Not since the “Great Gatsby” have vintage heels and other accessories been given as much screen time as in the new Netflix series “Cable Girls” - a 1920-30s period drama set in Madrid, Spain. When we say "vintage heels", we usually refer to a closed toe heeled shoe with straps forming a T or a Y and a side buckle fastening. This kind of shoe is called a T-strap pump. The T-strap pump has never really gone out of style. Instead, it keeps getting reinvented for each decade.
Floral heels generally look beautiful on well-groomed feet, but the ones I want to talk about in this post are not of a general kind. The artistic inspiration for these particular floral heels has sprung of a very special place on earth, or rather in the ocean: Canary Islands, the most southerly region of Spain.
Shoes and chocolate are the best treats a woman can get on Valentine’s Day. I used to underestimate chocolate, but I never underestimated the power of shoes. Lately, I’ve been scouring YOOX, my affiliate partner and THE greatest online destination for Spanish shoes outside Spain, for good deals on yummy Spanish shoes.
Mermaid heels – that’s what I call shoes that have a distinctly scaly leather texture. They happen to be signature Paco Herrero, a classic Spanish dressy women’s shoe brand from Elda. Not too long ago I featured a “mermaid” ankle boot by them. As I often say on this blog, I’m a huge admirer of textured leather shoes.
In this post, the brand in focus is Paco Gil. Founded in the 80s, it's one of these classic Spanish luxury shoe brands that like their shoes sexy and tactile, playing up the traditional connection between shoes and desire. In the beginning of this year the company went through quite a dramatic event: a generational shift. The daughters of the founder, Carla and Sara Gil, who for years worked as their father's assistants both on the business and the design side, have officially come forward to take the reins of the family enterprise.
End-of-the-year parties call for a perfect holiday pump. I've been checking out a lot of holiday-worthy pumps lately and the suede bow-embellished creations by Hannibal Laguna, a prominent Spanish fashion designer, come closest to what I imagine a perfect holiday pump should be like. From jewel tones and velvety texture to the sensuous shape, pretty heel, and fine detailing, the "Calen" pump ticks off all the boxes.
Like all Art Shoes, the "Rio" pump is lined with a luxurious cushy micro-fiber insole, which is great for walking. It's not just the insole though. I think that the whole shoe is built in such a way that legs and feet don't suffer. You know the feeling when you take off high heels and your feet go "Aww...."? Well, it wasn't there. There was nothing to get relief from. It was all good. Enough to make a girl dreamy:)
An "Ultimate Shoedown" is every girl's fantasy. Imagine being surrounded by a group of luxury shoe designers each clutching a pair of their prettiest heels, eager for you to accept them. The stuff of dreams, right? Well, just such a party is a yearly occurrence in the Spanish shoemaking center of Elda. Every year since 1999 the Elda Shoe Museum (and store) convenes a panel of shoe industry, media and arts personalities. Their task - to choose "The Woman with the Best Shoes".
This Shoe of the Week, code-named the "Rose Quartz" sandal, was made by the Spanish CX label from Petrer, Alicante. The "Rose Quartz" sandal is sought after for formal events like weddings and first communions, but it also works very well with a more relaxed feminine style. It is very convenient that the sandal comes in three different heights. Comfort without sacrificing style is the mantra of all Spanish shoemakers.
Fascination with white shoes has been with me for a long time. Independent of bridal fantasies, I think that there is something about white shoes that is dear to a girl's heart. It may be the promise of summer romance, of carefree time, of dancing....
