On-Trend Tuesdays: Nude Swings.

Oh, Carrie Bradshaw, Carrie Bradshaw:  my first young-fashionista inkling into the vast world of haute runway and design.  I unabashedly loved, loved, loved the series, especially the first three seasons.  Carrie’s outlandishly luxe ensembles always lent her public just a little more bravery:  if she can get away with that, well, you can get away with anything!  Well, no, not really, but it’s fun to fantasize, isn’t it?  One such outfit, early in the series in season one, was such a radical departure from Carrie’s maximalism, yet such a spot-on, iconic symbol of the entire series’ way of just laying it all out there.  I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now.  Who could forget The Naked Dress?

image via hollywire.com

So, I’m sure you’ve seen it, but here’s the story anyhow:  Carrie takes her infamous side-of-bus photoshoot in an amazing nude dress that is so form-fitting that she affectionately refers to it as “the naked dress”.  When she wears it on her first date with Mr. Big, he  famously quotes, “That’s an interesting dress.”  (Wow, I’m really letting my dork flag fly!) 

Carrie, as usual, was onto something way before celebs like Victoria Beckham and Anne Hathaway:  Nude dressing is quietly assertive and an elegant option if you’ve grown weary of your prints or need a break from bright colors.  “But, Keke, nude tones wash me out!  I appear as a corpse!” you might say, but I am here to tell you that nude and blush tones are not a one-color-only situation, and range from almost-ivory to peach to slightly-milk-chocolaty.  There is – I said, there is! – a right one for you.  To get the right tone for your skin, you have to try, try, try!  Hold up everything against your face, and don’t forgo the blush or lipstick.  If you find your tone and sport it with your head held high, the result can be uber-flattering, lengthening, ethereal, and just plain gorgeous.

Images LtoR, Marie Claire March 2011; Carla Mancini Bag, 299.99, feetfirststores.com; Valentino F/W 2011, style.com; Hanky Panky low-rise 5-pack, 83.99, feetfirststores.com; image, Vogue Austrailia, June 2011; Anne Hathaway at the 2011 Golden Globes, stylespotter.com; Bottega Venetta F/W 2011, style.com; Haider Ackermann F/W 2011, style.com; Sam Edelman Holland Flats, 124.99; illustration,

Bernadette Pascua, decadediary.com

You can ease into the look like millions of other women already have through the use of beauty, shoes, and accessories.  I’m sure you already own the perfect nude lipstick/gloss to wear with a smoky eye.  Why not try sporting opaque nude nails (or, what I endearingly call them, “mannequin hands”)?  Pick a shade as close to your flesh tone as possible and nail the understated-quirky look on its head.

Now, clearly I’m going to have to shamelessly plug the nude shoe here, and let me tell you why.  A nude heel = instant supermodel legs, for one (not a bad reason, is it?).  When worn with bare legs, the lengthening effect is universal, making them a key staple for any girl in NOLA and beyond.  Also, a nude pump is the most basic of shoes – it matches your skin for goodness sake – and therefore looks perfectly polished with the craziest printed dress you could possibly come up with. And – a side note – those Corso Como pumps?  Perfect little almond toe, perfect little stiletto heel and padded to the hilt.  The result?  It’s like a Manolo and a slipper had a baby.

From top, clockwise; Boutique9 Dejana stiletto, 138.99, Feet First Stores; Lodis Tilly Nude Oversized Clutch, 249.99, feetfirststores.com; Sam Edelman Portney Pump, 129.99, feetfirststores.com; Corso Como Delicious Pump (the comfy one!), 129.99, feetfirststores.com; Poetic License Dear Diary heel, 99.99, feetfirststores.com.

When you are going bare, a head-to-toe nude look can sometimes get kind of, well, monotonous.  To avoid this, layer different shades together (ivory looks amazingly sophisticated layered with nude and tan) or play with texture.  When you want to punctuate the look with more graphic tones, I recommend shades of cognac, orange, or (duh) black.  I love a nude, filmy skirt or dress worn with snakeskin (So Chloe!), or go more futuristic with a structured ensemble and shots of silver.

