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A world of no. How can these be sold out in all but three sizes? At $590, I can hardly imagine people buying these for a laugh...

Massive shoe haul

Apart from my Nasty Gal order (it'd better get here!!), all my new shoes arrived this week. I was particularly impressed with the service of the Dr. Martens site, as I got a "dispatched" message only two hours after my order, and they arrived on my doorstep within 48 hours after having ordered them. I like!
And they are as gorgeous as I remembered them to be. I do think I'll have to be careful how I style them, as my colleague asked me if I was getting into S&M and the boyfriend worried out loud if they might be a tad slutty? Consider me warned.

My order from Asos made me very happy as well. Both pairs are stunning in the flesh, and the low price I paid for them makes me even happier about my purchase. The Props are amazing, even if the toe is a lot pointier than I had imagined from the product shots (it's why I love websites that offer product shots from literally every angle). The only bad thing I can say about them though, is that it's a pity that they didn't match up the print in the back. One of the heels is rather light, while the other one has a lot of black in it. Oh well. You can't win them all.

The Ablaze wedges, man, those product shots don't even come close to doing them justice!! They are incredible in real life! Much bigger and definitely much more vibrant! And they seem to be very comfortable as well, pfew! Big sigh of relief!
I won't show you my New Look purchases right now, as I have a shoe challenge with the spiked boots coming up next week, and the white trainers aren't very special (and don't photograph well either). I can't wait to show you how I will be styling all these gorgeous puppies!!

Shopping spree

Since my London shopping was kinda disappointing, I've been going crazy with the online shopping these last few days. I had counted on maybe buying a pair of Loubs, so I had a bit of a budget as well. I thought I'd give you girls a little preview of the shoes that are on their way to me.

First, I've decided to give Nasty Gal another try, since they really seem to be the online website who stocks up on those Rockette platforms I'm so hung up on. They did give me $25 credit though, after the last negative experience, so I decided to throw in a pair of these Bette crochet platforms as well, as they were already on sale and I really dig the ombre-like effect.

Next up I finally gave into the Asos Ablaze boots, in the scribble print. I'd been eyeing them for a long time ever since I saw them on this shoe girl, and they had finally come down enough in price to justify such a crazy purchase. I also scored some collateral damage (you're placing an order anyway, and suddenly these other things end up in your virtual shopping cart as well): Asos Prop courts in multi geo. With both shoes, it was the print that did me in. I'm just hoping I'll find a way to style them, as I seem to have gone nuts over prints lately.

And finally, I saw these new boots on New Look that reminded me so much of the studded boots from River Island aka "the ones that got away" (seriously, they're still selling on eBay for more than the original price), that I just had to have them. And I threw in a pair of Converse-like sneakers in a beautiful white broderie anglaise, since I'm wearing my turkoise pair a lot more than I would have thought.

How in the world am I ever going to bring the shoe challenge to a good end? (I am already way behind on my posting, I still have a couple of challenges to show you)

Weak

£200 in February, £105 in July. You know that I jumped on that opportunity like a teenage boy on a trampoline, right?

D'Ambra

These are amazing. But even though they would be very weather appropriate right now (more rain in Belgium), I'm still optimistically counting on some sunshine really soon, so it seems like a waste to spend €180 on boots right now.

Dr. Martens goes sexy (and succeeds)

These babies struck my fancy back when I was in Belgrade for Newyear's. I noticed them in a shop window and was a) surprised to find out that they were Dr. Martens and b) blown back by the price tag. They're £200 on the website, but I remember them being even more expensive over there. Although they do look like they might be worth their price. They look very chic and maybe even designer. I'm a sucker for simplicity, especially when it's executed to perfection. These are definitely going on the wishlist, let's cross our fingers that they'll go down in price when the summer collections come around.
Shape? Lovely. Design? Timeless. Heel? High yet walkable. Laces? God, I hope these have a zipper. (they do)

If you're not convinced about the knee-high version, maybe you'll like them better as a shoe boot. And it will save you some pennies too: they're £110. And for those of you who aren't too keen on black, there are also oxblood (dark red) versions of both shoes, with a wooden finish to the heels.

Outfit: On a giant toadstool...

