from their site, enjoy!:

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Vintage Heels - Where to look

As you probably well know, finding rare and authentic vintage heels can be a bit of an mission. Nowadays there are so many online vintage shops a lot of the time I simply don’t know where to look. Do I go to Ebay, do I shop around on Etsy, do I do random searches within Google and hope I stumble across something perfect. Personally I will only purchase heels online if they are sold at such a low price that the risk is more or less completely removed if they turn out not fitting me, or looking different to I imagined.

Recently I came across CovertCandy Vintage Shop an online clothes swapping community that also has a shop selling a wide variety of vintage clothes. The vintage footwear section of this site quite literally blow me away. This British site is selling genuine 1960’s and 1970’s french designer classics for under £20. Pretty good!

I have also some good luck with Polyvore again recently after having some time away from. The sets seem to be getting cooler and the girls more stylish - hopefully more vintage shops will get there clothes up soon! Please let me know where you find all your vintage footwear, Im convinced there are more hidden gems out there!

CovertCandy vintage Parisian Heels

CovertCandy vintage Parisian Heels

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Standing on stardust!

I was re-organising my wardrobe last night, and was searching through the mountain of shoes, when I discovered I was missing a vital pair! I don’t mean they had been nicked… but as in I had never owned a pair.

I’ve never owned a pair of pure 70’s platforms!

Par exemple-

I guess 70’s platforms came to mind as I recently watch Forrest Gump… again! And this scene stuck in my mind…

Not because I’m obsessed with suicide in any way or form! God no! But because of her shoes, the scene focuses on her feet quite a bit and I couldn’t help but notice the heels attached to them!

I never went through the 70’s platform phase, I’ve always been a bit tall to pull off platforms without dwarfing others! Actually I did purchase a pair a few years ago, but i can honestly say I’ve never worn them. They’re so heavy and I know after a few drinks I wouldn’t get very far! Although maybe a reason for handsome men to offer their help, but still, way to clutsy!

So I need to own a pair that I’m actually going to wear.

These would be perfect… except they’ve already been sold! Don’t you hate that!

Ooh what about these? Found them on eBay.. one of the best places for vintage heels! Maybe I’ll place a bid on these babies!

Well I guess I’ll keep looking and in the mean time, just dream!

You don’t have to watch it all but I definitely recommend it!

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Jesus Creepers!

The sun is out and so are my toes!

My sandal of choice has always been the trusted Birkenstocks… they’re just so comfy! But I was thinking of those last few hours in the day, around the BBQ, when the suns gone down and the tootsies start getting a little chilly… is it okay to bust the socks out and look like this…

Okay, this photo is kind of the extreme… you probably can’t get worse than this combination. (Except if the socks were white maybe!)

But, I can’t quite embraced the socks and sandals thing yet, and to be honest, I’m not sure I will.

Prada S/S 09 is the closest to socks and sandals looking good…

I know… it barely looks like a pair of socks. They’re those weird pop socks that you used to wear with your trainers and that always pop off your heel! Prada’s made a good effort but it still doesn’t do it for me… Just makes me think that the wearer didn’t have enough time to paint their toe nails!

Don’t even get me started on men in socks and sandals, I can’t ever see that being in anyway stylish! Even though king of cool, Alexander McQueen tried it!

Good effort but no thanks!

If your feet get cold… change your shoes people!

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Pump up and air out…

So, I was re-reading over my last post and thought I should expand a bit…

When I look at the shoes I was writing about, they all seem to be pointing in the same direction… the 1990’s!

And then I started thinking about vintage shoe shopping, and how they’re always that pile of 90’s shoes that are there purely to gather dust! But maybe for not much longer… These beauties could be gracing our feet sooner rather than later…

Ok.. maybe they’re a bit of an exaggeration…but you could probably find quite a few lesser versions in vintage shops countrywide.

Even designers are giving it a go- Sergio Rossi has been busy designing for Puma and produced this pair…

My 90’s shoe of choice was these!

Pump up & air out! Who know’s there may be a return eh?

I say keep a watchful eye on the shoe section in your favourite vintage shop! Almost guaranteed 90’s shoes will be flooding in!

And if all else fails… the most reliable shoes have got to be these!

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Glunge eh?

So, Jess Cartner-Morley, the Guardian’s fashion editor, has thrown us a new term… Glunge! And I love it!

Finally a term to describe that perfect union of glamour and grunge!

It’s also a great excuse to go vintage shopping for that perfect pair of Glunge heels!

What are glunge shoes? Well its got to be something that automatically takes your eyes down to your feet… And it has to clash with what your wearing.. I.e- slinky dress=clunky shoes!

Like this pair! Ooh… don’t you just love them!

From Tabitha Simmons for a measly £1,170! (I’m obviously being sarcastic about the measly bit!)

I remember back in the day, I’m talking way back in playground territory, when everyone had their cute little ballet pumps, myself and my friend rebelled! She rocked the flat DM Mary Jane’s and i wore the best laced chunky shoes you’ve ever seen! I remember them being so heavy, and i used to wear the heel down so quick from dragging them in the playground!

They looked quite a bit like this…

Ooh aren’t they just pure geek chic!

Anyway, imagine pairing these with a really cute and delicate silk beaded dress… love it!

Hope you all find your perfect glunge heels soon!

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All aboard…

What’s with men and their boat shoes?

I never realised preppy was sneaking back in… I don’t mind men looking a bit smarter, but I always chose Travis over Christian or even Elton! (Clueless!)

You just have to head out on to the highstreet to see clones of men all strutting it in their boat shoes, without a boat in sight! I don’t like it… I know you see biker boots without seeing a bike but at least the implication in cool! Boat shoes without a boat just means your probably just an obnoxious daddy’s boy!

And its not just a UK thing either.. Just check out LOOKBOOK.nu and have a gander at the wide range of international boat shoe wearers!

You just know that vintage stores countrywide will have an influx of bearly worn boat shoes in a few months! In fact, New Look have gone that extra step and are selling a ‘vintage looking‘ pair already! Bang on trend!

And in case your confused about how to wear yours, (’cause you don’t really have a boat, and your not really an obnoxious daddy’s boy!) don’t fret… this handbook will tell you all you need to know!

It’s good to see men on trend but I’m ready for the next one already… What about 70’s flares yeh? Everyone loves a hippy!

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These boots are not made for walking…

Hi again…

So I tried out a new pair of vintage shoes last night… this pair to be specific…

witchesboots-003

I bought them in a vintage store in Nashville called Flashback around 4 years ago.

Well actually I was kind of forced into buying them!

You know how the story goes… Your on holiday, your boyfriends made you trek to some obscure record shop on the other side of town , (you walked of course because ‘Its really close on the map!’) to find that rare 7″ that he’s been searching his life for and just when your about to give up all hope of returning to that chilled cocktail thats awaiting you at the bar… you spot something out of the corner of your eye… Whats that, does that say ‘Vintage Clothing?’ Ooh you have to go in!

So, you walk towards the doors, hypnotised by the promise of never seen before goodies and get ready to shop! I was in the shop not even long enough to get used to the familiar smell of a vintage shop, when yes, the boyfriend tells me, ‘C’mom time to go!’ I hadn’t even picked anything up yet, and you have to buy something right? Hence… the boots!

I never wore them, guess because they were bought on a whim, giving no thought to where or with what I’d actually wear them. Until last night… they made their debut…

So, I hear you ask… Did they hold up? Comfort? Well, by 3am this morning, after at least 5 hours of dancing I can honestly say my feet felt good! I am so happy that I’ve rediscovered this pair! They will definately be included in many more outings attached to my size 6’s!

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