Should fashion and trainer be used in the same sentence?

Let alone adding heel or wedge to the equation.  Well maybe yes, if you're sub 30 and have boobs that stay in the same place when you lie down, but at 39? (forgot to mention I'm now 39.  I do actually keep forgetting but 'handily' Rugrat One sees it as her mission in life to remind me on a regular basis.  This, along with reminding me that Daddy is five months younger than me.  He also thinks this is of great amusement.  Oh how we laugh.....)


It does, however, appear that the wedge trainer (which are strictly not for exercising in. I say that as if I am an expert in exercise.  As you may be aware by now, I am most definitely not.  Let's just call it an educated guess) is everywhere this S/S.


It's probably Isabel Marant whom we have to thank for the plethora of these on the market.  Her Willow Wedge Trainer was the first of many similar editions to hit the market.  

They were a snip at £435 and are pretty much completely sold out.  Errr obviously.  My incredulity at people spending over £400 on trainers leads me to believe that perhaps I'm not the target market for these.  It may also be that this particular style doesn't float my boat.  I don't even care that they're Isabel Marant (which is when I know I 'really' don't like them as even I'll admit I can readily have my head turned by a label)  They just look a bit too sporty.  For example, if you had to charge 500 yards down the road in them, you probably could - maybe even get a bit of speed up and look vaguely athletic. Hell you could probably get a bit of a rhythm going.  Which is about as far away from what I desire in my footwear as is humanely possible.  If there isn't so much as a hint of a totter when you maybe have to just walk fast, let along jog or, god forbid, run, then there is no place for them in my footwear hall of fame. 


So handily the eyewateringly fugly Isabel Marant trainers weren't making any wish list of mine. However I have always had a soft spot for the wonderful European brand (I can't work out if it's French or Italian having been started by a Frenchman and an Italian.  European works) Ash.  Who have been making heeled trainers in fact for a number of years now. I myself own such a pair, the Madonna studded ones, but they don't hold quite the utilitarian trainer-ness of the Isabel Marant ones.  I will happily wear them and don't feel that anyone whispers baaaa behind my back (and if they do I couldn't give a monkeys. I adore those boots!)


Last season and this season Ash have had, what I consider to be, a much more wearable "fashion trainer" (last time I'm using that phrase.  I hate it.  It's beyond naff.  I shall use wedge trainer.  Which isn't a hell of a lot better but at least it does what it says on the tin)


I did order the Bea Hi-top wedge in coral and camel at the beginning of the season as I just fell in love with the colour.  




I tried them on.  Again.  And again.  And again.  And about another 29 times, just in case the 33rd time, I might get a sign from above telling me whether I should keep them or not.  Which, much to my chagrin, I never got.  I loved them, but they just looked a bit wrong.  Actually that's not true, they didn't look wrong per se, I couldn't quite work out whether or not I would continue to love them and they'd grow on me or whether they would be the breadmaker of my shoe collection (This is a phrase that The Husband has coined.  We got a breadmaker for our wedding nearly 10 years ago.  I was convinced it was going to change our lives.  He was convinced it would sit on the worksurface taking up space, looking fugly and gathering dust. It now lives in the garage.  It therefore became one of his favourite phrases in the world, frequently applied to anything that I might like to buy that he thinks is a waste of money.  Smug git.)


I also thought that, as much as I loved the colour, a pretty radical shoe in a bright colour had the propensity to score quite highly on the mutton monitor.  


However the more the months go on, the more I do like the idea of them, paring down a smarter outfit for an average day chipping about.  I would wear them with skinny jeans (no shit sherlock) and a blazer (ditto).  They'd look great with skinnies and a loose boxy jumper. (the fact I have a number of these tops as well, doesn't remotely mean that I'm doing a very good job of trying to convince myself I now can't live without a pair of these........)


