Today's Dispatch: Serenity Now

This post was NOT brought to you by the recent batch of photos from the Avengers set in New York.



- First, a shout-out to my gorgeous friend-from-high school Marie (aka Ms. LadyCakes), who now fashion-blogs on a regular basis for Instylation. Here's her most recent entry as of this writing, where she totally rocks the mod look for fall.

- Speaking of mod, how gorgeous are the new Stardust lip glosses from Urban Decay? I'm already a fan of the Stardust shadows, so I can't wait to try these in person... if I could find a place out here that sells Urban Decay, that is. (Link: a review of the glosses from Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog, who gives them high marks for shine and staying power.)

- So, for some weird reason last night, I spent the whole night looking at shoes instead of doing... whatever it was I was supposed to be doing (okay, WRITING), and now I'm officially obsessed with these shoes from Valentino. Sparkly and chic: gotta love that combo!

- Another sparkly obsession: Miriam Haskell jewelry, which started with Michelle Obama's earrings from the State dinner in El Salvador. I just love the craftsmanship that goes into these designs, which are so classic and avant-garde at the same time. I'm also besotted with this breathtaking pearl-and-crystal statement necklace, which is practically begging for a bare-shouldered formal dress to be worn with it, and the formal event to match.

- Finally, going back to our movie-related WTF news: What is this about Adele (possibly) recording a song for a new James Bond movie? Surely they must not be kidding... or are they?

Domesticity Retail Mini-Roundup: The Most Wanted Shoes in Metro Manila

The sales clerk at Payless Shoes in Festival Supermall was totally not kidding.

She told me that these shoes used to come in every color - not just purple, but black, blue, and red - but eventually they sold out at every single branch. Then Payless brought it back again, by popular demand, and it sold out so quickly that buyers at the SM Megamall branch were practically fighting over the last few pairs. Agawan po, ma'm, she said, conjuring up images of women snatching shoes out of each other's clutches.

And, she also added, this was the last pair in my size.

Payless, people. Not Prada, not YSL, not Marc Jacobs, not even Kenneth Cole. Payless.

I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. PhP 1,150 for a pair of purple stiletto platforms that are destined to drive my parents crazy, just for the impracticality alone.

The saleslady asked me if the local shoe merchants have tried to make their own version of these babies. I told her, sadly, "No."

Domesticity Retail Mini-Roundup: A Preview

The long national nightmare is over: After four months of pining and yearning, I have finally managed to land my personal version of these dream shoes at my local Payless store.

More about them - and why they're considered the most wanted shoes in the Philippines - in an upcoming post.

In other news: Meimei finally gets a curling iron. Also another post for another day, since the pictures aren't exactly what we'd call "flattering" right now.

I Did Say I Was Going to Write About Those Shoes...

shoes by meimei96 featuring high heels

Can we talk about platform shoes for a minute here? Up until recently I've been indifferent towards platform shoes, mostly due to all the crappy wedges and stacked heels that I've worn throughout the '90s. That has changed, thanks to the new crop of platform shoes (and hidden-platform designs) that are currently getting kudos from fashionistas for style and comfort.


Clockwise, from front:

1. Suede platform pumps from Miu Miu. I didn't try on this exact pair of heels, to be specific - and, frankly, my feet do not agree with Miu Miu in general - but they're the closest pictures I could ever find to the purple pumps that I spotted at my local Payless. Unlike your usual platform shoes, these have the toes turned up at a slight incline, which redistributes the body weight that falls upon the shoe and relieves pressure on the rest of the foot by pushing the ankle backward, as opposed to the forward motion that you usually get with regular heels. (Like Earth Shoes, but in high-fashion form.) Comfort-wise, I like how the platform actually relieves a bit of pressure on the arch, so I don't get the pinched-ankle feeling that I usually get when I try on regular heels. I also find that the turned-up toes also give the shoe a bit of a "friendly" look to them, too, which makes the shoes even more sigh-worthy.

2. Palais 80 peep-toe pumps from Yves St. Laurent. My first choice would have been the original Palais pumps - i.e. the ones without that freaky mohawk - but I think I like the lower-heeled Palais 80 peep-toes much better; I find that these ones are practically fun in every color, for as long as they keep that specific angled-platform shape on the sole. I'd wear these babies with practically everything.

3. The YSL Tribute sandal. A set like this would not be complete without the original YSL Tributes, which started the whole platform-shoe craze among fashionistas in the first place. The Tribute, to me, is the Jillian Michaels of stiletto heels: scary-looking at first sight, and definitely not recommended for beginners, but devotees will tell you that you will get into it eventually and you will get results. (Wink wink, if you know what I mean.) Personally, I prefer the strappy-sandal version of the Tributes to the regular pumps, which look pretty clunky compared to the refined yet insta-sexy lines of the sandal.

