026: The shoes I've been living in lately...

I own a lot of shoes. Like a good New Yorker, I store most of them under my bed or squeeze them into the corners of my closet. However, the pairs in heavy rotation sit in a neat, little stack by my front door. It’s a nice stack. Aesthetically pleasing, if I do say so myself. This week, I thought I’d share its contents with you.

Early fall is the ideal season for footwear. No need to commit to boots or sandals just yet - right now I can play the field with some partial-foot exposure. Writing this letter made it clear to me that I have a type. My most-worn shoes are mostly black and mostly flat (with the exception of one low heel). Maybe boring to some, but just right for my everyday. Here are the shoes that I’m living in right now.

The Mary Jane

I’ve mentioned these Aeyde mary janes in newsletters past. Since their purchase in early September, these shoes have been on my feet constantly. This is my perfect style for going out to dinner or to an event. They’re polished and kind of girly, but they don’t make me feel like I’m overdressed. I’ve been wearing these recently with skirts and oversized denim. I wore them with this mini dress (copped from Dione’s list) to my recent birthday party. I’m happy to report that they are extremely comfortable.

Aeyde shoes ($375), Gil Rodriguez tee ($48), Vintage Prada skirt found on TRR (a few others I have my eye on here ($275), here ($195 $156), here ($185 $93) and here ($295 $118))

The Sneaker

I jumped onto the Adidas Samba bandwagon last year. What can I say? They’ve served me well. Even if I do get my hands on the Wales Bonner collab, this classic black and white pair will likely continue to be my go-to. I wear these sneakers with more the obvious accompaniments, like jeans and a tee, but I also lean on them as a tool for dressing down more formal pieces, like my oft-repeated maxi skirt or wide-leg wool trousers.

Leset tee ($78), Vintage Etro belt (my favorite new belts come from Anderson’s, this is a nice embossed option ($190) and this in plain leather ($200)), Tibi skirt (discontinued! similar options here ($206) and here ($198)), Adidas sneakers ($125)

The Loafer

Neada’s letter inspired me to get a pair of patent loafers. I love the little hint of shine - another layer of texture added to my look. I’ve had bad luck with loafers in the past but this pair from Emme Parsons is surprisingly comfortable. I wore them recently for a full day of appointments in the city, and my feet were still happy by the end. I like leaning into their preppy vibe and mixing them with my pleated skirt, but they also look excellent with vintage denim and black socks.

Emme Parsons shoes ($495), Uniqlo cardigan (similar here for $43), Gil Rodriguez tee ($48), Celine skirt found on TRR (similar from Frankie Shop for $240 or on resale here ($475 $166), here ($145 $73), or here ($145 $116)), Comme Si socks (similar here at $35 for 3)

The Slide

These slides are my secret knock off of The Row. They’re just as chic, much more comfortable, and a fraction of the price. Made by a Japanese brand called Moonstar (actually these are a part of their diffusion line Moonstar 810s), I stumbled upon these guys one day while scrolling on La Garçonne. The black slides are hard to find in the US, but with a little digging I found them fully-stocked at this Japanese shop with global shipping. I’ll wear these to work (with a Row-esque ensemble) but I also frequently slip them on when running to the gym or bodega.

The Row sweater from TRR (similar here ($90), here ($590), and here ($335)), FEEL jeans ($425) (worn 3 sizes too big), Comme Si socks (similar here at $35 for 3), Moonstar shoes

The Ballerina

I couldn’t bring myself to include a solo picture of these ballet flats because they are so profoundly beat up on the inside. They’re vintage Banana Republic flats from the 90s, handed down to me from my mom. These shoes desperately need a visit to the cobbler, but it’s hard for me to part with them for more than a few days - I wear them constantly. I love their slightly higher throat, more elegant in my opinion. Flats are clearly having a moment right now, so there are plenty of similar options on the market. This pair from Everlane is a good dupe. So are these from Schutz and these from Mansur Gavriel.

Vintage Prada top (similar here ($225 $180) and here ($245 $123)), Vintage Levis, Vintage flats (similar here ($135), here ($98), here ($395))

The Other Mary Jane

I bought myself these Comme des Garçons x Salomon mary janes while I was waiting in line to vote for the 2021 mayoral election. Turns out, any line can be a line for the register if you try hard enough. I love that they’re kind of sneakers and kind of not. I’ve worn them with a dress and I’ve worn them (accidentally) on a 10 mile hike. They’re pretty hard to find on the internet these days - you can bid on them here but honestly, I never know if these things are legit. There are some comps out there. I see a lot of people in Nike Air Rifts which have a similar vibe. I also like these from Ganni, and these from Marni for a lucky size 9.

Comme des Garçons x Salomon shoes, Uniqlo cardigan (similar here for $43), Prada dress (similar here ($510) and here ($126)), Prada bag found on TRR (lots of options here)

That’s all for my shoe dispatch this week. Thank you for reading! We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next Thursday. xx