Fall Shoes

ModCloth is definitely one of my favorite places to buy clothes, but the fundamental issue with the whole system is that there is no physical store.  I know in this day and age that an entirely online shop can thrive (i.e. ModCloth), but it’s always such a major frustration to get a new dress in the mail, and try it on, only to find that it’s too big or it just doesn’t fit right or it doesn’t look the way you imagined it.  And don’t get me wrong: most of the time, I think ModCloth has done nearly everything that it could do to prevent these sorts of disappointments, i.e. precise measurements, reliable buyer reviews, detailed descriptions, and most importantly, free returns, but there is also another consolation I have discovered.  Shoes.  I have found that for some reason I can gage which shoes are going to fit and which are going to look best on me.  And the best part is that while ModCloth is occasionally a little price-y for the quality of apparel they sell, their shoes fall into a surprisingly moderate range.  So, in my anticipation of autumn, I have gathered a sampling of a few of my favorites available so far this season.  Enjoyyy.

ridick

Yes, I am very aware that this first pair is pretty absurd.  But I’m trying to cover the spectrum.  So let’s move on.  Below, incredibly memorable pair of statement-makers.

little bit of the got-run-over look

These next two pairs are a little more formal, I think.  The red ones are so festive, and the heels are just plain business fabulous.

modern day Jo March

these mean business

These ankle boots are fantastic.  So chic and clean-cut.  And they look comfortable, which is a definite plus.

o, ankle boots!

The next two pairs are big favorites.  First of all, the platforms are super sexy and I just love the color.  And the flats are just adorable (even though I probably have 4 pairs of brown flats).

madly in love

add to my collection of cute brown flats

And lastly, these sweet old boots.

19th century, anyone?

Like I said though, this is a teensy cross-section of the pairs I have my eye on.  Fall is my favorite time of year, and a good part of that opinion comes from the cool fashion that accompanies it.  I promise to post any outfits I put together with these in them.

A great friend of mine once said of me: “Life is a costume party,” and I’ve kept it in mind ever since.  Please feel free to make this your motto too; it’s going pretty well over here.

Tea on the Balcony

view from the top

Today is the first day in nearly three weeks in which the temperature has not reached triple digits here in Nashville.  Yes, we’ve weathered everything on up to 111 degrees this summer, and quite frankly, I believe I’ve shouldered a little more of the burden than usual – I live in an ancient apartment on the top (third) floor with one little window unit.  It’s been an interesting summer.

You understand now, though, that this lovely, sun-dappled, 89-degree afternoon is not lost on me!  I decided to honor it by swinging open my balcony door and sitting out on my little shaded ledge overlooking our complex’s grassy courtyard, drinking warm orange spice tea and nibbling on ginger snaps, while Laura Marling’s I Speak Because I Can wafted from my record player.

afternoon snack

20-year-old Laura Marling, if you haven’t heard of her, is a British folk songstress with an old soul… (perfect for an afternoon sipping tea, right?).  Her lyrics are deeply felt and quietly thoughtful… and that voice, graceful and melancholy, is deceiving in its youth.  Laura Marling and her introspective harmonies have been a relatively recent discovery, but I feel like I’ve been listening all my life.

beautiful girl

Recommended tunes from I Speak Because I Can include “Devil’s Spoke,” “Rambling Man,” “Goodbye England,” and “Darkness Descends.”  And try “Ghosts” and “My Manic and I” from her debut Alas I Cannot Swim.  Listen well and deeply.