It's been far too long since I posted any personal outfit posts, having been in my home town for Christmas first and next being on vacation, but we went on a little daytrip today, and since I'm so happy with my new coat, I thought I'd show it to you. The package was waiting on my doorstep when I came home from Serbia (which was great btw!) on Thursday, and I've worn it every day since. The Boy loves it as well, even if he still can't believe I actually do wear Dr. Martens...
And yes, I'm actually sitting on a giant toadstool. We went to a Dutch amusement park called Efteling, of which a large part is inspired by the classic fairy tales. It's right across the border from my hometown, so I grew up going to that one every year, and a picture on top of the toadstools has been a classic forever. Since a few years it's also open in Winter, and they change a lot of the decor, including switching the regular toadstools for version with snow on top and ice underneath. Have to love such eye for detail. I had an amazing day.

Coat: Karen Millen - scarf: H&M - shoes: Dr. Martens. And for those of you who are curious, I was wearing this dress underneath, with a cardigan of course.

Dressember - the 20th

 

 

You can really tell that when I like a certain look, I'll go for variations on that same outfit over and over again. So this is a little bit the same as what I wore last week, but with a yellow cardigan and other (still purple though) shoes. I'm still really 'digging' the colour blocking.
I only wore my new Dr. Martens once or twice last year, but with all the rain we've been having lately I think I'll really get good wear out of them. They still hurt the back of my feet though (but only by the end of the day, and I did a lot of walking today), but I have enough Dr. Martens experience to know that it will pass.
I'm quite scared about tomorrow's Dressember challenge. We're supposed to wear a wedding dress (don't own one) or something equally unsuited. I'll try to find something that I'll dare wear to work, or I'll wear something fancy on Thursday, as I'll be working from home that day as the public transport in the entire country will be on strike. It's unbelievable really. Now we finally have a government, but people still aren't happy and going on strike! Le sigh.

Dressember - the 16th

I woke up terribly late this morning. Too late, in fact. I just grabbed the first dress that caught my attention when I walked into my dressing, and I didn't even bother to find some shoes that matched. Well, I didn't have time anyway. That's right, my shoes don't match my outfit, I can't remember the last time that happened. I'm a bit embarassed and very intent on making sure that never happens again. Dreadful.
Anyway, I wore this outfit to work and I truly do love this dress. My best friend picked it out for me years ago and forced me to try it on (at the moment I was very resistent of wearing blue, as I had worn blue for six years as part of my school uniform - with a grey pleaded skirt), I'm happy he did. I adore the busy abstract print, it looks like butterflies.

I admit, my hair is an absolute mess, but that's because it has been extremely windy and rainy today in Belgium, with snow to top it off around 8. At least I managed to switch my deep purple nail polish for black yesterday night. After work my friend Kenneth (who also took these pictures, thank you sweetie!) took me to the theater, and after that we had some glühwein at the Christmas market in town. Luckily I wore a different dress and my purple Docs, because it started snowing as soon as we made it out the door. Welcome to Winter people!

Dress, top and leggings: H&M - boots: Hot Ice.

Dressember - the 15th

They're predicting storm for tonight, and today has been grey and bleek and dreary. This is one of my go to outfits when the weather is uninspirational, you've seen it before. I only had five minutes to take a photo between coming home from work and going to my zumba class, which explains yet another mirror shot.
I'm pretty lazy right now and will go to bed early today, so I'll be completely ready for the weekend tomorrow. Can't wait!

Dress: H&M - boots: Hot Ice.

Biker chick chique

I think that it's clear by now that I'm not one for the clunky boots. (I make an exception for my Dr. Martens, since I think they are curvy and cute and girly.) These Kurt Geiger boots have a more masculine look to them, but I actually quite like them. Not for myself, but for anyone who can sport the biker chick look. If you can get away with shiny skinny jeans and an oversized top (which I definitely can't, I'd get a severe case of the muffin top), these would look great on you. And it might be your lucky day as well, because these just went on sale: £125 instead of £180.

My favourite kneehigh boots

We're halfway through November, it's time to face the music. The moment has come to accept that things are getting cooohooold out there. I nearly froze my behind off on my bicycle this morning!! Even though I'll keep wearing my court shoes during Winter as usual (with exception of the suede and fabric ones, of course), boots are good to have around, me thinks. So here are some of my favourites!

