Simply Be Party Shoes

Hey Guys!

I hope you're all having a fab weekend. 

Today I'm going to be talking about one of my favourite topics, shoes, in collaboration with the Simply Be party shoes campaign. Simply Be have kindly gone and created a Party Shoes Guide to help us all pick some great party shoes and keep us as pain free and comfortable as possible in the process, so pop on over to the site to see the full guide which has some really helpful advice. 

Speaking from my own experience I have a very love/hate relationship with heels, I have so many memories of being around 18-20 and coming back from nights out in so much agony and just throwing off my shoes and promising myself to "never wear heels again" and that "the pain is just not worth it". I think I can attribute this to a few key factors:

 First of all my inability to wear the correct size. When I was that age I just wasn't into internet shopping and would get all my clothes and shoes from the shops near me that would only ever stock up to a size 8, I was an 8 and a half so really needed to be wearing a 9 to be comfortable, especially as your feet can swell in heels during the night so an extra half size can really matter. The width fitting was also never right as I needed an "E"/ wide fitting but was wearing just the standard quite narrow fitting which I can hold responsible for a lot of rubbing and discomfort at the sides. 

Secondly, I can admit now that a lot of the styles I used to pick out were completely impractical. A couple of years ago my doctor confirmed that I have a medical condition that affects my balance and is responsible for feeling quite dizzy and uneasy on my feet, so realistically the skyscraper heels that I used to wear just weren't practical, hence me falling over or twisting my ankle on a regular basis. 

Nowadays I'm way more savvy when shoe shopping. 

Below I've gone for these beauties with a mid height heel with a nice chunky platform, platforms are amazing as they give you the height but without the exaggerated arch in your foot. These are in a size 9 and wide fit, Simply Be offer both an E/wide and EEE/extra wide fitting which I think is excellent. 

 I've popped on a pair of socks to help "wear in" the shoes and also I wont get any rubbing at the back of the heel, another good way to stop this is by using gel cushions which are great if you're wearing tight or going bare legged. 

I also really like the chunky ankle strap on these to stop my feet moving around which is also something that can cause rubbing from the friction. I wore these shoes out on New Years and didn't have any issues at all and I was wearing them for a good few hours out and about with my friends so definitely a pair I can recommend (they also come in black fyi)

 So tell me, what do you guys think about high heels, do you love them or hate them? Also do you have any more tips to share that weren't in the Simply Be guide, if so pop them below in the comments.  

Thanks for reading! Love Sally X

Get one step ahead this summer

Happy Friday everyone!

Summer seems to bring with it a whole host of events that can often require new outfits. I’ve picked out some of my favourite shoes for s/s 2013 and given an idea of how and where I’d love to wear them:

BBQs

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BBQs are one of my favourite parts of summer, I  love getting together with friends and family and being outside so long you see it turn from day to night. They are really popular all the way through the summer so I’d want to be wearing something comfortable and that I can wear all day. Pumps are great for this as they’re so comfy and they come with so many different styles and patterns that you can vary them up. I love a nice floral print in summer especially teamed with some denim shorts for a great casual look.

Festivals

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Wellies are a given (unfortunately), don’t get me wrong wellies come in some amazing styles these days but the last thing you want at a festival is rain. I always try to be as optimistic as possible and plan for sun, although this has backfired on me before. However if you are praying for sun at a festival I would say trainers are my ultimate shoe. Anyone who has been to one knows that you don’t want to be carrying a lot so I try to take as little as possible, which isn’t easy. It’s great if you think about your outfits beforehand and then you can literally just take those rather than taking loads of clothes you won’t wear. There are some great outfit ideas in this post and all are perfect to be paired with a pair of retro high-tops. Gold or silver would be my choice but they come in so many different colours making them perfect for summer. You can dance all day in them and if the heavens should open at least you’re not getting caught in the rain in sandals.

Parties

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I never need an excuse to attend a party but it is great in summer because of all the colours that are available (it feels so good to get out of black sometimes). I can never resist a pair of killer heels so of course that is going to be choice for a party especially in summer – if you’re in a dress they will make your legs look like they go on for miles! I really like to experiment with different materials as well as colours so metallic or suede is great. I would probably keep the dress simple though so I could let the shoes make a statement and have a great clutch bag to go with them. If you’re feeling daring try a clutch in a contrasting shade to your shoes to really stand out.

Weddings

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Almost as common as BBQs in summer are weddings. It makes perfect sense really, the bride is never going to want to risk rain on her big day. I think any sort of formal occasion in summer whether it be a wedding or a day at the races is the perfect opportunity for open toe shoes or sandals. I always feel like I never really get a chance to wear these so I look forward to anything that provides the opportunity. They’re elegant and sophisticated whilst still being really summery and have just enough heel to make you look nice without being in serious pain at the end of the day.

I hope you like my choices and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

 Love Sally X

This is a post in collaboration with House of Fraser/Aldo, all thoughts and opinions are my own as always.