...And You Can Take These Trends To The Bank! Featuring: Raffia

Raffia, it's not just for baskets anymore...

Raffia is fighting its way into our everyday fashion items and is not just limited to beach bags and flip flops anymore.  Applied in a tasteful way, raffia can evoke a strong sense of summer into an outfit and above, I've shown a few ways in which you can apply this to your outfits, even to work!  Most of the choices above are neutral toned versions of the fiber since they will match up more easily with outfits and they can be a fun way to spice up, say, your typical leather nude/beige handbag or your basic wedges.

The Anne Klein skirt is a great example of how raffia is not limited to the weekends, you can incorporate more of this material into your workday by including pieces that are dyed darker and are therefore more serious and appropriate for office settings.  Essentially, raffia is to summer what dark-toned tweed is to fall. 

1. San Diego Hat Company Floppy Hat

2. Steve Madden Westii Wedge

3. Anne Klein New York Embellished Skirt

4. White House Black Market Patent/Raffia Belt

5. Elaine Turner Jane Raffia Satchel


Some disastrous examples of raffia gone bad are:

Robert Clergerie - Naya / Image via thisnext.com

...yikes, or

Robert Clergerie/ Image via polyvore.com

A dreaded flatform... it's like they say, just because it's designer doesn't mean its good!

Here are a few past examples of raffia done beautifully, unfortunately they are either sold out or no longer available:

Donna Karan / Image via stylehive.com

Charlotte Olympia - Dolly / Image via mytheresa.com

Colin Stuart / Image via ohmyshoes.it

But! here is a really cute and affordable raffia style shoe for those who don't want to make huge commitments and only want to dabble in this trend:

These pumps can be found in red and black at Urban Original:

Bamboo Colada-36 Raffia

So that's it for now everyone, have fun!

(Images via zappos.com, stevemadden.com, dillards.com, whbm.com, nationaljeancompany.com)

Bebe Naina in White/Cork

So here is the Naina in the white and cork combo.  My in-depth review on the Naina can be found HERE

This version is only the pictures, but I will say that these fit me more comfortably than the other colors I own!

Heel Height: 5.5 Inch heel w/ 1.5 Inch Platform

This was probably my favorite color combination that the Naina's came in.  They are so perfect for Spring/Summer.

Closer:

And in motion!:

Video via heels.com

The white/cork bebe Naina's are starting to sell out on a lot of websites. But like I said in my other Naina post, endless is probably you best way to go if you are between sizes since you can order them, get them overnight, and they have free return shipping for whichever pair doesn't work out.  As of right now, they are fully stocked from 5.5 to 10 in the white and every single color!

Endless - Bebe Naina

Have fun!

Bebe Naina in Black/Snakeskin

Well, I finally got to photographing these!  So I went ahead and took pics of all three colors that I own, this one, the tan, and the white, but the major/complete review will only be on this post, the others will have mini reviews based on the material and so on, but mostly just the pics.

Defined As:  Open-Toe Platform D'orsay Pump W/ Faux Snakeskin Accents and Extra-Skinny Heel
Nail Polish: Zoya - Jewell

Heel Height: 5.5 Inch Heel W/ 1.5 Inch Platform

This heel is super high and so so so skinny.  I used to own a Cathy Jean heel that was just as thin, however, that one was only 3 inches high (back when I first started getting into shoes), but I have never owned one quite this skinny and tall.  Surprisingly, it actually feels quite stable despite its width but I would definitely not recommend it to anyone starting out with heels.  It would probably be a pretty nasty fall if you stumble since there is not much room on the heel for you to recover from a misstep.

This heel is absolutely oozing with sex appeal,  essentially, they are something I would not wear to the office!  Also, these shoes are not good if you will be walking for more than 25-30 minutes.  Since the pump is open toe, the weight of your body will be pushing your toes through the opening and yes, it gets to be really painful after awhile!  Than can also look a little funny since your toes might also begin to stick out a little from the front, so keep that in mind if you have longer 2nd and 3rd toes like me.

As for sizing, these can be a bit tricky.  Again, make sure your toes sit comfortably withing the inner sole or else they will most definitely stick out.  The Naina runs small and I have read of people who, for example, are a size 6 say something like, 'the 6 was too small and the 7 was too big,' since bebe stores do not carry half sizes.  I bought a size 6, my typical size, and they fit me a bit snug and they are almost exact to the length of my toes.  However, I have been wearing my white ones with socks and they have definitely stretched out to a comfortable fit, so I would suggest you buy your size and stretch them, OR

Buy them half a size bigger.  Fortunately, other websites are carrying this shoe in half sizes such as endless and zappos.  However, I have only seen the black/cork combo on their sites and not this black/snakeskin combo.

My best suggestion is to do what I did.  Personally, I ordered the white ones from endless in a 6 and a 6.5 since they have free overnight shipping on new styles AND they have free return shipping.  I didn't have to worry about sizing since I got to try both sizes on and send back for free the one I didn't keep.

Just for reference, the 6.5 kept falling off the back of my heel and the toe area was too wide for my foot.

Ahhhhhhh, ok thesis over! Did that make sense??

