Midweek STYLE Society Roundup – Vol. 3

This week's Midweek STYLE Society roundup is a little light, but it's to be expected given we're between Christmas and New Year's!  What we've gathered this week is a menagerie of stylish items from DIY chandelier to gift guides to reviews of fabulously stylish stores and designers!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

• ellyb Events ~ Champagne Bubble Chandelier....tutorial
• The Working Girl's Shoe Closet ~ Getting a Grip in the Winter Storm

• The Recessionista ~ Review of William Rast for Target
• Life in a Venti Cup ~ Venti Girl Gift Guide

• The Working Wardrobe ~ Holiday-Wear at Chicago's Cerato Boutique

• Blueprint for Style ~ Diego Does Handbags
• My Intimate Affair with Fashion ~ Tangled Necklace Bracelet
• Closet of Style ~ What to Wear After the Food Fest

Getting a Grip in the Winter Storm

This Winter is taking us all by storm, literally.  Regardless of the Coast you’re on, you need to be sporting your boots.  There’s no way we can survive this one otherwise.  And while it’s nearly impossible to find the incredible boots you’re looking for when you need them, once in a while, the shoe gods smile upon us and unite us with what we have been trying to find.  Case in point, these Donald J. Pliner ‘Bixbi’ boots!

In my seemingly eternal search for the perfect flat boots, I visited my local Nordstrom Rack.  I should have been Christmas shopping but sometimes a girl’s got to reprioritize. ;)  What seemed to be a futile trip turned out to be such a lucky find.  Seriously, the Nordstrom Rack never lets me down.  These boots have the perfect toe, round but not too round.  They fit perfectly around my calf and have a really comfortable foot pad. 

I’ve worn them a couple of times and the milk chocolate leather is soft but resilient.  I say resilient because it’s that kind of leather that looks good even if you knick it.  The knicks don’t show in that noticeable way.  They give it some character without making you look raggedy.  The sleek, no frill design make them perfect for skirts and jeans.  The versatility is a result of its very classic silhouette.   

My most favorite part about these boots are the soles.  They are rubberized and have those little plus shapes that give you insane amounts of traction.  No matter snow or rain, you will have a hard time losing your step with this kind of sole even on slick smooth marble and cobblestones.  The rubber sole also absorbs shock when you walk giving you total comfort when having to handle business all over town in the Winter.  These retailed for $265 originally, and because it is the Rack, I scored them for only $125.  This proves two things: 1- the shoe gods are very kind and 2- you really can’t ever go wrong at The Nordstrom Rack.  Having some great boots that have the timeless chic factor and all-weather footing built in are the way to get a grip during these Winter storms.  

May your shoe closet overflowth in the new year!  Cheers! *hearts*

   

Midweek STYLE Society: Roundup from Top Lifestyle Bloggers Vol. 2

I was asked to participate in STYLE Society with this great group of amazing bloggers with phenomenal style and even better tips.  This week's STYLE Society (#STYLESociety) is clearly focused on the Holidays: who needs what, what to get who, last minute gift ideas, decorating tips for a subtle yet festive home, and ways to look and be just plain fabulous!  The options are endless and cover the well-heeled ladies as well as the dapper dons, so read on....and, of course,

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

• Closet of Style ~ Runway to Reality: Dior Handbag
• My Intimate Affair with Fashion ~ Cateye Sunglasses & Edward Tricomi Haircut
• Blueprint for Style ~ Shop In Style to Save Money

• The Working Wardrobe ~ The Working Man: Gifts He'll Actually Wear

• Life in a Venti Cup ~ Venti Girl Gift Guide: The Alpha Female

• The Style & Beauty Doctor ~ Don't OD on the Smoky Eyes

• The Working Girl's Shoe Closet ~ Courting with Italian Style

• ellyB events ~ Sugarplum Tablescape
• The Recessionista ~ Last Minute Gift Ideas
• 365 Days of Style ~ First Impressions: How Do They Affect Your Style?

Courting with Italian Style

Well now that everyone in Southern California is growing gills from all the rain, we have successfully embraced our beloved boots.  However, being that finding the “right” boot is such a challenge, almost to the point of dreading it as much as cleaning the bathroom.  I think I truly gasped out loud when I saw these on my fellow juror last week.  I was rather excited to be picked for a jury and even more excited to meet this truly fabulous woman on my jury.  She first caught my eye while sitting through endless interview questions of potential jurors as she sat stylishly in the black patent Tory Burch ‘Sophie’ wedges that I featured in my last post.  I knew this lady was gonna be my bestie during this trial instantly.

She wore these fabulous knee high flat boots on our first official day of the trial after the jury was finalized, aka Day 2 of Jury Duty for me.  I no longer could resist chatting it up with her about shoes.  She’s got a dream job of working as the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for a national law firm so Ms. Thang has to turn it out with some fierce style in the office and as she jet sets all over the country.  And clearly she didn’t disappoint. 

