Reinvention Through Real Estate

Moving, Sex in the City and Spring Shoes for Day to be Extra In

Dear Friends

Sorry for two weeks of silence only three weeks into What Looks Good.  My excuse is I moved, again, my third move in five years and it does not get easier with greater frequency. 

As anyone who has done it knows; to buy a co-op in New York City is an arduous process. Once I was finally approved things moved real fast to the closing and move. I was utterly consumed with the chaos of yet another move and dealing once more with the detritus of my life!

 

The first move that started this odyssey I chronicled in my old blog Prima Darling. I’m generally a very private person but I thought it could be interesting to chronicle through decor and style the full circle that brought me right back to where I started. This will be available to my paid subscribers, but don’t worry there will still be plenty of free content available on What Looks Good.

Now back to business…

I have become footwear lazy, depending mainly on my old faithful Lanvin sneakers (nothing is more comfortable), my Roger Vivier heavy soled boots from last year (again super comfortable and surprisingly versatile) and when I want to be a little more pulled together my Tod’s loafers.  I’m a walker. I love walking all over town and try to clock at least five miles a day walking which is quite easy to do in Manhattan.  I usually start my day with a fast paced early morning walk around the reservoir in Central Park. Two miles there and the normal running around during the day easily gets me to five. Now with warm weather doled out in random eighty degree days I’m forced to confront my footwear routine for something more season appropriate. 

Though weather is not the only motivation at play here.  With all the mind numbing packing and unpacking I’ve been doing for the move I’ve relied on revisiting the original Sex in the City reruns to ward off the boredom of my task. I thought it would act as background noise and an occasional laugh but it has, crazy enough, become so much more.  The original series, filmed from 1998 to 2004, follows Carrie Bradshaw from age 32 to 38.  I didn’t even realize it at the time but we were contemporaries and like the fictional Carrie I led a much more glamorous life then. I was working at Oscar de la Renta at the time and unlike Carrie I was married and had babies at home. Maybe that explains why I wasn’t obsessed with the show when it originally aired. Though I was nearly as obsessed with clothes and shoes as Carrie and I definitely was serving looks on a daily basis.

Serving late nineties early aughts style, love the effort that went into dressing back then.

The show made me nostalgic for the carefree pre 9/11 New York and for the pre athleisure way of dressing all too common today. It also forced me to examine my own complacency regarding dress. I’ve gone from serving serious looks everyday to working looks around the central directive of comfort and practicality.  Sure I still work to pull off a good look, albeit a comfortable one at the expense of being extra. Well new season, new home, new me, I’m right here and now committing to being extra once more just like our friend Carrie who could be lounging at home in cut offs, sexy top and marabou mules.  Now you won’t find me clacking down the streets of New York in four inch Manolos. I’ve ruined my feet from years of doing just that, but I’m determined to find a fun, somewhat comfortable and yes sexy alternative to my steady stream of practical. There’s got to be a happy medium. 

My idea of serving in 2024, notably more laid back but with intention.

The foundation of any good outfit is the shoe. Fortunately I’ve been deep diving into mid range shoe companies that are filling the void between four figure designer shoes and cheap shoes, which is a no no in my book. I’ve already talked about gold heeled sandals that fit into my new mandate in my last post. 

The most difficult category to fill is a day shoe that looks great yet still allows you to get on with your day. The good news is spring/summer offers many more viable options than fall. A sexy sandal can elevate any outfit. Remember the photo I posted of Miuccia Prada wearing a leather coat and an unexpected jeweled sandal? That’s what I’m talking about.

I’ve broken it down into three categories, manageable day heels which are low enough to allow you to clack around town in and seriously boost your day style a la Sienna Miller in the photo above.

Neous is a brand that has impressed me with their artful design and dedication to wearability. Their shoes are hand made by seasoned artisans in Italy. They tout sustainability in materials and make. I love their strappy sandals at top in black and white. The pointed mules are the perfect shape with a delicate cord at the top center adding just enough interest and a perfect 2.5” heel offered in black satin and white crepe de chine. WSJ featured these in a recent editorial. A white pump for spring is an essential, the shape and the heel makes these special. Martiniano shoes are handmade in Buenos Aires employing traditional craftsmanship and natural dyes that retain the soft natural feel of the kid leather. Here their chunk heeled sandals in gold and black. As a nod to Carrie I included these, made in Italy for No.6 Store, these would look great with denim, white or blue and so much more.

For when you require total freedom of movement there are flats. This spring happens to be a stellar year for flats with many interesting companies making great looking quality shoes at a reasonable price.

I’m curious about unconstructed soft leather flats and love the color and shape of these from Matiniano, top left. From Toteme a asymmetric ballet flats. Again from Neous the perfect sling back almost flat. The high vamp and silver color add newness to classic ballet flats, these from No.6 Store. Last, Massimo Dutti’s braided leather ballet flat seen here

When you have miles to go before you sleep, you can’t beat sturdy sandals. Though they may not be sexy they are stylish, versatile and offer total freedom. Don’t cop out and grab a Birkenstock, you’re better than that.

Add height without sacrificing comfort with these flatforms from Neous. Woven leather cross over sandals from Bembien with a square toe and little heel, look much more expensive than they are. I love the striking mix of rafia and black leather in these Ancient Greek sandals. And finally you could cross a desert in these and look great doing it.

Thank you for reading! Please share this with a friend or two and consider joining me as a paid subscriber to follow the ups and downs of whipping this new place into shape. xxx Jolain