Natwest, Beware

So I haven't written in about 3 months...I'd say I'd been really busy but that would be a teeny weeny porky pie. I've just been realy lazy. But now I'm home for Christmas...except I'm kind of not really, but I think everyone who reads this is pretty bored of me whinging about that situation, so I'll save it for laters.

After a lovely lovely term back in lovely lovely Cambridge with my lovely lovely uni friends, I am very very broke. BOO. BUT I have made a decision to do my next terms shopping here (in London) seeing as the shops are amazing and I can't look at them without buying things. THEREFORE I am totally justified in going into my overdraft....and possibly maxing it. I know that when I go back to uni after Christmas I may heavily regret this decision and produce some more warped (yet highly convincing) logic that allows me to buy some more delectable items...but until then...oh well!

This is the shop that has practically forced me into debt: Public Beware. The store's situated just off brick lane, next to a couple of ludicrously tasty cafés. It's the kind of place I imagine Willow Smith would shop (and yeah, I am kind of ashamed that my new fashion icon is a 10 year old...but probably not as ashamed as I should be). This winter I've felt a bit lost, sartorially speaking. I dabbled in camel, nudes, and sharp tailoring...but to be honest, I don't think that kind of hyper groomed, 'sensible' image is very me. I've always gravitated towards lots of studs, lots of sequins, lots of leather...lots of anything, really. Public Beware focuses on the somewhat aggressive detailing I love...slashes, rips, fringing, faux fur, netting, zippage...and yeah, a fair proportion of it does cross the fine line commonly known as taste. But alot of it is just AMAZING!

I tried on a hefty load of delights...and to be honest, I could've bought EVERYTHING. However, I settled upon a crazy, oversized, colour-blended jumper, some netted hareems and another jumper, this time cream with a frayed back and side.

Ta ta, financial security.

P.S tonight I'm going to a Christmas Party and wearing these:

Thank you, Eva Sharma!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...hopefully

When I first started this blog I was ridiculously enthusiastic and posted almost everyday. This was mainly the result of post-travelling depression combined with having no job and no place of permanent residence. I know not many people actually read this but I'll say a massive SOZ anyway for not posting in forever...I got a job which took over my entire life and knocked out the majority of my brain cells along the way. Today's my day off though, and I finish on Sunday, so I thought I'd pay my little old blog a visit.

Since I work 6 days a week from dusk til dawn (this isn't exactly accurate...but it feels like it), I've also had no time for my main and most beloved hobby. At first, it was hard. I missed the excitement, the butterflies. I missed that feeling of contentment that filled up my lungs, brought colour to my cheeks and made me want to sing. I was irritable and twitchy...like an addict, forced to go cold turkey. However, the end is nigh, my friends. And so, the incomparable joy of shopping will be making a more than welcome return into my life.

Although I'm always open to finding spontaneous items of delight, I like to go in for a hardcore money spending sesh with a vague idea of what I'm looking for. I'm pretty torn this winter...although I've revelled in the beauty of the crisp, minamilist looks produced by Celine and Chloé (which have also been championed by the highstreet), I know that in reality, I'm not always in the mood for the neat perfection that these require. I've definitely got my eye on a few Celine-inspired pieces...but, as ever, I'm kind of feeling slouchy, bedhead chic...with ridiculously impractical shoes.

What I'm really after is some slightly loose acid wash jeans. A precise picture suddenly pinged into my head and now I'm struggling to get it out again. I think I might have been watching too much This Is England '86. I plan to hunt for these non-existent jeans next Wednesday...wish me luck.

I am also craving some big, off the shoulder t-shirts/tanks. Preferably this:

or this:

However these Ashish x Topshop items come with a ridonculous price tag...I dont think I could pay £50 for a long sleeved t-shirt (although I've said such things before...).

Other than that, I'mlooking for lots of jewellery this winter. I'm gonna hunt down a massive crucifix, and a selection of other oversized pendants...possibly made out of bizarre household items. I've been overwearing my ruffs since Nikki worked out how to make them, and I am starting to feel a bit nude without a massive piece of fabric around my neck.

So basically I plan to buy a selection of things I already have...but more. This post was kind of pointless.