She said that she got these at Nordstrom and she was actually talked into them by the saleslady, especially since she wasn’t very familiar with the Aquatalia line.  Turns out they are nearly the best boots she’s ever had.  The leather is supremely soft and has incredible cushioning in the footpad.  She said that what sold her the most on these was the perfect fit.  Like all of us playing Goldiboots with these being too loose in the calf, those being too tight in the calf, these fit just right.  And the reason for that was the genius construction of adding an elastic back to these boots.  I’ve seen several in this style but they turn me off because they usually look like you’re wearing a Jekyll and Hyde boot.  They look like one boot from the front and completely different boot from the back.  That’s a little too much variety for my taste.  But given the Italian lineage, taste and an eye for exquisite style are a given.  And Aquatalia does not disappoint.  They created this fantastic boot that is cohesive and a perfect fit no matter your calf size. *swoon*

These are several similar styles on the  Aquatalia site that retail a little on the pricey side but prove to be well worth the investment as perfect fitting boots are worth your weight-DOUBLED! ;)  Their soles all come with a fantastic rubber sole with a grid design that makes you grip any surface, wet or dry, with complete effortlessness.  The sleek design and styles of their boots make them timeless and their craftsmanship make them long lasting. *hearts*





    

Guest Blog Week: 5 Fabulous Shoes for the Classy Career Girl

In rather timely fashion to being #WorkStyleWeek with the fabulous the ladies of Cubicle Chic, I was also approached to do a guest blog for Anna also known as the Classy Career Girl. 

So I give to you ‘5 Fabulous Shoes for the Career Girl .’ 

While this week has turned out to be my guest blog week, I do hope that it has also given you great work shoe options and great tips for looking fantastic all year round.

Have a great weekend being Santa’s little helpers! ;)

   

Guest Blog: Everyone Needs A Little Maintenance

This week is #WorkStyleWeek with fabulous bloggers that focus on professional and career fashion hosted by Meredith and Lindsey of Cubicle Chic.  I have to share that I met these amazing women at #IFB’s fantastic conference during New York’s Fashion Week.  While I had a major cyber crush on them before meeting them in person, I fell completely head over heels after meeting them in person. 

Anywho, yours truly has had the honor to participate with the rest of the great #WorkStyleWeek bloggers.  My contribution is ‘Everyone Needs A Little Maintenance.’  Hope you find helpful tips that keep your shoe closet looking fabulous all year round! ;)

  

My ‘Farrow’ Ladies!

It’s been a flurry of deliveries from my version of Santa Claus aka The UPS Delivery Man with all of my fantastic Black Friday and Cyper everything sales.  Some were major misses unfortunately but some were definite hits, including this DIVINE ‘Farrow’ from Corso Como.  I haven’t found a flat like this one.  E.V.E.R.  I took several risks with the fantastic sales with new brands I hadn’t hear of and brands I’ve never tried.  Corso Como was one of them.  I had seen them in InStyle last month so I knew they were worth giving them a chance.  Also, they were one of the amazing Swirl by Daily Candy sales.  If you haven’t signed up for these, it’s definitely worth the 3 minutes of form typing to get some really great deals.  I pounced on these and two other gorgeous flat boots.  Sadly, even though I was able to get them in my basket, only the ‘Farrow’ flats got delivered.  This is the only problem with Swirl (and a few other similar sites).  Their stock isn’t always accurate online.  They don’t charge you for the merchandise you don’t get, but I think the disappointment of not getting something you thought you got is kinda worse… :(

Anywho, I did get these ‘Farrow’ bejeweled flats that are truly amazing.  I am a huge fan of great city flats, hence the Ulimate City Flat for the Ultimate City Girl.  However, these are really very different.  These are flats to live by.  After research and looking for more of the Corso Como shoes in general, I think this entire brand may be too! 

So yes, my attraction came to these because of the beautiful jewels and color.  My current grey flats are in there last moments of servitude so I know that it’s a good time to start looking for new ones.  Finding these just made my heart skip a beat.  I get a little nervous at flats that have the elastic trim all around, or specifically around the ankle.  I’m not sure if its my ankles in particular that are sensitive, but a lot of those elastics really hurt my ankles after a couple of hours and actually dig into them.  After my last pair that did that, I have sworn them off, no matter how cute they are.  And that’s hard for me to say! ;)

When I got these, they were much softer than I expected.  They were also VERY high quality craftsmanship.  I also noticed that the insole was like no other I had ever seen.  It was like a little pillow with air holes.  And the leather inside was really soft.  My curiosity was so piqued!  I immediately tried them on to find a whole new experience.  The padding in these shoes is like no other.  At first, they feel a little weird because you’re not used to this feeling of having pillows in your shoes. (Like 5 layers of different foam cushions, aka the Corso Como Comfort System)  But your feet sink into them with such appreciation that you acclimate rather quickly. ;)  They are designed to let your feet breath while reducing humidity.

The elastic edging is firm but not in a way that hurt my ankles.  It gave it enough “gathering” to avoid any gaps when you walk but enough flexibility to not make your foot feel like it was being punished for leaking stuff on Wikileaks. ;)

I’ve worn them about 3 times in the week and a half I’ve had them because of how much I love them.   They are a great work option because they are a neutral and the jewels help dress them up to go with a great work ensemble.  But because they are so comfy, you’re going to find yourself wearing them with just about anything. ;)

The bottom sole has their logo and this adorable little rhinestone embedded in the center of it.  It's almost too cute to walk on!

I wanted to share a little about Corso Como with you too.  Although they aren’t vegan, they are incredibly eco-friendly.  They are at the cutting edge of leather manufacturing by using methods that reinforce their commitment to the global environment.  They’re all about promoting the idea of style with a conscience.  *swoon*  They sent a great little card with the shoes that talks about their commitment to protect the environment by using recyclable paper on all packaging saving about 2,000 trees per year.  If you need more convincing, all their shoes have natural colored leather in their soles because they don’t use chemical or mechanical correction processes.  This adds to their shoes flexibility which means softness and comfort to us! ;)  Can’t wait to get some of their heels!  

Stay warm Dolls!