The obvious blog post in January is...

... about sandals. 

For sure, no?  We don't have any snow yet so this has to be the death knell for everyone who has vaguely clement weather right now and we'll all be knee deep in snow by Monday.  I apologise now but we've done the skirt, we've done the top and we now need to do the shoes. 

And cracking on and getting this outfit sorted seems like a pretty good plan for a freezing Friday.  From the pics online at LK Bennett, I think a strappy sandal is what is going to look best with it.  Plus, I've managed to find some great sandal bargains which it would be foolish not to have a look at if we are considering any. 

Believe it or not, some (clearly less nesh than me) people choose to wear sandals in the Winter.  On reflection, one of my favourite and much worn (in the Spring/Summer mind you) pair is from Reiss and I did buy them a couple of years ago in the sales in January. 

And it did make me think - why don't I wear them more in the Winter.  It's hardly as if I'm tramping for miles in the snow.  I mostly go from the car - 100 yards at the most - to a house, restaurant, party, pub. 

But I think I might have worked it out.  It's because I'm too lazy to get a pedicure.  That's pretty much it.  I have suede shoes and boots so I certainly can't use the rain as an excuse as I wear them (ergo clearly it doesn't rain that often).  

I need to simply get my trotters an MOT, in what I usually term the hibernation months and then Winter sandals can be back on the agenda. 

Which means you can wear them now with trousers, both skinny and cropped.  Personally I'm drawing the line at shorter skirts and dresses as that then involved lots of leg maintenance which, frankly, I don't contemplate until at least April.  But a long midi... ok I'll give you that. 

It's sandals time then and what better place to start than LK Bennett where the amazing ones with the skirt the other day were from.  Not these though and I think I like these better.  I certainly love the fact they're an amazing reduction in the sale. 

Tamia Buckle Suede Sandals was £275 now £110





And in the berry again £110 down from £275



These are the ones that are featured with the midi skirt and they look amazing. (and not too high).

Lucia Peep Toe Sandal from LK Bennett £250






It would be rude not to look at the dregs of the Matches sale where there is sandal porn a plenty.  At this juncture, in the interests of solidarity, I should possibly point out that my Burberry sandals that I paid a lot for - more than I've ever paid for any pair of shoes - have been my must have shoe for coming up to four years now.  They have been amazing and if you get them right, a fabulous pair of sandals will last you for years and years.  Interestingly, I've found the more expensive the shoe, the slightly less high they are which I have to say, I do find more versatile (and.. gimmer alert... a hell of a lot more comfortable.  The.  Shame.)  I'm just gutted that I haven't been wearing them in the Winter months as well.  You live and learn.

Should also add, they have the ability to elevate an average high street dress onto another level.  The magic of amazing shoes.

Fetish (not my description) multi strap leather sandals from Saint Laurent were £590 now £354






Maxine Suede Sandals from Gianvito Rossi in grey were £770 now £385



Lacey Sketch Camo Leather sandals from Sophia Webster were £525 now £262  If you have lots of black, camel, cream or khaki in your wardrobe - these will be your life saviour this year.  I am sitting here, literally talking myself into them.  Black leather leggings, white shirt, black scarf, black blazer and these.  Black pleather skirt...  OR the off white and black spot skirt from LK Bennett.  Shove on a red fine knit jumper.  How have I Iived without these?




Malone Souliers Savannah Lace Up Leather Sandals was £485 now £194  This outfit is pretty close to perfection (sits on hands not to see if the dress is still for sale... not to mention the bag.. and obviously the shoes.  Imagine the bag and the shoes with boyfriend or cropped kick flare jeans, white shirt, blazer... DARN THE SALES)




But I have secret weapons in my sandal arsenal.  This is one thing the high street does really really well.  Yes you have to be discerning as there is a fine line between designer tribute and hooker shoe but if you look closely, there are some complete gems to be had. 

Take these for example.  I think these are amazing.  (albeit very high.  The high street loves a vertiginous heel).

Beige suede tie up shoe boot £65 from River Island.  Yes.  River Island. 



More sandal boot style at Topshop.  I love these.  I love the idea of the chunkiness of the body of the sandal with the stiletto and a super feminine midi skirt.  All so wrong it makes it right (in my head anyway....!) 

Robyn Ankle tie sandals from Topshop £56


I am bereft that these are sold out in my size.  Bereft.  

