My brother, as regular readers will remember, is getting married this spring, in a celebration influenced by Burning Man. My outfit, as regular readers will remember, relies on this brown and black Prada number. Suitable shoes, as regular readers will remember, had not yet been found.
Until now. Regular, irregular, no matter. Here are my shoes. Thank you for joining us.
As it turns out, blue-green was the right color to edge Prada nerd-girl chic over towards Burning Man, and anarchy. Anarchy is always relative. How do I know these are the right color? I wore the dress shopping. Sturdy Gals are practical; even embellished satin slingbacks must serve their intended purpose.
Besides. They twinkle.
Made by Réné Caovilla, we found them at Wilkes Bashford, in the Stanford Shopping Center. One wonders why all those Stanford intellectuals need sparkling shoes, but, who knows? More probably the consumer plunder goes to venture capitalists, investment bankers, and the fortunate technical wizards of Silicon Valley.
In any case, these have silvered soles. The shoes, not the wizards.
Clearly competition with Christian Louboutin and his red soles benefits us all. I suppose the embellished pattern forms logos, double Cs, but given that so few have heard of Mr. Caovilla, and that even fewer know he actually has a logo, I will look the other way.
These shoes were expensive. But quite practical. I heard you laugh. But wait. Low heels. Interesting colors that play well with black, white, and blue, my stalwarts. These will serve as my evening shoes for the next couple of decades, if previous behavior predicts the future.
And since I’m going to wear these with everything, other shoes can put set out to pasture. I have retrieved two pair that I now would love to pass on. At size 7.5, or 37.5, they are too large for my small-footed sister. She is my usual target for hand-me-overs. (I don’t say down. Never down.). In days gone by, before the concept of ‘vintage’ emerged, I’d have sent them off to Goodwill. But I would much rather see if any of the Privilege[d] are in the mood.
Let’s have a giveaway, just in case the answer is yes. I will take no offense, if the answer is no.
Below, a pair of Anne Klein grosgrain satin slingbacks, with elastic covered straps. In the vicinity of 10 years old. Perhaps 15.
They are somewhat worn, especially on the heel strap. However, they never fit me well, because I have foolishly high insteps. They are still viable. I think they’d look best with a pair of black skinny jeans, actually. Pointy toes are back.
Once I began to consider shoes I never wear, I had to admit that I’ve been keeping these Ferragamos too. For no reason, as the t-strap is even worse for a high instep than stretch satin. They are 15-20 years old.
These are in very good condition. Have a sort of 30’s or 40’s vibe.
Just leave a comment below, one for each/either of these you’d like to receive. And, since I sense that one of you with a sense of humor, perhaps Patsy, is planning to comment, “I’d prefer the new shoes,” I absolutely understand. Please come back in a decade or so and we’ll do this again.
70 Responses
hi lisa,
i LOVE your new shoes. they are gorgeous and i can see how they will serve you for another decade. don’t enter me in your giveaway though as i’m set in the shoe dept. but what else you got? just kidding.
xo
janet
Too bad I’m not your size!! I save shoes forever until they seem just too outdated (which only happens occasionally). I don’t seem to be hard on shoes so with a good cobbler’s assistance, I’ve had many for 20 years (like you). The Caovillas are stunning!!
I think the shoes will go quite well with the dress, especially if you wear the turquoise necklace as the bracelet.
Alas, I wear a size 6, or I’d beg for the Anne Kleins.
I can see that your new shoes will be great with your Prada dress. Unexpected, but spot on. And you’re right – they are very versatile, almost neutral shoes.
Congratulations. I know I always feel more complete when the right shoes are found.
I absolutely adore your new shoes! Perfect choice. I love that you wore the dress shopping. Why haven’t I ever thought of that?
I won’t enter your generous and fun giveaway as my feet are a 8.5!
The shoes will be perfect, adore them.
I would love the Ann Kleins! They are my style and fit 7.5 Hopefully!
I have a new giveaway up I think you will love…from The Zhush!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Rene Caovilla makes such beautiful shoes, each one is a work of art. I was so sad when they closed their Rodeo Drive store….not that I was shopping there, I just loved to look at the quality and design of the shoes.
You will show sturdy gal subtle sparkle in these shoes.
You are absolutely correct, I would prefer the new shoes and am willing to wait! But, the reason is that I, too, have ridiculously high insteps.
OK, the real reason is I LOVE SPARKLY SHOES, and those are gorgeous!
I adore the new shoes too, they are fun!. The old shoes are not my size (I’m a 6.5).
Love the Patsy quip!
