Sunday Shoe Porn: Nicholas Kirkwood

You know what they say: a Sunday without shoe porn is a Sunday half lived. And all the better when the shoe porn belongs to meeeeeeeeee!

If you've been with me here for any length of time - or even for a very short time - you might have got that I'm a shoe kind of girl. Bags? I can take or leave them. Clothes? Love them but I'm not inclined to spend loads and loads on them. Cars? Couldn't give a crap. But shoes - I love them. I'm happy with cheapo Primark ones or mid range high street ones. But I also have a weakness for designer ones. And a nice lust list of designers whose shoes I should very much like to own a pair of. One such designer is Nicholas Kirkwood. His shoes just look structurally interesting, I love a disjointed platform and I appreciate the effort, intricacy and uniqueness of the upper detail of his shoes too.

Not being the sort of chick with cash to fling about, I have to be choosy and thrifty with my designer shoe purchases. Sale time on the likes of Net-a-Porter, My Wardrobe and Coggles is ripe for me (I'm just about pissing myself in anticipation of this year's sales, all the while trying to remember that I'm supposed to be saving for holidays next year.).  And, year round, The Outnet is a winner. So, when I got their email saying Nicholas Kirkwood had landed online, it didn't take me long to click through for a look.

And look what I found!

Aren't they gorgeous!? My little baby Kirkwoods! I was grabbed initially by how 'Kirkwood' they looked. I think, if you love a designer's aesthetic and may only ever get the chance to invest in one piece from them, you should consider it being something signature. If it's a practical piece too, that helps. But, above all, it needs to be something you love! I've made expensive mistakes snapping up shoes I didn't love *hangs head in shame* and regretted it. But I loooooooove these. And the platform, strappy upper, cute bow and edgy styling are SO on the Kirkwood money!

Look! They're so sparkly! So glittery! So twinkly!

Definitely worth another picture...

Shoe crush: Sophia Webster

I got an email a wee while ago from Net-a-Porter (I think it's important to dream) with this shoe on it:

Yayoi

 FUCK ME!

Safe to say my eye was well and truly caught. It looks a bit like something a kid might make as part of a school project (and I should know cause at my work we have a school design project every year) but in a really good way! They're the work of designer Sophia Webster, a former assistant of shoe design king Nicholas Kirkwood. I can definitely see the odd hint of a Kirkwood aesthetic in some of her styles - the across the foot detailing and the slightly disjointed platforms - but, that aside, these are some of the most exciting shoes I've seen in ages!

Lana

That first email was a bit of a 'coming soon' job. Today I got the news that the collection had landed! I actually checked out Yayoi, the beaded bad boy, and Lana, with her perspex encased sequins, in Harvey Nichols last week. Sometimes I go in there just to have a right good perv over the expensive shoes. I'll have a wee look and a touch and, if they're super soft, I might even smell them too. What?! Don't even try telling me that's not normal. Anyway, regardless of what you make of my habits, the shoes were complete visual treats in real life too.

Karlie

If I was given the opportunity to have a pair of her shoes (and I fear I may be waiting a while), I think I'd go for Yayoi - which was inspired by artist Yayoi Kusama's graphic dot paintings (see Louis Vuitton's recent collab too) - just for the childish joyousness of them. Otherwise, I reckon I'd go Karlie. The shape's dead practical (classic peep court) but the rest is anything but. I love the combo of the ice cream zig-zag upper with monochrome striped sole and colour block neon pop heel. They're just awesome. I love them. Can I have both?

Riko

Riko, for me, is defintiely the most Kirkwood of the lot. The cage effect upper with slim heel and tie details screams it but she's definitely added her own twist. I know we're not all likely to be rushing out to buy designer shoes but, if I'm gonna do it, ideally I want something that's really unique and exciting. And Sophoa Webster shoes sure as hell are that!

They're all on Net-a-Porter now.

Little Scribbler: gets her legs out. Warning - may contain blinding whiteness.

