Category Archives: shoes

The Slow Death of a Shoe

Posted on June 17, 2011 by | 4 comments

There are some shoes that are such an integral part of a girl’s daily footwear rotation that it’s hard to imagine a wardrobe – or life – without them. They’re what you might call the MVP’s of your shoe collection. The standby shoes that meld perfectly fashion and comfort. They’re the shoes that you have had re-heeled, re-soled and re-polished more times than you can count – and, possibly, beyond the point of repair. But even so, you just can’t let them go. Even with scuff marks or an uneven heel, these shoe stalwarts stand heads and shoulders above the other pairs lurking in your closet.

Today, I thought I’d pay tribute to several examples of such a heroic shoe in my own footwear arsenal. To be perfectly honest with you, I’ll probably never get rid of these pairs. Heck, I’ll probably keep wearing them until holes in the soles are fully visible. But I can’t bear to ditch these several pairs that have seen me through thick and thin.

I've been searching high and low for a replacement for these beat-up Mary Jane pumps that are a workday staple.

It may not look like much now, but this buttery beige Cole Haan loafer was my go-to travel shoe for years.

Some might consider the damage to these once-uber-chic peep toe kitten pumps to be beyond repair.

Miss Mojito wants to know: Am I the only crazy sentimentalist out there who can’t bid adieu to a good pair of pumps?

*Update* Just one day after posting this little homage to the beat-up shoe, I decided to wear a pair of worn-but-respectable gladiator-style sandals to work – only to witness the straps fall apart just steps from the front door of my office. Thus, today’s footwear of choice is my gym shower flops. Classy. Methinks the shoe gods might be trying to teach a lesson in proper shoe maintenance!

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Hyperbole for Effect

Posted on April 20, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Friends of Miss Mojito know that she is somewhat prone to exaggeration in her storytelling. A little hyperbole, in my humble opinion, can vastly improve the quality of a tale. But who knew the same principle applies to shoe-buying, too?

Take my new BCBGeneration platform sandals, for example. Everything about this shoe – from the oversized proportions to the satisfying “clomp” of shoe meeting pavement – is slightly exaggerated with an aesthetically pleasing result, to Miss Mojito’s eye.

The heel is thick and oversized, with a chunky heft and a towering height of five inches, supported by a two-inch platform. And the styling of the faux-wood base and golden studs appeals to Miss Mojito’s clog-friendly shoe sensibilities.

My particular pair is in a lovely shade of “Desert Toffee Crosta,” aka taupe, but they’re also available in black and a (somewhat startling) dark pink – err, “Red Berry Soft Tumbled.”

Is this a shoe that will stand the test of time and become the next classic go-to shoe in my closet? Well, probably not. But will the shoe give an air of 70’s style to my footwear wardrobe, lending an era-appropriate touch to my wide-legged jeans? Most definitely. This is my definition of a fun shoe.

And, to answer the question on your mind, they’re actually surprisingly comfortable, particularly for shoes of such delightfully exaggerated proportions!

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Peace of mind

Posted on March 27, 2011 by | 1 comment

As some of you may already know by now, Ms. S&C is a little crazy about yoga. She’s crazy about hot yoga. She’s crazy about flow. She’s crazy about warriors. She’s crazy about side planks and triangles. And half moons and lizards.

She’s found that when life starts to get a little crazy — when she starts to feel a little overwhelmed — yes, a stiff drink can help. But, there’s comfort to be found on the mat. And maybe with a new pair of shoes. And lululemon’s Astro Pants. (The phrase retail therapy was coined for a reason, right?)

Ms. S&C found a good deal over at DailyCandy’s Swirl that brought her a new Dream Yoga mat for half the price. (She bought the one in slate blue with an embroidered peace sign.)

Looking for some extra peace of mind, Ms. S&C picked up a new yoga mat
(and new yoga pants and new shoes)

Ms. S&C is pretty much convinced that there are no better shoes to wear to and fro yoga class than a pair of TOMS. She picked up these iconic classics a few weeks ago, and there are plenty of reasons to feel good about buying them. They are spectacularly comfortable. And they are for a good cause.

Now, shall we all meet in downward-facing dog?

posted by Ms. S&C

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The Red Rainboot

Posted on March 7, 2011 by | 4 comments

so much depends
upon

a red rain
boot

glazed with rain
water

worn with a striped
shirt

of the same color

let’s say hello to
Spring

Giving credit where credit is due: inspiration for this post came from the William Carlos Williams’s poem “The Red Wheelbarrow,” and the deep red rain boots Ms. S&C found at Banana Republic for $29.99.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Heartstrings

Posted on February 14, 2011 by | Leave a comment

The OED Word of the Day — on the day before Valentine’s Day — was “heart-strings.” If heartstrings are meant to be pulled, here are a few things tugging at Ms. S&C’s.

Ms. S&C’s heart is aflutter over this adorable kissing birds ring from Juicy Couture. Apparently she has a thing for wearing small whimsical birds on her fingers, because she picked up a super cute owl ring before the Christmas holiday, and now wants this as part of her collection.

Ms. S&C is also coveting this lace print shirt from Sundance, which has a kind-of bohemian elegance. There are actually quite a few lovely, silk printed blouses over there, but this one is particularly très romantique and fitting for February 14th, don’t you think?

And it wouldn’t be a wish list — and it would be a Valentine’s Day wish list (those red soles!) — without a pair of Louboutin’s. Ms. S&C has already declared her recent affections for neutrals, and she would like to add this nude patent pump to the mix, pretty please.

Wherever your deepest affections lay on this day of love, we wish you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.

