Cat's Corner

Since it looks like we might have one last week of summer – here’s a quick note on Birkenstock sandals!

I first discovered Birkenstock when I needed something cheap and last minute to take on my honeymoon a few years ago.  I discovered a pair of lemon print Birkenstocks in the TKMaxx clearance for £7 – pictured left.  I was surprised how comfy they were, but I have to say they haven’t had much wear back home, given that they don’t really go with much!

Then the following summer my friend bought me a pair of cute clogs, and I like these very much, but they’re really only suitable for spring and autumn in those few short weeks where it’s too warm for shoes but to chilly for sandals!!

Last summer I decided to go the whole hog and get a classic pair of Birkenstock sandals (the purple ones).  Oddly, they took a little longer to break in than the other two, but after a few wears they became really comfy.  They look great with summer shorts and trousers and I think I’ve finally discovered the perfect pair

One of the things I really like about the Birkenstocks range is that they do a narrow fit and a wide fit – the narrow fit is perfect for me, yet they’re still roomy around the toes, perfect!

Check out the current range of Birkenstocks on Cloggs UK here.

Toning shoes have been around for a while now, but I hadn’t really taken much notice until Crocs came out with their own range and in particular, the Crocs Tone Skylar Flat.  Similar to my beloved Malindi Crocs, these cutie pumps are smart enough to wear in the office, comfy enough for long lunchtime walks and light enough to wear on holiday…

Sweet, right?  Here’s a comparison of the Skylar (in Light Grey/Rose) with my black Malindi – they’re a slightly tighter fit than the loose fitting Malindi, but as with all Crocs, they conform to the shape of your foot for a custom fit.  Mine only took a couple of wears to become super comfy, with or without tights.

So how do Skylar flats work to tone your legs?  Crocs say that their ”Sculpted outsole creates a rocker effect while you walk that can help initiate key muscle activity to provide toning benefits.  [The] toning ring is designed to help moderate movement and provide support contributing to increased muscle activity.”  Watch a video about the Crocs Tone Skylar Slingback Flat here.

I wish I’d done a before and after photo of my legs, but alas, I was too excited to start wearing them!  I can tell you though, that there’s a marked difference in muscle tone and my legs feel stronger as a result of wearing these a couple of times a week for the past few weeks. 

They also have the usual circulation nubs on the foot bed and are super comfy for all day wear, I love them!

There are several other styles in the range, including a more traditional style Croc (Skylar Clog), flip flops (Skylar Flip) and a closed ballet pump (Julia Flat).

Check out the Crocs Tone range on the Crocs website here or on Amazon UK here.

Time for another shoes review!  This time, United Nude Women’s Coral Ballet flats in yellow – BRIGHT yellow! 

I discovered United Nude shoes on Amazon earlier in the year and couldn’t resist this pair, which are moulded from lightweight ‘EVA.’  They arrived in the depths of winter, so they’ve only just emerged from the cupboard and found their purpose as Spring/Summer sandals!

First off, a little about the brand.  Architect, Rem D Koolhaas and shoemaker, Galahad Clark, came together to launch the United Nude brand in 2003, creating “an iconic brand at the intersection between design and fashion” (read more on their website here).  The range includes heels and flats in a wide variety of colours, from pastels to neons, in styles that should satisfy the subtle and outlandish alike.

Sounds great, I hear you cry, but what are they like to wear?  Well, this particular model, ’Coral Ballet,’ are extremely lightweight, and they really do fit the claim by the makers that the wearer hardly feels like they’re wearing shoes at all!  In fact, I braved a day out in town wearing these without any kind of insole and didn’t suffer any blisters or rubbing at all – very unusual for a first wear!  The liner prevents slipping underfoot and the holes in the design allow your feet to breathe, even on a really hot day. In addition, the sole is nicely textured to give good grip and protection, so they won’t get too grubby or send you flying past the ‘wet floor’ sign in the supermarket!

Style wise, I was attracted to the unusual design (aren’t I always?!), but was a little worried about how I’d make them work with my wardrobe.  They look kinda sporty on, so I’ve been wearing them with cropped jeans and casual tops – perfect for days out in the sunshine! 

I’ve noticed that this style is now available in a range of yummy pastel shades – hmm, which colour to choose next?!

Buy your pair of Coral Ballet flats on Amazon UK here or check out the wider United Nude range here.
 