I don't get my legs out. They're big and they're pasty. However, owing to my slight weight loss and great gym action (bless you combat and rpm), everything's tighter and more toned than ever - except when I was a smooth skinned kid, obvs. Oh, make no mistake, I still have thighs like the peely walliest cottage cheese. But there's less of them these days. And so, one warm day, I decided that it was acceptable to get my pins (ha. HA. Pins - ten pins perhaps) out. And do you know what? They're not really that bad at all. I mean, no-one's ever going to be overheard wishing they had Little Scribbler's legs (ass, I'll give you. Who doesn't want junk like that?) but they're not horrific. So here's to celebrating bodies that aren't, in fact, that bad after all and having the confidence to get your bits and pieces out. Woop! I recommend that you all do it immediately.

Dress: Topshop, cardi: Primark, belt: M&S, shoes: New Look sale bargain!

Green toenails! Not gonna lie, I had to do a tweaky effect to cover the smudged bits on them. I am such a tatty thing.

Little Scribbler did not: buy new shoes, no she did not!

Yes she did. Yes, I did. 

Well, really, what did you expect? Old habits die hard. Plus, picture the scenario: It's an otherwise uneventful weekday evening. I'm doing a bit of blog reading, a bit of casual online browsing, not looking for anything in particular. I decided to look at the Topshop shoe sale cause, by mid-late August, there sometimes are some great sale bargains to be found on t'interwebs as prices have been slashed to the max and retailers consolidate stock back at their warehouses cause they don't want it cluttering the shops anymore. (True insider fact - it's always worth checking back on the sale bit of websites very late into or at the end of sale time cause a lot of places do clear the shops and flog it online). I was casually browsing through, dismissing all the crap sandals that were still overpriced and, regardless of price, ugly, when I stumbled upon shoe gold.

Topshop first had these in, in peach months ago. I eyed them longingly for some time, concluding loosely that I couldn't drop £58 on a pair of shoes I didn't really need and might not get much wear out of. Even if they were oh so relevant and covered in beaded, sequined and jewelled 3d flowers. Sensible girl Llara. When I did go back looking for them again, they'd sold out. Then they brought them out in pale yellow. On account of lack of funds and being sensible again I didn't buy them. However. When I looked this time they only had my size. And they were down to £25. Fate like that doesn't strike often and it would have been out and out rude to ignore it. So I didn't and the shoes were duly snapped up!

Look how pretty they are! And, a fash bonus, the stiletto and metal toe cap trend does not seem to be dying. That said, they do reek of summer! Still, they'll only serve to add a dose of sunshine to autumn and winter. Yup, in these babies, there'll be no S.A.D for me.

Swoon! Anyone else had any end of sales luck?

Little Scribbler: Miu Miu, new shoe

Should I even bother writing anything in this post? I assume it's quite clear from the title what I've been up to and what I'm about to show you. The below explains why I am scraping the pennies together right now. In fact, I don't have two pennies to scrape so I'm scraping one solitary penny against the floor. Eee-aaah, aaaaiii-eeee (that's the sound of the scrapy penny).

Still, at least my feet look GOOD.

Ah, the Net-a-Porter box...

With Miu Miu inside *gasp*!

What's a shoe box without gold take-away-wallpaper style lining in it? I ask thee. Weirdly, Net-a-Porter send you a free tape measure in a little black bag...

Let's keep up the pretence! *Oh! What could be contained and enveloped within these dusky pink dust bags?*

Feel the quality. A dust bag for EACH shoe.

That's right! There are shoes in there. Uh-huh! Did you guess right? Sequined ones. With a big fat platform and a chunky heel.

I can walk in these, I can run in them, they stay on. They're just a dream!

Thank you and goodnight.

Gucci, Zara, Gucci, Zara...

Check out these Gucci shoes - swoon!

