My burning love affair with Cydwoq shoes, part 2.

I was waiting for permission from the Cydwoq folks to post these pictures of some of my favorite designs from their Vintage line...The Modern line is pretty great as it were, but there's something about the Vintage line that captures my imagination.

I love the details, the slightly offbeat yet organic shapes, and the undeniable integrity of these shoes.  Time to save up so I can add to my collection of one =)

Check out the full line of Cydwoqs here.

My burning love affair with Cydwoq shoes, part 1.

It's been a couple months now since I wandered the shops of Noe Valley and found myself in the Rabat Shoes boutique, and coming face-to-face with one of the most beautiful pairs of shoe craftsmanship I had ever seen in my life.

Before I begin, know that these shoes are much more expensive than I am used to. I mean, compared high-falutin' shoes from established designers, they are not that expensive (most of their shoes, even the boots, don't exceed $500), but for ordinary citizens who toil for their food and generally find it difficult to cough up more than $100 for things you walk around in, these shoes are expensive.

Cydwoq (pronounced "sidewalk") is an independent label in Burbank, CA.  It began with a man who likes to walk, and comes from a line of Armenian shoemakers.  Watching the video below, you come to understand that each design, and even each shoe, has a story.  

The reason the shoes are so expensive is that a) the quality of the leather is downright seductive and b) each pair is made by hand, by American workers.  American labor is expensive.  But beyond the quality of the materials and painstaking attention to detail is that undeniable, intangible quality of old-world depth the shoes have.  I felt it the instant I saw them, and knew I had something special on my hands.

The shoes in question are called Decade, from Cydwog's Vintage line.  They are a unique take on the classic oxford shoe, managing to seem very old and worldly-wise and yet modern at the same time.  I think it's the combination of the mottled, rich brown leather and the low-cut profile of the shoe.  They were on huge discount at Rabat (about 40% off), but still I hemmed and hawwed for like an hour, trying them on and waking around the store and staring soulfully at my own feet.  It was really no use though, because as soon as I put them on I felt they had been made for my feet, because they fit so perfectly.  I was utterly taken.

In the end, because it was one of two pairs left in the store, the lady kindly knocked off an additional $30 or so, and that did me in.  I bought them, but at about $180 including tax they are still the most expensive pair of shoes I've bought to date.

It took me a while to think of a good way to wear them, and I experimented with a couple other new things I bought recently: a little chambray dress I got for $20 from Therapy and plaid Look from London tights (quickly becoming my favorite pair!).  And a very old plain black cardigan I bought from Express back in high school, which I also love to pieces.

From Delias: Clever Tees for Hopeful Hearts

Living in the Bay Area, and especially hanging around the Mission (i.e. hipster central), surrounded by geek-chic start-up engineers and entrepreneurs, I see more than my share of snarky T-shirts on a daily basis.  And while we all love Threadless.com, I sometimes get a little fatigued breathing in the self-satisfied clouds of smug all the time.

Which is why I found these darling little tees on Delias.com so refreshing.  Undeniably cute, with their funny little puns and good-natured, whimsical styles, these t-shirts convey something that many others don't: optimism.  In this cynical world, their earnest sense of humor is appealing indeed.  

Save $10 when you buy two online! Here are some of my favorites.

Hot or Not? Dolce Vita Wilde Boot

Unless you have been living under a proverbial fashion nock, you've no doubt been smacked in the face repeatedly by this fall fashion trend: the thigh-high boot. To be honest, like most normal (read: non-fashionista) people, I'm a bit dubious about it and I'm pretty sure it's going to be rather short lived, and thus hardly worth the investment.

That said, these Dolce Vita Wilde boots caught my eye because of the cinnamon-bronze, supple leather and sleek profile.  And the comfortably doable 3" heels. That was from the front.  Then I looked at the backs and did a double-take at the weird cut-outs behind the knees.  I felt instantly conflicted. On the one hand, the spirit of these boots perfectly captures my half-assed attitude towards thigh-high boots, like they can't decide what they want to be.  On the other hand, they really are a little strange.

So I submit to you, dear readers--what do you think of them? Photos shamelessly stolen off of 80spurple.com.

Meet: Andrea Brueckner Handbags

So this may not be news to anyone who follows the fashion world pretty closely, but it was news to ordinary ole me: Andrea Brueckner makes some wonderful handbags.  In keeping with our philosophy of comfortably stylish and beautifully unfussy, her bags are totally wearable.  High quality materials and construction.  Easy-going yet structural shapes. Dumbfoundingly simple and carefree profiles.  And just the slightest touch of sass--or, as I like to say, not too many ding-dongs hanging around (I hate bags with too many ding-dongs!).  

The only thing that sucks about them is their extraordinarily high prices.  But I'll forgive even that for the sake of good design. It's like these bags are saying, "Here we are.  Take us or leave us.  We know we're awesome."

  • Large Saddle Bag, in black
  • Cardiff Satchel, medium, in cream
  • Tierney City Bag, in black
  • Bonneville Pocket Satchel, in white
  • Cardiff Satchel, medium, in black (she makes other colors, I swear, I just love the simplicity of black and white)

Versatility, as seen in the "magic wrap"

A few weeks ago in O'ahu I took some time out to shop (had to take advantage of the lower sales tax). I was attracted to sari silk fabrics displayed at one of the kiosks named Kariza Vintage. A young petite lady was modeling how to wear the garment in many different ways. Enough ways that there is an instructional booklet and a video :P 

The "magic wrap" is made up of two different sari prints, one longer than the other, bound together by a thick band at the top that extends past both fabrics to serve as a belt or sash to wrap around various parts of your body. 

