...it's Spring 2015: Florals

Yes, kind of obvious, spring, flowers.  You get it.  But this spring, there are SO many florals to be worn in SO many different ways.  Shoes, dresses, t-shirts, clutches, scarves, lions and tigers and bears oh my!  

Clearly I'm tired of my neutral palette and feeling the need for color (or could it be the 4' snow drifts out my back door?!).  BUT - what I realized last year with these shoes...

Image from barneys.com.

...is that my neutral wardrobe can be completely updated with a floral piece!  A couple of things with florals...

• Get one or 2 key pieces.  I have those shoes and I purchased a dress for Easter that's a floral pattern.  I think that's enough.  Well, maybe a scarf?  
• Floral doesn't have to mean "prissy".  Those Givenchy black floral pumps in the Polyvore set below are killer - imagine them with black jeans, black blazer with white t-shirt under?  HOT.
• If you end up with a floral dress or another piece that has a large amount of floral, minimize everything else.  I'm wearing my barely-there sandals on Easter to go with the floral dress I purchased (not unlike that Ted Baker dress below).  Make all other items neutral - jewelry, shoes, purse.  
• A floral scarf can cheer up any neutral outfit!
• An understated floral top can be a nod to the trend if you don't want to jump into the deep end (with an all-over print dress).  And if you don't want to scream floral, pair with a neutral blazer for a little edge or structure or a cardigan.  Both let the floral 'peek' out.

Play with these items next time you find yourself at the mall!  Think spring! ~ JH

W2WW Spring 2015: Florals

Ted Baker dress / Vince sleeveless top / Banana Republic sleeveless top / Ted Baker black t shirt, $69 / J Crew white t shirt / MANGO short sleeve top / Reiss white pants / MICHAEL Michael Kors white pants, $230 / Ted Baker underwire swimsuit / J.Crew short shorts / Givenchy leather shoes / Manolo Blahnik heels & pumps / Brooks Brothers ballet flat / Givenchy clutch / Ted Baker scarve, $105 / Ted Baker tech accessory, $45 / Old Navy lightweight scarve

In search of a navy pump.

At a dinner on Thursday night, my friend (and W2WW reader) was talking about how there are NO navy pumps out in the market.  This friend is a professional - think high-pressure meetings and the suits to match.  She's a serious executive and needs serious clothing for the job.    While this isn't my current world (SAHM), I know all about obsessions when it comes to clothing.  I told her "No problem; I'm on it.".  We LOVE the hunt at W2WW!

She'll be pleased to know that she can update her current kitten-heels with a click of a mouse.  My quick, online search using polyvore.com revealed lots of options.

First up?  The DVF Bethany heel.  Standing near 4" tall, it might be too tall for my friend, but worth a look.  It's a patent navy, which can be a plus in inclement weather, but she might just want leather.

Image from piperlime.com.

Next is one of my favorites - the Jimmy Choo Embossed Printed Leather Pump.  I love the leather on this and the heel height of 3.3" makes it completely wearable.  A classic, year-round shoe.

Image from jimmychoo.com.

Zappos was bound to have something, and it does, with the Elie Tahari Electra Pump.  With a lower heel height of 2 3/4", it might be even better for running to and from meetings.  

Image from zappos.com.

If she wants something a little exotic, Manolo Blahnik is showing these Twixpla Low-Heeled Pump with eelskin.  Oh yes, she'll pay a bit more for these - the $825 price tag is a little jaw dropping.  But the heel height is perfect and the eelskin makes for an interesting texture.

Image from bergdorfgoodman.com.

I'd like to see the blue on these in person (is it truly navy or a little lighter?!), but I know how comfortable Chloe shoes are, especially with a stacked heel.  My friend should check out these Chloe Scalloped Leather Pumps.

Image from saksfifthavenue.com.

Finally, a tried a true classic - the Manolo Blahnik BB in Navy.  How could she go wrong with this shoe?!

Image from barneys.com.

Friend - you have plenty of choices!  Happy shopping and let us know what you decide! ~ JH

…it's Spring 2014: d'Orsay pumps and flats

Can you tell that Lisa and I are so excited for spring?  One thing that we know needs to be on our shopping list is a d'Orsay pump or flat.  A d'Orsay shoe is defined by the vamp of the shoe being cut away very close to the toe box, and the sides of the shoe are cut away, revealing the arch of the foot.  So, a classic d'Orsay pump would look like this:

Image from nordstrom.com.