They're so crystal clad and sparkly! And they're currently on sale at Net-A-Porter at £735 down from £1470. Bargain, huh? Eh, no, not so much. I mean, I know they're Gucci and all but that's still pretty crazy money. So, in theory, they're out of reach. Or are they...

Look what I found in Zara!

As usual, my pictures do them no justice - they're far prettier and sparklier looking than I've captured and look waaaaay more expensive than their £59.99 price tag. I'll be honest: I actually bought these a month or so ago for the sheer love of them, having never seen the Gucci numbers. It was just today while I was browsing designer sale shoes (post on that coming soon. Too. Much. Swoon) that I spied the Guccis and did a whiplash inducing double take. My Zara's may not have crystal heels too but the difference between the tens and hundreds of pounds will go a loooooooong way! On more shoes most likely...

Nailing glittery heels.

So, we're getting these shoes in soon at Schuh. I can't decide if I like the red suede with the gold/silvery glittery heel, though there is something tremendously Christmassy about them and I love me a bit of Christmas! It just feel like a really contrasting combo and I'm a wee bit on the fence right now.

Look how sparkly they are though!  I have them in purple and I adore them, even if they do make me walk like a tranny if I have to negotiate a hill. Actually, that's probably not fair: I saw a banging transvestite at the pub the other night and she appeared to be managing just fine, ta v much, in her heels!

So, I've decided that the obvious way to decide whether I enjoy the contrasting colour combo is to wear it on my nails first. Ta-da!

I think it's growing on me...

A t-bar and a bow...and I digress

Like a bow tie bow. Not a bow. Like bending over. I'm not bending over. Little Scribbler don't bend over for no-one. Nuh-uh. That said, I am doing something distinctly weird in this picture...

Dress: Tesco, Shoes & Belt: New Look, Shirt: H&M

Kind of like I'm coming atcha head first. I don't know why. As far as I can tell you haven't done anything to offend me. On a side note, does anyone have any great, time free, suggestions for in between length hair? Mine is driving me batty right now and basically always looks like the above as I never have enough time to blow dry it so it always end up in a pancakey quifflet.

Back to the weird pose. I can only fathom that I decided I should do some fancy ass foot placement in order to showcase my lovely shoes. The shoes of the aforementioned bow. Bows are usually always cute in my book and these ones win extra awesome points for being shiny patent and trimmed with glitter. So far, so good. I'm also a big t-bar fan. The right t-bar that is - they can be pieces of nastiness fresh outta frump land when done wrong. However, the chunky high heel, peep toe, deep red colour and bow on these stop that. They're just so 'Come Dancing' and I fancy myself spinning around some swishy ballroom with a hottie and everyone knows that your chances of doing that increase hugely when you have t-bars. I like to think I'd be doing a fiery paso doble in these. Ole!

The shoes landed in my cabinet (yes, they're housed in the cabinet, not just the shoe closet) fresh outta New Look. I saw them in Look magazine while I was at a friend's place, went into New Look the next morning and there they were sitting in front of me! That NEVER happens to me. I see lush stuff in magazines and it never appears in shops. In fact, I've been emailing and tweeting Topshop recently as I'm lusting after a pair of boots that haven't appeared on their site yet.They haven't bothered their too-cool-for-school butts to reply to me. So I'll talk with my money and not spend it there. I'm increasingly intolerant of bad service in my old age...

Anyhoo, I've digressed again! The same day that I got these shoes, I got a pair in Primark that I saw in the same magazine. Gawd love Glasgow shops. I'll treat you to them soon too cos they're pure amazers...

Time for me to head off to my pal's hen do now! Yup, it's nearly gin o'clock.

Friday night shoe porn goes S&M...

Yup, it's Friday night and I'm feeling alright (dinner cooked, rose poured) and it felt only right that we should take in some shoe porn. And, being Friday, I'm in a slightly rock 'n' roll mood: thus I am upping the sexy, fierce ante on the pornorific shoes. Ladies, bend over and brace yourselves because we are talking studs and spikes. Oh, alright, I'm not really going to whip out a studded spanking paddle or indeed hit you with a studded shoe. Some things are just a step too far...plus, I sure ain't getting backside all over these babies.