4. Lace-up booties by Proenza Schouler. This is a bit of an aberration compared to all the hotsy-totsy high heels in this entry, but let's face it - these babies are adorable! Look at those lines, and the way the shaft looks like an extension of the "pump" underneath. And these are just the beginning: there's also this similarly platformed (and pump-inspired) number, and even a knee-high iteration that would look great on me if my calves weren't so muscular to begin with. Just. So. Sweet.

Randomesticity: Things on My Mind Right Now

Above: I wholeheartedly agree with Coco Martin. Brown sugar in your coffee = yummy! 

- The Manila-based Female Network wants to know: Which celebrity would be your perfect Valentine? This explains why I have that Nescafe ad in this entry... but it's not limited to Filipino celebrities, either! (Hee.)

- Some good news: The stye that I wrote about in this entry turned out to be an eyelid zit that finally - FINALLY - went away this week. Good thing it did, too, because it looks like I should start playing around with eye makeup again to go with the Glosswatch entries.

- More quick updates. Work: not driving me nuts any more. Diet: doing great. Exercise: still getting there, but at least I've started with my walks around the neighborhood again. Hair: finally growing out; got a trim to get the split ends out of the way; had to use dandruff shampoo the other day to tamp down the scalp itch.

- Right now, I'm in the middle of planning a major trip for my upcoming school break... and as much as I don't want to jinx it by giving away too many details, I will go ahead and say that, if all plans push through, I will be spending autumn in the Southern Hemisphere! That's a lot of excitement to deal with here. Wondering what the rest of this madness will bring? Hmmm...

- I am also haunted by these shoes. I can't explain it; all I know is that I spotted their doppelgangers at the Payless Shoe Store (yes, we now have Payless) in Festival Supermall, and the only thing that stood between me and them was my lack of cash. Oh, sweet perfection! Maybe I'll write about them, too!

The Makeover Project, Episode 8: Happy Saturdays

We've dealt with the physical on this blog; now we go into the meta-physical.

Today I was struck by the realization that I'm actually happy right now. I have great friends, a loving family, a stable home life, a stable spiritual life... and a job that - as stressful and time-consuming as it is - has not made me cranky in the way that other jobs usually do for me. AND I'm losing weight, too, so my diet is finally sorting itself out.The only way that I could get even more happier than this is to attract more happiness in my life. Here are the little things that have contributed to my cheerful state of mind:

- New shoes. I got these gray shoes at the Skechers store; they're designed for people who have to be on their feet for work (like I do) so they totally pass my comfort test. The great thing about these shoes is that they're sneaker-like without being actual sneakers, which is just perfect for avoiding dress-code issues at my workplace. As for the gray color... well, considering that most of my dress/work pants are either black or gray, it's not completely out of place in my wardrobe at all.

- "Old" books. I mean this in a figurative sense, since there's a research aspect to my job and I have to scrounge through books on philosophy, psychology, education law, *and* history to give my lessons a little perspective. Yes, all this reading poses a risk of me turning into a workaholic with a Claritin habit, but that's part of what makes my job so satisfying - both for myself and my students. Now, if only I had a magic spell to teach my students how to take good notes...

- The strange (but true) relationship between my dog and my cat. Okay, so Tyler Durden really isn't my cat; I don't take him to the vet as often as I do with our mutts Williams and Sonoma. (Names have been changed to protect the Hacienda.) But for some reason, Williams - the older, bigger of the two - has bonded with Tyler in a weirdly wonderful way. Both of them are roughly the same age, so they were able to learn the dynamics of dog/cat play-fighting while they were still young. In recent months, however, Williams and Tyler have scaled back on the Fight Club aspect of their relationship in favor of something close to synergy. There are days when Williams isn't too keen on whatever kibble he has in the bowl, for example, so he lets Tyler come over and snack on a bit of kibble, too. It's pretty obvious that Williams and Tyler have practically adopted each other, even though Williams and his brother continue to be clueless when it comes to other cats.

- Mini-reunions on Facebook. It always starts with an innocuous post - somebody posts old pictures, or a song that reminds us of the old days - and suddenly everyone comes out of the woodwork after 20 years to say hello. I've found a lot of "renewed" friendships this way; it has taught me to mend fences where they truly need to be mended. Then there's the shared cheese factor of seeing so many bad outfits and worse hairstyles (see: yours truly as a first grader, at left), which are more than worth their weight in gold.

- Naps and massages. For obvious reasons.