L-R, clockwise:  Street style shot, thesartorialist.com; All Black Rosette Flats, 117.99, feetfirststores.com; Big Buddha Ashley bag, 94.99, feetfirststores.com; Vogue Italia August 2010; Acne F/W 2011, style.com; Valentino F/W 2011, style.com; Chloe Sevigny, mystyleblog.com.

Have fun with fleshtones:  once you discover your shade, they really do make chic dressing a breeze. Add some texture, mix some tones together, do what feels right:  your palette will be impeccable. And – as you know – you can’t forget that confidence, your best accessory!

Love and fashion,

Keke

On-Trend Tuesdays: Animal House!

Welcome back, fashionable readers!  Yes, I slacked majorly and didn’t post last week; here’s hoping you all forgive the unannounced hiatus.

Oh, and you knew this was coming eventually, yaaaa’ll.  Us southern women have never not loved our animal prints!  We’ve known for decades that nothing gets the “chic and fierce” message across more succinctly, and for the past few seasons, the runways and retailers have been following suit (lucky for us!).

For our inspiration, we call upon Shania Twain in her “Don’t Impress Me Much” music video, sporting her infamous leopard-on-leopard-on-leopard ensemble.  Oh, yes, I’m going there:  you watched it with your girlfriends and made your fun, but I bet my sold-out leopard Sam Edelmans that you were running home to your (or your mom’s!) armoire, piling on every last printed piece you could scrounge up and hitch-hiking in the bathroom mirror.

Oh.  Was that just me?

image, lorabarbie.com

….Anyhoo!...Yes, we at Feet First have been obsessed with all things leopard, zebra, and snakeskin (Oh, my!) for quite some time, and for plenty of reason.  Animal prints exhibit such intense femininity in such a direct and in-your-face kind of way that it cannot be ignored.  Historically, animal skins were the original status symbol; a sure sign that either you were well-traveled enough to get one or that you were wealthy enough to purchase one from someone who was.  They were considered regal and luxurious, and the connotation has certainly not changed.  In the sixties and seventies, however, leopard and snakeskin began to be worn much more sartorially in the bohemian movement.  These two dimensions to the look are what give it such versatility and also what allows the print to be so perfect in every woman’s wardrobe, from uptown princesses to downtown hipsters; from New York’s tough girls to Los Angeles’ laid-back bohemians.  And for sassy southern ladies like yourselves!

Vintage Azzedine Alaia Campaign, ca. 1980, lorabarbie.com

So which print is the one for you?  In reality, every animal print pretty much goes with anything except for another animal print (no, head-to-toe only works in the music videos and Alaia campaigns, people).  For the brave ones, you can mix your leopard prints with a more subdued floral or stripe a la Missoni (just go easy on the accessories!), or you can play it safe and wear it with a single color.  Cobalt, fuschia, red, emerald, kelly green, turquoise…it’s all good.  Animal print accessories are almost always a safe thing, but to wear animal print, ensure that the print “compresses” in the places that need to appear smaller.

Leopard and cheetah print is hu-uge right now and has been for quite some time.  They both send the clear implication of opulence and grandeur, not without a little tongue-in-cheek, however.  The Row, Junya Watanabe Comme Des Garcons, and Milly all showed leopard for Fall, but it’s definitely been pervasive on the runways for the past few seasons.  The print is in keeping with the insistent seventies vibe that everyone has been loving, yet remains luxurious and perfectly appropriate for the least trendy among us.

