flat shoes at weddings (even if you’re the bride)

Posted by en brogue

It’s wedding season, and for many women this means feeling the pressure to look “dressed up”. For some reason, this also equates feeling the pressure to wear heels, even though with the amount of dancing involved you’d probably much rather be in flat shoes. Not to mention the blisters that come with wearing sky-high shoes, the supply of plasters that has to be packed in your tiny handbag, and the feet washing that has to be done at the end of the night because you’ve spent most of the day in bare feet when your heels got too painful…I don’t need to promote the benefits of NOT wearing heels any more, do I?!

my Diane von Furstenberg Alexandria flats, £185 reduced to £129, matchesfashion.com (BUY ME HERE!)

Yesterday I was bridesmaid for my dear school friend Daisy. I wore flat shoes (of course!), even though the other two bridesmaids were VERY tall and were an entire foot taller than me once they were in their heels. I might have looked comical when standing next to them, but I was on the dance floor all night and I didn’t have any blisters to complain about this morning. My shoes were still a very special purchase and made a chic addition to my bridesmaid dress, plus I have the added bonus that they will look fab with a pair of jeans and a sweater too.

The bride in her “dancing shoes”, £30, topshop.com (BUY ME HERE!)

The bride too was savvy enough to know that she’d have a better time on the dance floor if she changed into flats for the evening do. Her turquoise L.K. Bennett heels did look gorgeous for the ceremony, but Daisy’s Topshop shoes allowed her to dance all night in comfort. They also looked super cool with her vintage wedding dress.

So when you’re planning your next wedding outfit, don’t feel like you HAVE to wear heels to look stylish. It’s just not true, and you’ll have a much better time for wearing flats. Plenty of other women yesterday had this in mind as you can see above (I particularly liked that Catherine wore her Salt Water sandals; she looked great).

Finally though, I couldn’t not mention the men. Not that they have any option but to wear flats (although I’m sure no-one would have minded if they wore heels!). There were some seriously dapper shoes on offer, even TWO pairs of metallic lace ups. Top marks boys!

espadrilling it home: you don’t need to spend a fortune on summer shoes

Posted by en brogue

Today’s blog was inspired by my friend Holly’s lovely (and incredibly stylish) mum Joy, who was wearing these gorgeous Jigsaw espadrilles at the weekend. I love Joy’s style; she’s always one step ahead of the game with her brilliant creative eye (she also makes amazing hand-pulled screen printed cushions which you can buy on her Random Retail website here - I highly recommend taking a look!), so it didn’t surprise me to learn that she bought these shoes last year and they’re sadly not available anymore. But it reminded me how much I love espadrilles, and it was really about time I did a post on them.

Joy’s lovely Jigsaw lace-ups

The brilliant thing about espadrilles is that they are usually pretty cheap. The high street has a great offering at the moment, especially of jaunty stripy ones like Joy’s. These are all perfect for lazy summer days at the beach, and leave plenty of change for a Mr Whippy with a Flake or a bag of fish and chips!

blue stripe, £24.95, joules.com (BUY ME HERE!)

red stripe boot, £35, topshop.com (BUY ME HERE!)

Chevrons, £39.99, zara.com (BUY ME HERE!)

I do think it’s fine to pay a bit more for espadrilles if the design is good enough however, though I’m not talking about the £400 Celine pair I saw in Selfridges recently (yes, FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS!). These particular beauts are from one of my favourite brands, Penelope Chilvers, who is somewhat of a specialist in the espadrille sole.

Espadrille boot in Saffron Tiles, £155, penelopechilvers.com (BUY ME HERE!)

These are a bit special to be kicking off at the beach mind you! I’ll be taking better care of them than that. Although Penelope herself told me that espadrilles should get thrown away at the end of the summer, I have a pair of hers that are still going well into their third year, so they really are well made (and therefore worth that extra investment!).

Nonno espadrille in Safron Stripe, £129, penelopechilvers.com (BUY ME HERE!)

