Totally Into: Ankle boots

(clockwise from top), Muse blue boot, Quincy lace up boot, swedish hasbeens jodhpur, sam edelman lisle boot, madewell red suede boot madewell buckle boot

My last paper for the summer is almost done so the clock to official summer vacation starts in less than a few hours. BUT, all I can keep thinking about is back to school shopping. What gives? And ankle boots are at the top of my list. I love the fun colors, but I feel the need for a good basic leather boot as well. Either way, it will have to wait a few paychecks. I got a little crazy at Ikea yesterday. My home apparently benefited from my shopping urges more than my back to school wardrobe. Patience, wardrobe, patience.

MKE Style: a good winter boot

source: The Sartorialist, source: L.L. Bean Maine Hunting Shoe

What kind of winter boots do you girls have? I have a pair of clunky shearling Sorel boots that I find to wear on a regular basis. So that's why I've been eyeing up these classic L.L. Bean Boots. And with this weekend's 15% promo code, I'm thinking about pulling the trigger.

Bean boots have even gotten the nod from The Sartorialist and other style blogs, which means if worn right (ie not with hunting gear), you can can uber fashion savvy AND stay warm.

top left. top right. bottom left. bottom right.

The $30 Nude Pump

I have been searching for a pair of classic nude patent leather pumps for a while. Thankfully, Target (or as the french say, tarzshay) is always there for me in the clutch. Ever since grad school started, I have been on a pretty strict budget. Therefore, retail shopping has turned into mostly window shopping. So, when I do bite the bullet and swipe my Visa, it's only because I have exhausted a long vetting process. Is it in my budget? Will I keep this item for years? Is it versatile enough to wear across seasons? Will it go on sale? Can I mix and match this? Can I "live" without it? Yikes!

So yes, I am in the girl pacing around the store staring, indecisively at the merchandise, then making another lap so I can think some more. These Mossimo Pearce nude patent leather pumps from Target met all the above criteria. Ringing in at $30, these shoes are incredibly affordable for what you get - a versatile shoe that can be worn with any color. And they're pretty comfortable, too.

Blogger, Kileen from Cute and Little has a pair, too. See how cute they are?



Just a heads up, these shoes are selling out hellafast. I searched three Targets just to find a size 9, so if that's the size you need, cross the Bay View Target off your list.

Reef Sandals

Reef Fold and Go Sandals, $18

Last night I threw on my thin patent leather flip flops as we rushed out the door to Summerfest to see Hall & Oates. Yes Hall and theOates. If you were there, I'm sure you would have had a good time. It was like every hit they had (there's a lot) crammed into 45 minutes plus two encores just to fit it all. Well, after walking from our car to the stage and standing all that time, my feet were hurting. Not the worst pain, but the "I just stay right here" and "I should have thought this shoe choice through" sort of pain. Blisters were on their way. Luckily, I had my amazing friend Casey along, who offered to trade sandals for the walk back. Oh, thank GOD! She gave me her Reef Sandals and it was like getting a foot massage and then pillow under my feet. Now, I have a similar pair of Tevas, but these had arch support and some real structure. I am browsing online for some new Reefs as we speak. The ones above are foldable sandals you can fit in your purse in case of a long walk or blister emergency. They don't look as comfortable, but they do offer compactability.

Thanks Casey, you made my dreams come true.....

sandal weather

I cannot wait to go home today and put some sandals on. I found these Gigi sandals from Sam Edelman that would be real cute. The Kardashians can back me up on that.

Cheap Thrills: Cynthia Vincent for Target

The new Cynthia Vincent for Target line is uber cute. I couldn't resist buying these white and yellow thong flat sandals for $25 each. I'm going to get a lot of use out of these babies. And that's a good thing because it will take me a very long time to save up for REAL Cynthia Vincent shoes. HELLO, LOVER!


(the rug is from Dash & Albert and pretty cheap, too)