Wedged In...

Among the many, many perks of the endless summer that marks L.A. weather is the chance to wear easy, breezy shoes all year long. Truth be told, I'm a heel girl, but the wedge has always been daunting for me. Something happens to my balance while teetering atop wedges that doesn't occur as I manipulate the sidewalks in (non-platform) heels (even the big guns). That's it! It's the platform that ruining my equilibrium! So, in an effort to unlearn some bad wedge habits, and to correct my shoddy wedge balance, I'm wearing wedges. Like, all the time. If you've got the legs to pull it off, they can be fabulous with shorts, but I've been loving mine with long skirts or skinny pants. What might otherwise be too fancy instantly gets toned down a notch by swapping out heels for wedges. Take your pick from some of my favorites this season:

The "Paz" wedge by 80%20 comes in this incredible shade of sky blue and is the perfect go-to summer wedge that pairs easily with everything from jeans to minis. I adore the woven South American style pattern, the sky-high yet comfortable 4.5 wedge heel, and the subtle espadrille details that make this a bit more casual. Actually, 80%20 is pretty much my favorite brand for wedges this season, and I'm also rocking the "Molly" open-toe hidden wedge, which is a little more edgy.

The "Molly" is a slightly more manageable height at 2.5 inches, and the canvas wrapped upper and leader cut-out detailing, with the buckle ankle wraps, makes this wedge super cool and a bit out there. I actually like wearing mine with skinny sweatpants from Monrow or Free City on Shopbop. Loving this look!

Hello, Academia? It's Jersey Calling...

Life in academia can be quite monotonous.  Not the work, exactly, but the outfits.  Graduate students pursuing PhD's seem to feel that their wardrobes have to reflect their serious intentions as philosophers, as teachers, and as students of their texts.  I'd love to get my hands on a copy of the manual that states, "You must wear nondescript, low-key, quiet clothes in muted colors so as to be regarded well by the higher-ups who are in charge of your professional future within the hallowed walls of university life."  Bah-humbug!  Heaven forbid you wear heels!  Whenever I do, I feel remarkably self-conscious tip-tapping through echoey marble foyers, as if this were an utterly new sound indicative of an entirely new species.  

So, a long time ago I decided to forget the whole thing and forge new ground in graduate student attire.  Just to have a little fun, I went all Jersey Shore on my department at the beginning of the semester by getting fabulous black acrylic tips with silver glitter. Pretty badass, eh?  Not really, but for a graduate student in philosophy at Johns Hopkins, it felt like something huge.  The only problem was that I actually couldn't type anything with them.  I couldn't use my iPhone and I couldn't get a simple sentence out on my MacBook Pro without looking at the keyboard and using the sides of my fingers.  So I guess I understand why most graduate students shy away from fancy pants awesome Jersey tips. 

But, you can still bring the Jersey to school with your footwear.  If you're comfortable wearing super high, crazy sexy Jersey heels, go for the Samanta "Viv" Pump in grey patent (I'd steer clear of the red or black because there's no way to tone the sexy down).  With a hidden platform, a delightfully casual-about-sex toe, and a ridiculous 4" dagger pointed heel, you're going to get noticed, and you're going to make a lot of noise.  To temper the heat, wear them with opaque tights in burgundy or navy, and slip into a fabulously printed A-line pleated skirt with a high waist and a perfectly girly blouse tucked in.  Top it off with a J. Crew or Madewell wool cardigan, add some unusual chunky jewelry (don't tease your hair), go heavy on the mascara and that's all she wrote.  

If you aren't comfortable with the idea of wearing insanely awesome high heels to go to class or to teach or to even sit in your office and pretend to write your dissertation, pick one (or both) of these amazing flats from B.F.T. by Barefoot Tess.  The "Austria" Oxford is the Grand M's most favorite shoe of 2012, and although it's available in a variety of colors, materials, and textures, the leopard and the Old Gold are the clear winners.  These sexy lace-up oxfords offer a unique twist on a classic shoe with sexy cutouts and a very feminine cut.  The leopard is made of an unexpected natural burlap, overlaid with adorable feline spots and perfect for adding a touch of style to a pair of black skinny jeans.  The old gold comes in a ridiculously supple synthetic upper brushed to look perfectly worn, and the color is somewhere between gold, silver, and pink.  The Grand M is obsessed and will be wearing hers with patterned tights, a flared black wool mini, and a pink mohair sweater.  

Sorel Compilation While Convalescing

For the past 3 months, the Grand M has been suffering under the heavy burden of sizable kidney stones.  If any of you have had the displeasure, you know the kind of agony they can bring.  One surgery in October successfully broke up the stones (pearl sized, they were!), and several weeks ago, another surgery took care of the remaining bits.  Truly, yours truly has been feeling severely under the weather and I've not been able to post to my beloved blog as much as my calendar indicated I was planning to these past 2 months.

My living room is chock full of sample shoes just waiting, rather impatiently, for me to put them on and be photographed in them, but I simply haven't felt up to it yet.  With any luck, I'll be back to my plucky, Grand M self in the next week or two, but in the meantime, I thought I'd switch gears and whip out some new, old school shoe blogging tactics, i.e., making lists of my favorites shoes of the moment and offering styling advice!  How novel, she says to no one in particular.  You really are a genius (she says definitively to herself, with much conviction).

Since December is well under way, the Grand M is in a winter weather boot mood.  Here are some of my favorites for the season:

The Sorel "Cate the Great" winter boot is truly awesome.  I tend to shy away from seasonal, all-weather boots, but Sorel continues to change my mind about what a snow/rain boot can be, and this one beats them all.  Made from sumptuous leather and suede in a gorgeous tonal collaboration of green and tan, with a faux fur ruff and whipstitching (not to mention a lovely, retro lace-up shaft) these Sorel's are sure to make you a convert as well.  Pair them with legging, velvet skinny jeans, tights and a sweater dress, anything!  LOVE LOVE LOVE. 

The Sorel "Tivoli" boot is another winner from this brand, and the Grand M simply adores the luscious brown, red, and white plaid upper against the tan leather upper.  Plus, the white and taupe rubber sole is just so chic, don't you agree?  A delicious faux sheepskin lining keeps your toes warm and toasty against the December frost, and they are the epitome of English countryside coolness during the cold and rainy season.  These Sorel's sure beat the mucky, icky versions we were forced to wear as kids!  Adoring all things Sorel right now.  

Gray Gilded Surprise

The Grand M loves a great flat bootie, but after seeing an endless repetition of the same style, they can become a bit boring.  Truly, how many variations of the same shoe have we seen season after season?

The "Japanese" bootie by TESS by Barefoot Tess, designed in collaboration with renowned shoe design house All Black remedies the flat bootie doldrums and reinvigorates the well-trod shoe with a fresh look.  With a rounded toe complete with stitched and folded detailing on the toe and the heel, these boots are a world apart.  Furthermore, they are quite possibly the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever slipped my feet into.  The soft, buttery leather is to die for, and what's more, they come in a gorgeous, supple elephantine gray hue (and are available in black and brown as well).  PLUS, (and here's the kicker), the shaft has a unique fold over style that allows the bootie to be worn with the shaft flap up or down, essentially creating two different looks.  When the shaft flap is worn down, a luscious peek of golden lining is revealed, adding just a hint of fancy to an otherwise demure shoe.  Wear them up with a great pair of skinny jeans, and wear them folded down with a pair of tights and a fabulous skirt to show off the amazing golden interior.  Also, the price point is great for such a expensively made shoe at $179.  So high fashion, so Grand M!  Available in up to a size 15.