Beautyholics Anonymous » Shoes

List of Lusts: Ballet Flats

Tine — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I have an embarrassing case of flat feet, which makes buying shoes very difficult. Even more so when it comes to buying flats. I’ve had occasions when I purchased a $20 pair of ballet flats, and a $30 pair of shoe inserts just to make that pair of shoes more wearable. That’s why when it comes to flats, I’m incredibly picky and when I find a pair that suits me comfortably, I stick to it till it literally falls apart.

Finding a decent pair of flats that doesn’t look like something from Homyped is difficult (having said that, I do have a pair of moccasins from Homyped which is quite handsome and oh-so-comfortable). Still, a girl can dream, can’t she?

{Alexander McQueen Skull Leather Ballet Flats}

{Tory Burch Caroline Glitter Ballet Flats}

{MIU MIU Swarovski crystal glitter-finish ballerina flats}

{Salvatore Ferragamo – Lace and Silk Bow Ballet Flats}

{Elie Tahari Bentley Leopard-Print Calf Hair Ballet Flats}

{Repetto Suede Fishnet Ballet Flats}

{Bloch Stardust leather square-toe ballerina flats – LeGeeque has the exact pair. Damn.}

{Salvatore Ferragamo – Varina Patent Ballet Flats}

Are you a fan of ballet flats? Do you have flat feet like me? If you do, where in the world do you get your shoes?

Where Do You Draw The Line on Online Shopping?

Tine — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 09:52:34 +0000

I started dabbling with online shopping when I was studying in the UK. I still remember the first item I bought. It was printer ink cartridge And then I discovered eBay, and the rest, as they say, is history.

These days, I mostly shop online. With the strength of the Australian Dollar to the USD, it’s more fun to shop for stuff you cannot get locally. Even with the items you CAN get locally, they are usually cheaper elsewhere.

If I want any NARS makeup, I’d have a play with what I want at Mecca Cosmetica, and then order them on Kiss and Makeup NY. Most of my skincare items are from Strawberrynet. I scour Shopbop.com and Net-a-Porter for bags. eBay is great for clothes (did I tell you about the time I scored a Sass & Bide jacket for only AU$32 including shipping?). Etsy is a joy to browse and shop for small, uniquely made items like accessories, bags, stationery, etc.

But there is a line I draw when it comes to online shopping, and that’s shoes. I have flat feet, which was further aggravated when I moved to Australia. It wasn’t that bad when I was still living in Malaysia, as I did not have to do much walking back then (I drove a lot, even if it’s probably only a 10-minute walk). But when I came to Melbourne, I didn’t have a car of my own (I still don’t). I live near bus stops and a train station, so I relied heavily on public transportation and do a lot of walking. I reckon that’s what made my foot condition worse. I need sturdy shoes with very good arch and heel support. As such, I need to be able to try shoes on first before I buy them. I would love to be able to buy the pretty flats and heels I see on the Internet, but without trying them on first, chances are high that they would eventually be a waste of money.

What about you? Where do you draw the line on online shopping? Perhaps it’s lingerie. Or groceries. Or maybe even a Russian mail-order groom

FlexiFlats For High-Heeled Shoe Lovers

Tine — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:14:52 +0000

Love wearing gorgeous high-heeled shoes but can’t stand being in them for long? What if you’re out partying in your stilettos and your feet starts to kill you by the minute? There is a way to be able to wear your favourite heels without being in pain all evening. Let me introduce – readers, FlexiFlats!

It was a few months ago when I stumbled upon FlexiFlats. I can’t remember which blog it was that featured this, but as it was a month to Christmas, I figured these would make good Christmas gifts. I threw an extra one into the shopping cart for myself, just to give it a go.

A couple of days ago, I wanted to break in a new pair of 3″ pumps and I brought along the FlexiFlats with me, just in case the pumps pinched my feet. True enough, the new leather did pinch my toes, and after a while, I took them off and put the FlexiFlats on instead. Mind you though, the flats have thin soles, which do not provide much support to the feet. But for a pair of emergency replacement shoes, it works wonders.

The FlexiFlats have thin and flexible rubber soles, which make them easily foldable. The pouch they come in actually folds out to be a carry bag for your shoes! Anytime you want to change out of your high heels, unzip the pouch, shake it loose to become a bag, and pop your killer heels into the bag. And the pouch is small enough to easily slip into your bag. How’s that for ease of use and convenience?

Each pair of FlexiFlats costs AU$14 (excluding delivery charges) and is available from the FlexiFlats website.

Personally I think it’s a great idea, especially for those who live in heels. Methinks I’ll get a couple more pairs, one in metallic pink and silver

PS: Beautyholics Anonymous was not paid for this article, nor were the flats provided in any way. I just thought they were cute!

Birkensport, Anyone?

Tine — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:07:01 +0000

One of my many pairs of shoes from Bangkok. Check out my Birkenstock, er, I mean, BirkenSPORT

Jelly PVC Heels? Really?

Tine — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:07:00 +0000

My hate for jelly PVC sandals (Crocs, Crocs-like sandals, Crocs-like ballet slippers, Crocs-like anything) has gone up a notch. This time, it’s jelly PVC heels.

