Thursday, May 20, 2010

Soles with Soul

I've been challenged by the lovely Helena Halme over at her eponymous blog to show off seven pairs of my favorite shoes. After much deliberation, I've made my picks. Here they are, along with the reasons why I love them so:

1.
I bought these sequinned leather shoes in Jaipur, India a couple of years ago from a little boy who relentlessly followed me down the street. "Shoes for three hundred rupees!" he cried (about six dollars). "Here, here, I show you!" The guide we were with pursed his lips in disapproval, but I stopped anyway. The boy untied an enormous cotton bag and revealed a bottomless trove of colorful shoes like these. "My father, he made them." All were beautiful and precious and exotic...and this pair fit me with a Cinderella-like perfection.


2.
If you ever see me dashing around town on errands, I'll probably be wearing these platform wedges from Kork-Ease. (This is actually my second pair, the first pair having passed on after enjoying a rich life in 2009.) Can you say "crazy comfortable?" They come in various colors and styles, but I like the nude cork best. They go with everything, have an organic simplicity that I love and never fail to imbue my psyche with a relaxed, "whatever goes" 1970's hippie attitude (perfect for being stuck in traffic on the carpool run).


3.
Oh, the geisha shoes. I bought them on sale at a hip boutique here in Los Angeles years ago. I think they were maybe $20. I love them because they have a little bell on the bottom of the sole that clicks when you step on it. I wore them to work at "Will and Grace" one day and caused considerable consternation among the sound crew whenever I walked onto the set. Later, someone told me they were training shoes for geishas to learn to walk noiselessly (touching the bell is a no-no). The only way to manage this is to take very little steps and adopt a submissive shuffle. Needless to say, when I wear them, you can hear me coming.


4.
There are countless hiking trails in the Hollywood Hills and my new cross training shoes from Nike are coming with me every step of the way. My last pair of cross trainers was blah-bitty-blah brown, and I love these because they have a slightly glamorous (or, as my husband says, "disco ball") edge to them which makes them as suitable for urban browsing in Paris, Rome or London as they are for a dawn trek up the local neighborhood peak.


5.
Although I love me a good pair of designer shoes, I'm not a brand snob. So when I spotted these boots at Nine West about four years ago, I knew instantly they were the perfect accompaniment I'd long been searching for to go with my Marc Jacobs Couture patent leather 3/4 coat. I love the two-tone color and the nod to classic 19th century spats. It's all about the high-low mix.


6.
This sexy shoe-boot from Michael Kors is my go-to pair for when I am craving a few extra inches in height (umm, which would be always). Lately, I've been wearing them with jeans and my new Irving and Fine Lamu coat with hand embroidered raffia and wooden beads. The built-up platform on the front part of the shoe means your foot doesn't slope down at a painful angle. I wore these at my recent art opening (where I was on my feet all night) and not one tendon or toe filed a complaint.


7.
My friend Suze, fashion editor of Glamour Magazine, made me buy these Jack Rogers sandals the last time I was in New York. "You'll wear them with everything from jeans to dresses." She was right. I've worn them to lunch at the Columbe d'Or in the south of France, to the beach in Malibu and even around my kitchen accessorized with this Tony Duquette-inspired kaftan and a 5pm cocktail.


8.
Bonus pair: I couldn't not include my latest love, this fabulous pair of mid-calf boots from Tory Burch. I only bought them last month, after I spied them at a friend's house and nearly fainted with passion. "Whaa? Hwa?" I sputtered. "Yesterday. Tory Burch. 50% off." I sped over to the store on Robertson and the gods were smiling because there was one pair left in size 7. My heart still races thinking about it.

33 comments:

Debra said...

... and you definately are a soul with soles! What a fabulous collection you have here- the better to putter around L.A.- I love the geisha tale...I would never make it past orientation.
I'm a huge Jack Rogers fan in the spring, summer and try desperately to stretch them well into the autumn. Your special slippers from India are just precious- who could resist?

Style Court said...

Too much goodness. Not sure which one to comment on first. I'm swooning over the shade of green in the Indian shoes.

Lisa, your posts are so amazing, I can hardly keep up :)

Unknown said...

Trust your seven to become eight and all of them to be so stylish and individual. Great choices. I love those boots!

Helena xx

Laura said...

I came so close to getting those Tory Burch boots back when that sale was going on! Like an idiot I went for some other less satisfying version instead. I'm relieving my pain all over again seeing yours. Loving those kork shoes...the flats in natural cork on their website are sort of calling out to me...