Viva La Vida

I've read quite a few blog posts centering around the contents of the blogger's bag, with the blogger contemplating on what deep and meaningful things the items say about their lives. The inside of my bag is full of crumbs, old bottles and other skanky shit...you wouldn't want to see it. Instead, I think this picture of the floor of my car sums up my life perfectly:

Going dutch

Legwear's always been a tricky one for me...mainly because my pins are a good two(/three/four) inches shorter than what might be considered 'average'. This makes it extremely difficult to buy trousers from the highstreet. Thank god peg legs have been having a moment for the last few seasons...I can generally convert them into somewhat ill-fitting hareems.

The sad thing is, I LOVE legwear. I understand that bare legs are alluring etc, but for some reason I feel kind of....underdressed without a bit of leg coverage. That's a whole section of my body that could be draped in something fun.

This is where tights come in. They add a touch of interest into an oversized t-shirt or a baggy vest, making lazy day dressing as easy as nomming down houmous. Until about a year ago, I used to settle for the black opaque. Occasionally, I'd venture into something grey. But I've since discovered that tights can be just as exciting as 'real' items of clothing. Patterned, ribbed, coloured, seamed...the possibilities are endless, and moreover one size can just about fit all (with a bit of twisting, ruching and wriggling around like a maniac).

I'm a massive fan of Henry Holland's collection of patterned beauties. So far, I've collected at least one pair from every season. This is pretty much down to my lovely mother, who gave me a couple of pairs at Christmas as well as including a few in little packages that she sent to me whilst I was at uni (yes, she's an absolute angel). His aesthetic ranges from simple, subtely unique patterns to loud, brash, and damn right crazy designs. These are a few of my favourites:

I'd also do a lot of hideous things for the shoes in the second image. Wowza.

These are still on the wish list:Unfortunately, I can't find them ANYWHERE. If anyone manages to hunt them down perrrleeeaaase let me know. I worry my life will be incomplete until they are adopted into my ever expanding draw of deliciously decorated hoisery.

So fresh and so clean...

I've never been particularly interested in Louis Vuitton. There's only so many collections you can look at each season and I've always dismissed it as too classic, too traditional, and have preferred to look at Marc Jacobs work for his own collection. But shots from the Louis Vuitton fall 2010 show have been splattered over every magazine and have inspired countless items on the highstreet. It's been pretty darn difficult to avoid.

At first, I was less than impressed. Undoubtedly, the collection celebrates a fuller, more womanly figure, which has got to be a good thing. It's primary features include nipped in waists, feminine yet simple tops, and a-line, mid length skirts. At first glance, I found it...well, boring.

However, since I've been forced to look at it over and over again, I've grown to kind of love it. When all this mid-length skirt palava began I really couldn't see myself ever becoming a convert. Maxi, I understand. Mini, I understand. But mid-length...why? But now...what at first seemed to me to be a stuffy, old fashioned length in fact feels remarkably fresh. I really love the silhouette it creates when paired with a close, structured top half. It reminds me of some sort of sci-fi fantasy....except the items themselves are such simple, realistic pieces.

However what really swung the collection for me was this image:

The combination of texture, colour and pattern keeps the traditional silhouette extremely modern. I love it when fashion renovates something entirely like this...it just feels so new. I'm totally feeling the selection of brightly bowed shoes aswell. DIY project maybeeee?

What's on TV?

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have gone from being the laziest person in England with fuck all to do, to a hardcore 13-hour-shift-working machine. I think my body is in shock. At least it would seem that way, given that it's 11.40 am and I'm still in bed. But I think on my one day off a week I'm allowed to return to the horrendous slob we're all much more familiar with.

This is my new home:

It's in the form of a 3 roomed basement which I swear to God attracts arctic temperatures. Yesterday I didn't take my coat off. Which was actually quite tricky when I had to put painting overalls on top. Despite this, I love my new abode. I'm working as a runner in the Art Department for a tv programme that's been commissioned for E4. It's a little weird to put that in writing...I'm definitely not cool enough for that kind of job title. Luckily, the two other members of my team are incredibly lovely and made me feel at ease pretty much straight away. As did the rest of the crew.