Reveal Cutaway Sandals from Topshop were £56 now £30  Leather.  BEREFT I TELL YOU.  (I am going to have to try and track these down.  They are simply perfection in a sandal.  Even for the original £56.  Let alone £30).  If I had said these were Gianvito Rossi, I bet you would have all believed me.  *ponders how much her boys actually want to do football first thing tomorrow morning and tries to work out if she can go to Bluewater instead....*



And some more in the sale. Yes these are rather out there but they're a bargain and will make such a great difference to an otherwise plain outfit. 

Black suede lace up tassel back heels was £75 now £35



Full on tassels which again, are quite out there, but again, I love. 

Black Strappy Tassel Heeled Sandals River Island £70



Slightly less strappy but an amazing colour - again to add interest to an otherwise neutral outfit - perfect for a party. 

Blue Strappy Tassel Sandals from River Island £65


But bargains of the day have to be found at ASOS.  The brand Public Desire.  Which I've never heard of but if you're looking for a treat shoe for an outfit, these are possibly the most reasonable I've come across in ages.  For this price, they've got to be worth a try, especially if you're not sure. 

Public Desire Romana Black Ghillie Lace up Sandals £29.99



You know sometimes you want a pair of shoes for a specific dress but don't want to spend loads on a coloured pair you're not sure you'll wear again?  Look no further.  So long as it's a magenta pair you want... 

Public Desire Venus Magenta Ghillie lace up sandals £29.99



Or red... Public Desire Shane Bordeaux Lace up sandals £29.99



So hopefully there's something there for all budgets, if not necessarily all tastes.  I am fully aware that lots of you will much prefer a full on shoe stiletto - something I love and find super useful so will be looking at those shortly. 

My skirts both arrived - the 10 and the 12, so I shall be trying them on and deciding which size works better.  And obviously what sort of shoe... I'm sure there is an occasion for both a stiletto and a sandal.

Finishing with outfits from yesterday and today.  

Yesterday, best day ever at Harry Potter Studio Tour with the children.  Which they LOVED.  Which we all loved.  Made rather more poignant hearing the news of the death of Alan Rickman whilst we there.  RIP Snape.  Can't recommend it highly enough.  


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1970 jumper - Bella Freud
Black blazer - hush
Black waxed jeans - Boden
Grey wrist warmers - Black
Grey cashmere scarf - Black
White cracked leather Stan Smiths - adidas
Red Soho Disco bag - Gucci 

And today - finally for some proper knitwear weather (although you can hang around for a week or so and then Spring, you're up).

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Champagne cashmere Off Duty jumper - Boden
Porridge waxed jeans - Boden
Khaki Alan cape - Acne Studios
Brown Suede ankle boots - Eileen Fisher
Brown Suede bag - Coccinelle 

I was due to be out tonight with school mums but the husband is out and the babysitter called earlier sick.  So I was supposed to be mostly dry January, but a small glass of red is very much called for.  One a week is definitely an improvement on December.  Tomorrow night - healthy dinner and back to the sparkling water but tonight, I reckon I shall be making a dent on the remainder of the party food which is crammed into my freezer. 

Am I the only person who previously hadn't contemplated wearing sandals in Winter but is planning on giving the industrial sander a wipe down and getting her feet vaguely sandal worthy?  I think I've stumbled across something here.....

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23 comentarios:

  1. Love the patterned dress 💖

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    1. It's actually really similar to one I tried on the other day and have to report back on (although mine was high street and not super expensive designer like this one is!)

      Does that mean NO Sandals...??!!! Do you have snow perchance?!

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    2. No snow yet thank god but as a Northerner I wear sandals all year round obviously 😉 Well when I can be arsed to sort my feet out 😂

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    3. No snow yet thank god but as a Northerner I wear sandals all year round obviously 😉 Well when I can be arsed to sort my feet out 😂

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  2. Oh Kate what have you done! I love them all and especially the red ones. I am sitting here trying to work out an excuse to buy vertigo inducing red sandals! Especially as I already bought these my shoe bargain but then they are shoes not sandals any recommendations on hiding more great fully received!!
    https://www.sophiawebster.com/product/47/liberty-pump

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    1. WOW! They are gorgeous and omg what a great great price. Fab find. And you need to perfect the "these old things? I"ve had these for ages"...... Those Topshop red ones are the most amazing shoes I've seen in forever.