The espadrilles that half of you probably own anyway – TOMS – are SO comfortable, and have such a great ethical story (read more about it here), I couldn’t do this post without mentioning them. Plus I took a nice picture of them in the sunshine on Bank Holiday Monday while I was on the Isle of Wight, which would have been a shame not to share. There are dozens of styles and colours available, so there really is something for everyone (my mum has some in yellow, and Mr Brogue is after a pair too).

TOMS classics, £47, toms.co.uk (BUY ME HERE!)

One final espadrille thought for you: if you’re holidaying in France this summer, have a look at the clothing department in your local supermarche when you’re picking up a baguette. They ALWAYS have a big range of espadrilles for as little as €5. Bargain!!

sensible sandals: practical AND cheap!

Posted by en brogue

It’s sad when something as simple as a crepe soled leather sandal makes you a bit short of breath whenever you think about it. But we fashion geeks are a sad bunch. Ever since I stumbled across these Clarks Originals last week (I was actually looking for sandals for Mr Brogue and was THRILLED when I discovered they don’t do these in men’s sizes!) I have been hoping for the sun to come out so I can convince myself that I do actually need to buy a new pair of sandals. I don’t, of course, but I won’t let a little thing like already owning at least ten pairs of sandals stop me!

Kestral Soar sandals in tan, £49.99 (clarks.co.uk) BUY ME HERE!

the crepe sole that resulted in shortness of breath…

Kestral Soar sandals in chestnut, £49.99 (clarks.co.uk) BUY ME HERE!

Kestral Soar sandals in white, £49.99 (clarks.co.uk) BUY ME HERE!

Not everyone is a fan of the school sandal style (Hilary Rose wrote about how much she hates them in yesterday’s Times) but I adore them. It’s not just because of the nostalgia attached – my mum would take me for a annual trip to Clarks for a navy pair for school – but that classic design will literally never go out of style, and best of all, these sandals are cheap!

Helter sandals, £22 (topshop.com) BUY ME HERE!

Carvela Kurly sandals, £29, reduced from £75 (kurtgeiger.com) BUY ME HERE!

Topshop, Kurt Geiger and John Lewis all have versions, and even if you think you’re normally priced out of the Toast catalogue, think again. It stocks Salt Water sandals which are very reasonably priced and come in a huge range of colours.

Joplin sandals, £65 (johnlewis.com) BUY ME HERE!
Top tip: if you don’t like the T-bar, do what my mum used to and just take it off! Much better for tan lines…

Salt Water sandals, £49 (toast.co.uk) BUY ME HERE!

One final thought: if you swooned over Miu Miu’s crystal embellished school sandals from the SS13 collection but can’t afford them, why not make your own? Get yourself to a hobby centre or haberdashery for some stick on crystals and do it yourself! I like Josy Rose’s black diamond diamante (here) or Stitch n Craft has a big range of Swarovski crystals (here). If you do try this out, please send me pictures!

Miu Miu’s crystal sandals

it’s all geek to me

Posted by en brogue

I have been dying to do this post ever since I ordered these shoes from YMC a few months ago, but I wanted to shoot them on my feet, so I’ve been waiting patiently. And they arrived yesterday! I’ve always wanted to do the geek shoe trend, but I’m still not convinced I’m cool enough to carry it off head-to-toe. What I’d really like to wear them with is a calf-length skirt, buttoned up blouse, ankle socks and heavy rimmed spectacles. Unfortunately, that is a look reserved for the tall and optically challenged, and I fall into neither category, so I’ve paired mine with my fall-back skinny MiH jeans and a Breton top (the Ray Ban glasses don’t have real lenses and Mr Brogue - who does wear thick rimmed specs - thinks I’d be a right fashion victim if I actually wore them!). My YMC shoes are yellow, but they are also available in navy (here) and white (here).

Punk sandals, £180 (youmustcreate.com) BUY ME HERE!

This trend has really taken off for summer, and I’m not surprised, for these are the perfect sandals for this year’s Endless Winter. The enclosed toe means that they look great with tights (mine will be thick, grey and ribbed), and will give a little extra warmth on sunny days that are still a bit chilly but warm enough for bare legs.

