weekend links: shoe theory

Hello friends!

For as long as I can remember, my wardrobe goals have been simple: I want a small collection of clothes that coordinate with each other and that can take me through all of the different events in my life, from a regular day at home to a night at the opera to an afternoon of hiking in the mountains. An all-events core wardrobe, in essence.

In fact, it’s what drove me to become a designer. I want to feel confident that no matter what event or situation arises, I have the perfect thing to wear. And since I want only a small collection of clothing, I also need to get as much use out of each of those items as I can. I guess I’ve always been a capsule wardrobe kind of girl. I haven’t quite achieved it yet, and there are too many items in my closet that I probably don’t need, but it’s always been my goal.

Minimalism is my philosophy when it comes to accessories as well. In general, I prefer to invest in a few items of jewelry that are good quality and will last for a long time. I am not interested in gold plated costume jewelry. I want beautiful, elegant pieces that I can turn to over and over again, that function with everything in my closet.

And that same approach also goes for shoes . But I think that’s where I struggle the most: 

In winter I tend to wear ankle-high booties because I can wear them with skirts and dresses as well as trousers. In summer the same idea applies to sandals with slight heel. But it’s those in-between season that are really difficult. What do you wear with skirts and dresses in the fall and spring? Boots are too hot, sandals are too cold. A pump seems too dressy for many occasions and not so comfortable for a lot of walking.

I’m still trying to figure that one out.

When I travel, it’s especially important to pack as few things as possible. Since we spent ten days in New York this summer, I really wanted to be comfortable with all the walking we were doing. As much as I love my sandals, endless days of walking can be exhausting. And for some reason I really struggle with sneakers; I don’t like how they look on me.

As I was packing it finally occurred to me what the right mix for me is. I wear my classic sneakers with shorter skirts and dresses, but not with shorts. And sandals work great with shorts because they dress them up a bit. And I think that’s the trick, so this is my new Shoe Theory: mix more tailored, masculine pieces with feminine items. So if I’m wearing sneakers, they need to balance with a flirty skirt or dress. And the opposite applies to sandals with heels. If I’m wearing feminine sandals, I can pair them with more tailored or traditionally masculine elements like a button-down shirts and chino shorts.

So that’s my new shoe theory. But I’m still looking for the perfect in-between season shoes. Tell me if you have any ideas, please!