Obviously I was drawn to these Next boots because of their striking colour. Teal is one of my favourites anyway, and the shape is just gorgeous. They are a nice height, and seem comfy enough for everyday wear. I'm especially crazy about the combination of leather and suede, and the toe will stand more wear so it's a double win! They're real leather, hence the £95 price tag. These are going on my Christmas wishlist.

Personally I don't own any boots with a wedge (yet), not even shoeboots. When looking at these, I wonder why, even if I can imagine them giving little stability in snow or on icy ground. The tan is probably an versatile colour for other people, but it would actually be very hard to combine with anything from my wardrobe (apart from basic black that is). These are £65, also from Next.

This is a classic, timeless boot, that you can wear for years, no matter the current trends. It's sleek, without any distracting details. For £190 you get real leather and the Kurt Geiger label.

I love the ever so subtle colour blocking on this Wisteria boot, also by Kurt Geiger, which I've grown to worship rather than just love. Again a classic shape, that gets a little extra oomph from that gorgeous plum colour. The only beef I have with these is actually Asos' fault. On that website the burgundy/purple looks brown, which concerns me. If you dare to take the plunge, they're £230.

The suede boots in tobacco are pretty nice too. A similar shape to the Wisteria, and it also comes in black. An important strong point: the platform and heel are leather, which will make them last longer. They do cost €130 though, which is enough for Asos boots, but at least they're real suede.

Anyone who lives in my part of the world knows how wet Belgium can get in Fall and Winter, so having a pair of rain boots on hand seems like a good idea. Personally I'm quite taken buy this violet version of the classic high gloss Hunter wellies, which would coordinate well with the darker colours in any fall/winter wardrobe, but I love the yellow and bright pink as well! They'll set you back $125, which is quite enough for a plastic boot, but they're supposed to be very comfortable and will keep your toesies nice and dry. And you'll look glamorous at the same time. All of a sudden I feel the urge to actually order these, o-ow!

Shoe challenge #82: Pretty woman

For some reason I can't think of over the knee boots without thinking about Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, where she wore a pair of black thigh high boots with a broken zipper. My main interest in these boots of mine however, was the colour, rather than the OTK aspect. This purple is shockingly vibrant, even for me. I did score a magnificent deal on them though, as they went down in the Asos sale bit by bit, from £150 to £35 or £45.
I actually briefly discussed these boots here, as I was worried I wouldn't be able to include them in my challenge, since they are still at my mom's place. I was sure I've worn them once before though, and luckily I appear to have been smart enough to take some photos. Apparently around Christmas time, by the looks of the trimmings in the background. I must not have been very pleased with them, as I obviously failed to put them online, probably because you can't really get a good look at the shoes themselves.

I would have preferred these as simple boots, just under the knee. They can be worn as such, by folding the top part down, instant transformation! Here's the catch though. The suede (real!) is so buttery soft, that the boots can't hold their own weight. They won't stay up. Which is why I've worn them exactly one time. They were slouching down the entire day, which was very annoying, to say the least. When I wear them all the way up, the suede gathers all the way around my legs, looking very frumpy, and when I wear them folded down, they almost fall down to my ankles.
Months later, I haven't worn them again, but I haven't been able to part with them either. For the moment I have decided to save these, and I will see if my cobbler can find a way to reinforce them a bit, so I'll hopefully get more wear out of them in Autumn.

Skirt (thrifted), Tshirt (H&M) and boots (Asos).

Shoe challenge #70: What's up Doc?

Didn't see this coming right? I used to live in Doc Martens. In fact, I was such a fan, I practically preached them religiously. Unless it was 30° or up, I wouldn't wear anything else on my feet. I wore Doc Martens to my senior prom. Granted, they did look great with my gothic inspired black gown. After I wore out two pairs (and I can tell you, that took years, they are probably the most sturdy and lasting shoes I've ever come across) I left my cherry red ones in Vietnam after a 18km hike in the mountains. My feet were bleeding, I was exhausted and I was angry at the shoes. Afterwards I regretted it of course.

So when I saw these in the sales last winter, I bought them. And then never wore them, since it was more of an emotional purchase, as if I didn't feel safe without a pair in my collection. I was worried Doc Martens wouldn't feel like 'me' anymore. But when Amber wrote about 90s fashion, I just had to bite the bullet. It was now or never. Ironically, I have felt more like myself today than I expected.

