Appropriate At Any Age

Closet Analysis: Keep your wardrobe updated as you get older, but that's not all . . .

It was 2012 when American Apparel used 60 year old model Jackie O'Shaugnessy in an advertising campaign. Iris Apfel, who is 91 years old has adopted "eccentric" as her in-the-now fashion phase of life. As well we are seeing more and more older women and men on the red carpet. Or is it just me and the fact that I am getting older that I am noticing these things?

A friend suggested I write about appropriate dress past the big 6-0. Insofar as dressing goes, my thoughts are that the rules are the same at any age. I can't think of anything else to say but that size, shape, proportion, colour and comfort are important no matter how many candles are on your cake. The exception of course is that one should only dress like a teenager if one is a teenager. As well, I don't mean comfort as in oversized sweats but rather the clothing you feel good in wearing. As for Iris Apfel, I would imagine that most of us think that eccentric does not work for us. We seem to have this feeling that others can do it, but we can't. I get that, but if classic is your schtick, what happened to the classic, upscale clothing worn while working? In all likelihood "classic" has now been replaced with "casual" clothing. I guess that's why I still take on temporary contracts; it forces me to dress up. I think retirees (and many are not over 60) are guilty of overrating the casual. As I reflect upon aging, I have made a few "growing old gracefully resolutions". . .

1) Maintain classic even in more casual clothing. I was in the habit of wearing suits or blazers and pants/skirts when I was working in a public institution. Now, I am maintaining the blazer look, albeit more often with jeans and pants than in a formal suit or with skirts. The blazer is a marvelous carry-over from formal to casual. A t-shirt or crisp white shirt and blue jeans is a great casual look and also camouflages in wondrous ways. Wear only what fits well.

By the way, I googled "classically dressed older women" and saw nothing remotely near, in the images category, to what is in my mind's eye. Another search engine came up with more than one full frontal nude shot of women of a particular age - what part of "classically dressed" was that search engine taking me to? Never mind . . . let's move on . . . 

2) Study fashion magazines. Take the time and adopt a new style, maybe someone like Eileen Fisher. Find one you love and you will remain true to it, making dressing at home or going out easy. At the same time, find something colorful, fun and fashionable. You might surprise yourself.

3) Speaking of color - I know you - beige and black; I'm with you. But make this a 2014 resolution: add color to your wardrobe. 

4) Maintain the most stylish shoes you can manage. My feet have been good to me, no bunions and only tolerable minor callouses; therefore, I can still wear stilettos. I don't go dancing for hours so I can manage stilettos at dinner parties and wine tastes. But really, the height of the heel is not important. Flats are fashionable and so find the most stylish that your feet can tolerate. Ballet flats are a great choice, (as this blog has pronounced) for men and women, since there are so many beautiful  and functional varieties out there.

5) Wear signature jewellery. No matter whether it be a collection of bangles, pearl necklaces, statement turquoise . . . pick something and make it your signature. Remember what Sonja Henie said, Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles.

6) Posture - you were told this when you were 10 and you need to be reminded when you are 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 . . . no matter when, good posture gives you a positive attitude. Stand up as straight as you can. Head up, shoulders back and, unless you have a physical limitation, do not walk bent forward from the waist as if you are charging to knock down a locked door. Tai Chi and yoga might help if you are concerned. 

7) Ladies - wear a good fitting bra and create the illusion of a waist with your clothing choices. 

8) Smile; after all, everyday on this planet, the older you get, the greater the odds that you have all ready beaten.

9) You don't have to dye your hair but certainly keep your cuts updated with a good stylist. 

10) Get fit starting now. You've heard it on fitness sites and now you're reading it on a fashion blog: "you're never too old to get fit". You could be 20- to 90- something and this still applies. Of course the first thing you do is stop smoking. Follow that with eating healthful foods in reasonable portions and exercise at your particular level of intensity three or more days a week. Yeh, yeh I know you've heard it before. Another couple of things: keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control and visit your doc annually. Oblivion is not a good state at any age.

