Back to Black 1.

After my last post proclaiming my parring down and style shift to black, the sorting out has begun. As per usual I've listed on eBay and will be dropping off other stuff to a local dress agency. I decluttered the rest to friends and a local man who buys textiles by the kilo. My wardrobe is a leaner machine. It isn't entirely black as there are some things I cannot bear to part with or I wear them a lot. It is mostly devoid of pattern and colour though.

My good work on this paid off last night when Mr MDS surprised me with a night out. Our first of the year. We have been so good and apart from taking the petit garcon to see JLS at the O2 Sports Relief concert and treating him to Giraffe, we've not spent a penny. I was quite pleased as it meant I could give my new sandals an airing despite it tipping down with rain. We decided to drive and park outside the place saving us money on public transport and drink. Parking was free and the only potential obstacle was Fulham v Chelsea but as it was Putney was fine to drive through and we finished our meal before the end of the match so got back through Putney before the crowds poured into the streets.

My sandal purchase was due to a style steal post I did back in February. I made the classic mistake of not getting something I thought really ticked my personal preference box at a great price right at that moment. Again I was being good and not spending money I didn't have. My ebay sales suddenly realised some funds and I tried in vain to get the sandals in London. But thanks to the power of twitter combined with the fact @marksandspencer is a really well managed twitter account I engaged in a very productive tweetathon which resulted in a couple of calls to M&S stores in Bath and Bristol as we were there for the Easter weekend.

At first a complete blank was drawn and both Bath and the Bristol Broadmead store advised me that they didn't have a pair. I completely appreciated the fact the system doesn't always reflect the actual on the floor stock usually due to 48 hours delays. I pushed my failed last ditched attempt to the back of my mind and thanked @marksandspencer for their help despite the outcome. Then halfway down the M4 I got a call from the Broadmead store to say they'd found a pair and they were put by for me. On Easter Monday on the way home I ran into the branch whilst Mr MDS waited in the car to get the £39.50 sandals. Now who says Twitter is just a social network in cyber space hey?! At the orders desk a lady was ordering some items so I waited patiently for probably only 5 mins and conscious of Mr MDS waiting piped up would someone be able to serve me as we were on the way back to London. Well the lady who was ordering (who I thought was a customer) said to me 'is it the sandals?' of course I replied somewhat taken aback 'yes'. Well a lovely conversation then ensued with me and Margaret (her name) because she had found them for me. She told me how busy they had been and she been given the message and the first person she'd sent out on the floor hadn't found them but she knew they were in the store so went and looked. Not only that she was genuinely pleased to met me and see the person who'd wanted the goods. It was truly delightful, of course the other staff were slightly bemused by our conversation but all I can say is that Margaret is a truly wonderful person who works at M&S in Bristol. I also know what bedding she was ordering too. All thanks to the power of Twitter!

 The M&S sandal haul en route back up the M4

Anyway I wore the sandals with an all black outfit for our diner date and as per Mrs Fabs and Too Many Shoes request to show my all black outfits I hastily snapped what I was wearing (badly of course!)

 The look - black jacket, black satin trousers, black top - actually all H&M, the tux jacket I have had for 7 years now, the trousers were from the Conscious Collection and the top is just a run of the mill number with a cowl neck

 The sandals

 The top and trousers

 The statement earrings

And I thought Faux Fuchsia would appreciate this simple flower arrangement on the table. Sorry for sharing my olive stones!

High Street Pick of the Week

Unimaginable is probably at the foremost point of your brain if I was to say S/S12. Having been rocked by a cold spell that seems never ending (it will warm up, promise!) attempting to enthuse you with the array of colours, texture and pattern for the coming months feels like a fools errand. But press on I will with what you can get now for the future.

When I ran my style clinic to help raise funds for petit garcon's primary school pamper evening the other night as the snow fell outside I found myself dissin' yellow. It was in the context of telling the school mums to embrace colour and enjoy the veritable feasts of colour, texture and print hitting the high street stores. And then I go and spoil it all by saying 'maybe not to start with yellow'.

I love yellow and love wearing yellow but over the years I've learned to respect its power. It can illuminate or diminish how you feel in an instant when you put it on.On the one hand it is the colour of happiness and on the other the colour of madness. Tricky.

But these ochre suede strap sandals from Mint Velvet  at £99 bridge the gap between laughter and fear in a splendid sunny fashion.

The Look for Much Less

For those of us who love a flat shoe then the coming season is a joy due to the wonderful Chanel collection and the sublime Valentino one. Both shows gave us flatties a get out of jail card to eschew the high heel fashion brigade, although I am mightily tempted by some mules.