Despite the insanely long hours (9.30 am until midnight, what the frig?!), I kind of love my new job. Suprisingly, it's really nice to be busy again. I'm surrounded by clothes all day given that we do all the costumes and props, and the other day I even got to meet the guy who choreographed all of the McQueen catwalks. Incredible. Moreover, he was basically the english version of Miss Jay from ANTM, minus the fro. That's got to be a positive.

We're filming on location in an amazing country mansion, and I've got to say some of the furniture is out of this world. I'll try to take some photos in the coming week....but I'm talking tall, velvet throne like chairs, beautiful mirrors that fill entire walls, mirrored tables and, of course, chandelliers.

I'm sorry to neglect you my little blog, but a girl gotta earn some dolla...

Lovesick

It all started with a little faux-silk neckerchief. Such a small thing; less than half a metre tall and less than half a metre wide. Who knew such a teeny weeny item could have such a catastrophic impact on one teeny weeny girl's wardrobe?

You see, the piece in question is...leopard print. I spotted it while I was on holiday in South Africa. I don't know why I wanted it...I was about 13 and would never have even have thought about wearing it. But it appealed to me. Like a moth to a flame, if there's leopard print around I'm all over it.

I often get obsessional. At the moment it's Coffee light Frapuccinos from the soul-sucker that is Starbucks and, of course, houmous. But this leopard print fandango has lasted a fair few years now. Watching my collection grow is half exhilirating, half horrifying. The bigger the collection, the bigger the obsession.

Here's but a portion of it:

(Vintage shirt, vintage blouse, primark scarf, H&M wedges, primark slippers, neckerchief from South Africa, vintage maxi skirt, vintage jumper, House of Fraser [sale] duvet cover)

Before, leopard print was almost a sensible obsession. Leopard print items often come up pretty cheap given the severe risk of looking like Eastenders' Kat Slater circa 2001. But recently, leopard print has become 'high fashion'. Shit. This means that a) the price of leopard smothered garments has soared, and b) I can crave a selection of deliciously decorated items that there is no way on this earth I will ever be able to afford. Case in point:

This silk Lanvin jumpsuit. My heart would happily jump out of my skin for it. Unfortunately, it costs over £2000. Wahhhh.

For my own sanity/bank balance, all I can hope is that this unhealthily greedy Leopard crush ends sometime soon. But I'm not counting on it.

Mooch

I still don't feel exactly feel like a Londoner. I've been here a month now, and still get hugely confused about where the hell people live (see this post for more details). However, rather than thinking 'where the fuck am I?' 85% of the time, I'm now bordering on a far more healthy 50%. This has allowed me to do a spot of wandering without getting horrifically lost, and as a consequence I've done a nice bit of snapping with my Iphone.

The other day, I accidently found myself (this happens alot) wandering through the Barbican area. I'd never really thought about going down there before, although I've discovered it's really close to my flat. But walking through Whitecross Market, I was enchanted by the masses of mouth-watering food stalls and the buzzing atmosphere. There's also an absolutely humungous Waitrose. Which is always a plus. Towards the end of the market there's some really interesting graffiti, which I snapped in the first picture. However, what really caught my attention (unsuprisingly) was this oversized washing line strung up from one side of the street to the other. Apparently, it's the remnants of an art installation from the two day Whitecross Festival. I like that they've kept it; it's crazy and colourful, and let's face it, an absolutely massive bra is always going to brighten up your day.


Sorry, the above pictures really are horrible. I don't know why I couldn't keep my hand steady...I'd only had a sip of tea so I can't blame it on a caffeine rush. Anywho, my friend Katie has a quite incredible knack for finding lovely cafés. It was Katie who first showed me Café 1001 on Brick Lane, where I now regularly worry about falling asleep and getting robbed on their ridicuously comfy sofas. This place was in Holburn and had a quite frankly delectable selection of teas and coffee. I had green tea with rose petals. Pretty and tasty. I took a photo of Katie's Mocha, because it was so perfectly prepared. And it looked yum.