When you are fit you feel better in your clothes, no matter your choice of style. Now what three aging gracefully resolutions will you begin today?

Stylish on a Budget

Double, double, toil and trouble, 

Fire burn, and caldron bubble.  

- the witches from Shakespeare's Macbeth

With apologies to Shakespeare . . . I have adapted the phrase to suit those of us who need to watch what we are spending on clothing.

Thoil, thoil, mark-up double 

Designers spurned; avoiding trouble.

- adapted by JoyD from Shakespeare's Macbeth 

 

"Thoil" is my latest new word. Wiktionary tells us that thoil means to be able to justify the expense of a purchase. 

"I loved those Manolo Blahnik's but I couldn't thoil them in addition to my new Theory pants and blazer." 

We probably need to say "I can't thoil that!" more often than we do! I had set a clothing budget and of course, I have overspent my assigned February clothing allowance owing to a friend's recommendation and visit to Holt Renfrew and Tory Burch. We can always blame our friends if we can't take responsibility for our own selves.

New

Tory Burch Riding Boots. Photo by JoyD.

Tory Burch brown leather riding boots - regular $545.00 (Cdn) on sale (taxes in) $251.00 (Cdn.) purchased at the Tory Burch boutique (Chinook Centre) in Calgary, Alberta on February 17th. Good deal!

The witches of Macbeth inspire me to continue . . . 
Stilletto of Jimmy Choo,
In the shopping bag, first of queue 
Theory pants and Armani top
Burberry trench, do not stop
Tory Burch boots, Minkoff bags
Caroline Herrara dress so nags
Chanel suit, and shoes to match
Earrings, cuffs, add to the batch
For the charm of economic trouble
Like a hell-broth thoil then rubble.

- Adapted by JoyD with apologies to the witches, MacBeth & Shakespeare

Creating an Illusion

Closet Analysis: Creating Height

People always think that I'm taller than I am, not just because of the shoes I wear but because of the way I dress. It's all relatively streamlined.

- Victoria Beckham

All you have to remember, to create an illusion, is the following:

Good fit (nothing baggy) 

Head to toe colour tone

V-neck tops

Knee-length or shorter for skirts (preferably pencil skirts)

Dark legs with dark clothing; light legs with light clothing

Heels (Open-Toed shoes work here too)

Getting Dressed for Work

Closet Analysis: The Night Before

It is January and just like last January when I took a part-time contract at a university, I have done the same at a community college and technical institute in 2014. It's the end of January and this blog has taken a backseat to the time I am putting into my planning, preparation and correcting. However, once again for 3 months I am resurrecting my "work" closet and once again I am overwhelmed with a change in my schedule. I changed clothing three times the first day and vowed that would not happen again. As a result I have a few suggestions to make getting ready for work stress free and easy.

Nice

Point your shoes in the right direction. That was the advice given to me many years ago when I asked a veteran teacher how she kept organized at home. Her first words dealt with clothing and her closet. When you come home from work, change into comfortable clothing to create a physical break with your workday.   Even if you are going out later, change and wear something else. Now choose what you are going to wear to work the next day. Check for secure buttons, working zippers and stains on clothing. Hang everything together (jewellery included), shoes placed pointing as if leaving your bedroom (this is definitely optional), and underwear (stockings or socks included) looped around the top of the hangar or in pockets. Voila! It's done, you have no potential clothing malfunctions and no clothing options to stress you out the next day when you are dressing for work.

I use a "valet" and because it is not physically in my closet, I am not tempted by other items I see hanging around my original choices. See my January 13th post, 2014 Casual: Separates and Flats.

Necessary

Take a closet inventory for defects. You must take inventory of loose buttons, split seams, undone topstitching and other such unsightly problems that make dressing a pain. The best way to deal with this is to make a closet date and assign a specific amount of time to attending to these necessary tasks. If nothing needs fixing, keep your closet date to iron, sort and organize, eliminate, substitute, combine, modify, put to other uses and rearrange.

