Pinned to my bulletin of wants: Alicia + Olivia for Payless
Alice + Olivia for Payless and drooling as I type this. Photo: payless.com
A couple of weeks ago, I had enough green in my wallet to splurge on a pair of oxford heels I’ve been DYING to own prior to actually purchasing it at the Nordstrom located within the Easton shopping center. It was a gorgeous pair of Vince Camuto’s Karl Oxfords with a giant gold statement buckle perfectly aligned along the side. Since then, I’ve been envying myself in front of my mirror with the pair hugging my feet like a long-term boyfriend.
Dampening my mood is the question of “when to wear them” and “how often should these be worn?” Granted, the style is casual enough to be worn in an everyday manner, yet oil-slick sleek for even the most formal occasions. Like seeing your dog come home with a wound on its paws, it’d tear me apart to see even the slightest scuff on my precious oxfords; and as similar as taking your wounded dog to the vet, a little bit of maintenance for every scuff and ripping seams can add up, which is why I seldom wear them unless a special occasion arises on my agenda.
Athens, OH is definitely on the list of towns with the worst terrain for one’s stilettos to clack through. The town is notorious for it’s lack of maintenance with its brick roads, as well as having a ton of brick roads and sidewalks in the first place. (Call us, “Brick City.”) To take public transportation or even transportation in general during a night out is absurd and unnecessary when the destinations within the college town are walking distance. Mais dans le nom de la mode, there must be an alternative to this sacrifice!
Alas my prayers were recently answered in the September issue of Vogue (surprisingly). Of course the answer wasn’t tucked away within an editorial or featured article, it was within a three page advertisement for Payless.
I circled around a particular pair of Booties designed by Alice + Olivia for Payless and the circles continued to makes its rounds until the pen’s last drop of ink, because that’s how giddy I was about this particular collaboration. Payless has recently, since last year, jumped on the designer hook-ups bandwagon, along with Target, H&M, UK’s Topshop, and many other retail shops. Alice + Olivia joins the list of designers which includes Abaeté, Lela Rose, and Patricia Field, who is the known stylist for hit series “Sex and the City.” (On that note, I was slightly disappointed with how “cheap” – quality wise – that collection looked.)
At a deal breaking $48.00, the brand’s Jane Back Zip Boot is an ultimate must-have to accent my wardrobe and delightfully enrich my collection of shoes. I’m not too wacky about the other shoes in particular (maybe a few of the Mary Janes), but maybe that’s just my reaction to a tight budget. I think the open-toe version looks like one too many steps have been taken in the editing process, thus the step back is satisfyingly picture perfect – which is what I’m excited to be with the right dress and jacket, and a sigh of relief from the daunting sacrifice of the other pair of the too nice shoes.
Sources: payless.com, allbusiness.com
