Want to combine shoe-shopping with getting glammed up in time for your romantic Valentine's night out? Our friends at Laura J boutique in Islington can help, as they're hosting a bit of a party on Saturday 13th, with the store set out as a fabulous retro village fete.
Alongside the usual unique and stylish shoes from Laura J, Chie Mihara and Lady Double You, you'll be able to admire and purchase selected pieces from clothing label French Kiss Vintage, jewellery from Lady Luck Rules OK and pick out something for the weekend from handmade lingerie label Bannbee. There'll be a living, breathing and fan-dancing window display to get you in the mood, and makeup artist Lucy Freeman is on hand to give tips on the perfect fifties eyeliner flick. Being a local resident herself, Ms. Shoewawa also hopes to make an appearance!
We're big fans of TOMS - the super comfy, super ethical shoes that make you feel great inside and out (for every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS give another pair to a child in need). So it's exciting to hear that Topshop have invited TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie along with supermodel Erin Wasson to open a shoe customising workshop in their flagships store on Oxford Street, during London Fashion Week.
If you'd like to take part in this 'Style your Sole' event and walk away with a unique piece of footwear, come along to the store on Sunday 21st or Monday 22nd February, where you'll get to meet Blake, Erin and an all-female team of graffiti artists: all of whom will customise a pair of fabulous TOMS shoes for you. If you've got a schedule like I have for LFW, your feet are going to be needing them!
To find out more, visit TOMS' site
We don't see a lot of 1940s vintage in the footwear section: most have been trampled into the ground by now. But here's an opportunity to buy a near-pristine pair for less than your average pair of high street shoes!
The taupe, leather peep-toe slingbacks are genuine vintage from the 1940s, with only 'minor scuffing' on the left heel. The 'berries' decorating the front of the shoes are an interesting addition that's quite unlike anything I've seen on recent styles.
$65 at Etsy
Our Marc loves hearts, so it's no wonder his shoes are more popular than ever at this time of year. These tall, proud platforms are the colour of love, and decorated with a padded heart.
It's actually the main body of these shoes that excites me, however: the red, suede insoles look like they'd really comfort the feet, which is something you'd need on a heel that high - just ask Posh. The wooden, exposed platform is a perfect contrast to all that deep red plushness, and I think the overall effect works really well.
£144 (was £480) at The Outnet
'Minnie Mouse shoes' are part of a trend that I was beginning to think had gone away, but it's still very much alive and squeaking over at Miss Selfridge.
These shoes are awfully cute with their exaggerated styling, and would take a bit of courage to wear on a night out. Their colour, however, is simple to match, and these could be the perfect finishing touch to a LBD outfit that lacks interest. Compare them with Charlotte Olympia's polka-dot platforms for a style that's almost too close for comfort, but anything but similar in price!
£40 at Miss Selfridge
It takes an outstanding designer to render a classic, simple style to perfection, and we'd expect nothing less of Christian Louboutin, who seems to make us happiest when he sticks to the more straightforward styles.
With no embellishment or fuss, these heeled pumps are still total showstoppers. Their colouring is spot-on for summer, and their shapely form will flatter the feet. Best of all for Louboutin, they come at a save-uppable price!
£375 at Matches
If you're wanting to 'do a VB' and switch to flatties wihile your feet recover from party season, there's no need to resign yourself to dull footwear. These pretty flats from Repetto, similar in many ways to Giuseppe Zanotti's star-spangled range, are a delightfully fun way to healthy feet, and they'll go with almost anything.
If these don't quite grab you, but you're keen to discover even more flattering flatties, Ms. Shoewawa is in the same boat at the moment and has been on the lookout. Favourites at the moment include Beyond Skin's 'Sole' ballet pumps, now reduced to £39, Pretty Ballerina's crazy leopard print pumps or Topshop's espadrilles.
Repetto star-studded flats: £157 at Colette
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