Note-Worthy & Need

Take a closet inventory for needs. My 2014 resolution to dress up more comes from necessity and only because I accepted a temporary contract to teach. I need some separates to round out my work wardrobe and bring some life to trousers and blazers that have been in my closet for awhile or else I won't be wearing them. I have a dark purple skirted suit that needs a more colourful top than what I have previously worn with it. Armed with a closet need list for work and because what I need are basics, I will now watch for the sales that will be happening as we slowly move out of the winter season toward spring.

2014 Casual: Separates and Flats

Closet Analysis: Mix & Match Your Separates

Photo Source: Glamour Magazine UK

Ines de la Fressange, former French model and present-day author, is featured in this photo wearing my most favourite casual look - skinny pants/jeans/or bootcut, simple shirt/t-shirt, blazer and flats/either shoes or boots/although heels are certainly an option. Whether male or female you can never go wrong at work (at least at most work places) or going to the market on Saturday. Love it, love it, love it.

When you organize your closet you have a greater overview of what you have and what you can mix and match. The following process will help you see the big picture of what you already own and be better able to mix and match:

1) Group your separates into similar item groups. Tops/t-shirts/blouses/shirts/pullovers are organized first into colours. Once in their colour category, organize from sleeveless to longsleeved. Now organize your pants/jeans/skirts and jackets/cardigans/blazers in relatively the same way.

2) Bring all your flats/shoes/heels out and position them under the clothing you have organized. 

3) Hang all scarves, jewellery, belts and other accessories in a common area for easy access.

Now you're ready to bring it all together. If you do only steps 1 to 3, deciding what to wear in the morning will be easier. However if you take an afternoon or evening to play around with step 4, dressing becomes a pleasure and not a pain.

Valet Photo by JoyD.

4) Using a valet stand or your bed with a neutral background, you can begin styling your outfits. Choose a pair of pants and place them on the valet or at the edge of the bed. With the pants hanging over the edge, place the blazer open above the waist of the pants and add the top. Lay your accessories in an arc, over the clothing, on the bed. Place the shoes on the floor adjacent to the bed. Now play. Put pieces together that you would never think to actually wear. You might surprise yourself. 

The following example is a safe bet but it is difficult to break particular habits. I'm talking about myself now and I am trying; however, first I have to play at being more adventuresome. And maybe I will never get to the point of actually wearing orange and turquoise out in public.

Photo by JoyD.

5) Example: grey blazer with red/burgundy pin stripe, grey pants, grey heels, red sleeveless tank  - bring those colours together in a scarf or statement necklace. This vertical monochromatic look is always appropriate for those of us who are height challenged but adding a pop of colour and an accessory that brings it all together makes the look your own. 

Perhaps trying unconventional colour combinations should be a style resolution for 2014. It is a challenge for me.

Celebrity Styles Influencing Personal Style Evolution

Closet Analysis: Evolving Styles of Both Men and Women

Style evolution has everything to do with body image and self-esteem . . . feeling good in what you have chosen to wear . . .  along with lifestyle and work requirements. I am going through the process of my own style evolution because of lifestyle requirements and through this blog I have been analyzing that process. Since I have made some style resolutions this year, I decided to do some research on contemporary celebrities, both men and women, their looks and their style evolutions.

Photo Source: Ykone

The style evolution of Victoria Beckham has been pictorially represented on the Glamour magazine UK website. It wasn't until about slide 20 that I became interested - that's the photo that begins her "sophisticated" development. Although not everything after that point held my attention, it was an interesting cross-section of style evolution from, as the website coined it, Spicy to Sophisticated. Her sophisticated phase is influential and can be adopted by many, even those without her Size 0 physique. A couple of French bloggers, Ykone and Au Feminin, have also penned the evolution of Victoria Beckham, which is worth visiting if only to see the choice of photographs, if you don't read French (I read French but I don't always understand the nuances of what I read). 