This specific color combo is not available on the bebe website anymore but there are other combos on endless like cork and black, white, tan, and the gorgeous teal.  Find them here:

Bebe Naina Platform Pump

You can also find these at zappos in case endless does not have your size, but I don't think that zappos does free overnight shipping:

Zappos- Bebe Naina

So that is all I have for you guys for now, next up I will be posting the tan and white colors, 

BYE!!

Steve Madden Wheatley: FOUND!

But, surprisingly, not on the Steve Madden website.

One of my readers actually informed me that they were available on Macy's website, so thanks so much to her for the info, if anybody has been searching for it, you can thank her for finding it for the rest of us!  Macy's has them in patent black and nude, it seems like they might have recently restocked their supply of the nude tone because the first time I checked they did not have the nude in certain sizes.  The price is also MUCH cheaper than the original retail price from Steve Madden which was $110, I guess they must have lowered the price everywhere??.

Macy's - Steve Madden Wheatley Wedge

Zappos is the only other site I know that also carries them.  They have them in patent nude and patent fuchsia but honestly, it looks red to me.  They don't have the black and neither of the sites carry the cognac version. The Zappos ones are also being sold at the lower price of $89 just like the Macy's ones, and they are also fully stocked in all sizes.

Zappos - Steve Madden Wheatley Wedge

And for reference, here is a pic of the matte cognac version in case they make them available:

I will be on the lookout for this color online and will post any info I can find on it.  Full posts on these two colors in the near future, have fun!

To Toss Or Not To Toss?

Hmmm, this is an issue I've been contemplating for some time now.  I've been thinking about reorganizing my closet but I'm still on the fence on whether I should get rid of my shoe boxes or not.  I really love the idea of racks of shoes, the way you see in those specially built closets, of course this would definitely be a do-it-myself project for now since I am just experimenting, and I'd just buy some nice shelves or maybe some sort of case with adjustable heights.  Something like this:

Image Via: mackenziehoran.com

I do think that having all the shoes out probably gets better use out of them since I can see them and grab them quickly when I'm in a rush to get ready and need to run out the door.  The biggest problem I have with this method is dust, I guess if I am doing a good job rotating all of my shoes this won't be a huge issue, but then again I don't want certain materials to turn dingy and fade, such as suede.  So what should I do? What do you do?  Obviously doors on the shelves would fix this problem:

Image Via: shazwanihamid.com

This closet is gorgeous! I love the island counters, but for now, I am just getting ideas for shoe storage!

I don't like the idea of clear plastic containers as they are just as bulky and I have to go spend money on boxes which seems a little silly since they are already in boxes.  I know they are transparent but that system works the same as the one I have now as I use the little illustration on the side as reference.  But if I do display them, what happens if I move? Do I just wrap them in tissue paper? lol.

Looks like I will have to think this one out a bit more......

Out of the Vault: Bamboo Recap-01 in Green

Defined As:  Faux Suede Demi-Wedge? or Cut-Out Wedge?  Not sure, I have heard this style of heel being referred to in several different ways.

I purchased this shoe sometime last year and its a great heel for beginners, especially those who have been practicing in wedges and are starting to switch into pumps.  I really have no idea what the proper name is to describe the heel on this shoe but the little cut-out gives it a really interesting look, I'm surprised that more companies haven't jumped into this style!

These are actually quite comfortable to walk in, they aren't really that high to start off with.  The suede is really nice compared to various versions I have seen of these, they don't feel like those tough gritty faux suede ones, it's pretty soft for the price.  Before I bought these, people were all over the map with sizing.  A bunch of people were saying they ran too big and another large group said they ran too small.  Personally, they fit true to size and they haven't caused me any discomfort so far.
 

There are several versions of this style of wedge but I strongly prefer this Bamboo version because the toe has a really nice rounded shape.  Some other versions have longer shapes and varying archs.  

I can't recall if I purchased these from urbanog or gojane, and it doesn't really matter since I can't find them on the website anyway.  I did, however, find them at Alloy, they're available in black, green, and taupe, there's not a massive selection of sizes, but its on sale since it was really popular in the fall of 2010!! 

Find them here:

Alloy Parker Wedge

I was originally going to get the black but instead, I was going to get the Steve Madden Brigitt in black, but that shoe sold out before I had a chance to pick it up.  So I decided to just pick up the green Bamboo version with the hope that Steve Madden would restock the black, but so far, no luck.

Brigitt

Other versions of the cutout style include this one from Forever 21:

Find them here:

Canvas Cutout Wedge Heel

Hope you enjoy this shoe, its cute and inexpensive!

*Out of the Vault: A series featuring shoes that are already present in my shoe collection, essentially, they are not new or recent purchases* 

(Images via stylehive.com, forever21.com)

Forever 21 Wedges: Close Runner-Up to Steve Madden Wheatley

I know that there are probably lots of people who ran into the same situation as me, who saw the Steve Madden Wheatley online and didn't get a chance to order before they pulled the listing.  Well, I don't have a link to the Steve Madden shoes but I did find something similar.