First Impression Review: Christian Siriano for Payless

This idea, I love:

...C'mon, it's Christian. Who doesn't love this guy? (Click here to view the entire Christian Siriano for Payless collection.)

This idea, I really don't:

...Seriously, people, I look at these heels and I immediately think of Alexander McQueen's armadillo shoes - which is really not a good sign, considering that 1) we just lost McQueen not that long ago (bless his soul) and 2) even if McQueen did live long enough to design shoes for Payless, it's still not going to make the brand any more hip and avant-garde than it already is, would it? 

Which is probably why I believe that the Gaga-worthy shoes are online exclusives at Payless... and these heels from the same collection - along with the sneakers and flats - are not: 

These, I like a lot. The sandals are very Looklet in their minimalism, and the satin pumps are a kick-in-the pants upgrade from the usual formal shoe. 

And of the bags in this collection, I think this one is my favorite one of all:

This is the Cove Large Shopper bag: it's black, it's patent leather, it's roomy, it's got the zipper detail and the round handles. Classic, elegant: the Cove Large shopper. Fabulous.

(...Wait, did I just do my Andrew Zimmern impression right now? Because that sounded more like Bizarre Foods than Project Runway. Anyway, you get the deal.)

Now, if only those rumors of Payless opening a branch in Manila would just come true soon enough...

Credits: All graphics taken as screenshots from promotional materials used by Payless.

Gone Rouge

Since we just mentioned Chanel's Rouge Coco in the last entry, I thought I'd amp up the scarlet fever (pun intended) with a video that goes behind the scenes of the Lady Dior Rouge ad campaign, with Marion Cotillard.



Apparently this latest version of the Lady Dior ad campaign/ short-film series - which includes a song penned by the guys from Franz Ferdinand, sung by Marion herself - is supposed to come out any time now. Until then, enjoy!

My Current Work Uniform

Yay, new Polyvore set!

And since I'm newly employed as an ESL teacher (okay, temporarily as of this writing, but at least newly employed) I might as well share with you a few elements from the current looks that I've been rocking at work. Now, my current workplace is a little more relaxed, but it's the kind of "casual" workplace that has a lot of unspoken rules regarding the existing dress code, so I thought I'd share my own tips for dressing up in that kind of environment.

- Dress for authority. The ESL program I'm working with is part of a sociocultural exchange program at the university, which means that there's already a built-in expectation to stay on the conservative side, fashion-wise. Our "kids" may show up for their classes in trendy, fashionable items - like, say, ripped denims and bright off-shoulder tops - but that doesn't mean their teachers should show up for work likewise without getting the stink-eye from one of the higher-ups during the day. The Gap camp shirt shown here, for example, is a tad rugged, but it still has a little more structure and polish than your average polyester blouse, and easier to dress up than a jean jacket.

- Dress for comfort. Like the majority of female staffers at this job, I too would really like to show up for work in a dress, at least for one day. And while that thought may sound nice, it's actually impractical in real life, where we have to do a lot of walking - uphill walking - just to get to our classrooms. Add to that the fact that a few of us have to take the jeepney to work, and you're looking at a major comfort issue at hand. Long story short, pants and sensible shoes (like the Privo wedges shown above and at left) are an elegant, work-friendly solution for both comfort and respectability.

- Match the bag with the shoes. This is one of the biggest Unspoken Rules of the Workplace, since it shows a sense of consistency regardless of how "casual" everything else turns out to be. I lucked out because I have a red bag that matches my favorite red flats, but if I were starting over again I'd go with something in the neutral family. Here, the Fossil bag is in a warmer caramel shade than the suede in the Privo shoes, but the structural details in the bag match the sporty geometric lines in the shoe straps.

(Unpopular opinion: Real leather makes all the difference here - and even if you're not wearing actual cowhide, then at least make sure that the material in question holds up like the real thing. The loafers I wore on my first day at work got so much work from all the walking that they came home looking beat-up and shredded at the end of the day. As much as I make fun of the "fake" "leather" on my red flats from SM, at least they've survived the daily hike!)

- When the whole look is conservative and neutral, you can go wild with everything else. This weekend, our weather shifted drastically from sunny to stormy-ish (high winds, cloudy skies, occasional rain), so I started wearing my long scarves to work. Besides keeping me warm, the scarves provided a much-needed hit of color close to my face while putting a bohemian-preppy spin on my work look. (See: Lauren Conrad, right.) I also started wearing a turquoise bracelet on my right hand - partly as a conversation piece for my students, partly to spice up the more conservative elements of my work outfit, and partly because I like to have something sparkly to look at during the moments when I'm feeling quite stuck at work.