The studded shoe love was started for me by Christian Louboutin. I've always admired people brave enough to rock a studded biker or a spiked denim waistcoat and I love the punk look. It's just totally not my look (too many skinny leg trousers). Stick the spikes on a shoe though and I am all over it. Here are the Loubs...

Yum bitch!

 

Yes, I know they look like studded pimp slippers but I like 'em!

Now, Loubly (oh, do you see what I did there? Mega lolz) though this lot are, the £1k plus price tags make them somewhat out of my price range. Just somewhat. So when these beauties from Solestruck started dropping in my inbox, you know I took a second look. Sadly they're mainly still out of my budget but not in ridiculous style a la Christian's creations. I'm going to start with the ones I plan to blow the budget for when they're back in my size...the Lita stud.

Swoon! How bitching are these?! That's right: bitching! They have the things I love: a platform and chunky heel but, minus the studs, would actually be kind of plain for my tastes. But the studs are there. Oh, they're there. All of a sudden, a plain, albeit stompily high, boots goes from OK to oh, oh, oh!

Spikes on the Lita too fierce for you? Presenting the pimp slipper's pimped up cousin, the Lee by Matiko (nope, me either and I couldn't be bothered to read about the brand. This is all about visual pleasure), with a smaller more subtle spike. Again, it's in possession of some of my favourite things. No, no aphids on roses or dangleberries on kittens: leopard print and hairy! Duh! Yes, the spikes are the only subtle thing about these little winners. Now, where did I put my rhinestone studded smoking jacket?

Uh, huh, huh! I like to think that, when the King grows tired of blue suede shoes, he slips on these bad boys. Definitely more studded than spiked, I suspect his right royal Elvisness would be totes partial to the star shaped studs in particular. Ah, the wonder of shoooooooooes!

Time to ramp back up the fierce factor again. Well, you didn't honestly think I'd crack out a hairy leopard print flattie and not show you a heel too? Did you? Come on. These Sam Edelman heels first captured my attention a wee while back. At nearly $300, I've always resisted them but I definitely have hot, special feelings for their lusciousness. The only thing (aside from the obvious dollah) is that the reviews of the style seems to suggest that the spike weight make them a bugger to keep on your feet AND folk have been receiving them with cheeky missing studs too. So, for now, I am lusting but steering clear. Like one should might when it comes to a bad man.

 

You so cannot touch this. You cannot! I love the fact that these shoes need to be seen from more than one angle to give full appreciation of their hedgehog-tastic proportions. Spikier than your average cactus, they're a winner for many reasons. There's something so camp about their overt pinkness, yet something so fierce about their vicious barbs. Basically they're a drag queen. And I'm not gonna top that.

Shoe Porn?

I got an email today that purported to share the delights of the new Christian Louboutin collection. Being a sucker for their gorgeous designs (and a major designer shoe coveter. Sin or no sins, if my neighbour was trotting about in a pair, I'd be coveting the ASS off them!), I was excited to take a peek. It didn't last long. There were a few pretties (loving the suede block colour platforms) and some weird and wonderful (hello yeti's foot) but, beyond that it was pretty dullsville - boring pumps, yet another studded stiletto, a plain stiletto with an ankle strap. I am sad. So much so that I'm just going to show you some high(ish)lights.

Amazing colour that goes with bog all, big platform and a dash of glitter? Count me IN!

You reckon you'd get on a flight with this. I LOVE the fierce shoulder. The bag is blah.

I love limes. I appreciate these lime flavoured shoes.

Because I am a fan of a classic platform and it would be rude to shout out the lime ones and not these.

I think I actually would if they weren't a slingback. I don't do slingbacks (she says whilst wearing a high heeled slingback clog effort). SO odd!

Speaking of odd. Yes, it's the aforementioned yeti's foot.