The Perfect Match

mydearthing Steel Spine Tunic + Gravis waxed canvas shoes (yes! you can get waxed shoes!)

I never really liked the look of this style of shoe until I saw a pair on Lauren of mydearthing. Actually, the very pair you see her wearing the above picture. Now with trip #3 to NY looming and both pairs of my trusty Chucks falling apart simultaneously, I needed to go on an emergency shoe buying trip to Gravity Pope in order find a comfy everyday pair that wouldn't take more than a couple wears to wear in, and that didn't contain any leather. I was very happy to find these laced Gravis shoes (worn with the laces tied on top of the tongue in a bow, not hidden inside), which were instantly comfy, not too pricey, and are made of my second favorite fabric (the first being tencel). And they have finally solved the question of what shoes to wear with my boyfriend jeans other than flipflops. My very metal mydearthing tank tops the outfit off just right, making me wish I had the evening off to enjoy the pairing. Sigh.

The never-ending shoe debate

I have decided that Camper shoes love torturing me. Remember those adorable boots? Well, now they come in a spring/summer friendly style, but they are still not animal friendly. Other than the material used, these may in fact be the most perfect pair of shoes I've ever seen. They have a good sole, look uber durable, have an elasticated back for perfect fit, and have the high top cut that I love. And that blue! And now, once again, I'm forced to revisit the debate of vegan shoes which die within a couple months (my current shoe collection has no less than 4 pairs which need to be thrown out), versus leather shoes that last for years and years. And I know that Camper shoes are of incredible quality. Sigh.

Lament for a boot, in the key of C

Don't these look amazing? I saw these on display at Gravity Pope, but didn't pick them up for a closer look since they're leather. But now, as I'm oogling them some more on the website, I just found out that they're Camper (of course!). Or rather, Camper Together, a collaborative side collection from Camper. The first person to create a non-leather version of this boot will win my undying devotion and support. To have such drape/ruching in a shoe? Sigh.

Wanted: Vegan-friendly cobbler

I've been strangely drawn to this style of boot lately, with the minimal sole and ergonomic fit. Camper does an excellent job at creating plenty of pairs in this style (all above available at Gravity Pope). However, they are, of course, all leather. I'm really crossing my fingers that a designer one day will figure out how to make such beautiful shoes in a vegan-friendly option. And I'm hoping that day is tomorrow. Sigh. Should I feel guilty buying leather if I manage to find a used pair to buy?

Shopping rant

At the risk of being too cacophonous with my barrage of blogging today, let me have one more silent rant (ooo, I almost made the awkward move of using my blog title in my blog entry, didn't I? - yikes!). I just conducted my monthly-ish experiment of trying to redeem shopping in physical stores. It, once again, failed. The shopping trip started with a horrendous bang, as I was treated to the most deplorable customer service at my neighbourhood American Apparel. There was honestly 15 employees standing around twirling their hair, and not a one of them said boo to me, their only customer. Not even when I left the changeroom. Good riddance. Then the Chie Mihara sandals that I was planning on rescuing (well, trying on) were completely sold out. I do usually get great service at Gravity Pope, but that was the only shoe I was interested in. Sigh. The only good thing about the whole trip was the adorable puppy I saw and my delicious layering job of my long light brown treehouse28 wide strap dress under my Liza Rietz scooped cowl knit gown. Oh, and the AA track jacket I snagged for $20 for my hubby, NOT at the AA store.

Honestly, since I discovered Etsy just over 2 years ago, you have to drag me kicking and screaming to physical stores. And we won't even mention malls. Three exceptions remain, being the aforementioned Gravity Pope, Bamboo Ballroom, and Nokomis (which carries independent Canadian designers such as Norwegian Wood). Aside from those, I'm quite happy to click away with my measurements and credit card in hand. And I have yet to find better customer service than my trusted friends and sellers on Etsy and other websites such as Ma Jolie and Not Just a Label.

Okay, I'm done.