In my wardrobe, I think the key to making these work and not scream 'give your daughter her shoes back" is to keep everything else quite classic.  I'd probably draw the lines at print trousers (which haven't arrived yet.... ), sports luxe trousers (ie dressy trackie bums which deserve a whole blog topic of their own) or a jumpsuit.  But that could be just me.  Of course it does depend on your style and how adventurous you are, but I've got to the age where if I throw together too many trends at one time, I do get a look of the AbFabs about me.  


The following wedges though, I think could work really well on a day to day basis in most people's wardrobes.  They are a fantastic interim filler between a full on winter boot and a sandal or even a ballet pump.  Goes without saying, we've had Cons and Superga for donkeys years but these seem to be a bit less dress down.  That may well be in my over stuffed, over thought through head, of course.


My pick of the crop


Ash Bea camel trainers








See by Chloe suede and leather wedge trainer



See by Chloe Taupe leather and velour wedge trainer



Ash Bowie wedge in light brown


ASOS Ark Leather wedge

Ash Thelma wedge in clay



Ash Thelma wedge in camel


Nude vest - Primark (I must make a trip to stock up on more of these - the best on the high street.  Hoping they still do them.)
Cream (I think they call it unicorn.  Obviously) cowl neck, 3/4 sleeve jersey top - FCUK
Indigo Baxter jeans - Topshop
Cream and gold zip jacket - Zara
Tan Cypress ankle boots - Acne
Brushed gold chandelier earrings - Liz Hurley Beach 
Gold chunky bracelet - Made
Tan De Manta clutch bag - Alexander McQueen


Friday morning was spent in the opticians with an emergency appointment for Rugrat One.  She has eye issues and is normally under Consultant care at the hospital but had a headache so we went in and they spent two hours doing various tests resulting in new glasses and another appointment at the Consultants.  Of course as only a daughter of mine could, she has them ordering in a whole variety of new frames as the ones they had in stock weren't her cup of tea apparently (to be fair they were on the dull side).  So a selection of Pineapple dance studio and Hannah Montana frames are winging their way to our local optician as we speak.  Just like the fabulous selection we all had when we were kids.  Not.  They don't know they're bloody born.


Lunch with a couple of my closest friends and then the usual mad school run dash and a house full of playdates.  The trampoline was in charge as I had a shower and a hair wash before going out that night. 



Fitted denim shirt - Zara
Khaki skinny zip trousers - By Malene Birger
Camel skull scarf - Alexander McQueen
Cream sleeveless cardigan - Joseph
Black and silver multi strand bracelet - 10m2
Gold pine cones necklace - NW3 at Hobbs
Tan Cypress ankle boots - Acne
Chestnut Lily bag - D&G


Friday night, out to celebrate the engagement of a girlfriend, fab night with the girls, cocktails, cocktails and more cocktails.  And a smidge of Mexican food thrown in.  




Black vest - Primark (yes they are that ubiquitous in my wardrobe.  Every girl should have them in every colour.  I am so going to see if they still have the exact same ones and report back)
Charcoal (they do actually call it that as well - go figure.  Dull description for them.  Or one that is actually comprehensible I should say) cowl neck jersey top - FCUK
Black coated skinnies - Cos
Silver, pearl and coin multi strand necklace - Jaeger
Black sequin jacket - Jaeger Boutique
Black suede platform boots - Zara
Black bullet bag - Coast


Today, Saturday, all I can say is vodka is definitely the way forward.  Not a hint of a hangover - I am a woman reborn.  (on the downside, we did end up in McDonalds for tea and a Big Tasty isn't nearly as good when you're not feeling as rough as a badger's arse.  Ok so it's not exactly a downside, but I do believe it's something that needs to be noted)  I was feeling so great that I actually braved the 10th circle of hell - Softplay on a Saturday - and took all three Rugrats plus a playdate for one of them.  I clearly should have been wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with Mother of the Year (I don't think I even raised my voice today.  It's a vodka based miracle) but as that was in the wash I wore:-