These are actually really nice, I typically prefer a thinner heel on the wedge portion, but I really like the matte look of the leatherette.

And here are my Madden Wheatley's for reference :

Pretty similar right?  You can find the Forever 21 version here:

Leatherette Cork Wedges in Tan

I actually featured the same wedge in my Cork Trend post, but I didn't even notice until now how similar they were to the Wheatley's.  I know that Forever 21 is super limited on their sizes but its a good alternative to keep an eye on.

Good luck with your search!

(Images via forever21.com)

A Few of My Zoyas

From left to right: Sasha, Cola, Kierra, Ciara, Demi, Drew, Tobey

The quality on these Zoya's is amazing and this is actually the first time I have ever tried them.  They are, easily, better than China Glaze and Orly in terms of pigmentation and lasting power.  My manicures with these last 5 days, and they probably last even longer, but I wouldn't know since I get bored of the color and end up switching it out before it chips!

I will get to photographing the rest of my collection, but so far the cremes and shimmers have the same anti-chip strength.  I can safely say that they rival the likes of OPI and some colors, dare I say, are better!  I'm not joking, there are bright blues and greens that are completely opaque in one pass, I know it sounds unbelievable but it's true!  I am sold on this line and will likely continue to expand my collection, but for now, I have plenty of polishes to play and experiment with.

BYE!

Polish Haul

Oh yeah, I did...

But it's ok because I only spent about $22 on all of it!  I'm also aware that I am being skimpy on shoe posts but I have a really good reason.  I've been on an ABSOLUTE NO-BUY for the last 3-4 months.  Yeah, I know I've cheated but I have to say I'm actually really pleased in how I've behaved overall, however, it's been taking it's toll on me.  Hence, the constant Out Of The Vault posts and SUPER HENCE the affordable polish hauling!

Luckily, I'm finally at a place where I can start lifting the ban and I have 2 new wedges lined up which I will sneak peek soon!

Ok first up, the Wet n Wild Wild Shine:

L to R: Hallucinate, Sparked, Rain Check, Black Creme

I can't really give a review on these since I've never used them before but I have heard great things about them. They are only 99 cents and I've heard several people say that they have the best black nail polish out there, yeah, even over O.P.I.  I'm very optimistic so we shall see....

L to R: The Gold & The Beautiful, 9.0.2.1.Orange, Saved By The Blue, Teal of Fortune, Teal or No Teal, Blue Wants To Be A Millionaire, Hannah Pinktana, Party of Five Glitters

Again, no review, but I'm really excited about these and will try these out very soon.  These are all named after T.V shoes, I mean, shows. HAHA, did you get it, because shows and shoes.. and yeah...

(clears throat)

The ultimate test for nail polish for me is always on my toes because of the nails rubbing against the inside of closed shoes like pumps or the straps of sandals.  I'm pretty good about using gloves for washing dishes and I've never really had problems with chipping originating from cooking meals or typing.  I'm also curious to see how fast the fastdry will really dry, especially with the Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat.  I'm guessing, super, super fast????

By the way, all of the Wet n Wild polishes were BOGO 50% off at CVS, plus I had a coupon for $3 off any $10 beauty purchase.

Affordable polish + coupons = WOOT!  

I'm not sure if all locations have the same dates so check your local circular to see if they are on sale in your area.

L to R: Glistening Purple, Aqua Crystals, Sparkling Diamonds, Sassy Sparkle, Shock, Nuclear Energy, Atomic, Splash, Yellow

More L.A Colors.  These were from the Dollar Tree and I just could not resist.  Besides, I don't have any glitters in these colors so yeah, I needed them.  I needed them.  I needed them...

No, I didn't, but I got them anyway!

So, that's it for me.  I don't know about you guys but I'm kind of getting tired of wearing brights on my nails.  I was so excited when summer started but now I'm so ready for some vampy and muted shades.  But, then again, I just bought a bunch of brights... is this another Starburst juicy contradiction???

It must be :)

Current Bankable Craze: Cork Shoes

The appearance of cork all over new shoe collections is a sure sign that spring and summer are approaching.  Here are a few examples of styles that many brands are releasing that vary widely in price range so there's definitely something for everyone. 

A classic cork wedge is a must for all, but if you're really into this look, you can also opt for the all-cork version's such as numbers 5 and 6.  Style preferences for cork can also vary as there are patent and matte versions, as well as variations in tone from pale cork to deep tan versions.  Pair cork with blue jeans, the color white, or dresses for a feminine and flawless look for the season.

Personally, I am eyeing number 4 :)

1. Steve Madden Dahliya Wedge

2. Forever 21 Leatherette Cork Wedges

3. Christian Louboutin Deroba Wedge

4. Jessica Simpson Vadio Sandal

5. Rock & Republic Lauren Sandal

6. Sam Edelman Novato Slingback

Have fun!

*Current Bankable Craze: A series where the purpose is not necessarily to give a 99.9% dupe of a designer style, but more so to give an idea of varying shoe styles with similar characteristics in various price ranges.* 

(Images via stevemadden.com, forever21.com, net-a-porter.com, zappos.com, piperlime.com)