If you’re a fan of fab and funky footwear, then you should definitely check out ‘Irregular Choice‘ shoes!  This is one brand that gives you a designer look on a high street budget and they’re guaranteed to turn heads.  Each pair is styled like a piece of art, covered with playful decoration – in Creator and Designer, Dan Sullivan’s words, they “recapture your freedom which eloped with your youth’’!  And who could ask for much more?

To me, they look like a fusion of antique Edwardian and Victorian era shoes, with influences of contemporary designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.  I love the fact you can turn even a simple shift dress into a spectacular outfit with a pair of these heels! 

My chosen pairs (so far) have been a pair of kitten heels with stars and a most fabulous pair of purple high heels with Chinese ladies – the heel on these isn’t in the usual place, making them a real talking point!

Check out a wide range of styles on Cloggs here. 

Brrr!  The weather’s turning cold here in the UK and at least there’s one thing to look forward to – wearing comfy, cosy boots!!  I particularly wanted to show you my Crocs Nadias, and it’s a great time to show you now, as Crocs currently have them on sale!

I used to wear Ugg-style boots but found them too bulky and not particularly suitable in the rain.  When I saw Nadias, they seemed the perfect choice, as the base is moulded with the comfort of a Crocs clog, whilst the sides are soft material.  You can also wear them with the material rolled down, for a shorter, ankle boot length - but if you wear them up, you can also put Jibbitz charms around the top!

They look particularly cute worn with woolen skirts and leggings, under bootleg jeans and over skinny jeans and I’ve even heard a rumour that they can be machine washed on a cold cycle (N.B. I haven’t tried this myself, so do so at your own risk!).

Read all my Crocs posts here.

Check them out today over on the Crocs website:

Well, the long awaited review of my Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Shoes Ultragirl Bow Flats is finally here!  I also decided to trial a pair of Melissa Ultragirl IV alongside them, you know, just to make it fair ;o)

As you may have read here before*, I’ve been waiting a long time for these Vivienne Westwood beauties as hubby hid them away for my birthday! And they don’t disappoint!  They’re so beautiful that I’m forever bumping into things because I’m staring at the floor and not at where I’m headed!  I also don’t get anywhere very quickly, because people are always stopping to ask where I got my gorgeous shoes!

So, what are they like to wear?  Well, they’re extremely comfortable, thanks to the wonders of the Melflex material they’re made from, which conforms to the shape of your foot for a custom fit.  They’ve been great worn at work, smart daytime occasions and nights out as well.  I never thought I’d go out dancing in flats but I haven’t worn heels since I got them!

Perhaps I shouldn’t have bought the regular Ultragirl flats as well (mine are model IV), but I was intrigued to see if there was any difference…and there is!  The IVs are actually even more comfortable because they have a padded lining that offers more support underfoot and stops your feet getting as hot as the flat liner in the VWs.  I’m sad to say as well, that the lovely pattern inside the VWs has started to wear away already and I’ve only had them for three weeks.  This isn’t a big problem obviously, but given the price I didn’t expect it to happen. 

Otherwise they’re pretty similar – both are scented with the signature bubblegum smell and the shape seems to be identical – I guess Vivienne Westwood customised them from Melissa Shoes’ original design. 

I am totally in love with the VWs and I would definitely recommend them if you’re looking for a beautiful pair of flats – I’m sure like me, you’d get lots of wear out of them.  Click here to buy them from a retailer in the UK.

If you’re on a budget, or are not worried about the extra detail on the VWs, the regular Melissas will also serve you very well, if not in quite as beautiful a way! 

 Buy Melissa Shoes now on Amazon UK! 

*Read all of my posts about Melissa Shoes here.

Last weekend was my birthday and I am happy to report that I was totally spoilt rotten!!  I finally got my hands on those yummy Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Melissa Shoes (brown bow flats) – thank you hubby :O)  I was also treated to two Trollbeads from my Dad – black armadillo and 3rd eye chakra – which looks stunning on my black/gold/purple combo!  A friend also sent me a beautiful artisan bead, a reddy purple armadillo that is just gorgeous and my Mum gave me a rather scrummy iPod shuffle in a lovely aqua colour!  Very spoilt indeed…

My birthday celebrations included a LOT of eating, seeing Toy Story 3 in 3D, visiting Lord Snowdon’s ‘In Camera’ photography exhibition and spending a day up in London.  I visited the Neal Street stores of Crocs and Filofax and bought a beautiful vintage laboradite and silver ring in the Covent Garden antiques market!  I will blog reviews of the two stores and my fabulous new shoes in the near future – keep an eye out!