I’m christening the chunky white and brown leather versions – available at Topshop and H by Hudson – The Summer Brogue. Simply replace your regular brogues with a pair of these in the summer, and the cut out sections will allow your feet to breathe. Stylish and non-sweaty!

Konnie cage shoes, £42 (topshop.com) BUY ME HERE!

Margo woven shoes, £35 (topshop.com) BUY ME HERE!

Copan, £65 (hudsonshoes.com) BUY ME HERE!

Super-feminine geeks might enjoy this pair from Office, with their patent pink finish. If they’re a bit girly for you though, you’ll be pleased to hear that they also come in black.

candy pink, £40, Office (available from April 10th)

And if you really want to go all out, why not invest in one of Topshop’s ‘Geek’, ‘Nerd’ or ‘Dork’ motif T-shirts?! A step too far…?

Milan Fashion Week: Saturday

Posted by en brogue

Today is my first full day in Milan for fashion week, and I’ve realised I’ve become someone who doesn’t seem to get cold ankles! My toes are freezing though; snow is forecast today.

I’ve seen countless fashion editors wearing white shoes this season, so I’m in good company with these by Kurt Geiger. The trousers – which look like they have little Andy Warhol heads all over them – are by Issa, the Breton is Jigsaw, and the faux fur coat is Topshop.

year of the snake

Posted by en brogue

Jemima Vine smoking slippers, £149, jemimavine.co.uk BUY ME HERE!

Allow me to introduce you to my fabulous new Jemima Vine smoking slippers and how fitting, since we’ve just entered the Chinese Year of the Snake, that they look like this! They aren’t made from real python, but look just as good and come with a clear conscience.

Preen’s floral and snake skin mix

Snake print (and real snake) is a huge trend this season. I was lucky enough to see both Preen and Erdem’s beautiful SS13 catwalk shows at London Fashion Week in September, which were brimming with snake skin and snake print, often juxtaposed against pink florals for a modern (and far less ‘Crocodile Dundee’) take on exotic skin.

H by Hudson boot, £175, hudsonshoes.com BUY ME HERE!

The high street was quick to catch on to the trend (Marks and Spencer even has a snake print trouser suit!) but shoes and accessories are the easiest and most obvious way to wear it. Keep the rest of your outfit simple; I’ll be wearing my slippers with black leather trousers, a white oversized T-shirt and a neon yellow clutch.

Bertie pumps, £39 reduced from £65, houseoffraser.co.uk BUY ME HERE!

Topshop closed toe sandals, £26, topshop.com BUY ME HERE!

Clarks sandals, £44.99, clarks.co.uk BUY ME HERE!

loafing around

Posted by en brogue

OK, this isn’t exactly a trend, but I have spotted a large number of particularly lovely tassel loafers around this season. That’s not to be confused with penny loafers of course, with their little slot at the front which was actually originally designed for storing coins (fact!).

Rupert Sanderson loafers, bought in a sample sale. Buy a similar pair (also in the sale) here

The Rupert Sanderson shoes I’m wearing here are some of my favourites, not just because they are so incredibly comfortable, but because they work with so many different outfits. Turned up jeans? Tick. A pretty floral dress? Tick. A tartan trouser suit? Tick. (I admit, I’ve never actually had the nerve to wear the jacket and trousers at the same time!).

Russell & Bromley Chester loafer, £155, russellandbromley.co.uk BUY ME HERE!

So where to buy now? Russell & Bromley is always a good bet and FINALLY has an e-commerce website. These are pretty well priced and are brilliant quality (my mum has some R&B penny loafers that she’s had for thirty years and look good as new!). This particular style comes in 14 different colours, though you’d be pushed to beat this classic tan.

Russell & Bromley Guything loafer, £215, russellandbromley.co.uk BUY ME HERE!

I love this part-brogue part-loafer style, also from Russell & Bromley. They are so snazzy! They are part of the Stuart Weitzman collection, which is always worth checking out for the more fashion forward styles.