There are a ton on the market!  See the Polyvore set below!  The flats are a fun alternative to the ballet flat and a great transition shoe, especially when you are tired of wearing closed shoes, but it's too soon for sandals.  D'Orsay pumps are just an updated silhouette and I think they are super sexy.  

Here are a couple of images for inspiration:

Images from pinterest.com and fabsugar.com.

There are tons on the market right now - check a pair out next time you see them! ~ JH

W2WW - d'Orsay Shoes

Manolo Blahnik black shoes / Manolo Blahnik high heel pumps / Manolo Blahnik high heel pumps / Christian Louboutin leopard shoes / Salvatore Ferragamo leather pumps / Jenni Kayne flat shoes / 3.1 Phillip Lim flat shoes / 3.1 Phillip Lim flat shoes / J.Crew high heel pumps / Vince leather shoes / Vince flat shoes / Vince shoes / Tory burch shoes / Joie flat / Slip on shoes / Report flat shoes / Old Navy flat shoes

In Search of the Perfect Black Pump.

One of our friends (and a reader!) asked for our opinion of what we think is the perfect black pump.  There are many different kinds of black pumps, round-toe or pointy toe, staggeringly tall or manageable.  We'll go through our personal favorites.  

Disclaimer:  We should start by saying we are shoe addicts.  Years ago, we only dreamed of scoring a high-end designer pump on sale at Saks on the morning after Christmas.  (In fact, one year Lisa DID score the classic Campari Manolo Blanik mary-jane pumps; we have the same shoe size, so it took a lot for me not to rip them out of her hands.)  In more recent years, we've splurged a little more on wardrobe 'staples'; once we find something we LOVE, it might just be worth the designer price tag.  

A perfect black pump is a wardrobe staple.  This spring I finally splurged on getting a classic pointy toe pump - the Manolo Blahnik Newcio Pump in black leather.  

Image from nordstrom.com.

Plain, simple, really comfortable.  I knew I wanted a pointy-toe, black leather pump with a 3 1/2" heel.  Over the course of a year, I tried on many pairs at lower price-points but kept coming back to these.  I know I will have them (and wear them) forever and they will never go out of style.  (And just FYI, my foot is wide in the front with a narrow heel - tough to find perfect-fitting shoes that won't squeeze my toes or, conversely, slip off my heel.)

But that price-point is more painful than a pair of bad stilettos to say the least.  There are other options out there.  Lisa fell in love with this pointed-toe pair Valentina pumps by J. Crew last spring.  She bought them in red and swears they are completely comfortable.  This winter, they are carrying them in a black patent (which works well for inclement weather).  With a 2 3/4" heel, they are a GREAT height that should keep your toes happy through holiday cocktail parties.

Image from jcrew.com.

For round-toe pumps, I have always loved the Kate Spade Karolina pumps. I have them in a black, faux croc leather.  Piperlime is showing them in a black patent this winter.  They are extremely comfortable with a 3" heel.  (They also come in a nude patent, and Bloomingdale's has them in a black grosgrain with a glitter heel.)

Image from piperlime.com.

A few years ago, I went on a shopping mission for a friend who needed a dress pronto.  I purchased 10 dresses, a couple of jackets, and these pumps, after I learned that she had no classic pumps.  She kept 2 (or was it 3?) dresses, a jacket and a cardigan as well as these Calvin Klein simple, classic pumps, which have a 3" heel.  She said they were really comfortable and, at $69, the price is definitely right.  They must be a great seller since they are still on the market and now come in a whopping 22 colors on Zappos!

Image from zappos.com.

Finally, let's take a page from Kate Middleton's book and look at the L.K. Bennett 'Sledge' Pump.  The Duchess of Cambridge wears these day-in-and-day-out, which says something about the comfort and wearability of them.  While the heel is 4", the 1/2" platform brings you down to 3 1/2".  I have a pair of L.K. Bennett pumps from about 6 years ago that I still love and wear.  The shoes run narrow, so if you have a narrow foot, this might be a great choice for you. 

Image from nordstrom.com.

Those are our favorites.  Hope you find a pair you like! ~ JH  

W2WW News Flash - J.Crew / Manolo Blahnik collaboration NOT happening this fall.

Image from nbcnewyork.com.

After much anticipation and rumor, J.Crew finally confirmed today that there will not be a collaboration with Manolo Blahnik this fall.  Boo.

Apparently, the rumor began at J.Crew's Fall 2012 runway presentation. Lisa and I got really excited (we love the Target collaborations, especially Calypso St. Barth and Missoni), but starting reading conflicting reports.  Like, that Mr. Blahnik didn't realize he was part of a collaboration.

Glad that's cleared up. ~ JH