Meet Me in ShoeMart

Fun fact for the young 'uns: Didja know that the SM in SM Department Stores stands for Shoe Mart? Oh, don't look at me like your parents forgot to tell you. Even now, whenever our family goes to Mall of Asia, we still make arrangements to meet at ShoeMart.

And as much as it makes certain brand-conscious fasyonistas cringe (especially when you consider that we now have Aldo entering the market here), it's hard to deny that SM still has one of the best shoe selections in the Philippines. Never mind that the shoe-buying experience here isn't the same as, say, Macy's or Neiman Marcus; you still have to shop by brand, or else you'll be adding five more minutes to your wait time while the staff tracks down your exact size and style. You may not be paying for the ambiance, but trust me here - the shoes themselves are so worth it.

Take, for example, these red flats, from SM's Parisian house brand.

Any well-heeled fasyonista will tell you that the "leather" on these babies is so fake that it's practically cruelty-free, and the rubber soles make them look very cheap. But do I care? Heck no. These are go-anywhere shoes for me: polished enough for a job interview (there's something very Dior about the big buckles and the round toes) but tough enough for me to walk through puddled streets. I even use these shoes during my driving lessons, because they give me the traction that I oh-so-desperately need for working with manual transmission. Not to mention that these shoes fit better the more I wear them, too. And, since I bought these last month at the can't-fail sale price of P499 (roughly US$10), it's practically a steal.

Also from the Parisian line, and also on sale for P499: these strappy sandals.

Again with the cheap "leather" - and to be honest, the heels on these babies do a little wobbling whenever I walk. (I'll need to hunt down a store that sells Foot Petals, or at least those Dr. Scholls inserts.) Yet, I love the plummy-brown color of these shoes, and the strappiness is practically Aldo-esque and Sofft-like in its own way, without the ridiculous markups. These are probably the closest I'll get right now to the ongoing gladiator/ S&M trend without the bank-breaking consequences... and even with all the extraneous retrofitting, which would still put the grand total for these shoes at par with what I would've spent at Nordstrom Rack for a similar pair.

I didn't get to check out all the other brands, but I've tried a few of them on during my last SM trip and I can say that their prices are still relatively affordable (within the Payless range) even if they do have a considerable edge over the Parisians in terms of materials and design. Still, it's fascinating how a lot of the local shoe manufacturers are finally catching up with the global trends - which only makes it easier for me to get my shoe fix whenever necessary. Already I'm thinking about going back to SM for a pair of boot-cuffed flat sandals similar to these, which are beginning to look more like a brilliant idea to me in spite of my muscular calves. Oh how I wish! :)

A Few Thoughts on The Imeldific

Okay, since I've been blogging too much about Philippine politics lately*, I should give some equal time to the other side.

We're talking about Imelda Marcos here.

I try to be fair to her, because I do have friends who love and admire her, but it's impossible. Obviously, there is no love lost between me and the woman - no thanks to her husband, the resulting fallout from his regime, and the scuttlebutt I've heard from people who have met her when she lived in Honolulu. (Not very nice, is what I'm saying.)

Even when I take the politics out of the equation, I still can't say I have a lot of love for her - pity, perhaps, because I don't really see her as the powerful woman that she thinks she is. Let me put it this way: When your own children personally attend the funeral of your own greatest political rival and enemy, it doesn't make you exempt from further scrutiny.

But enough about the personal demons of Imelda, perceived or otherwise. Let's talk about the (few) positives of being Imelda Marcos, like her support of fine arts in the Philippines, and being born with a pretty face and great hair. Let's talk about her greatest claim to fame: The Shoes.



On the one hand, the collection itself can be seen as a slap in the face to the shoe industry in the Philippines, because... seriously, people, take it from me when I say that Pinoy-made shoes will give you the best value for your money. On the other hand, I think it's a great idea that the same shoe industry should also celebrate Imelda's love of fine art and quality footwear by exhibiting her collection in the Marikina Shoe Museum, along with pairs worn by other historical figures in the Philippines. Yes, I think it's a great idea for people to see The Shoes.

Fine, I still think she's crazy for using other people's hard-earned tax money to buy shoes - and I do question her taste at times (*ahem* rumored platform heels with built-in disco lights *ahem*) but I don't blame her for wanting so much of them - Ferragamos and Chanels and Givenchys, oh my! (And can I just say here that I share the same shoe size as the Imeldific herself? Even though my feet might actually be wider and chubbier.)

There's just something so excessive and so '80s about all that extravagance that I feel, as a shoe fiend, is quite understandable. Heck, if I was given the chance to buy as many gorgeous high-quality shoes as I liked and wanted, I wouldn't just take the chance and run with it - I'd rebuild my entire house just to get storage for them!

