New kid on the block

Ok so it's not new new, in fact it's almost as traditional as you can get.  But it's something I've always really struggled to get my head round.  

However, you know when something suddenly CLICKS!  And yes, I've had my click breakthrough moment.  Ok I appreciate that I've hardly found a cure for a rare disease here but - well, this is a blog about fashion and lifestyle and how I'm working out how to be a woman in her 40's when I still feel 28 and YES - it's sometimes the very small things that make the big things more manageable. 

So yes, finding an awesome pair of shoes that works for all occasions and makes me feel really good and smiley and happy, may seem incredibly shallow but if it means a confidence boost makes the daily grind and challenge of life a bit more manageable, then I'll take that. 

Which is why I am now doing an inner yee hah over the loafer. 

Chances are you may already have a pair in your wardrobe (of any make) that you either love, or aren't quite sure what to wear with.  *hands up here*. 

I - as you may have noticed - have been experimenting with my old Gucci pair that I've had and haven't really fallen in love with.  And then it happened.  No, I didn't reinvent the wheel - I just wore them with outfits that I wouldn't usually have worn them with and loved them.  A replacement option for my trainers.  An alternative to a pair of ankle boots.  The ideal transitional piece of footwear, now that sandal weather seems to have passed (errr how is it September by the way?!).

So when I remembered that I had a Net a Porter voucher than friends had given me for my birthday, burning a hole in my account (seriously - HOW can I not find anything to buy there?  A pair of Burberry gold heels that made me look like I was auditioning at a strip joint went straight back, as did a whole slew of clothes I had ordered in the sale), I ordered the Princetown backless pair in black straight away.

These have been on my "will I or won't I love them and will or I won't I wear them" list for a couple of years. 

I went in.  And I ADORE them.   And it made me think - these ARE a lot more versatile than I had thought.  

It was only a couple of years ago that trainers with dresses and skirts were thought the height of super weird and "fashion".  Yet now, everyone wears them.  I remember turning up at the school gates with more than a couple of side eyes being given, whereas now, it's verging on standard fare. 

So it's not that big a jump to replace them with a different sort of footwear.  And chances are, you already own a pair. 

If you don't - I have some options here to suit all budgets - and I should also point out, they come into their own with cropped trousers too.  We all know I am a huge fan of the cropped pant - it's usually the wide leg but the straight leg made a comeback in the Spring and this AW, I have tried on more than one pair of kick flares that I have loved.  I'll be bringing you them shortly but in the meantime - have a look at the loafers and let me know what you think.

And obviously with jeans...

Gucci Princetown horsebit loafer from Net a Porter £515

Brixton collapsable heel loafer from Gucci £540







I love them in the white.. (do not need, do not need...). 

Gucci Brixton Horsebit Loafers £540




Another pair at a minimalist price with a minimalist look at Mango.  Quite different from above and a teensy step away from a traditional loafer but perfect for those who are looking for a style between a more androgynous loafer and a ballet flat. 

Leather moccasin from Mango in black £49.99 again with a foldable heel



In white - again £49.99 from Mango



Or the metallic silver again £49.99



Classic black leather at ASOS £35



Similar at Kurt Geiger. 

Karima Black Flat Loafers £119




Key Trim Loafers at Topshop £46



Green at River Island in the sale were £45 now £36  You could easily be forgiven for thinking these were the Gucci ones.  I did a double take!



Red Suede leather at ASOS.

ASOS DESIGN Magnet red suede ring loafer £35



White at Kurt Geiger - Kenner2 Loafer £129



Kenner Tan Suede Loafer from Kurt Geiger £129



Autograph Leather Block Heel Ring Loafers from M&S £69




Back to the backless.  These.  Now I know it sounds bonkers but these are insanely versatile.  Throw them on with jeans during the day but they are simply the perfect dressy shoe when you're not looking to wear a heel.  They would look sublime with longer skirts or dresses and transform a suit from day to night.

Kaiser Crystal Metallic in gold from Kurt Geiger London £150



Also available in the black again £149


More traditional metallic at Miss KG.

Nessie Metallic Flat Loafer £44




Perfect for the inbetweeny seasons at Topshop.

Woven Loafer Mules £32




Woven Loafer Mules £32




Red ponyskin at ASOS. 

ASOS DESIGN Movie Leather Mule Loafers £35



And finishing with my favourite pair which are again very expensive so are definitely an investment.   I probably would have gone for these - apart from the fact that my gift voucher was for Net A Porter and they didn't have them on there.  So it was either - virtually free or not.  Not a surprise at which one I went for.

Hamelin Loafers from Bally £430



And here I am in them yesterday - trip to London with all three children.  Seemed like an awesome idea at the time.  It was.  Now that I think about it the day after.  But at the time, not going to lie - there were more than one or two fraught moments (son with ASD and teenager who decides to do a running commentary on how appalling my parenting is, is bound to make anyone lose their shizzle...!). 

However the moments WERE few and far between - we did have a great time and got a lot packed in (three different requests for things to do). 

My request - which they all agreed to actually - was to go to the National Gallery.  A genius suggestion from someone on Instragram was to go to the shop on the way in, each pick a postcard of a painting you loved and then we had to go and find each painting.  Are my children now complete art experts?  Have I converted them to the finer things in life?  Not remotely. 

But I'm a great believer in putting enough in at the top of the funnel and some of it will filter through.  There are definitely more attune to art than they were when we went in so I am taking that as a parenting win.  And some vaguely cerebral conversations were had (there was also a lot of chat along the lines of "I can't how small that willy is"... obvs.)

The face here though, is most definitely at a "losing my shizzle" moment...




Tee - FWP by Rae (gift aw17)
Leather Trousers - Autograph by M&S (part of paid partnership)
Bag - Balenciaga (2yrs ago)
Loafers - Gucci from Net a Porter (current)
Coat - ASOS (sale ss18)
Sunglasses - M&S (part of paid partnership)

Am now about to continue with a parenting moment of doom - try to get them all to go for a walk.  I have even bribed them with cake at the end.  What could possibly go wrong and how long do we reckon it will take for us to leave the house?  HA!!