 Chanel S/S12

Valentino S/S12

The fact the minimalistic and strappy flat sandals were worn with formal suits and dresses changes the nature of wearing this style of sandal which typically has been a casual option. 

Now the chances of me getting my mitts on a pair of Chanel or Valentino flats is nigh on nil so the high street will be scoured for options that fit the flat bill with a nod to the catwalks. You need to look for an element of black, strappy and a metallic detail. It will be a few weeks yet before the options get going but for now I'll kick off with these pair of sandals from M&S.

M&S Limited Collection Block Heel Sandals £29.50

One foot in front

It isn't often, well in fact rarely do I mention any products when contacted by PRs. Not because I'm awkward but mainly due to the context being irrelevant. I don't advertise or have any affiliation as my blog is truly independent. However I have thought about having product reviews for ages although I only want to focus on British businesses and ones that are smaller scale. The products also have to be affordable.

I was pleasantly surprised when I was contacted by a Piedi an online shoe business set up by Mariam Syed in 2009. The reason I was taken with Mariam's sandals and ballerina shoes was due to elements of Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressanger. I rather loved the moments of simplicity and I am also a big fan of flat shoes.

A Piedi offers a stylish choice of flats that exude simplicity and charm. I asked Mariam to pick her top three of from her own designs and without her knowing they were my top three as well. In fact I was already in receipt of a pair which I have road tested for going out, a good long walk and for driving. I can verify that not only are they nice looking but lovely to wear.

Here are Mariam's top 3 styles selection:
1. Amy – of course! the first ever sandal I designed and is by far our best seller. Great in any colour, a simple classic that always looks perfectly on trend year on year.

Amy gold £42

2. Antonia – love how 2 colours on this style come together so well without being too colourful.Antonia Nautica £48

3. Carmen – My favourite from this summer’s collection. Always love the leather and suede combination. My preferred colour is Stone, stunning against a tan, plus this style covers enough of the front of the foot for the more un-pedi’ed days!

Carmen tan £60

And these are my ungainly feet in a lovely orange pair of Amy's. My toes have always been ugly, I had a good male friend once who shared the same pair of ugly toes. We decided on that basis we could never be together and doom any children!

Since when did Sandals get well sandally again

It is a shocker but one that I have to say, I have very fond memories of - Clarks sandals. Not any old Clarks sandals but thee Clarks sandals. As per mentioned on page 106 of June's British Vogue in the 'More Dash than Cash' section.





I loved my summer sandals and lets face it my mother didn't veer off script for years, it was the same pair but maybe a different colour every summer. When I got fitted for my sandals I knew summer was on its way and I would be able to run wild and stay up later and get tan marks on my feet. I had red, blue, tan and white ones over the years and it was only in my second year of secondary school that I put my foot down and refused to wear any more Clarks shoes or sandals.

Yet up until that point of teenage angst and peer pressure I'd been happy to wear any old shoe as I cared more for larking about and having fun. I saw a pair of what I consider retro sandals in Aldo a couple of weeks ago and was reminded of wearing such a style and have been thinking about buying a pair. So when Vogue featured old school sandals I was hooked. I know I want tan, I'm not sure I'll go Clarks, but then again I do love the buckles and the memories. My mother will have to sit down if she finds me rocking up in a pair!

Clarks Originals Sandals £45

Did you have these style sandals as a child? What sort of summer memories stick out in your mind?

Gladiator glory!

Are gladiators about to join the long line of perennials? I did an about turn on them last summer as my trusty pair of gladiators I had had for some years gave up the ghost. Well, rather even Mr MDS sort of gave a look that conveyed the fact missing studs and frayed front and battered sides wasn't working. And, this is the stupid bit, because they were every where and the sandal of the season, I sniffily refused to replace them.

This leaves me for a second year without a pair and my resolve is beginning to wain. I still hanker after my old pair and haven't been inspired to replace them - that and a wafer thin budget.

I rather fancy a couple of pairs in Russell & Bromley one at the princely sum of £155 but then I think its silly to spend so much.

Russell & Bromley gladiator sandal in tan calf

My perusal of Office, Faith et al hasn't revealed a favourite, partly due to my nostalgia for my past pair - so if you've got any faves or a gladiator glory pair you want to share - do tell!

PS Thanks to RML for this very handy link which has me sold on all three! It's like the bus scenario...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/5361117/The-closet-thinker-Trends-Romans....html

Roman prices

The lovely Coco of Coco's Tea Party had a great little visual and piece on gladiator sandals. For those of you who even balk at a £30 price point for such summer numbers then these little beauties are £8 at Matalan

But a cautionary note re:gladiators - a la Style Bubble , less floral dresses more imagination!