Beautiful shoes, they look like Manolo’s. I have a cupboard of shoes that I don’t wear already, I need to get out more.
Those new shoes are very pretty and the pairing with the prada dress colors sounds fascinating. I’d love to see a picture.
I recently discovered your website and I’ve been enjoying it thoroughly! My mother is more of the faded glory/wealth generation (and has skills that I occasionally discover such as the killer tennis form to prove it). So I’m a little removed, but can still appreciate the humor!
Anyway, I am between a 7 and 8 and like both pairs you’re giving away! If I had to pick only one I’d choose the Ferragamos.
But shoes or no this seemed a good chance to delurk and say I enjoy your blog!
The new shoes are DEE-VINE. Absolutely perfect and just the right amount of irreverence.
Thanks for handing them over, and not down, to your readers. I would love the Ferragamos!
I’ll make sure to keep reading for the next decade when the sparklers revisit the shoe givaway!
I can’t see how much brown is in your dress, so it’s hard to guage whether the new shoes will work. While I love the new shoes, for a wedding I’d bank on the Anne Kleins. They look elegant and comfortable and they’ll flatter the cut of the dress (especially that snug midriff). What I’d do before the wedding is take them to your shoe repair shop and have them “freshened”.
I’m a bit late, but I would love the Ann Klein’s. My feet are 7.5 and, as I recently mentioned in the comments, I am NOT a high heels girl (super duper sturdy). But this might be a good starter pair…
Thanks for your writing!
Dunce here. I thought you were trying to make a choice, not giving away. So sorry. Ignore me. I have cotton-brain………ah-choo!
The new shoes are so fun and hello- you know know how I *feel* about sparklies ;) Totally right about anarchy being relative- matchy-matchy be damned, this is a combo made in Sturdy Gal anarchy-heaven.
xoox
kHm
Oooh, I am thrilled for you LPC. Midnight blue is just a wonderful evening color. A fabulous shoe will make your sturdy gal dress equally so! You will, of course, post a pic of the ensemble on the big day. Can’t wait to see it!
And monogrammed with the family C!
Oh yes, a life here too with the impossibly high insteps. But since I’m a decade older than you, let me share what comes next: they fall down, and they demand that you support them artificially or else every biomechanical component of your gait GsTH. But as one of Max’s commenters said last week just as I was lamenting my new orthotics that don’t fit into anything but New Balance sneakers “A girl’s gotta be bigger than her shoes.”
Well now, if I may go against my normal whineathon when it comes to logos and tell you how much I adore the new shoes! It never occurred to me the pattern might be a logo, and the notion of silver soles makes them magic in my book. Absolutely fabulous Miss LPC, I am off to visit the shop’s Facebook page. :)
Happy new week to you!
tp
the shoes will look fabulous! I’m sure someone will enjoy your giveaway!
Love the shoes. I wear a 7.5, but 8.5 feel so good I go for a 9….
These are the (old)jokes, folks!!
While I do wear a 7.5 shoe, and could easily fit either of these two pair into my rotations, that’s not why I’m interrupting my Paris wandering — I’m just here to say that your new shoes are absolutely gorgeous, silver soles and all. They’ll be marvellous with your Prada dress and we all want pictures come the wedding.
oh, and can I call dibs on the new shoes when they’re put out to pasture a decade or so hence . . .
Oh I can’t believe there’s a giveaway in my size! I love them both, although I think the T-strap has the edge. (They’re saucy. I like it.)
The new shoes are GORGEOUS and will look fantastic with the dress. One wears brown shoes with a blue dress, so why not the reverse? Especially when they are also SPARKLY?
I also have a ridiculously high instep. I can’t wear boots that don’t have zippers! In fact, there are quite a number of styles of shoes I can’t wear.
Your new blue-green slingback are gorgeous!
I adore the new shoes. I wear a size 6, so I am left out of this fun! :-(. Have a great week. xoxo
Your new shoes are truly scrumptious! They’d look so good with grey too!
The shoes are great, but no, they don’t go with the dress? Spring for a new dress for your brother’s wedding??
My jaw dropped and my heart stopped when I saw the shoes. Slingbacks…. sparkles…. little pearls? All things I absolutely adore. I am between an 8 and 8.5 in a regular shoe but when it comes to sandals and slingbacks I have to wear a 7.5 because my feet are so narrow and the straps don’t stay on when I go larger… I would be honored to win these and add these to my slingback collection!
Love the shoes! And the mixing of colours is a great idea!
I am de-lurking as well! Love your new shoes, SILVER SOLES, love…and I’d love to win either (both! all three!) pair of your shoes. Please consider me. Thanks
The new shoes are divine. Truly. You will have such happy feet every time they see you pull these darlings out and slip them on.
