Wednesday 31 August 2016

Back to Reality?

So, this week saw one of those unsettling life events for me, the return to work after more than a little time off. 

Two years as a fashion student have come to an end (for now) and the public servant is back in the office. 

Well actually, it should have happened a few months ago but life came up with one of those blips that turned me from student to patient before I was quite finished being a student!

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Wednesday 17 August 2016

Dressed up or dressed down?

Something I've come across a lot these days, whether in magazines, facebook posts or blog articles, is the art of dressing a garment up or down. A very interesting topic for those of us on a limited budget looking to make the most of existing wardrobes. 

The part I'm not too keen on though is the notion of dressing an outfit "up with heels" or "down with flats".

Now don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a fine pair of strappy heels along with the rest of them, but for me, that's where it ends. Destined to a life in flats means my admiration extends as far as the shop displays or fellow bloggers' purchases.

This comment that frequents the fashion advice pieces often has me wondering, as a perpetual flats wearer, am I ever really "dressed up" in the eyes of the fashion elite?


Such is my reliance on flats, I've become accustomed to planning an outfit from the feet up. Does it go with the shoes I already own? Will I be able to find suitable flats in store right now? Does the outfit work without extra height added? 


Say I come across a fab pleated midi skirt - plenty of styling options, lot of choice and price points, plenty in my wardrobe to go with it. But will it work with my flats (and lack of natural height)? Invariably the answer is not what I want to hear, so back on the rail it goes. 


What about the latest jumpsuit or culotte trends? Don't even think about it...





Some would say the fashion 'rules' are made to be broken, but that can take some courage, and I can't always find enough of it!


My outfit planning saga is currently underway as I look for a special event outfit. A visit to a personal shopper out of curiosity led me back to square one really, as she presented me with just two outfits to wear with my existing shoes! Nice 'n' all as they were, I'm not one to give up quite that quickly so the search continues.

So many perfect outfits, so few shoes...

With all the pressure from the fashion industry and media these days, just how brave do we need to be to challenge the widely accepted "norm"? 


Take a fashion lookbook for example, showing the same garment with heels and flats.. which would catch your eye on first glance? 




I have to admit that even my own eyes would be reluctantly drawn to the glam heeled look, before logic and reality set in.


No, I don't understand me either. 


So where does this height obsession come from? In spite of my shoe situation, I've seldom lost all reason over a pair of flat brogues, but grant me three wishes and I'd be down to Penneys faster than you'd say patent-nude-mary-janes. 


Maybe it's one of those things I'll never fully understand, but if there are any to-die-for flat brogues/pumps/boots out there, I'd love to hear about them! 


What are your thoughts on the heels v flats issue? Is wearing heels really all it's cracked up to be? Go on, tell me what I want to hear.... :-)





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