The Sherlock Holmes obsession continues. I want to start drinking here...maybe in a trench coat. I have absolutely no idea where I was though. BummerMe and Sophie found this during our East London afternoon. It was near Spitalfields but I'd never seen it before. It's not exactly graffiti; instead, it's carved into the wall. It's a shame he looks so sad. Turn that frown upside down, girlfriend.
This isn't to do with London wandering, but I bought my Momokui doorstop today! Here it is in in the first picture, perched on my lap. It's actually pretty sizable and was a bit of a biatch to carry home. I really love it though. I thought I'd zoom in on the little face that I chose. It's only now that I realise it's got stubble. I seem to have created a cross-dressing doorstop. He's totally working that floral shift.

A little drop of Devon

I've never been very interested in particular models. Although I love a bit of antm, it's more to do with the fact that TyTy is completely bonkers and, let's be honest, Nigel Barker. But I am truly compelled by Devon Aoki.

She has such an unusual face-shape, and her features are so perfectly symmetric. This gives her an essence of otherworldliness, and as a result, the majoirty of campaigns she's involved in seem etheral and mysterious. With her American-Japanese heritage, she describes herself as 'weird looking', but I think it's the combination of origins that make her such an unusual beauty.

Moreover, she's only 5 ft 5 and was discovered by Jeremy Scott (who I have eternal love for). With a flourishing acting career, she isn't as heavily involved in the modelling world anymore. I wish she was. As beautiful as the likes of Jessica Stam and Natalia V are, their presence on the catwalk often feels repetitive. Maybe I've been watching too much Gok Wan of late, but I really think beauty is diverse and I will forever admire Devon's stunningly unique look.

The Girl With The Feather Tattoo

In June, I got a tattoo. I was feeling a little reckless, it was fun and I loved it. This is what it looked like:

I was a bit nervous about something happening to it during my month away. So I was really, really careful and walked around with clingfilm on my foot for a month, looking like a twat. Numerous people asked me if I was ok, if I wanted a bandage, what had happened. I felt a bit of a disapointment telling them I'd got a tattoo. I think they were expecting something alot more dramatic.

However, despite my diligence, my tattoo managed to...sort of fall off. The bottom half literally doesn't exist anymore.

Having gone back to the tattoist in Cambridge, I was informed that it happens alot because it's on the side of the foot. After agreeing to fill it in for free, she encouragingly told me 'it'll probably just happen again'.

Great. So I will have half a tattoo on my foot for the rest of my life. Thanks for the forewarning.

I'm getting it filled on October 4th. Please, please, PLEASE stay with me, my little feather tattoo.

Under my umberella

Rain is such a useless weather condition. I don't mind the cold; I love walking around in a snuggly coat and warming my hands on a cup of coffee. But rain? WHAT IS THE POINT? Obviously I know the point, but still, it's so freaking annoying.

Weather-wise, this summer has been a massive disapoint. There has literally been about five sunny days. The rest have been either non-commentworthy cloudy affairs, or filled with inconvenient downpours. Having got stuck in one of the aforementioned rainy spells earlier today, I thought these might be a mood lifter:

But actually I think they've made me feel even more depressed. Stupid lucky people watching their stupid beautiful sunsets on their stupid picturesque beaches. Give me rainy-in-August England and Gok Wan on the telly anyday...

Run for your life

I hardly ever get excited about flat shoes. There's something about stomping down the road in a chunky wedge that instantly lifts my mood, and you can't fail but feel sophisticated in a skinny heel (although they're not my usual weapon of choice).

But for the next couple of weeks I'm going to be working as a runner for my cousin, and the advice I'm hearing again and again is 'get some good shoes'. By 'good shoes' I don't think they mean Celine's incredible wooden soled, suede topped sandel-esque drops of heaven. I think it's time to embrace the flats.

I think the reason flats never send a fire through my veins/give me heart palpitations in the same way heels do is that they always seem so dull. The shape of a heeled shoe is simply incomparable. No unusual material or interesting pattern can elevate a flat shoe to the lust-worthy levels of a beautiful, chunky, 4 inch heel.

But I've got to get rid of this negative attitude of mine for the next two weeks if I want to look down at my feet and not feel abject horror. So I started doing a bit of flat shoe research. It's difficult to know what kind of flat to go for. There's so many different styles! Firstly, I investigated the brogue:

This fuschia pair is from Office. Although I'd enjoy glancing down at suede everyday, I think the colour's a little limiting. I did get excited by these though (not wedge style palpitations, but definite flickers):The nude colour of this Irregular Choice pair is lovely. Plus I love the way the pretty detailing contrasts with the masculine shape of the shoe.