Now about those Ferragamos, where to begin. The capped-toe, the classic heel, the ever-feminine “T,” they are all just so right. Really. Please let them know that I think they are lovely. I wear mostly skirts and dresses – tremendously inspired by the classic dressing from the mid-20th century. Would love to have them move in. They would certainly enjoy new life here on the East Coast for many years to come.
Thank you for sharing your surplus. Recycling can be fun!
If I cut off my toes, I might be able to squeeze into a 7.5. It might be worth it.
janet – hmm. I have got some other stuff.:)
quintessence – Thank you. A good cobbler is a real pal.
Jan – You small-footer you. I have a bracelet coming – not the exact one, since these shoes turned out to be so fancy, but both a turquoise color and some sparkle are involved.
kathy peck leeds – Why thank you!
DaniBP – It was fun to shop in, I have to say:).
Karena – I will sign you up on the Anne Klein list!
Belle – Sturdy gals! And I didn’t know Caovilla had ever had a standalone store. Interesting.
Patsy – Sparkle on.
Marcela – That’s what my sister wears. You guys are Tinkerbelles!
Tabitha – Patsy always cracks me up. Do get out more. With tiaras:).
Susan – Thank you.
Jenny – Welcome! I will put you on the list for both shoes. And my mother always insisted I should learn to play tennis, that it was so USEFUL. I refused. Thank you for delurking:)
deja – I am so glad you approve!
Lara – Oh no worries. This is one of those occasions where I have a singular bee in my bonnet about wearing something Artsy. It’s not my strong suit, so I may fail. In this case I don’t mind. It’s the adventure:).
Danielle – I will put you on the Anne Klein list. These are very forgiving heels, so maybe they would work. Thank you for your reading.
QBS – Anarchy heaven! Now if someone were just going to row, nearby, we’d be set, no?
Marguerite – Thank you so much. Yes, I will, when the day comes, put up a photo.
Flo – Ha! That’s right. It’s not a logo, it’s a monogram! Oh no. I have only recently found my peace with the decline in sight and hearing. Don’t tell me my feet will betray me too.
TPP – Oh hooray! The imprimatur of logo acceptance. Thank you.
Stephanie – Thank you.
Patricia – Badabing!
Mater – OK. Dibs are yours. Thank you. Very much enjoying your wandering over here, BTW.
Liz – You are signed up for both. Should you happen to win both, I will redraw for the Anne Kleins:). Sparkle really does mitigate all kinds of sin.
Susan – I always got the boots with REALLY wide legs:).
Buckeroomama – Thank you!
AN – Thank you. Grey. Hmmmmmmm.
Wilhelmina – I agree, they don’t go in any traditional sense. But given the whole Artsy, Burning Man vibe, I was overtaken by an urge to walk, a bit, on the wild side.
EntertainingMom – Aw. You bet. On the slingback list.
Melanie Dulos – Thank you so much.
Twinkle – I am putting you on the list for Anne Klein and Ferragamo both. Thank you for delurking. Nice to meet you.
Sylvie – The Ferragamos say they love you too, they thank you for your thoughts, and they themselves have put you on the list.
The gold digger – Bwahahahaha. We think you probably need your toes:).
Laura – Yikes! Sorry, missed you going through. You are on the list for Ferragamos. Thank you for saying hello.
Melanie – Yikes! Missed you too! Eyes are not what they should be! Thank you very much.
Your shoes for the wedding are, well, divine, which is always a tough word for me to use among my friends because I am not a person of faith. But that little issue aside, I adore your blog and that you’ve put so much thought into the shoes you will wear at your brother’s wedding gives me insight that having a tender heart and caring deeply for those you love are qualities which have nothing to do with having had a live of Privilege. Best regards, Lisa
This is my first comment.I am not a WASP, high or low or by any stretch or the imagination. And I am certain that my comment is totally unbecoming of your people’s stately calm reserve. That said–
For the love of god, HOW can you show the people at Wilkes Bashford the entire dress & sparkle combo, while your devoted readers subsist on a triptych of tiny underexposed shots of The Dress in a NYC restaurant? I’m sobbing into my ethic soup here!
You are hilarious! And make a good point. Maybe Lisa wants us to be patient?
BTW, ethic soup sounds delicious ;)
ethnic, I mean. Ethnic soup.
If only my sole were silver!!