Victoria Beckham wool twill coat.
Photo Source: StarStyle

"Everything she wears is tailored to perfection" and "she is the master of minimalism" are two of the 15 reasons to love Victoria Beckham's style on Stylebistro.com.

Photo Source Wenn

George Clooney, now in the 50+ age group, has had his style evolution pictorially represented by radar online. From 1990 to 2011, he has been depicted from an ordinary long haired bluejean-clad upstart to a debonair stylish gentleman actor. What a difference 21 years makes!

The "carcoat" in grey is classic, timeless, constant and forgiving, to the point that if you are going to incorporate this style, do it in cashmere or fine wool, pay a bundle and you will wear it forever. My husband chose one in camel many years ago and it is still my favourite outerwear look for a mild winter.

In other photos I perused, Clooney does justice to the open shirt with a suit or blazer. Although I couldn't find a photo of him in a t-shirt, blazer and jeans, I think he would wear them well and that is an adoptable style combination for any man.

Photo Source: People Stylewatch

Photo Source: Glamour Magazine UK

When I think about the photographs of Charlize Theron that I have seen - skinny jeans with heels, often a blazer (even with boyfriend jeans as in this airport photo) and red carpet gowns come to mind. The red carpet looks may be mesmerizing, but are not the reality for 95% of the population. Realistically, the blazer with jeans is much more adoptable. I've always loved that blazer look and it has been part of my style inventory. Take the blazer away and even Charlize Theron might look frumpy - mmm no, I don't think she would ever look frumpy, excluding her dramatic roles such as Young Adult and Monster of course.

Wonderwall.msn looks at Johnny Depp's style evolution and he has done it all; nevertheless, the suit, the jacket, even if it happens to be a denim jacket, is always there.

Now maybe Johnny Depp can get away with it but I would suggest that if you choose to add a hat to your style evolution, make sure it doesn't have holes in it.

Part of a man's style is a t-shirt but it is the way he wears a t-shirt that is important. I have always liked that suit with a t-shirt thing. It looks successful  but not too stuffy.

Photo Source: Fashionodor

Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm 64? (Lyrics, When I'm 64, Beatles). Will I still be wearing statement necklaces when I'm 90? One of my style resolutions, to wear more statement jewellery, has been inspired by Iris Apfel, self-proclaimed "geriatric starlet", who is 91 years old.

I think the greatest fashion faux pas is looking into the mirror and seeing someone else. Relax. Have fun with your clothes!

- Iris Apfel 

Photo Source: List UK

After writing the portion on Iris Apfel, I thought of Elton John whose style evolution has mellowed as he got older; whereas Apfel's became more flamboyant. There are 29 photos depicting Elton John's evolution on Biography.com. And so it is with us; perhaps not to either extreme. But I do know women who are taking the statement, "I should have worn red more often," to heart.

Who are your contemporary style icons or perhaps style icons from the past? . . . I think there's a post there.

2014 Style Resolutions

With appreciation to Holt Renfrew and their style resolutions advertising campaign where I borrowed my topic for the day. Some of my resolutions crossover with theirs but if it's a good thing, those ideas must be on more minds than just the people at Holts. My closet and style resolutions for the year:

Layering two rose quartz statement necklaces
by JoyD to make a more significant statement.

1) Wear more statement jewellery whether it be necklaces, earrings or bracelets. Holt Renfrew has also made this one of their style resolutions for 2014. My motivation is twofold since I do design and make jewellery; however I don't ofen wear what I make, since everything is essentially for sale, so this year I have decided to do some blatant self-promotion. On New Year's Eve, I began by layering two rose quartz necklaces with a navy dress that has gold threads running through it. On New Year's Day I wore a filigree cross pendant overlayed on a red Greek cross with flared ends. Wearing this piece made me realize that it would be better, actually updated, if I remade it into a "choker" instead keeping it as a longer pendant necklace. And so this resolution has already proven to be a positive experience even with only two days into it.