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For the love of neutrals

Posted on February 11, 2011 by | Leave a comment

The Spring Wish List has begun. And you can save the color for the tulips. A fantastic tote in taupe, an asymmetrical camo clutch.  (How about these swooping asymmetry wedges from Anthropologie to go with that clutch, eh?) How awesome  are the cutout wedges in spiced olive? (We’ll never get tired of wedges over here at S&C.) And for the dressier gal, Talbots (yes, Talbots) has bow platforms in dark sweet almond and criss-cross peep-toes in dark lugguge. There’s something about calm, peaceful, restful colors that sounds about right.

For the love of neutrals

Kooba Sophie Tote

$295 – piperlime.gap.com


Michael Stars Asymetry Clutch

$80 – piperlime.gap.com


Avenelle cutout wedges – J.Crew

$198 – jcrew.com



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Wedge-Wood Love

Posted on January 26, 2011 by | 1 comment

When the sky is gray, the clouds are heavy and the air is bitter cold, I turn to a few favorite pastimes to cheer me up. Cooking a bowl of soup or burrowing in bed with a good book come to mind. So, too, does a hobby nearer-and-dearer to our hearts here at S&C: spring shoe gazing.

I simply can’t get my mind off of warm weather shoes, and a certain style in particular: wedge sandals with chunky wooden heels are calling my name in the worst way possible. I can already feel my bank account shivering in fear over my future acquisitions.

Here are a few of my faves, in varying price points. I’m loving the bows, the cut-outs, the scroll-work heel and the neutral shades in these five dreamy pairs. Which shoe is your personal pick?

Wedge-Wood

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Three things: tall boots, beer cocktails, yoga

Posted on January 24, 2011 by | 1 comment

Here’s what’s on the mind of Ms. S&C at the moment.

(1) Tall Boots

Ms. S&C is in love with these Franco Sarto boots. The soft leather, the detail around the outer zipper, the buckles, the rubber outsole — and, they are comfortable! Tall boots are nothing new, but Ms. S&C happily spent the whole weekend wearing these shoes (and she would wear them again tomorrow if she could). PS: she bought the cuoio calf color (reminds her of caramel) and looks great with burnt orange tights, jeans and black leggings (yes, that was the weekend wardrobe).

(2) Beer Cocktails

Ms. S&C can’t stop thinking about the honey beer cocktail she had at JoeDoe’s in New York a few weeks ago. Made with Dale’s Pale Ale, gin, lemon juice and delicious, delicious salted honey that dribbled down the side of the glass. It was so tasty and so refreshing, she can’t wait to recreate this beer cocktail at home. Ms. S&C also loves the idea of beer cocktails so much that it will likely be the signature cocktail for her ninth annual (yes, ninth) Super Bowl party. (By the way, discovery of this cocktail came courtesy of Frank Bruni’s excellent Tipsy Diaries column in The New York  Times.)

(3) Yoga

Now, for the unrelated segment: Ms. S&C likes yoga. She likes it so much, she almost wants to rename the blog: Shoes, Cocktails and Yoga. (Not really, but it is important to her.) She doesn’t think of herself as a purist when it comes to her practice, but she respects tradition and history. She also appreciates that yoga has evolved, and that yoga *can* evolve. That’s why she doesn’t hate this Tara Stiles person. (I’ll admit: at first, I wanted to hate everything she stood for.) For more on Tara Stiles and yoga, this blog post by YogaDork is worth a read.

The three things blog posts give Ms. S&C an opportunity to share a combination of shoe and cocktail-related finds, along with something else. That something else usually includes music or yoga.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Highs & Lows: Looking Back at 2010

Posted on December 30, 2010 by | 1 comment

The Atlantic Food Channel’s Derek Brown recently recapped his favorite cocktail experiences of 2010, inspiring Miss Mojito to do some year-end reminiscing of her own. Here’s a quick look at the highs and lows of shoes and cocktails in this fine year.

Best Cocktail Experience
This one is definitely a two-parter. Mixing cocktails in our very own storefront hotel in Staunton was certainly the most festive experience. But my favorite flavor profile might just be the Sparkling Campari Cocktail.

Biggest Cocktail Fail
Without a doubt, my attempts at making gin & soda into a palatable cocktail were my biggest fail of the year. In a desperate attempt to cut calories, I also cut flavor and any sophistication factor by ordering that mockery of a cocktail.

Number-One Shoe Purchase
This one’s almost too easy. These gray suede slingback mule clogs from Banana Republic still cause my heart to flutter whenever I spy them sitting on my shoe shelf.

Shoe Regret
I’m not one to linger on regrets, but it’s hard to put the shoe past behind you when your ankles still bear the scar left by the strap of these gladiator sandals from Urban Outfitters. And to think, I bought them for the comfy factor!

I had to retire these gladiators, center, after just one wear!

Care to share your favorite – or, perhaps, most unfortunate – shoe and cocktail picks of 2010? Share away in the comments section.

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Holiday party fashion

Posted on December 16, 2010 by | 2 comments

Everyone is starting to get in the holiday spirit. Miss Mojito is filled with festiveness. Ms. S&C is on her way. But she’s making a quick stop in holiday party wonderland for a little bit, okay? She is going to pretend that against a backdrop of twinkling white lights and bright red poinsettias, she will be drinking a glass of sparkling wine and wearing this outfit.

The little black dress is Nanette Lepore‘s sleek and sophisticated little number, made a little bit sexy with those strappy back cutouts.

The clutch, found at Nordstrom, is an artful display of woven ribbons that compliment those strappy back cutouts on the dress quite nicely.

And the shoes — no one does holiday party shoes better — are Kate Spade‘s new york ‘guest’ slingbacks. That beautiful red bow adds a bright and cheery splash to the satin slingback.

An imaginary land full of wonders, don’t you think?

posted by Ms. S&C

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