Margaret said...

You're my kinda woman. lol!

bluehydrangea said...

Love them all but the leather shoes from India would make me very happy!! Such personality!

ArchitectDesign™ said...

I want to go to India (besides the obvious reasons)just to get a pair of slippers like in #1. OMG AMAZING. $6? Are you kidding me? This is my screensaver now!

Tess Kincaid said...

I'll take all of them.

helen tilston said...

You have fabulous variety here and all have such style. My favourite are the ones made by the little fellow's father in Jaipur, just stunning, that a cheeky toe!!! What were you thinking just buying one pair?

froogal said...

Eclectic and eccentric, just like you!

katiedid said...

Jeez....can I come shopping with you someday?!?! My wardrobe is sorely lacking in personality. There is a story behind everything you have shown....perfection!!!

Pimm's and Lemonade said...

Damn!

Momma's got herself some STYLE!

pve design said...

sole sister...I think I my soles need some soul, thanks for the inspiration.
pve

Yoli said...

Girl you have exquisite taste in shoes. The boots are my favorite.

AlisonHS said...

I love the Kork Ease shoes but, more importantly, I LOVE the chair your Nikes are sitting on!
Alison Xx

Vava (aka Virginia) said...

Who'd a thunk one could faint over a shoe-post! That's what happened! Oh...my. I'm a Jack Rogers girl from way back but do NOT have the golden Jacks. Hhhmmm. And all the others were most def worth posting about. They sum up the Lisa we all know & love!!! Deeee-lightful!

Purple Flowers said...

Love the two tone spat looking boot - very dashing!

P.Gaye Tapp at Little Augury said...

LBG, all simply artful- and artfully styled. Oh to be able to wear them.My lament is finding style with orthopedics!That is No joke=No style. I did find several old lady"Miss Lessie Chandler" brogues to wear this summer. Indian slippers- divine.Kork-Ease (if the name holds up),I am "Sold"no pun intended.Geisha shoes -ouch,ouch.A Big + to the trainers (Brand please?).Much prefer the coat,gracious me.Heard the Kors style referred to as shoe-ties(are you kidding me?-don't think I could even say that, so I pass-Now-the jacket-would xoxo, But I&F does not grace the net or the provinces,Possibly not even N.C. Not sure about the Jack Rogers-but sure you worked them. So heartbreaking to have to leave shoe style forever! adieu to soul.
I think you have got a lotta sole.

Karen said...

I swoon over all of your shoes, but especially the Michael Kors. Want!

24 Corners said...

You would be the best shoe shopping friend EVER!!!

All amazing, fun, extremely unique, very cool, well traveled, both beautiful and cute...hmmm, who does that sound like?!? ;)

Karena said...

Lisa, come to Kansas City and we'll go shoe shopping!!
Karena

Art by Karena

Angie Muresan said...

I am not surprised you've got great taste, but the uniqueness and jewel colors of the Indian ones make them my favorite.

Anonymous said...

Love your shoes. Especially the $6 handmade pair. Shoes say so much about a person, and have so many stories to tell. I began doing a series on shoes which has been a fun way to tell those stories:
http://rednews5.blogspot.com/search?q=a+night+to+remember

Sneaky Magpie said...

The Tory Burch boots are amazing!

Unknown said...

Lovely picks, live the Kork's...and boots!

Back to my 'Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie' book...
Before my kids haul me into the kitchen for dinner preparations....

XX
V.

jules @ The Diversion Project said...

i do love a spot of blatant show perving. lovely collection you have there, those last boots are killer.

So Lovely said...

Kork-Ease are my fav also. I had them in gold but they were 1/2 too small and after many blisters I had to admit to the fact that they were too small and give them to my little sister. xx

Emily said...

I've had surgery on both of my feet, and the only comfy heels I love are Kork-Ease. The never go out of style, in my opinion. Love your boot too! I can still wear a short cowboy boot. Love them with skirts!

24 Corners said...

Lisa...Your visit was so special that a whole post was almost born from it! I kept the "almost a post" in the comment section though...for now at least! ;)

Thanks for all...you made my night (and day!)
xxoo J~

Unknown said...

The Tory boots are To. Die. For. Love, love. All your shoes are fab!

Suze Yalof Schwartz said...

Love this post and still LOVE the shoes - You are the very best and your blog is AMAZING!!!!!! XO Suze

Prutha Raithatha said...

lucky u!!! i want those tory burches too!!


http://donotshoeme.blogspot.com/

follow if u like what u see?

xoxo

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