Photo Source: Lyst.com

2) Carry a smaller bag. The cross body straps that end in a medium sized clutch makes more sense for the shoulders. I suffer from chronic shoulder pain (from all those years of carrying bags of books) and have not yet learned that a heavy shoulder bag might be the problem. Holts suggests this orange cross body Rebecca Minkoff bag. I probably won't do a rusty orange but this particular bag comes in a variety of colours in addition to the basics. Check the Purseblog, which has a post featuring Rebecca Minkoff cross body bags.

3) Dress up more - another Holt Renfrew resolution that I share. Over the past year, I have spent more time in the same jeans, skinny pants and other comfortable casual clothing than I care to admit. I have clothing that I don't want to get rid of, and so I resolve to dress up more in 2014. New Year's Eve and Day give one the opportunity to turn it up a notch and so this resolution started out well.

4) Take inventory of my clothing to see what can be re-created and updated. My first thought is to have a "mermaid/fishtail" skirt re-made into a pencil skirt. I think there's a post there.

5) Create and follow a clothing budget. Sigh. I'm already not liking this. With this resolution, I need to think more about what I am buying to supplement what I already own and be conscious of how much money I am spending. I'm not a spendthrift but I do like to buy better quality items and so that means more research.

I shall stop at 5 but I welcome any of your clothing or closet resolutions that you may be making for 2014. As far as resolutions go you can make them at any time of the year so I'll be returning to this post often to keep myself on track, check on your resolutions and keep you updated. 

Ballet Flat Favourites - 13 Pairs in 2013

JoyD: How many pairs of ballet flats do you need? 

Brian Davis: One more pair than I have now . . . 
my favorite pair is my next pair. (September 16, 2012)

NICE      NO THANKS     NOTE-WORTHY

In celebration of another year gone and in appreciation to the commenters on this blog, I am dedicating this post to the topic which has instigated the greatest number of comments in 2013. The "ballerina flats" posts on this blog, for the most part, have featured men wearing flats and for that I thank Brian Davis, who has become my official advisor on the topic. The comments in response to these posts have been inspiring, some anonymously written and some with names, and so from those posts and comments, I have compiled 13 favourite ballet flats in 2013. 

NICE: When you go shopping in 2014, whether you are male or female, use this list as a guide:

Photo Source: Brian Davis

1) Tory Burch Flats. If you have been reading this blog, you will know that Brian's favourite ballet flats are Tory Burch . . . I was a huge fan of higher end flats like Michael Kors and Puma flats. Puma actually makes some amazing flats.  But my true favourites are my Tory Burch flats . . . Her classic Reva flats with the gold or silver medallion are a must have.  (Brian Davis, April 20, 2013)

Photo Source: Brian Davis

2) Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan 'Air Bacara' Flat - "super comfortable and unisex, unfortunately out of my budget" (Ivan, May 12, 2013). These come in at around $200.00 retail full price. PinkPanther222 also likes Maria Sharapova - "I absolutely love my Maria Sharapova Air Bacaras. They cushion the heel with Nike technology, the design helps out a guy with high arches, and they just make me look good. They are elegant, simple and sophisticated. I wear them with jeans and shorts. They are incredibly comfortable and versatile." (May 6, 2013 comments) That's Brian in his yellow Revas with a friend in the blue Maria Sharapova Air Bacaras.

Photo Source: Amazon

3) Merrel Wonder Glove Mary Jane ballet flats - "I am proudly wearing them everyday", writes PinkPanther222 who also suggests these, for which he has written a review for Merrel, Amazing Shoes for Males, As Well, which is copied here:

I just purchased a pair of Wonder Gloves (Aluminum) . . . they are so comfortable, flexible and light on your feet . . . as a male I was looking for an attractive "barefoot style" shoe . . . hard to find in the men's section . . . Thank you Merrel! I wear them with my jeans on a regular basis . . . I have alreay received compliments from a few women and my wife.

