ASYMMETRY

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There was a weeks there where I was convinced I wouldn’t survive another minute without a pair of ZARA Asymmetric Skorts. Of course, because I gave in to temptation immediately, we’ll never know now whether I’d have died of longing or not. As you can imagine, fashion puts me through these trials on a regular basis. But we can’t be talking about that cult ZARA piece for ever. There’s been an explosion of asymmetric skirts/skorts on the retail scene since then, and naturally I’ve been building myself up a little collection. This faux leather number from Jessica Buurman combines an asymmetric cut with a satisfactory split. And what do I mean by ‘satisfactory’? Well, big scale, but still tasteful. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of ineffectual splits in skirts. Wear heels with this ensemble? Really? Nah-uh, it’s Birkenstocks 100%. Vintage Silk Tee (shoulder pads removed) \\ ‘NAAL’ Asymmetric Skirt c/o Jessica Burrman \\ Vintage Rabbit Fur Clutch from Heatstorm Blog(similar) \\ Birkenstock Arizona’s (here, here and here)

THE BIRKS

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I don’t think the world is, as yet, over Celine S/S ‘13 and the so called ‘ugly shoes’, ‘utilitarian sandal’ or, as my work college likes to call them ‘Jesus Sandals’. That’s right, no heel, no pointy toe and definitely no studs. Just an ergonomic muppet-fur-lined sole with two straps (straight up or crisscrossed, as you like). It gave me such a shock to the system that I went out immediately and bought not one, but two pairs of Birkenstock Arizona’s, a close proxy to the Celine fur lined slipper, one pair for me and one pair as a gift for the boy in my life. The idea was, of course, that this was a pair of shoes my boyfriend and I could legitimately twin in around town. Inevitably while I wore mine as a conscious style choice, his was just a comfortable pair of shoes around the house. A perfect specimen of style plus function. The ugly shoe revival proper can surely be pinned down to 2014, with orthopedic-chic sandals popping up all over the place, from the lookbooks of Dion Lee to catwalk collections of Trina Turk and Tibi.  But the inherent minimalistic charm of Birkenstocks isn’t appreciated by everyone. Frankly, they are probably appreciated by hardly anyone at all. So owning a pair and seriously wearing them admits one into an exclusive club of sorts, with fellow Birkenstock wearers giving each other the knowing nod when passing in the street (or perhaps that’s completely one sided on my part!). While wearing my ugly sandals more often attracts more ridicule than admiration (for now), it’s just too much fun dreaming up all the ways I can wear them. Someone suggested to me that they could even be an evening shoe. That was the most sensible thing I’d heard all day. ‘Boswe’ Asymmetric Zip Moto Jacket c/o Jessica Buurman \\ Trenery T Shirt \\ Thrifted Distressed Jeans \\ Birkenstock Arizona’s (here, here and here) \\ 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel \\ Swarovski Elements Leather Bracelet

TRAVELLING IN BIRKENSTOCKS

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I must say I don’t understand the controversy around Birkenstocks. Yes, they are worn mainly as house slippers; and yes, in the past decades they have been popularly paired with unkempt beards; and yes, every couple of years fashion writers predict the Birkenstock’s triumphant return to style while mainstream columnists ridicule the idea that they were ever in style. But what’s so contentious about the Birkenstock’s intrinsic bohemian appeal and ultra-minimalist aesthetic? To me these contoured soles are the one legitimate example of the meeting of the worlds of style and comfort, and genuinely has appeal for just about every societal demographic. Take me, for example. I am not one who thinks of the word ‘comfort’ as a sartorial dirty word, but my lovely boyfriend and I couldn’t be more divided in this space. Nothing much in the world excites me more than clothes, and his interest in clothes is limited to their pure utilitarian value. And yet we both own identical pairs of of Birkenstock two strap Arizona’s. His is for gardening; mine are for, well, I’ll let these photos speak for themselves. In other news, you might know that right about now I’m somewhere in China climbing the Great Wall or riding horses up mountains, or more likely, sitting in a restaurant having my fifth mean of the day. I can’t deny that I’m truly terrible at being a tourist. But what ever I’m doing, I’ll leave you to imagine that I’m doing it in an outfit much like this one, which I ‘prepared earlier’. By which of course, I mean that I scheduled a few posts to go while I’m away. Yup, I’ve turned the page on my ‘Flakey Twenty-Something’ chapter and next up is ‘Well Prepared Adult’. For once, I’ve put some thought into making an overseas trip easy for myself. This time, my luggage will have working wheels; my shoes will be for walking; and my hair products will not be confiscated at the security gate. I thrifted this amazingly cool military jacket at one of me and Heather’s (Heatstorm Blog) ‘Thrift-ventures’ last week. It’s perfectly light weight and just as warm as it needs to be – perfect for travelling. I guess that’s what it’s designed for. I’m not much of an expert in army uniforms, but Google seems to indicate that this could be a World War II US army jacket. That knowledge makes me really regret not buying this with the pant that made this a set, considering it might have historical significance. And all I’m going to do with it is wear it in yet another one of my ridiculous pairings. Military jacket and gypsy skirt? Military jacket and cowboy shirt? Thrifted military jacket \\ Bonds black T shirt \\ J Brand Adrian Distressed Boyfriend Jeans (here or here) \\ Vintage Cross Shoulder Bag from my mother’s wardrobe \\ Birkenstock Arizona Sandals in Smooth Leather (here) \\ Marc by Marc Jacobs Watch (similar)