I really like the creative use of silk saris in this garment. I love the bright colors and how the two different patterns play together. This piece also got me thinking more about versatility - garments that can easily take on different forms depending on mood and occasion. After all, none of us want to get stuck wearing the same outfit too often. In exchange for versatility, wearing this particular garment in many styles takes quite a bit of careful wrapping, tucking, tying, and knotting to make it look right. I am sure a bit of practice will make this a smoother process though :) 

How-to: Dressing for warmth and comfort. And, of course, some timeless style.

Let us deconstruct this look, shall we? I saw it on Garance's site and was so very taken by it because it made me feel like sighing in reliefat the same time that it piqued my interest with some cushy textures and structured flow (did I just invent a new oxymoron?). Somehow this woman created a look that is fresh, yet original--I can't point to a single element that follows the season's trends.

via garancedore.fr

I am loving her monotone neutrals (so subtle!), mixed textures and the modest coverage. There is absolutely nothing offensive about her outfit. Talk about comfort. Talk about wearability!

I imagine this look may possibly not work for someone with large thighs or a potbelly, because it is somewhat shapeless. But that doesn't mean one can't try - I love the softness of the sweater, both in color and in the low-slung shape, and the slight ballooning of the harem pants is genius.

But what really keeps the look from moving into "sloppy" territory is a nice structured bag and her very sculptural boots! This convinces me that I am on the right track recently, where I have severely neglected clothes buying in favor of shoe buying. I'm convinced you can make anything look expensive with some excellent, if understated, shoes.

Bravo!

Dana Davis Volterra platform: Ultimate Wearability.

I just threw this on a private blog post to show a couple friends what I bought, but I got a good response so am making this post public.


So Gilt.com had a Dana Davis sale a couple weeks ago and I wanted these shoes, especially after doing a web search and realizing just how much these shoes cost normally.  They were adorable, I loved the bright pink color (I'm realizing that I veer towards a neutral-colored clothing and bright accessories), AND Dana Davis is known for this crazy comfort technology that is supposed to make these shoes extra wearable.  Think Taryn Rose, but possibly even cuter.  

I didn't get them the first time around because the sold out like * that *, but someone must have returned them because I got one of those "your waitlisted item is now available" e-mails and went and ordered them right away.  They were $128, down from $455. I can't wait for them to arrive!

Frye boots: Homage to the legendary, the rare, and the otherwise extraordinary

Thanks Robyn for inspiring this post!

It's no secret that Frye makes the best boots around - beyond the pedigree, vintage, and historical "street cred," they are simply beautiful to behold.  My heart thrills to the supple, slightly shiny heft of the leather, the painstaking attention to detail, the patient craftsmanship (over 190 steps for each pair according to their website), the longevity, and the androgyny.  It makes me glad that such a shoemaker exists, and that they have been around for so long (since 1863--they shod soldiers on both sides of the Civil War!).

If there's an addiction worth having, I think it's gotta be Frye.  If I had $1,000 lying around, I wouldn't buy 4-5 pairs of designer jeans, like many girls do.  I wouldn't buy a purse.  (Well, maybe I would buy a purse...but only if it were Alexander McQueen, and if it were on sale).  No, I'd buy 3 pairs of Frye boots.  No matter that it rarely gets cold enough in California to wear them, or that I in no way resemble an engineer, or that I don't do any work strenuous enough to require a work boot.  This, my friends, is what I call luxury.

What I really wanted to write about here is about the sense of longing, and even loss, I feel for some of the most gorgeous examples of the Frye company's workmanship.  Many of these styles are no longer available, not available in my size, impossible to find through the usual discount or secondhand channels (you can forget about finding the Owen boot on eBay) or just prohibitively expensive.  Maybe some are lost forever.  But they are still beautiful, still classic, and I love them.

  • Adrienne tall button boot
  • Allie softie pump
  • Andrea mid boot in black
  • Billy western boot in cream
  • Daisy Dukes - classic with double-F detail, perforated, and studded
  • Engineer 12R boot in dark brown
  • Faith boot in 'denim'
  • Owen lace work boot
  • Adrienne oxford in snakeskin and Adrienne stitch oxford in brown, and olive
  • Classic Campus boot in dark brown
  • Paige buckle boot
  • Villager lace boot

Meet: Emily Katz Design

I promised I would share more about the infinitely talented Emily Katz, and here it is!

I knew something was different about the unassuming little stall on one wall of the giant Ft. Mason hangar that housed last week's Renegade Craft Fair.  I had been so bombarded with cutesy appliques, screenprinted tees, cards and knicknacks that my eyes were swimming.  

I'm not sure what drew me in first - the poetically neutral palette of her collection, or the sunny demeanor of Emily herself.  As soon as I flipped through the racks, I could see the quality, the adept cuts and proportions, the fine, unfamiliar fabrics she used.  Frankly, I was surprised she was showing at the festival at all, because it certainly felt as though she were a master moving among amateurs.

As Bhumi and I chatted her up, I heard a little more about how Emily got started (six years ago in Portland), some of her other talents (singing, making music), and things that inspire her.  She was very patient as I hemmed and hawed over the "wish" top, an incredibly wearable trapeze shape with a swooping drape, and a nice structure--given by the interesting blend of hemp and Tencel fiber that she uses.  At that price though, the purchase was inevitable.  We tried on some other pieces - Bhumi fit well into this pleat-front French terry sheath that made her look like an Indian Audrey Hepburn, but ultimately decided on a single scarf despite my cajoling.

All in all, an amazing discovery!