Photo Source: Rubinos Shoes

4) Nine West model - Fascinate - "I honestly recommend them to all the girls & guys who love to wear flats . . . they are super comfortable and look great with any outfit ($100. Cdn). (Ivan, May 12, 2013)

Photo Source: Banana Republic

5) Banana Republic Ashley ballet flats - "very cute and better than home slippers, I own 2 pairs in black and cognac and I love them ($99. Cdn)" (Ivan, May 12, 2013) Just thought I would feature the red pair to entice you in 2014. I was a tad surprised that Ivan would like the bow but it proves that this too is an inappropriate preconceived notion of what men should like. It seems that if you are adding to a basic wardrobe of black and beige flats, red could be your next choice. 

Photo Source: This Next

6) Michael Kors flats - "very comfortable and elegant flats". (Ivan, May 12, 2013) These are Michael Kors Halo flats which truly do look extremely elegant, perfect for a black tie affair. These look like a fabulous alternative to high heels for the women reading this.

Photo Source: Lindsay Phillips

7) Lindsay Phillips Liz ballet flats - black patent quilted. (Ivan, May 12, 2013). Lindsay Phillips also has something they call "snap shoes", basically ballet flats with interchangeable decorative "shoe ornaments".


8) Juicy Couture scrounge flats (Sergio, May 15, 2013)

Photo Source: Skechers

9) Skechers Bikers Mary-Janes (Brenn, December 28, 2013)

10) Le Chateau (Canadian retailer) has some comfortable flats (articles 276019 and 302807) - "I have the first one (276019) and they are very soft and comfy and easy to match with all my dressy pants and jeans, the uppers are made of leather so no blisters in your heels or toes; price range between $29. to $69. (Cdn)" (Ivan, May 12, 2013)

Photo Source:
Jessica Simpson Leve Shopping.Yahoo

11) Jessica Simpson Leve ballet flats. (Anonymous, June 9, 2013) Another bow on a pair suggested by a male. I personally don't care for bows on shoes therefore I can only conclude that stereotyping ends now!

Photo Source: ShopStyle

12) Lanvin ballet flats. Joelle Aidan was quite smitten by a muted Kelly green pair of Lanvins. I have recently broken the bank and purchased a pair of Lanvin ballet flats and the comfort level has set a new standard. Further, the Lanvin shoes (as simple as they are) are just beautiful to look at. (May 17, 2013) I don't know if these are exactly Joelle's Lanvins but from the description, I found many lovely pairs that were a pleasure to look at and finally chose this particular pair.



13) Sam Edelman Baxton (Ivan, May 12, 2013) Scroll down to the lower part of the Neiman Marcus Last Call page to see a variety of Sam Edelman Baxton ballet flats.

Ivan brought up the issue of cost in his comments and makes some suggestions for shopping for ballet flats. A good option for modest budgets like mine is Winners: Me too NY flats are very comfortable and its price is $40., if you check carefully Winners brings good brands such as Rocket Dog, Sam Edelman and other good brands at good prices. If you need flats in bigger sizes than women size US 11, Payless is a great option - very cute comfy flats and not expensive, and you can try them without asking the sales ladies for their help . . . (Ivan, May 12, 2013)

An Anonymous commenter sums this post up well . . . I wear the ballet flats because they are comfortable and I can slip them on and off easily. They are light on my feet and due to the lower cut of the vamp, are cooler in the summer. This commenters' flats collection come from the Gap, JCrew and Steve Madden. (June 9, 2013)

And with that recommendation . . . different flats for different folks . . . 

NO THANKS . . . 