Then again, Imelda's shoes are like Michael Jackson's videos from the Nineties: impressive and well-made, all right, yet so fraught with so much unintended historical and psychological subtext.

Had this collection belonged to somebody that didn't carry as much metaphorical baggage as Imelda did - say, if Michael Jackson himself had owned as many pairs - I might actually be impressed. Even if I were to take the political ramifications out of it, I'd still be left wondering how she ended up with all of them. Imelda always talked about wanting to be surrounded by beauty - were the shoes, like her patronage of the arts, an extension of that desire? And if so, did that desire compensate for something else... an unheeded cry for help, an unspoken act of passive aggression? (Really, there are a lot of other things that she could've bought with that money. Like, say, dinner at Le Cirque, or a Park Avenue condominium.)

If there was, indeed, a hole in her heart, was all that beauty enough to keep it filled?

What I'm trying to say here is this: Sometimes a pair of designer shoes should just be a pair of designer shoes, regardless of their number.

****

*EDITOR'S NOTE: Domesticity will return to its regularly scheduled beauty and fashion programming next week.

Shut Up and Drive

It wasn't the first driving shoe — that came in the 1950s when Italian race-car drivers wore narrow leather shoes with rubber nubs on the bottoms (the better to gauge the pedals and maintain traction as the foot moved swiftly). But with the Gommino, Tod's reinvented the style. Created by Diego Della Valle in the late 1970s, it was born of his desire to have an elegant, functional shoe that could be worn on any occasion and withstand a bit more wear than its predecessor.

[snip]

Every Gommino ("small pebble" in English) has precisely 133 rubber bumps on the sole and is made through a painstaking process of cutting, sewing and scrutinizing up to 35 pieces of leather by hand.

Quotes and picture from Time magazine (via AddThis)

***

I am currently re-learning how to drive here in the Philippines - which poses a double challenge to me, being 1) an older novice driver who 2) must learn how to drive with manual transmission. Now, I don't know about you, but as much as I like my early lessons on automatic transmission, I actually prefer driving stick - mostly because I actually enjoy the concept of shifting gears and engaging the clutch pedal with my left foot. There's actually a smooth physicality involved in trying to find the best balance between clutch and gas, which always makes me feel like a suave racecar driver... never mind that my driving style is actually best described as "Jason Statham in a golf cart with 12 hyperactive chimpanzees."

Driving with manual transmission has also given me a new perspective on shoes, as well. Like many novice drivers, I tend to put too much weight on my feet - problematic enough when you only have to deal with the accelerator pedal, but doubly so when you also need to work the clutch. As a result, I've become very particular about the footwear I use for my driving lessons: not too slippery (flip-flops are a massive FAIL on that part), not too lightweight, but thick and substantial enough to give your heel leverage, so you can concentrate on using your actual feet in gauging the pedals.

Until I finally get around to buying myself a pair of decent driving loafers - like those delicious Tod's pairs shown here - my current shoe of choice for driving lessons varies between my Charlotte Russe kitten wedges and my Reebok trainers. I might even start looking around here for a pair of athletic flats, like these Merrell shoes, or even some Converse-esque sneakers to drive in. Just don't ask me when I'm going to start motoring around in heels!

When Hateful Shoes Happen

I hate these Gareth Pugh platforms. HATE.

Just looking at these makes my blood boil. One of the girls from Preview's Best Dressed List wore these throughout her shoot, and it made me want to hunt down the person who thought these things were a good idea.

Seriously, people: Are you kidding me? Why would ANYONE want their feet to look like they've been propped up and bandaged after they've been mangled in a horrible accident? It's practically been cut and designed to make both ankle and foot look like they've been reduced to a mere stump of toes. Nothing about the design is anywhere near sexy, or powerful... come to think of it, everything about this pair screams "foot binding," and we all know how well that turned out.

I don't care if Gareth Pugh is some kind of design genius or anything (although this post from the Manolo says exactly what I think of him), I will never consider these shoes fashionable. EVER. Even that thin black wedge in the back looks uncomfortable. I can't look at anyone wearing these shoes - no matter how beautiful and fabulous they, or their outfits, happen to be - without thinking about how desperate they could be for attention.

I don't know about you, but I want my shoes to look like shoes, not crazy experimental art projects. My feet may not be beautiful, but they certainly are no place for any of your Bauhaus-Dadaist statements on beauty or democracy or what-have-you. If I wanted art in shoe form, wouldn't I be asking too much for it to look wearable?

A Statement of Purpose

It has been an emotional two weeks since my return to the Philippines, and since then the changes have been unprecedented. Not only do I have to adjust physically (humidity, argh) but I also have to adjust mentally and emotionally. Suffice it to say that I can't always expect things back home to stay the same as they were during my last visit, and it's taking a lot more time for me to accept that.