L to R, clockwise:  Leopard Vaneli “Pivot” oxford bootie, 169.99 Feetfirststores.com, The Row F/W 2011, style.com; Miss Piggy at Fashion Week!, coolspotters.com; Atalla Leopard Print and Black Nappa Leather Bag, 289.99, feetfirststores.com; Image from Vogue Australia, 1984; Leopard print Rain Boots, 49.99, feetfirststores.com; Leopard Print Crossbody Bag with Gold Coin Chain Strap, 195.00, feetfirststores.com; street style image, lolaandemily.blogspot.com; Josephine Baker and her cheetah, myvintagevogue.com

Zebra, to me, is the most "sassy southern lady" of all animal prints.  Wild and sexy, zebra is worn by the woman who appreciates more graphic prints, who doesn’t mind being the center of attention.  Frankly, zebra print is pure glamour served straight up.  Some of the most stylish southern ladies I’ve ever encountered don’t mind draping their homes in color and zebra print, regardless of how modern or traditional their décor, and their wardrobes are no different.  While the print hasn’t necessarily been everywhere right now, it is my feeling that it will be in the seasons to come, especially since Tom Ford – leader of the pack! - infused it into his F/W 2011 womenswear collection.  

L to R, clockwise:  Tom Ford F/W 2011, Delood.com; Detail from Peter Som S/S 2012, style.com; Guiseppe is the Monster Heel print, theblakewright.com; Libby Edelman Zebra Kendra Flat, 69.99, feetfirststores.com; Tom Ford F/W 2011, Delood.com; Image from Vogue Italia, 2009; Alexander Wang in his CRAZY apartment, refinery29.com; Zebra Print Cuff, 22.99,feetfirststores.com; Keds Safari Champion (also in leopard print!) 49.99, feetfirststores.com.

Last, never least, is my personal favorite-for-years:  snakeskin.  A good snake-print is so refined 70’s disco, so extremely tasteful and versatile, and just the teensiest bit subversive.  I could wallpaper my house in snakeskin I love it so much!  One of my first “luxury” purchases as a teenager were a pair of red snakeskin platform ankle-strap pumps that I had saved up for and wore every chance I could.  Snakeskin embodies the kind of chic that I am always craving:  understated, but strong, and undeniably sexy.

L to R, clockwise:  Prada FW, modelvictim.com; Mme. Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga!) in Versace snakeskin dress, coolspotters.com; Missoni F/W 2011, style.com; Lodis Veronica Snakeskin clutch (also in cognac), 159.99,feetfirststores.com; Jennifer Lopez in her “I’m Into You” video, glamazonblog.com; Chloe F/W 2011, style.com; Corso Como Delicious Pump in snakeskin (SO comfy!), due any day now (!) at Feet First and on feetfirststores.com, 129.99 (call (504)899-6800 to reserve your pair).

Pick one, pick many; drape yourself in them or just try out a shoe or handbag for starters (you can’t go wrong with that).  Animal print is all about the art of owning it, so never forget your confidence, your best accessory.

Love and Fashion,

Keke

Event Recap: Art for Art's Sake, October 1, 2011

Art for Art's Sake on Magazine Street is one of my favorite events of the year, and Feet First was in the mix last Saturday Evening!  

In fact, we were so much in the mix, we were only able to snap a few photos in all the excitement, so here's a brief breakdown of what you might've missed:

What better way to be greeted during an early evening stroll on Magazine street than by a live jazz band?  Smile for the camera, fellas!  The word is these cool cats are Jazz Studies Majors at UNO.  We were glad to have them!

We also had delicious refreshments; complimentary wine along with NOLA festival favorite, Cordina mar-GO-ritas! Mmmm...

We also offered Make-overs by Make Me Up!!

And Airbrush Tanning by Throwing Copper!

The hit shoe of the night was the Poetic Licence Rainmaker Women's Peeptoe Pump.  Just one look, and you'll understand why, but do come by the store and try on a pair for yourself! ;)

Poetic Licence Rainmaker Women's Peeptoe Shootie

We also had raffles for assorted prizes! If you missed us this time for Art for Art's Sake, stay tuned right here, as well as on our Facebook page and Twitter page to get the latest on sales, incentives, and events!

A fabulous evening, wouldn't you agree? Even this little guy was pleased!

Happy Shopping! xo

P.S. Looking for our On-Trend Tuesday post? Well, this week it has been changed to On-Trend Thursday...so please check back then for a post that will have you going WILD.