greenwich vintage co.

Beautiful, modern, quirky, traditional, handcrafted, and totally customizable, all at the same time.  These are the shoes birthed by master cobbler Tamas “Zen” Pomazi under the label Greenwich Vintage Co, based in Waconia Minnesota.  You can order a pair built-to-order with their seemingly endless menu of options (mid-sole color, sole color, sole shape, fabric inserts...), or send them an old pair of quality shoes or boots of your own and have them revamped however you wish.

More awesome shoe re-design... 

l'f unisex

Sturdy, comfortable, slightly ironic and extremely joyous oxfords for both him and her (read: me) in a rainbow of delectable colors.  No laces.  No tongues.  Vibram soles.  Truly unisex, italian-made shoes from designers Licia Florio and Francio Ferrari of  L'F Unisex.   I'm totally sold.

And how great do they look in action? Love how the tonguelessness (it's word. trust me.) gives an extra peek of sock or skin.  Just think of the possibilities!

And so many more color combinations...

leather and lace

While everyone else seems to be putting studs on their oxfords (not that I'm against it, I'm actually loving these, these and these), Valentino went a little softer for something that is totally unexpected.  A little tongue-in-cheek, these laser-cut patent leather lace applique brogues play on the feminine/masculine duality in the most charming way.  If I had the money to spare I would put these in my everyday rotation for sure.

december outnet picks

I know, I know, christmas shopping.  For others.  What can I say, I get distracted!  I mean, isn't this burberry jacket, at 60% off, distracting?

And look at these metallic raffia shoes, such a cool twist on the ubiquitous oxfords.

See more of what distracted me at the outnet after the jump...

a new edge

I fell in love with all the oxfords and brogues at Church's in London, literally visiting them every day after class to try on different styles and colors (the store on Regent St. has tons of women's styles, even though online there's only a few to choose from), but I ultimately failed to make a decision before my time ran out.  I had been under strict orders from my mama to get myself a birthday present there, so, rather than incur her wrath, on my actual birthday I went to the Church's store here in Madrid.  They have styles and colors that they didn't even have in London!  (And vice versa.)  I went there planning on walking out with some wingtips, but instead I fell in love with these bad boys.   Meet Ketsby:

image from net-a-porter
 

Rock 'n roll menswear power boots.  They are unlike anything I own or have ever owned.  I don't want to anthropomorphize these guys too much, but I was really awed by how much they affected the way I felt about myself when I slipped them on.  That's the power of fashion, people, don't underestimate it!  They bring out a side of me I didn't even know was hiding in there.  And so they're not just a new pair of boots, they're part of the new me.   Pretty exciting stuff.

strange fruit

We've seen all the basic shoe shapes, right?  I mean, they can't invent new ones at this point, right?  Wrong.

Alien shoes!  Otherwise known as hidden platform oxfords from Acne.  So there you have it.  Plenty of room for innovation everywhere. 

esquivel

How cute are these funny striped brogues?   Check out the inspiring interview with George Esquivel in the current net-a-porter magazine issue.  It's always so great to hear how designers got their start, especially when it's so unexpected and even accidental.  I also love seeing the details of the shoe-making process, how they punch those wingtip holes by hand, the little thank you cards in each box, all those details really make things special. 

top: linea, above: davis

maggie i think i've got something to say to you

I ordered these Frye Maggies and am currently wearing them around the house.  Do I keep them?  Do I not?  I am indecision personified.  So I'm taking a poll.

If you've been following me at all the past month or so you know I've been obsessed with finding a nude oxford (see here).  These happen to be the most perfect shade ever, (yeah, I'm that pale), like the slightly peachy crayola crayon of me.  I also love that it has a higher heel than most oxfords; this boot heel is the most comfortable and flattering, in my opinion.  As far as I can tell from walking around in circles in my living room, these shoes are very comfortable.  My mama, however, thinks the upturned toe is hideous, and the proportions are all off.  She is my best shopping partner and I get confused when we don't agree.  I'm not seeing clearly anymore, so I ask you, dear readers, what do you think?  Cool bootie nude oxfords with a twist or badly made ugly disproportionate grandma shoes?

bird

Bird is one of my favorite online stores.  By which I mean I pretend shop there all the time.  So imagine my excitement this morning when we were trying to figure out where to have breakfast and I saw their logo on a sign up the street.  No, I thought, it couldn't be!  But YES!  It was!  I am staying just a few blocks from a brick and mortar Bird store!  And the first thing I see inside?  These lovely oxfords:

Dieppa Restrepo!  The stuff oxford legends are made of!  In person, ready to be handled and fondled and tried on.   They are lovely, and really substantial, by which I mean the leather feels thick and like it will last years and years even after softening around your feet.  As you can tell, I am seriously tempted.  How do you think they compare to all my other bone-colored oxford choices?

Being inside Bird was seriously exciting to me.  Husband waited patiently while I touched every single thing in the store and asked "Isn't this beautiful?!"  ("uh huh, sure, nice,")  Of course I want to show you all the things I fell in love with, but there's so many items in the store that they don't even have listed online.  After the jump, a few pieces that plucked at my heartstrings...

oxford mania continues

I warned you there might be more...

moma at gravity pope

These guys don't come in the nude I was originally searching for, but sometimes when shopping with a mission you run into things that you didn't know you wanted.  Until you ran into them.  And then you're stuck obsessing.  About yet another thing...

objects in mirror at gravity pope

Take these woven oxfords for example; I never even knew such a thing existed, let alone that I had to have them.  And now I know both these facts to be true.  More superfluous but super tempting oxfords after the jump...