I will say this, though: While I obviously shouldn't, I do care what others think of me, to a certain point. I care enough to wear a bra under my shirts when going out in public, and cover up my cleavage in places where that sort of thing is not welcomed. I care enough not to laugh too loud and not to drink too much. I care enough not to pose any pictures of myself or my family - in this blog, or any other searchable Internet forum - that would be deemed too personal and too intimate for public perusal. I care enough to iron my shirts, brush my hair, even scrub my own bathroom sink when necessary. I care enough to use proper grammar and correct spelling... or at least put my entries through several edits, in case I catch one error too many.

In fact, I obviously care enough to put my own blog entries through the editing process in the first place. Why? Because I don't want to make a mockery of myself. End of story.

****

In moments like these, when my emotions get the best of me, I like to think of the people, things, and places that lift my spirits. I'm obviously surrounded by these in the Hacienda, of course, and I couldn't be happier... but that doesn't mean I don't need anything else.

For the days when I do need the reinforcement, I turn to visualization. And in this case, I envision myself with these shoes...
...wearing this dress...


...with my makeup done like this...


...and (AND!) with THIS GUY as my date.



Watch out, world.

Foot Candy for Spring

I'm totally in love with the Zoe & Zac shoe line at Payless right now.

Especially these adorable Daisy skimmers! I got to try them on last week and they fit my wide feet quite nicely. I want to buy them in every color. They totally remind me of my other favorite eco-friendly shoe line - Simple, who are also responsible for some of my favorite dress sneakers and canvas slip-ons.

While I can imagine wearing these on my regular work days, however, I've found myself wearing more heels lately - partly because of my Sunday duties as a cantor for our choir (let's just say that podiums are not always a flattering accessory for the petite) but mostly for the ego boost that I do need from time to time... and believe me, my ego could use a lot of boosting these days! So, while I've yet to indulge in some serious Do Me Shoes, the heeled shoes in my closet are getting retro-fitted with inserts.

Dr. Scholl's for Her High Heel Insoles, in particular, have been a Godsend for me: they're gel-cushioned, but they truly are undetectable once you wear them in your super-tall heels. All those claims of shifting the weight away from the ball/toe area of your feet are valid - these do a great job of not putting too much stress in a single area of your feet, and if you ever encounter arch-support problems in heels like I usually do, the extra padding in the arch area helps a lot. I've been wearing them with the red suede Kenneth Cole wedges that I got from Ross last year, and that has made all the difference.

And since I'm planning on retro-fitting the other high-heel shoes in my closet... well, at least until I can finally save up for a pair of Soffts... why not indulge with a three-pack of colored insoles?

The Case for the Basics: Shoe Repair, Alterations, and Other Lost Arts

All three pairs of shoes were purchased at roughly the same time two years ago.

Shoe #1 (top left): Rust colored kitten-heel spectator pumps, purchased in Manila for US$13. Repaired for US$9 at a shoe repair shop on Pensacola Street after the rubber on the heels got scuffed badly, plus $4 for the new insoles.

Shoe #2: (right): Wood slides from Rustan's in Manila, purchased for roughly US$10. Repaired for $18.25 at Tam's Shoe Repair in Kaimuki after the rubber on both outsole and heel were badly damaged; by the time I brought it to the repair shop, the soles looked like melting asphalt. Extent of repair: Replaced original smooth rubber with more weatherproof treads. (This isn't the first time I brought shoes to Tam's, either; I always bring my wood shoes to them.)

Shoe #3 (bottom left): Faux-suede faux-Chucks from Airwalk for Payless, purchased on sale at $9. Repaired rubber outsole for $6 at K's Shoe Repair on Keeaumoku street.

Total repairs for all three: $23.25 - roughly the sale price of another pair of shoes from Nordstrom Rack after deep discounts.

****

Here's the thing: We're living in interesting times right now, when the economy is at an all time low and consumer goods are at their most disposable. On the one hand, we could justify expensive buys by paying for good artisanship in the first place... but where does that leave the actual artisans who are already working locally?

As a city, Honolulu is no stranger to the concept of shoe cobblers; tons of Manolos and Cole Haans have passed through back-alley shops for much-needed repairs, sometimes with the secrecy reserved for off-shore plastic surgeons. Not that many of their owners will admit to that in the first place, but let's not kid ourselves about this city; it's not just the weather and the economy that have made this place unsuitable for the fine shoes favored by the power elite.