For a moment I considered pairing them with a typical outfit like I would've worn when I was 16-23, but I felt inspired by the gorgeous purple to give them the colour block treatment. I thought the orange dress would clash well with the purple, and the belt is a little nod to the yellow trademark stitching on the boots. Unfortunately Doc Martens usually take some time to break in and the backs of my feet are actually killing me right now, but at least the zipper (a relatively new feature) makes them easier to take off. Huge sigh of relief.

The colours in the outdoor pictures are horrible, but it was actually this gorgeous shade of purple that pulled me in. That, and the wonderful texture. I'm pretty sure I'll get a lot more wear out of these than I originally would've thought.

*edit* apparently it helps if you click the photos

Dress (Dorothy Perkins), belt (Asos) and boots (Dr. Martens).

The Lita dilemma

Black glitter Lita ($160)

Up till now, I haven't been a big fan of Jeffrey Campbell's Lita style boot. I've been seeing those, with all kinds of uppers, march around the fashion blogosphere and all I was able to think is how heavy and clumsy they look. That is, until I saw the glitter versions at least.
The silver and multicoloured sold out within hours, to the great dismay and sadness of a lot of girls and women, I'm sure. I liked the glitters a lot better than the 'fur' ones, but still I wouldn't have worn them. These black ones however, defo! Even if they would make my already short legs to appear almost nonexistent. The price we pay for beauty...
Also very cool, this style with all tons of buckles on them. Same shape, different execution.

Wrecker ($255)

Shoe challenge #30: A love-hate relationship

Boots (Le Coq Sportif),
everything else (H&M)

First of all, let me set the record straight, I do not like these shoes. Then why do I wear them, you ask? Well, because I do think they are kind of cool. But they are not comfortable. They may look like the most comfortable shoes in my entire collection, but believe me, that's just appearance. They are devious deceiving little monsters!
Every Winter I get these out to face the first snow. I put them on and I'm sure I can conquer any cold weather nature decides to throw at me. And then after an hour or so, they hurt. Let me be more precise: they start to hurt like hell. And in case of snow, I slip and slide. People think I'm completely bonkers, but I actually prefer walking through snow in high heels. I feel they have more grip (does not apply to ice mind you!) than flats.

These shoes have everything

I like the subdued craziness of these shoes: they feature four different materials, in brown, blue, beige, black and bronze. Which is why I bought them. Thinking they must be the most comfortable shoes ever in history. I was wrong. Very wrong. You probably won't see these again until next Winter.

Shoe challenge #29: Grey matches the weather - revisited

Dress and tights (H&M),
boots (Hot Ice)

Aaaah, nothing says "easy outfit" like a sweaterdress and boots! I usually dress more low-key on Mondays, probably because I pretty much always overdress during weekends. And probably also because I'm terribly tired most of the times. Oh, and because I'm kind of lazy from time to time, but don't tell anyone.
This will be the third Winter for these boots, and I've had them reheeled numerous times and they have even been resoled last year. Sooo worth it though. It does bother me that the heel on these is so low (for my standards, at least), courtesy of 23-year old Daisy. (Thanks a lot, loser! Couldn't you have guessed that I would wear nothing under 4 inches by this time?)

Gorgeous weathered leather

Luckily, the distressed leather uppers make up for a lot. (but not everything) This gorgeous dove grey just gets more and more beautiful with each wear. I don't fret about running into puddles or snow, or about scratching them or bumping into things. Because with each scar and each blotch, I love these boots more. Here's to hoping they'll survive this Winter and maybe even the next one.

Shoe challenge #21: Hi! I'm Daisy and I love shoes

Dress (Modcloth),
leopard cardigan (H&M),
tights (local shop)
and boots (Shoesone)

When I said I was going to keep it pretty conservative for my datenight, obviously I meant leopard print and stiletto boots. So I showed up for 11 (!) blind dates in yellow. Because that's how I roll. *insert gangsta attitude*

Korean, but very comfy

Apparently it did have the desired effect, because not only did all the others girls wear either blue, black or grey (which made me stand out), but I do have a match and a proper date on Sunday. So now I can start planning for that outfit.