1) the Steve Madden Heaven - "these flats looks really nice but they always cause me blisters in the toes and sweaty feet cause the insoles are made of synthetic". (Ivan, May 12, 2013)

2) Bloch ballerinas - they are really cute but the toe area is very narrow. I usually wear women's shoe size US 9 or 9.5 and with this brand I had to go up to 10.5 to have some comfort in the toe area, price is high ($225). (Ivan, May 12, 2013)

NOTE-WORTHY . . .

1) Within the Tory Burch line, comes this observation from Joelle Aidan: I have to say that I prefer the Tory Burch Eddie ballet flat to the Reva. (May 17, 2013)

Your experiences with ballet flats have an important place for this post's informative value and so I invite you to link to my blog (thanks Brian & Brenn and others I don't know about), add your comments here and become a follower.

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2014 

Ballet Flats Posts on this Blog . . . 

Ballet/Ballerina Flats: Genderless

In a Man's Closet: Ballet Flats

For the Love of Reva and Eddie

Shoes: To Fix or Not

These Choos are NOT made for walking: The designer shoes that look old and tatty after one day's wear.

- Joanne Hegarty,  Mail Online, August 15, 2011

I certainly did NOT experience the extent of the problems that Joanne Hegarty and friends did in the article about the delicate nature of designer shoes but after an afternoon reception I did come away with damage that I personally did not even realize happened. 

Jimmy Choo heel tip. Photo by JoyD

Jimmy Choo heel tip. Photo by JoyD

The Jimmy Choos I bought in 2011 have served me well until I went to an outdoor wedding reception in Germany last summer. The heel tip was gone and I was walking on the metal "nail". The leather was pulled back on the heel and lifting from worse to slight almost halfway up the heel. I couldn't wear them and so I began searching to see if I could get them fixed. I emailed Jimmy Choo customer service and a person responded quickly and efficiently with a shoe repair reference in New York state. I was in France at the time and was returning to Canada. With that information, the Choo advisor suggested I take them back to where I bought them. When I came back to Canada, I explored both alternatives but needed some time to ponder whether the cost and effort would be worth it for a pair of shoes, already over two years old. With the information I collected, I came to the reality that I probably would just buy a new pair rather than pay return shipping and repair and heel replacement fees. At the very least my research revealed that they were fixable. I was talking about my dilemma to my friend Sharon over lunch and she suggested that I try a new local shoe repair service whose work is "fabulous"! 

This new "shoemaker" was from Romania and performed a small miracle for no more than the cost of a new pair of heel tips, less than $15.00 (Cdn). I was relieved, appreciative and certainly confident that she could repair just about anything I would take to her. 

Shoe Advice: 

No matter the brand name, the more delicate the shoe (such as a strappy sandal with a thin leather sole), the more necessary to have them re-soled before you actually wear them. You are not so much getting them re-soled but reinforcing the delicate leather sole with another leather sole. If you wait until after the original sole has worn, you may not be happy with a complete "re-soling" which may change the look in a more pronounced way than if you had them reinforced originally.

Black marks on light coloured patent can be removed with petroleum jelly and a little rubbing or if that doesn't work, non-acetone nail polish remover will remove the black marks if they are superficial and not "embedded".

Always use a protection spray on shoes and boots if there is the slightest chance that you will encounter moisture on leather soles. And when I write "moisture" I don't only mean a torrential downpour, I mean the dampness of a grassy lawn - those heels will sink and after a couple of hours of contact, the leather on the heel could very well lift and the heel tip compromised. Think of those heels soaking in wet soil for two hours. Walk on concrete steps after and the heel could encounter significant damage. Be careful and think twice before spending a lot of time on that lawn in heels - gardeners wear rubber clogs for a reason.

Going out for dinner is different than dancing all evening so choose different pairs for different purposes.

When encountering problems with designer shoes, return to the store where you bought them for advice, you will receive more specific pertinent information from the local retail outlet than the designer's website. For this reason, I will never buy designer shoes online but of course, that is a very personal choice.

Explore alternatives before throwing away a pair of shoes. You'd be surprised what a good cobbler can do!