Clearly these aren't restricted to the denim dresses !
Lightweight Canvas Pumps/ Tennis and Skater Shoes
These are amazingly useful and work well with more casual dresses, skirts, shorts ( yikes - not me) and of course trousers. Get a pair of these- you really won't be sorry. They combine a contemporary look with comfort. You can walk miles! I bought a pair from Clarks last year ( maybe the one before) in silver leather and I'm taking mine for an overnight stay to London tomorrow- lots of tramping about to see the sights- and, experience tells me , they will be perfect.
We are going to a concert at The Albert Hall in the evening and these will then be shoved in my squidgy back pack and I'll then (Tess of the D'Urbervilles style) pop on my folding Red Foot silver jewelled pumps. Unfortunately I'll have no such ingenious solution for my, by then, travel rumpled clothes- maybe the glitter on the pumps will distract them???!!
These are canvas , treated with the silver finish, as opposed to leather but unlike the smelly plimsolls of old - who doesn't remember that Changing Room smell?- they are fully breathable. Hooray for that!
This style comes in other colours and designs and they range in price from £45-£55 for the patterned or embroidered ones. I'd like them all but if I had to choose, as usual, it would be the metallic silver. They go with everything.
Navy, Begonia, Ivory and Oxford Blue ( not shown)
Blue Iris Embroidered and Pastel Green Crochet
Blue Azul, Tropical Green and Blue
These Ugg Glitter Trainers, which also come in black ( £85 at John Lewis ) are cool too - but only if you like a bit of bling! Which I do !
Basically, these are just two examples of a style you can find anywhere on the High Street. What is surprising though is the huge disparity in cost. Have a look around .Provided they are comfortable the variations don't add much.
I mentioned thicker soles earlier. I'm not a huge fan but I did really like these....
Ash Jungle Leather Trainers £129 John Lewis
They are more expensive but are leather so should withstand a lot of walking. Oh! Gold! Metallic again- I think I'm obsessed!
The Skater Style has been around for a couple of seasons and is now pretty much mainstream. You can find examples everywhere and it can't be a coincidence that so many shops sell them. A leopard print pair is surprisingly wearable although not perhaps to team with your florals!
Head Over Heels Lexi from Dune - total bargain!!! £12 down from £35 in Sale.
I have always been a fan of print and snakeskin in particular. I've found a fab pair of Birkenstock Style Sandals in Clarks for a great price - I'll hold back on that - these Snakeskin Skaters from
TopShop at only £20 are a brilliant buy too.
They also come in Pink Lizard, White, Black and Black Lizard and 2 Tone Black and Silver/ Grey Lizard . Get the picture that lizard is in!!
And if all this is a bit too " down with the kids" - ugh, did I say that???- you can always rely on Toms. A more expensive version of the old holiday espadrilles but much, much better.
Toms Classic Canvas Plimsolls £35-£40 depending on colour and style available at John Lewis.
They are made in a wide range of colours and I particularly admire the navy and navy/ cream stripe pair- very Nantucket. The classic navy are truly a wardrobe staple. My Son's beautiful and cool girlfriend wears these so I reckon they must be good.
I now realise that I've tried to cover way too much in one blog. All Summer shoes in one go?? Madness!! I also have my grumpy Teenager still at home on holiday and needing attention. I am however determined to bring you at least one example of the shoe styles which work and which represent an essential (!) purchase. Lets face it, they are all essential at the moment of purchase.
Thong Flats
These range from plain to the completely bejewelled . You can find them for peanuts, hanging on racks ( always a sign of a budget buy ) or sitting smugly on pristine glass shelves, only to be handled by the, equally smug , Shop Assistant. Actually by and large I love Shop Assistants- I know what it feels like to be one and therefore to be invisible and unappreciated- not nice. Withholding goods is only a way of wresting back power and self esteem!
Metallic again- what's wrong with me?! But how good will these look on brown feet and legs ? You know I'm right !
If you want a plain pair with lots of colour choice, check out Hush's beautiful Olivia Sandal, a very reasonable £49.50. It's made in lovely soft leather with a snakeskin finish and comes in black/grey snakeskin pattern, tan, blue and yellow .
A variation on the theme - no toe post though. It comes in this gunmetal, pink ( not entirely sure on the shade of that one ) and black. Sadly they are not leather and , as I had last years' version with the diamanté , I'm sure that was leather. They were extremely comfortable and I'm certainly going to squeeze another season out of them. I wonder if being synthetic they might be less pliable and so rub?Just a thought .
Birkenstock Style
This look, which normal women have been wearing, without fuss or fanfare, for years, roared onto the Style pages last year. I had to snort at the sheepskin lined ones, worn with socks, in the middle of winter, at a number of the Fashion Shows! Honestly, if you tried that up here you'd receive some very funny looks and probably an offer to help you to the safety of your Home (with a capital H).
Anyway, I do happen to love these and they are another brilliant buy.
The snakeskin is bang on trend and, although the soles vary a little, they are extremely similar to the pair by Hush- Takoon Sandal £129- and almost a third of the price ! They are made of leather and as such represent a sound purchase. I think Clarks will be very pleased with themselves with these !
If you prefer a less chunky sole I'd point you in the direction of these Carvela Kream Cross Strap Slides in white leather £75, John Lewis.
Wooden / Chunky Heeled Sandals
Clarks has been one of the best places on the High Street for shoes for several years now. I bought a number of pairs of sandals there last Summer which are still looking good and going strong. Their range is amazing- something for everyone - with some real cutting edge designs alongside the more, shall we say, comfort, range.
I bought these in ' Cotton ' (cream) towards the end of the Summer last year and they have been released again for SS15. They now come in tan and really have such scope that I might have to consider getting that second colour way too.
Right , quick round up of other High Street favourites and then I've got to go. I detect cooking smells and really need to check out what she's been doing for the last 3 hours!
TopShop Nelly Mid Heel Strappy Sandals £46
Comes in tan and black. Great height.
This comes in both the natural and brown. Again a really useful heel height.
I haven't looked at the block heel sandals which are a big noise this season as I've had in mind the more casual side of the clothing spectrum. Another day. Now, off downstairs then packing for our London overnighter. Just hope my lovely neighbour has remembered she said she would have the dog!!
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