Tory Burch loafer, £255, 020 7493 5888

Flat shoes made quite an impact on the catwalks this season too, and these from Tory Burch were amongst my favourites. You can often rely on this brand for luxurious flat styles with a quirky edge.

J.Crew loafer, £208.49, jcrew.com BUY ME HERE!

Give your masculine shoe a feminine twist with a pop of pink. The neon here looks really striking against the classic navy and tan leather. Don’t worry that J.Crew is a US website, they do ship to the UK.

Topshop Kopenhagen High Vamp loafer, £62, topshop.com BUY ME HERE!

Finally, your bargain of the week at just £62 (and just as cool as the rest) are this pair from Topshop, also available in black and nude. I love that chunky rubber sole that just screams non-slip; a godsend in the UK’s current weather conditions!

high fashion hi tops

Posted by en brogue

OK, this post isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste. I’m not even sure it’s to mine. But the sheer volume of luxe hi tops out there has forced my hand and we’re going to discuss. By luxe, I mean either luxury brands turning their hand at making hi tops (something that has been going on for a few years now, particularly within menswear) or high street brands making luxurious looking trainers.

Jimmy Choo Tokyo sneakers, £325, net-a-porter.com BUY ME HERE!

I am a big fan of hi tops. I own countless pairs of Converse, plus some Nike, Adidas and Puma, and I love wearing them when I am working on a shoot (comfort factor, anyone?). But when I got my hands on this Gerard Darel pair (below), an old sample from last season, initially I wasn’t sure. Gold trainers? Can I do that? Can a girl who loves the look of natural worn leather really do a metallic shoe?

The answer, as you can see from this picture, is yes. Yes! Why the hell not? If you carefully team your luxe hi tops with a plain outfit, it’s really not that scary. Today I’m wearing some black pleather trousers from Zara (these are AMAZING, by the way, and are the best leather look I have found) and a black oversized Reiss shirt. Simple. The brand has carried this style through to summer 13 in different colourways (shown here), so you’ll be able to get your mitts on a pair soon. I love the black and tweed pair.

Maison Martin Margiela, £390, shoescribe.com BUY ME HERE!

So what else is out there? We’ll start with some of the more expensive options. They will have you drooling, I’m afraid, but I reckon if you’re going to spend a lot of money on some designer shoes, it makes MUCH more sense to buy a comfortable pair of incredible trainers than some silly heels you can’t even walk in.

Katie Grand Loves Hogan, £355, store.hogan.com BUY ME HERE!

Love is the word when we come to these green beauties, designed by Love Magazine’s editor-in-chief Katie Grand for Italian brand Hogan. They are achingly cool, especially when modelled by Edie Campbell in the brand’s campaign imagery. Have I talked you into it yet?

Topshop sneakers (top), £65, topshop.com (BUY HERE!) and Zara sneakers (bottom), £69.99, zara.com (BUY HERE!)

As far as affordable luxe-style hi tops are concerned, good old Toppers has jumped on the bandwagon, as has Zara. These, our two most reliable high street stores for picking up on high end trends and translating them so the rest of us can afford them, have both gone for a spattering of leopard print. Leopard has become as easy-to-wear as a Breton stripe in the past few years, which is no bad thing in my book.

Nike Dunk high tops, £65, store.nike.com (BUY ME HERE!)

Of course, the best value (and best functioning) trainers tend to come from sports brands, and Nike’s Dunk hi tops can also be found in interesting finishes. Keep an eye out for its regular Liberty collaborations if you’re fond of a floral print.

I’d love to know what you think. Would you step out in a pair of luxe hi tops? Or are they a step too far? I’ll leave you with my absolute favourite pick of the bunch from DSquared2. Because for me, when it comes to sporty footwear, you can’t do better than retro.

DSquared, £198, reduced from £330, shoescribe.com (BUY ME HERE!)

dreaming in black and white

Posted by en brogue

If you’re going shopping this weekend, be prepared to buy something black and white. I don’t remember a time when one trend hit the high street with such force. Later on in the season we’ll be embracing through colour (that’s one bright colour head-to-toe, including shoes!) but for now, you should resign yourself to wearing monochrome.