And I'll admit that I'm working with an almost-Third World mentality here by taking my shoes to cobblers when I should be buying new ones in the first place. The thought of throwing away perfectly wearable shoes is horrible for me; only if I was at risk of injuring myself (ie. slipping or spraining an ankle) would I definitely consider bagging them and putting them away. Part of this mentality also comes from my parents, whose collective taste in fine Italian leather goods have pushed me towards choosing styles that are classic and practical at the same time; those much-loved Bally boots and cork platforms would never have survived being in the same house with three kids without the help of a crafty repairman or two.

The same deal holds true for clothes, too. I know that fashion experts always talk about tailoring and alteration to get the perfect fit, but I'll bet you that the great majority of shoppers would rather get something that fits great off the rack. Good luck to that, I say; as a short person of bountiful curves, even my best-fitting pairs of jeans have gone under the knife (or the shears) to keep me from tripping and trailing over my hems. It's not even a complicated process to begin with, either; we're talking about a starting rate of $8 for hemming and $5 for replacing buttons. And now that I've lost some weight, I'm ready to have more of my pants taken in so I won't be walking around adjusting my belt every 0.5 seconds. True, I could've bought a new pair with all the money I'm spending on tailoring - but that's still money well spent when you consider how it's all going to fit in the end.

Moral of the story: Support local business by finding the nearest cobbler for your shoes and a tailor/seamstress for your clothes. Your wardrobe will thank you.

The Cleveland Chronicles, Part 3: Domesticity's Retail Roundup

At least THIS didn't put a giant dent in my pocket. :)

Another week, another $100 or so lost from my bank account. Am I upset? No. For one thing, a good chunk of that money went to some highly respectable retailers here in Cuyahoga County - the better for me to bring out a proper Retail Roundup!

Target: Scribe may have given me a certain Target-related grad gift (ie. a gift card for an undisclosed amount of money) but that didn't stop me from going crazy all over Le SuperTarjay at University Circle. How else would I have been able to score two Mossimo tops, a Merona blouse, a pair of shorts, and a brown linen empire dress for roughly $80 en toto? I also got a great deal on the watch (ProSpirit, $6.98) and got both a foundation brush and a new foundation (L'Oreal Bare Naturale), AND a nice bathrobe. That's a lot to be happy about.

That said, I do have a complaint about my Favorite Big-Box Retailer of All Time: What the heck is going on with the whole Isaac Mizrahi line? I swear, I've tried on two dresses, and no matter how far I go up or down the sizing chart, NOTHING fit right. At all. I'm beginning to suspect that Isaac should consider firing whoever does his fitting, because I don't think I'm the only one with this problem.

TJ Maxx: I admit that I should've saved my energy for this, after maxing out my debit card at the SuperTarjay. That said, Blogdorf Goodman was right - you can get some insane deals on makeup and fragrance over here. Scribe and I may have snickered at the inevitable appearance of the Kimora Lee Simmons line in the Clearance bin, but even we'll admit that $7.99 for a Lancome lipstick was a killer deal. There were some Gap fragrances in the bins, too; I managed to snag a hand lotion in Nightfall for $1.99, which was a saving grace for the hands that got caught up in last week's Ohio chill.

My best TJ steal, however, goes to the Clarins Lip Sparkle palette (Sparkling Neutrals, I believe) that I snagged for the low, low price of $2.99. Six lovely see-through neutrals with a non-sticky formula. Gotta love that.

Tower City Center: On one hand, I can't help but be disappointed that there are a lot of major retailers that have since vacated their spaces here -although Mr. Scribe was right to point out that some of those retailers did price themselves out of the market in this economy. (Yes, Gap, I'm looking at you - and for shame!) On the other hand, I can't say I didn't get any great finds here, either.

Take, for example, this dress from Lane Bryant. $60 may have seemed kind of steep for me - and I did have some problems manipulating this at first - but I love the detailing on this, with the blue breaking up the monochrome and the built-in slip underneath. The fit on this one was also perfect - no boob issues (take note, Isaac), no belly pooch, no problem at all. Every single person in the store was unanimous about this dress: it was definitely a keeper.

And then there was Charlotte Russe, which I had written off for years as another Wet Seal/Arden B/Forever 21 wannabe... until Scribe steered me towards the flats, which were supremely comfortable and wearable. I was as good as addicted, and in fact I ended up buying two pairs to take advantage of their sale. I was also tempted to snag their jewelry and sunglasses, as well... but that'll have to wait. :)

Lest you think that I was the only one who got the epic deals (cue my parents gasping in shock) it wasn't like Scribe came up empty, either... not when Tower City has a MAC store, where she finally found the dream foundation/ powder combo that did not turn pink on her at all. I was so proud of her - and was floored even more when 1) the makeup artist that she worked with was super cool and friendly without pushing too many products on her, and 2) her entire MAC bill for the makeup she just purchased came down to $65, as opposed to the $120 she had spent at the [name withheld] counter for the incompatible base. She also snagged a killer black leather bag at Charlotte Russe, too - the better to carry around whenever she goes out at night with Mr. Scribe.