But I don't think the brogue is for me. I'm going to have fourteen outfits and I just don't think the brogue has a wide enough repatoire. It looks best with a skinny jean or a short floaty skirt, but fails dramatically in the style stakes when combined with hareems or a patterned maxi. So, I started looking at the sneak. Undoubtedly the comfiest of the flat shoe collection, it can also be a tricky one to style. I feel like the way to go with sneaks is either completely over the top, like this Irregular Choice pair:Or to opt for the sleek sneak, in the form of these sequinned Converse beauties:

But again, I'm unsure about the range of the sneaker. I'm going to be waking up early. And I want to sleep as much as possible. I don't have time to ponder whether or not my shoes are going to look ridiculous paired with my gigantic floral trousers (although I can predict what the outcome would be without alot of brainwork).

Feeling uninspired, I'd almost lost faith in existence of the perfect flat shoe. But then I found these:This lovely pair are from Office and combine two of my biggest current fashion crushes: leopard print and maroon. I think they're suede too. It would still be preferable if there was a monsterous heel attatched to their backhalf. But as flats go, I think these are ideal. They look comfy and stylish, and the blast of pattern keeps them interesting. I can definitely imagine running around with these cuddling my feet. You never know; I might even ditch the heels and become a flat convert. Hmm...nah.

How old?

Blogs, blogs, blogs. They're everywhere. I should know, I fricking write one. With the masses of blogs out there, it's pretty hard to become well-known, well-read and, moreover, produce something original. That's why I love Advanced Style. Its two creators, Ari and Mayaan have looked at the concept of style with different eyes, and thus created their wonderous blog, charting the well-dressed ladies and gentlemen from the older communities in New York. In other words, their subjects are over the age of 40 and aren't necessarily stick thin, perfectly groomed, designer-clad ladies.

Advanced Style proves that a love for beautiful clothes needn't diminish as the years pass by. In fact, as their header states, the blog is 'proof from the the wise and silver haired set that personal style advances with age'. It would seem that the subjects of Advanced Style's posts have realised that fashion is all about having fun. In their older years, they've become carefree and fashion-savvy, and not only is it inspiring, but reading about their approach to dressing is completely, completely fascinating.

Here are some of my favourite looks from the Advanced Style archives:

Debra, a regular contributor. She focuses on the drama an outfit can create. I love it! Never, ever, ever boring.

Lubi, who's also featured regularly. She has an amazing take on simple pieces. And fit sunglasses.

How suave is this guy?! I adore his outfit, but even better is the story Ari tells in his post about him. When Ari said he'd love to dress like him, he was told 'then do it, son'. So lovely. This guy has to be a grandpa.

Lynn Dell. Proving there's nothing dull about black and white.

Two Faced

Going to a market is my favourite type of shopping experience. And believe me, I like all types of shopping experiences. I even get excited about going to the supermarket. So that's pretty high praise. I love the fact that you never now what you're going to find. Sometimes it's nothing but rusty plates, tacky t-shirts and one armed dolls that you'd be seriously concerned if anyone actually bought. But sometimes you're spoilt with unusual jewellery, hand made garments and even the most deliciously decorated cupcakes.

That's what happened to me the other week, when I was walking around Spitalfields Market with my mama. Amongst the bounty of stalls selling lust-worthy gems, we discovered the loveliest little brand. Momokui sells bags, t-shirts, and home furnishings all adorned with little figures in patterned clothes. They also sell heaps of badges painted with different faces on. The idea is that you pick your favourite face, and put it on your item of choice.

They even do necklaces:

I was so overcome with adoration at the little faces when I first discovered them that I was tempted to simply buy a badge for the sake of it. Some of them are just so damn cute. But I talked myself out of it, given the no money situ and all.

However there's something about Momokui that keeps me coming back. Whenever I'm around the Brick Lane area I have to go and have a sneaky peak. I even dragged my lovely friend Sophie there yesterday, in our brief two hour meeting. It was then that I saw these:

They're doorstops. DOORSTOPS! I actually need one of these. Well need might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I could definitely justify the expenditure. It would be nice propping my door open with something a little more inviting than my desk chair...and that never really worked anyway. But which little face to choose?

