Dance of the Dressmaker

Well guys I took a not so elegant leap this week and went to my first ballet class!

Nikolay Krusser via Dust jacket

When I was a little girl I took ballet classes like just about every little girl. I wasn't very good. To be honest I wanted to throw on a tutu get in some point shoes and twirl like a swan from the get go. My 6 year old brain couldn't fathom all the up, down, plié repetition. So it felt by the side in favor of trampolining (boing!). As an adult however actually getting those boring looking things right takes a lot of effort and concentration (the missing ingredient from 6 year old me!)


I always wanted to do ballet growing up. I'd go to watch the ballet with my dad and my heart would just about burst when the orchestra struck up and the dancers came on stage. I never gave it a go though. I knew I'd never be a dancer like that, and decided I was just to old to even try. I've since learned however that that is bollocks! Ok half bollocks...I really never will be a dancer like the ones I saw at the ballet, I dedicated my life in a different direction, but you really never are too old to enjoy something for your self and get better at something just for the pleasure of learning something different, self improvement, and yeah maybe executing a perfect pirouette at age 50. Because although we might think by the time we're 50 neither we nor anyone else will care, we'd be wrong.  I remember at 18 picking up skateboarding and thinking about how I'd be like, 25 before I'd be any good, and ZOMG so old!

My new ballet shoes

So yeah, for a few years now I made a whole bouquet of excuses, too old, too fat, too unfit, too uncoordinated, but in the end like I say, you really are never too old, and all the rest, just showing up and trying will take them out of the equation. Getting over embarrassment can be hard, but once you take that leap over that one hurdle, who knows what you might be able to enjoy! Me? We'll I'm now a 32 year old beginner ballerina with a great "front attitude" struggling to figure out how to "make my knees point that way". Better than a 32 year old girl signing "I wish I'd tried that".

Carmen Miranda Feet

I have a case of Carmen Miranda feet! No I can't dance up a storm, but I am currently crushing on over the top wedges and platforms as a fun and fabulous accent to my retro fashion wardrobe!

As a style icon people tend to remember Ms Miranda for lavish headdresses stuffed with colors and fruit, but top to toe she was just as iconic for her insane platforms as she was her hats.

With Summer coming it's a fun time to think about getting some Carmen worthy platforms on all  our feet, and add some sparkle to our usual Summer shoes!

I'm currently rocking these new snakeskin and metallic wedges with pretty much anything and everything. They have heaping serving of red carpet glamor a lot of my usual retro wedges lack, which makes them great for evening wear as well as day wear. They fit perfect with a vintage look, but are a little different from the styles we usually associate with the style, and it's always fun to try something a little unexpected every once in a while.

So with that I say as the weather warms up, spice up your feet as well this year and keep your eyes peeled for the kinds of shiny, skyscraper, statement platforms and wedges that would have made our favorite Brazilian actress swoon!

(check out the shoes especially at the 4:46min mark)

Bling Shoe

Dita Von Teese's closet

It's true that even some of the outrageous shoes of days gone by pale compared to today's spectacular skyscrapers, it's true also that  one big influence on a lot of modern takes on retro style comes from neo-burlesque performers and modern pin up shoots. Meaning period accurate, or fetish tall it never hurts to put a little bling in your step!

On my recent UK trip I came home with quite the shoe haul Some vintage accurate, some 21st century awesome!

On a more period accurate look I was given these beauties from Giuseppe Zannoti for Xmas. They have a more walkable, retro appropriate heel, the gold touches inside the the leather straps and the ultra sparkly crystal fronts to me simply scream Jean Harlow! I love these puppies and I'll admit they feel like a vacation to wear something so simultaniously glamorous and walkable! These may well be the classiest shoes I own, so golden age Hollywood!

For the more burlesque inspired side of retro styling I came across these crystal encrusted 6" high crazy pumps from Kandee shoes! They have that performance extravagance, and invite "how does she walk in those?" stares. I've been dreaming of a shoe like this for years. Insane hights, different sized crystals over so soft suede. Perfect! They even have glitter soles in matching colors so no matter which angle you look at them they dazzle!

I was so smitten I got them in 2 colors. Purple because it's so pretty, and green for practicality (in the quaintrelle sense of the word), and because it's insanely beautiful. The floral dress was a vintage staple, and with a nice pair of green shoes you'll always have the footwear to match your favorite floral frocks by picking out the green in any stems of leaves, it's also a color that compliments a whole range of shades, pick up some green shoes and you'll be amazed how versatile they'll be. On top of that what girl born in May could turn down emerald slippers?! Not I!

Nice shoes are indeed like red lipstick, no matter how blue you feel or even if you're having a "feeling dowdy" kind of day, throw either of these 2 things on and you'll feel like a star!