Also: If you must burn your hard-earned dollars at the Bath & Body Works clearance sale, I definitely recommend going to the Tower City B&BW - where I got stuff for myself and my Dad, at the low price of $10.48 and no tax. Best. Sale. EVER.

The ManoLOLcat Says...

*more cat pictures

All right, I get it - I should pack the nice shoes for Cleveland, then.

Because I'm Roman Catholic That Way...

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:
"Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures;
On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;
He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel." - Genesis 14-15

And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful
are the feet of those who bring (the) good news!" - Romans 10:15

The Papal shoes are the red leather outdoor shoes worn by the Pope. They should not be confused with the indoor papal slippers or the Episcopal sandals, which are the liturgical footwear proper to all Latin Rite bishops. - Wikipedia, "Papal Shoes"

The most widely publicized papal branding event appears to have been the result of mistaken identity.

Over the past few months, scores of media reports have dubbed Benedict XVI the "Prada Pope," crediting the Italian fashion house with having made the pope's eye-catching red loafers.

The senior Vatican official says the loafers were actually made by the pope's personal cobbler. But Prada has refused to confirm or deny the reports, allowing the press speculation to continue. A spokesman for Prada said the fashion house lacked "the necessary elements" to make an accurate determination. - Wall Street Journal, April 25, 2006

Say what you want about Pope Benedict XVI - or, as one of my ex-seminarian friends often called him, "The Zinger" - but you gotta admit, those red leather Papal shoes are super fantastic.

Not-Too-Hideous Shoes of Comfort: The FitFlop

If you are on the Bath & Body Works mailing list, as I am, you may already be familiar with FitFlops, as seen in the B&BW ad below.

At first I thought, "Eh, better legs with $50 flip-flops? Hello, I've hiked with guys who can scale jagged hillsides with $2 rubber zoris from Longs. That's not going to happen."

That changed, however, when I actually found FitFlops at the Ala Moana Lady Foot Locker. (Note: Hawaii still doesn't have a B&BW store! We still have to rely on online orders and pasalubong from the Mainland!) The first time I tried them on, I was impressed by the shoe-like squishy sole and the curve-hugging top strap, which I thought was definitely superior to the zori that I'm used to.

Well, all of that changed yesterday, when I broke down and got the red beauties shown here below at the aforementoned Lady Foot Locker:

Several factors came into play: For one thing, my regular non-hideous shoes of comfort (the Reebok Trail Wave) have finally started to fall apart after two to three weeks of straight walking in the rain - I swear that the holes on the upper were causing my socks to get soaked ten times more than usual. And speaking of the rain, the weather's been so ridiculous in my school district that I've practically gotten used to coming to school in a wet jacket, wet pants, wet shoes, and a broken umbrella. (I've started packing dry ones in my bag ever since, and I should be getting a new umbrella-ella-ella in the near future.)

What really broke me, however, was the fact that I did need some comfortable shoes in the classroom that will actually let my feet breathe. I'll be the first person who will admit that flip-flops in any workplace don't always look professional (which is why I still carry flats with me), but I'll also cop to the fact that Hawaii is so casual that I can still get away with bare feet like this... and considering where I work, I could use all the comfort that I can get on my feet.

Anyway, I finally bought the FitFlops, and I put it through the test of walking from Ala Moana to my apartment in Makiki - a good mile or so, and 20 minutes in good weather. I had to, because my feet were already chapped raw from making the same walk from the other direction in my regular slippers and I was already going through a very stressful Saturday as it already was. I was definitely thankful for the springy cushioning in the platform sole - as good as any running shoe, if not better - and the straps were definitely sturdy as they held my instep as close as possible to the sole. The only problem I had was the little thong part that went between my toes, which was definitely not cushioned and ended up making that area more chapped than they usually are.

Okay, so it's only been Day 1 and I still have to test these against the elements (and the similar 1-mile walk from my bus stop to the school), but you get the idea. If you live in warm weather, or an environment that practically encourages flip-flops, then I definitely would recommend this in terms of a sturdy, reliable shoe that you can walk in all the time... and considering how comfortable they are, you will want to walk in them.

And as for the "workout while you walk" claim... well, if you walked in your FitFlops as much as I usually do, wouldn't that be the case? It sure beats wearing your knee joints out on regular rubber slippers.