A couple of months ago, I blogged about my experience with Melissa Shoes (you can read it here).  Now that I’ve worn them some more, I felt it only fair to give you a little update…

You might remember I tried out the Neon  in Mostard (yellow) and Hello III in Purple Flock:

The Neons are still my favourite, they’re really comfy and so easy to walk in, both when wearing tights and without, I think because of the support the ankle strap gives.  They’re a real conversation piece too – the colour is fab!  The only discomfort I get when wearing these is at the balls of my feet after long periods of standing – if you’re used to wearing heels a lot of the time I don’t think you’d have this problem.

I braved wearing the Hello III pair out for a night of dancing at the weekend and was a little worried about the problems I’d had before with a blister where the strap meets inside the shoe.  As I mentioned before, I used a blister pad over that area and I managed to dance for 3 hours straight without any rubbing anywhere – a miracle!!

Girls, I’m seriously impressed with this brand (and no I don’t work for them!), I think it’s the first time I’ve ever had heels that don’t rub anywhere and are genuinely a joy to wear.  I’m not saying you can wear them for hours and hours on end without any pain, but they’re certainly the closest I’ve ever found in heels!  If you have any other tips or brands to recommend, please leave a comment and I’ll continue my search!

In the meantime, I’m eagerly awaiting my birthday next month, as I happen to know my lovely husband has hidden away a pair of these beauties:

These gorgeous Ultragirl Bow Flats were designed as part of a collaboration by Melissa Shoes with Vivenne Westwood called ‘Anglomania’ – I just had to have a pair – can’t wait!  Look out for my full review of those in a couple of month’s time…

In the meantime, why not check out some of the range and other Vivienne Westwood shoes on Amazon UK here…

Read all my posts about Melissa shoes here.

Over the past year I’ve converted several friends and family to the Crocs brand – and if you’ve visited this blog before, you may well be another one of my converts!  However, I never thought in a million years that my husband would make the switch from his beloved Birkenstocks!  But yesterday, whilst in a sports shop he spotted a pair of bright orange classic Crocs (Cayman) and couldn’t resist trying them on ‘for a laugh.’  Well, of course the inevitable happened, he went for a little walk around the store and soon realised what I’ve been on about for all this time – that they’re so darn comfortable!!  So now we have his ‘n’ hers footwear for the beach…

Yes I know this style is hated by a lot of people (presumably those who’ve never tried on a pair!), but they really are the best thing I’ve found to wear on holiday.  They’re fab for coastal path walks, city breaks and on the beach because they don’t rub anywhere, they keep your feet cool, your legs supported and you can wash them back to looking brand new when you get back at the end of the day!  I even read how a pair of Crocs saved the life of a three year old boy this week – read the article here.

If you can’t wait to get yourself a pair, check out the colours available on Amazon UK here, or if you’re still not convinced, check out my other posts for more fashion-friendly ladies styles…

P.S. How cute are these ones – Mammoth Clogs?!  I think I need new slippers:

Read all my posts about Crocs here!

As you might have noticed, I have a few pairs of Crocs!  They’re just so comfy, I can’t get enough!  

‘Olivia‘ were a present from my husband on valentines day and he chose my favourite colour, purple!  This style is a bit more glam than some of the others and they look super cute under jeans or with brightly coloured tights and a skirt or dress.  They’d also be great for the beach, but I’ve been wearing them all weathers at the weekend, in the office and out in the evening ‘cos I like them so much!

They have a sparkly ‘jibbitz’ on the side and a very cute peeptoe cutout, showing a bit of ‘toe cleavage’!  Comfort wise I can’t really fault it – they’re a tighter fit than ‘Malindi’ but the material is slightly more flexible, so in my opinion, even more comfortable.  If your feet tend to get hot in the summer, you might prefer the Malindi style for the extra breathing space, otherwise I’d say go for Olivia!

They’re available in plenty of colour choices – Brown, Red, Bubblegum, New Gold, Dhalia, Ultraviolet and Black – get yours in the UK here or directly from Crocs below.

Read all my posts about Crocs here!