Images: Melissa Australia

No. No. No. No. No. And a million times more, NO.

I know it’s supposed to be comfortable and everything, but really, give me sexy patent leather heels so high I can fall off the sidewalk anytime.

Image: Triclo Crisscross d’Orsay by Christian Louboutin (Neiman Marcus)

Now that, I can live with.

Another Surprise In The Mail

Tine — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:16:00 +0000

Guess what came in the mail today?

When I wrote about the Ipanema sandals I bought a few weeks ago, the good people at Ipanema UK saw the entry, and very kindly offered me a voucher for a complimentary pair of Ipanema flip-flops!

This was retailed at 16.99 pounds, and I got it for free. I had to pay a minimal postage and handling fee though (too bad I don’t live in the UK. Or else it’d really be free). Okay okay, so technically, it wasn’t free. I couldn’t recall the exact amount I paid for postage, but I know it came up to a lot less than the price of the similar flip-flops sold in Australia and Malaysia.

And oh my goodness, this is even more comfortable than the original pair I own. Granted, it is a pair of flip-flops, so it makes that flippetty-floppetyy sound when you walk, but I find it so pretty. Too bad the weather’s all wet and cold now, and wouldn’t be able to use this much. Oh well, just got to wait for summer then.

Thank you, Ipanema UK people! You guys certainly made my cold, wet and gloomy day.

Baby’s First Pair of Boots

Tine — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:51:00 +0000

Do you know that the three years I was in the UK, a year in Japan, that would be about 5 winters I experienced, yet I have never bought myself a pair of boots? Well, okay to be fair, I did have a pair of short boots (came to just above the ankles) in the UK, but never a pair which covered the calves. So, not counted :p Since I’m pretty much here for good, I thought it was high time I got myself a good pair of boots.

Now it was not easy searching for a pair which could fit me. I have what you’d call MAN calves. I used to sprint a little when I was in secondary school, and for that reason, I built a lot of muscle in the calves. I couldn’t find a pair which could zip all the way to the calves. Gah, what a pain.

I was at Brandsmart when I finally found a pair which I could actually wear without it cutting my circulation off. This was from Wittner.

I decided to get a pair with a slight heel so that it would be comfortable walking in them. If I’m going to fork out a lot of money on a good pair of boots, they’d better BE good.

I simply love the marbled black and brown combination of colours.

Oh, and yeah, that would also be my very first pair of skinny jeans. Not because I’m skinny (puh-leease, I am so far from it), but because I finally found one which could fit the arse without it being baggy at the bottom. So yeah, even though I’m seasons and years behind on this look, I’m going to pull it off simply because I finally, FINALLY can.

So if you see me, hush about my bum, and see the boots, yeah?

My Gisele Bundchen Ipanema Sandals

Tine — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:58:00 +0000

I’ve heard of Ipanema sandals some time ago when they were launched, but it didn’t really attract me that much as I thought it was just another slipper-fad (like the Crocs. Too bad they lasted. Down with Crocs!!). I also read about Kimberlycun‘s newly-purchased Ipanema sandals, and thought hmm, they look pretty good.

And then I made the mistake of stepping into Novo and trying the sandals on.

Oh. My. God.

It’s simply the most comfortable pair of sandals I have ever worn. It was as though I wasn’t even wearing anything on my feet! I came out of the shop AUD39.95 poorer. Incidentally it would also be the most money I’ve ever spent on a pair of sandals.

Lookit my babies! :p

I walked three hours in the city today in these. The sandals are very light, and like I said, it felt like I hadn’t any shoes on. Highly recommended!

According to Kimberlycun, you can snap them up at 1-Utama, for RM69.90 a pair. I got mine at Novo for AUD39.95. Sucks to me big time for paying more because I cannot NOT have it, eh?

Dangers Of Wearing Crocs

Tine — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 03:50:00 +0000

I read this on Shoewawa today, about the dangers of Crocs shoes, and I thought I’d share it with you folks here.

Now I hate Crocs. Really hate ‘em. The design’s rubbish, and I don’t care what other people say about how bloody comfortable it is, I just hate it. They’re uber-ugly. I’ve seen grown men at my office, wearing a nice pair of slacks, shirt, and a bright-yellow pair of Crocs. Talk about fashion faux pas.

Anyways, the Washington Post mentioned about the dangers of the Croc’s soft material being clipped by the teeth of the escalator’s step, and the resin blogs ending up mangled, or even ripped apart. So far, the injuries incurred are minor, as people have been able to pull their feet away from their trapped shoes in time. Still, the stories told about Croc-related injuries, e.g. a little girl’s right big toe being ripped off in a mall in Singapore when her fake Crocs were stuck in an escalator are enough to make me shiver.

This doesn’t just apply to Crocs (although I say it’s an excellent excuse to get rid of foul shoes), but to flip-flops and soft sandals as well. All I can say is, be careful when standing on the escalator. It’s not a playtoy.

And down with Crocs! (sorry, I couldn’t resist :p)