{pleats & ruffles}

{mary janes}

{prada fall 2011 via moodboard}

Shoe Love: Urban Outfitters

I'm starting to think they sell the best shoes on the high-street especially if you love a good wedge heel! Here are my favourite picks...


&

Which is your favourite pair of shoes? I know the prices are expensive, but the shoes are so so so so gorgeous!

{one blazer, three ways}

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{all layouts by dead fleurette}

{be-ribboned}

{the coveted}

{auld lang syne}

{via this is glamorous}

{holiday inspiration: pretty things}

{from this is glamorous}

{wooden heels}

{miss at la playa}

{lounging time}

{lounging time, ilze bajare by leny guetta; styling: emeline piot; make-up: lamia bernad; hair: mickael jauneau; stylist's assistant: loris de rodez; photographer's assistant: sarah ford via fashionising}

{wrapped in roses}

{here}

{marni}

{marni resort via seesaw}

{noir et blanc}

{via the inspiration board}

{blue}

{lara}

{editorial: freezing allure lara stone by willy vanderpere for vogue china december 2010 via smile}

{polaroid shoes: summer & autumn}

. . . my shoes: first by p, second by me

{shoes, shoes, shoes}

. . . via {this is glamorous}

{balmain}

. . . a glimpse inside the enchanting world of balmain at {this is glamorous} . . .

{runway inspiration: jason wu, new york}

{style.com & vogue}

{silver shoes & feathers}

{p.s.} also: from july...

{the cherry blossom girl via simply seductive & the inspiration board}

Gladiator Sandals. The "frenemy" of the shoe world.

A few weeks ago I went out and bought my first ever pair of Gladiator Sandals. (Excuse the rubbish photograph and my thunder thighs, I just needed a photo to show the happiness I felt at the thought of my new shoes)

The trend has been around since 2008 which makes it ancient in the fashion world and because of this, they are now deemed by many fash mags as "a wardrobe staple."
The only reason I jumped on the bandwagon so late was because of my freakishly-fat-duck-feet which made it near impossible to find a pair which fit. But then I found a pair. Simple brown and metallic gladiator heels and as a bonus; they were less than a tenner. I was buzzing.

Then the next day in the Guardian Weekend I read that Jess Cartner-Morley (the fabulous fashion editor at The Guardian, and a woman who always talks sartorial sense) said this about Gladiator Sandals and Clogs (you already know how I feel about them)

"The only positive benefit of the return of clogs to fashion is that, by comparison, they make gladiator sandals seem both flattering and comfortable. Gladiator sandals are, of course, neither flattering nor comfortable: they make all but the most photogenic of feet look like slabs of undercooked meat, and the law of averages states that if you crisscross a hot pair of feet with 14 leather straps, then at least one of those straps is going to rub. But the alternative, this summer, is to wear clogs. Oddly, there is nothing that accentuates a tree trunk leg quite like attaching a log to the sole of your foot."

Ouch. "Undercooked meat." Really Jess?
But then surely enough I looked down at my newly clad feet and indeed they did.
The next day I went for a walk to the park in them. Mine have 5 straps across them and just as wise Jess predicted it gave the seemingly harmless sandals a gazillion opportunities to rub my now absolutely battered and bloodied feet.

I now can't wear the Gladiator without bandaging them up, not unlike a lady from Imperial China by covering them in plasters, which I think you'll agree isn't exactly the chic and on trend look I was aiming for.

Then I read last week on Lourdes' new blog (yep Madonnas daughter has a new blog and she actually sounds like a perfectly normal young teenager) said:

"OK but no joke gladiator sandals are OUT. They came out in summer 2008 and I was like, ok those are really cute. Then 2009 comes around and people are still wearing them so I’m like, ok whatever it’s just a phase. BUT NOOOOO. Because good old 2010 is now coming along and people are STILL wearing them, and then I was just like OK NO! It’s been three years people COME ON!!!!!!!!! I’m just like what????"

Now I don't know whether I can trust the opinion of a girl who apparently likes "My Chemical Romance... for realzzzz" and over uses punctuation marks but she may have a point.

So people of the blogging world, let me hear your thoughts!

Shall I put away my blood stained, uncomfortable Gladiator Sandals? Or continue to wear what may be a "fashion staple" but just by the pool with a bikini?
They have to be the ultimate "frenemy" of the summer sandal world. You don't know whether you love 'em or hate 'em (just like Simon Cowell and Marmite)

Beth Ruby xoxo

ps) I just have to dash off now and check on the numerous Nigella recipes I am making as part of my Summer Challenge 2010 list which includes "Cook 3 course meal."
I don't want it to burn like my epic fail batch of brownies earlier. Follow me on twitter here if you want to see my Summer Challenge updates (and also photos from the disaster that I now refer to as "Brownie Gate")