Beautiful shoes, chica!!
please, please..the anne klein’s..i never get to shop..90 miles from anything but wal-mart..this is the perfect on-line shopping…and my size!!!too funny to give away old shoes..i would think only in missouri…
I am totally digging those Anne Kleins and I’m thinking they would go quite nicely with a pair of straight leg dark washed jeans, with a turquoise sequined top… Yeah, I think I need those shoes. :)
By the way – the dress and your new shoes are totally awesome!
I truly adore both pairs, but the Ferragamos really speak to my style. I promise to give them a loving home in the gracious deep south, and they will be a perfect fit. Same shoe size, same age, we have a lot in common on opposite coasts!
Your new shoes are bewitching. Only word for them.
I love the Ferragamos, and they are in my size, too! So beautiful and elegant and practical.
The new shoes are gorgeous! I wear a larger size than you do, but my daughter wears the same size. She is drooling over the Anne Kleins and I would love to win them for her. What a great giveaway!
Love the shoes – been busy these past few days – but need to comment. I have these shoes in black with with sequins, etc. However the first time I wore them I nearly broke my legs. The silver soles are very slippery. My solution was to have my shoe repair guy cover the silver soles with rubber. I know, I know – those in the know – know about the silver soles – but I have worn them several more times with no mishaps!
Your fabulous new shoes with your Prada dress will strike a perfect balance between elegance and festiveness…perfect for a wedding..lovely and so je ne sais quoi. Excellent choice! I hope we get to see photos!
I love both pairs and wear a 7.5 (started as a size 6 then had two kids, isn’t that amazing what happens to your feet?). Anyway, I’m a Scottsdale girl, transplanted from the midwest to the desert, and now live in flip-flops. Cute and easy, but not so appropriate for those rare times I go somewhere other than preschool and kindergarten pickups. My neglected toes would adore a dose of elegance.
Lisa – Thank you so much. My brother has been quite wonderful in voicing his thanks. As are you, here, in what you say. I appreciate it.
Lynn – Bwahahahaha. Let us be clear. All cultures sob into their soups, one way or another:). And I don’t show a lot of photos because it makes me feel like a show off to do so. I love other people who do it though:). So, at the wedding, there will of course be a photographer. And I will do my best to document the outfit. You all have been so helpful and supportive, I owe you.
Jill – Gracias, amiga!
lisa – You are signed up for Anne Kleins. I give the shoes away only having seen how much joy people get from thrifted clothing, when they find designer items. I might as well go direct to the consumers:).
Marsanne – You bet. You’re signed up. I like those styling ideas. And thank you very much.
Julie – Much in common. And you are on the Ferragamo list. Some day I too will see the South:).
Danielle – Oh, no, I want you all to be HAPPY:).
Duchesse – I thank you. I thank you.
Gauss – On the list for Ferragmos. Practical they are indeed.
Ming – Oh, thank you! I do not want to fall and slip. I think I will wear them around the house and out on the cement sidewalk, to get them scratched a bit.
Janeyann – Thank you! I have always wanted to get all the way to je ne sais quoi. We shall see:).
Elaine – I used to wear a size 6 too:). You’re on the list for both. Thank you for saying hello.
Knowing that dressing begins with the feet….. and what an eye you have for how to shod them. Dresses are lovely. I vote you splurge on something new that accentuates all your natural charms (lovely shape, arms and neck). No red. No black. No white. WASP wedding.
I’m on a mission now, to wear this dress no matter how it turns out. We High WASPs can be foolish and stubborn like that:).
The shoes you’re generously offering aren’t my size–so this is simply an innocent comment with no hop of recomenpense.
I’m simply amazed that you can consider satin sandals standbys that will last for years. Satin is never durable enough to make it through more than several wearings on my feet–it starts to fray and look sad, or I spill something and there are horrible water stains, etc. So my rules for satin shoes are: 1. they had better be really cute and fit really well, and 2. $50 or less. Any tips for how to make satin shoes last? Do the more expensive ones hold up better than my cheap imitations? Or do I simply need to be less of a klutz and have more grace?
That’s interesting. I suppose that when I dress up and wear satin I am often sitting for most of the evening. And as Sturdy Gals will, I am prone to take my shoes off under the table…Not, perhaps, a tip to pass on:).
But as a sturdy girl myself, currently sitting at her desk with my loafers off, I appreciate the honesty!
Perhaps I need to convince my friends and family to have fewer outdoor, daytime events.
Can a 20-something girl working in corporate America strut in Ferragamos? I think so. Love your blog, cracks me up and is so refreshing!
You’ve pulled together a perfect wedding ensemble: chic, subtle, and really pretty in an almost painterly way. Love the smoke-and-azure touches of sparkle for your ears, wrist and toes.
Comments are closed.