Summer Shoes: Fashion Philosophy

Summer is upon us! And that means new clothes and a new season of fashion for us all. So for the summer I decided I would be a bit more daring than usual in buying new shoes. Generally, I’m too scared to try anything new that I see, even if I like it, before I see others wearing it/them or whatever it happens to be. Then I regret not buying the item because I always end up getting it eventually anyways!

I’d have to say that this year was the first year I actually felt more comfortable and experimental in my own style than ever before, so when I realized that I had NO open toed shoes that I actually wanted to wear, I used it as an opportunity to expand and try something new. My favorite thing this season has been wearing boots with skirts, and going into summer I was kind of bummed that I wouldn’t be able to wear boots anymore. I mean, really, in Texas, it’s hard to ever wear boots without getting overheated regardless of season, but especially in the summer… there is just no way. Entering the mall last weekend, I was not sure if I’d be able to find anything I wanted to wear, but then, I came upon these (picture to the left!!!!).

It’s the best of both worlds! It’s a sandal, so it is wearable in the heat, but it’s also a boot, so I can satisfy my desire to wear boots with pretty much everything. And they’re sparkly with buckles and silver buttons and other things that aren’t useful but are pretty. I really like them! They're called cuffed sandals (many may already know, but it's new to me!). None of my friends have bought or worn anything like this, which made me scared at first to purchase them since I would have to figure out how I would wear them, with what, and what would others think… but then my husband told me to just get the heck over it and buy them if I liked them enough. So. I did. Thanks Justin!

I got a few comments about these boots the first time I showed them off, as though they were strange and completely outrageous, but these sandal-boots have been in the works for years. There have been many versions of these shoes before now, just not as boldly crafted as this pair. In fact, I would argue that the gladiator sandals that have been popular for a while is a version of this. Then of course, we got into the age-old battle of fashion vs practicality. But we all know fashion has very little to do with sensibility and much more to do with how what you wear makes you feel. It’s about expressing yourself and evolving and experimenting. Therefore, I don’t need my fashion to serve any purpose but just that.

My philosophy of fashion has always been that if you wear something with confidence and believe that you look good in it, then you will pull it off. You just have to believe it and carry yourself as such. It’s open mindedness and the willingness to experiment. Don’t put fashion “in a box.” That’s why amazing fashion icons like Gaga exist. Because they don’t question themselves, they just do it. Now that’s an extreme example, but it’s true. You could say the same for fashion icons like Sarah Jessica Parker and Dita Von Teese.

I recently was able to sit in on a lecture done by What Not To Wear’s Carmindy about how to look your best, and her philosophy isn’t much different. She spent a good 20 minutes trying to convince her audience that every woman is beautiful in their own way and that make up is only there to highlight, and not cover up. That every woman needs to enter into choosing their make up with a positive attitude. It’s not much different with fashion. Fashion is just an extension of how you choose to express and present yourself, and most anything you choose to wear you can pull off with the right attitude. It’s the same for the other side. If you’re closed to a certain style, then when you wear it, your discomfort in what you are wearing will show. Therefore, if I choose to wear shoes that aren’t quite boots and aren’t quite sandals, all that matters is that I enjoy wearing them and are confident in how I look in them. What others think shouldn’t really matter.

Of course, there are exceptions. You can’t go out in just anything, like a garbage bag and hot pink tights, and expect to be called a fashionista (*cough* LiLoh). But if you want to try a new style, but you don’t think you can pull it off, try it with confidence first before you write it off! You may surprise yourself.