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  3. Harry Potter Studios is ace, isn't it? RIP the magnificent Severus Snape.
    So many of these sandals remind me of some I bought on Kings Rd for my 29th birthday (eons ago), all lacing-up straps that wrapped around my foot and up my ankles. Halfway through my party I had to sit down and surgically remove them from my trotters, which looked as though they'd been got at by a cheese cutter. Think I'll just stick to my flats, although the red suede heels from LKB may have just dropped into my basket...

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    1. oh gosh, we've all had nights like that. I remember years ago with my first gladiator sandals from Zara - we're talking 8 yrs ago, and I went on a girl's weekend to Barcelona. Came back from a night out, to snaffle breakfast for those in the hotel who were having an early check up (not us - we were just on our way back in and it would have rude not to take advantage). After 3 cups of coffee and some croissants - my friend asks what the hell has happened to my foot. It is literally covered in blood. The shoes had completely butchered my feet but hadn't noticed till the coffee had started to filter through.. Having said that, I did wear those shoes for a long time (with a lot of plasters...) until I bought the Burberry ones which, luckily, are pretty much like wearing (heeled!) slippers.

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  4. They are all gorgeous - and also very high!! Not for daily use I presume. I love the Topshop ones! Lorraine x

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    1. Hmmm I'm going with no for during the day..!! Occasion shoes only!

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  5. I love the look of all of them but they are the sort of thing that end up lurking in the back of my wardrobe waiting for the 'right' occasion. Nice to think about something other than boots though.

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    1. No you have to wear these every time you go out! Life is too short. Wear the shoes!!

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  6. Aha, the snakeskin ones are actually River Island (not sure I noted that actually..!) I have to say, I've been so so surprised how often I've worn my Burberry ones. But they're not vertiginous. They are high though, but probably only as high as the Sophia Webster ones (only she says..!!)

    I had my one glass and am looking forward to a dry week, dry weekend and then off away for the night for my birthday week after next. TOOOOO excited! xxx

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  7. I'm renowned amongst my friends for being a winter sandal wearer....welcome to the club!....my mission this year was to find a red strappy sandal to wear with metallic pleated midi skirt from topshop and Bella Freud jumper....as much as I also thought the topshop ones would be the best thing EVER let me tell you it was the most uncomfortable thing my poor little tootsies had endured in a long while. So I left them on the shelf. The ultimate would be Jimmy choo Lang in red patent, I have the gold and live in them in the summer months...they have clocked up some airmiles. Although the ivette is slightly lower of heel and far more wearable it doesn't come in the covetable red. I have ended up purchasing the Chloe tassled dark red suede sandals in the matches sale and also a patent Rupert Sanderson pair might have jumped into my basket on the outnet. Off to check out more of your matches sales bargains now. I shall be baring all- well my ankles and toes later this evening. Snow doesn't stain bare skin!!

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    1. Oh my lord if I needed to be convinced...!! LOVE YOU! I don't know what I wanted for my birthday and I reckon a really gorgeous pair of sandals might be the answer. Off to Bicester the week after next so I shall be checking out the sandal porn there. BLISS!

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  8. Forget the fabulous sandals, I adore your porridge combo outfit. Send it up to me when you've finished with it xx

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  9. I also had a pair of these in my late 20s from the King's Road (I worked locally). They had block heels which meant they didn't rip my feet to shreds. I have such cold feet, I can't imagine giving up covered boots for a winter's night out... I will just enjoy them on others and wait till it warms up.

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    1. Ok so when I wrote this, it wasn't snowing....!

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  10. Seeing the magenta heels at a bargain price reminds me of my bargain heels (also in this colour) and it's not just the high street that offers a bargain, I actually bought mine in a supermarket of sleep places, they were about £18 in 2010 and I wear them when I need a statement shoe! They are great with a plain dress and the right bag. I actually wore mine to afternoon tea at The Ritz the summer before last! I'm not sure if they are a sandal or a shoe tbh, they are very open and have open toes but a closed heel and I think a sandal has to have a strappy back no? Not considered wearing them in winter but may have to try, would lift an all black or grey outfit perfectly

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    1. "All" places not sleep places! Bloody typos!

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    2. Aha - now I would say an open toe and an open front makes it a sandal? But it's a fine line.... (they sound gorgeous by the way!)

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