Black and white was all over the catwalks for SS13, and your favourite high street brands – particularly H&M and Zara – have picked up on it with some vigour, whether it’s checker-board squares, houndstooth, or humbug stripes.

cut out boot, £75, topshop.com BUY ME HERE!

Of course, footwear has followed suit, and there are some great options out there for you already – so early in the season too! There’s something really dapper about black and white shoes, demonstrated beautifully here by Topshop.

Elizabeth and James loafers, £205, shoescribe.com BUY ME HERE!

I’ve fallen hard for these easy loafers from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s brand Elizabeth and James. Imagine how smart they’d look with some loose humbug striped slacks, a white shirt and a bare ankle. Mannish chic at its best.

star pumps, £18, office.co.uk BUY ME HERE!

If you find monochrome a little serious and want something more playful, look for a fun print like these stars from Office. They’re only £18, so there’s minimal risk buying into the trend at that price!

Marc by Marc Jacobs, £230, shoescribe.com BUY ME HERE!

For the trend setters amongst you, look for black and white stripes to have the most fashion forward feet. Or even better, a checker-board effect. If you can play chess on it, it’s very en vogue!

Don’t forget that to really work this look, you need to wear black and white HEAD-TO-TOE. That might sound scary, but as there are only two colours involved (actually, black and white aren’t even classed as colours, so there are NO colours involved!) it’s easy. I’ve picked some of my favourite items from the new season above. Try clashing different prints and patterns for maximum impact and if you really need some colour in your life, add a flash of bright orange lipstick.

Happy nude year!

Posted by en brogue

Happy new year everyone! I’d like to welcome all my new readers: my, have you guys been keen to find out about about stylish flat shoes over the holidays! Perhaps you’ve made resolutions to be kinder to your feet for 2013? En Brogue approves whole heartedly.

Today I had a little look at the sales and it struck me how nude has become as ubiquitous a colour as black for shoes these-days. The Duchess of Cambridge has given this shade of shoe a somewhat uncool image with her penchant for flesh coloured patent heels, but I’ve done some hunting and there are some great flat styles out there that don’t have the slightest whiff of princess about them. And some of them are in the sales too!

Sam Edelman toe cap slippers, £88, reduced from £148, my-wardrobe.com BUY ME HERE!

I have fallen in love with these slipper style shoes by Sam Edelman, and not just because they have a 40% discount. They would look awesome with cropped cigarette pants and a T-shirt once it’s warm enough to bare your ankles again. Also available in black with silver toe cap, though there aren’t many sizes still available.

Lucca court shoe, £49, reduced from £160, kurtgeiger.com BUY ME HERE!

I’ve had my eye on this retro style from Kurt Geiger for months, and with that whopping discount I think it’s about time I got around to buying them. I love the pointy toe and double buckles, and the barely-there heel that for flat shoe lovers will actually feel like quite an elevation!

Maisy T-bar shoes, £32, Topshop.com BUY ME HERE!

I realise the sales can be disappointing when you can’t get your size, so here’s a pair that’s new and well stocked. And also, cheaper than the others even at full price! If you read my last post about Valentino-style studded pumps, you’ll know that I love this look.

Belle by Sigerson Morrison Varsha shoe, £124.42, shopbop.com BUY ME HERE!

Finally, these fab suede pumps by Belle By Sigerson Morrison put a new spin on that studded look I’m so keen on. There’s something almost reptilian about the placement of the rivets, which juxtaposes brilliantly with the feminine shade of pale pink. Again, these aren’t in the sales but I think the price is very reasonable for a designer brand.

en brogue

Love fashion. Love shoes. Hate heels.

Tag Archives: topshop

flat shoes at weddings (even if you’re the bride)

espadrilling it home: you don’t need to spend a fortune on summer shoes

sensible sandals: practical AND cheap!

it’s all geek to me

Milan Fashion Week: Saturday

year of the snake

loafing around

high fashion hi tops

dreaming in black and white

Happy nude year!

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