(all photos from Momokui's facebook page)

Some things just aren't meant to be

There's beanies, bowlers, berets; headbands, hair clips and...er...something else beginning with h. Headwear is a tricky tricky business. Hairbands look good, but hurt like a bitch. You're oversized hair clip is perfectly placed when you leave the house, but at the next mirror stop it's slid half way down your head. Hats are a whole other story. I know some people are 'hat people'. I am definitely not a hat person. They never suit me. EVER. Not even those gorgeously cosy winter beanies that look so perfect in the snow. But I did find this hat the other day:

(Topshop)

I think it's beautiful. I love the way the feathers get darker towards the outer edges. I'm too scared to try it on...I kind of feel like it's better to keep the dream alive. I guess I could always stuff it on my head and avoid mirrors, whilst pretending I am in 1950s America and therefore it is a normal affair to don a hat daily. Except the feathers kind of scream Pocahontus. Pocahontus in 1950s America? Hmm. Maybe I won't get the hat.

What's yours is mine

Mariel and I had literally been hyperventilating in anticipation of the Bloggers Yard Sale for over a week. We'd exchanged a ridiculous number of OHMYGODI'MSOEXCITED texts and had spent many an hour daydreaming over possible purchases. So setting off at 9.00 this morning (and that is dedication), I was more than looking forward to the fact that the day had finally arrived. With infinitely talented and stylish bloggers such as Susie Bubble and Park&Cube selling their wares, the sale couldn't really fail to be a success. We got there bang on 10 and it was already crammed with people rifling through the rails and bags of delectable garments. With the barbie just starting up as we left, the atmosphere was far less aggressive than your average jumble sale. I guess that's what happens when you're in a room (er...well...a carpark) filled with people with major clothe-infatuation issues.

I was just going to show you simple pics of what I bought...but instead I thought I'd show you them in terms of outfits. Mainly because I find styling up my purchases ridiculously fun. But also because I hope you like it better too.

First, up I bought these black trousers from Park&Cube. I thought I was buying pretty plain, slightly baggy black trousers, but actually they're highwaisted and have really nice pleating detail around the band at the top. Paired with Topshop Wedges, paint splattered crop top from Loveskitt at Spitalfields Market, and a vintage chain and cuff.These are a teeny weeny bit cerazy, even for me. But I kind of fell in love with them. They're silk, floral, and the legs are HUGE. Amazing. I bought them from Fiona at Save our Shoes and promised her I'd take the best care of them. So I guess you'll be seeing alot of these bad boys. Shown here with an H&M white tee and the Topshop clog/sandle hybrids. I figured I should let the trousers speak for themselves.

Finally, I bought a jacket from Susie Bubble. But it ain't just any jacket. Hell nah. It's velvet AND sequinned. The lapels are insane. I like to think it's kind of modern and chic 80s. But it could well just be full-on retro 80s. Either way, I don't care. I love it! The photo doesn't do it justice...actually I seriously apologise for all of these photos, my camera's still broken and so I'm lumbered with these phone photos of a horrendous quality. If you can tell, here it's shown with a black topshop dress and my bargainous £7.99 leopard print wedges from H&M.

I'm not sure when the next Yard Sale is, or even if there'll be one. But if there is, I'd joyfully get up earth shatteringly early on a Sunday morning to have another gander through the ladies' beautiful selection of throwaways.

Because of Kors

Today I felt like channelling a bit of Michael Kors. I don't know what it is about this look but I loved it from the very first moment I saw it. Maybe it's the simplicity of the garments combined with the subtle but sophisticated detailing. Maybe it's the neutral tones that together create a beautiful autumnal colour pallette. Whatever it is, I have been attempting to find pieces in my wardrobe to recreate this look for a while now. I used to have a lovely pair of grey knit leg warmers but they seem to have disapeared, probably culled in one of my occasional but violent wardrobe clear outs. So I had to purchase a slightly less Kors-esque pair from H&M. But for £1.99 you cant complain.

I wore my Kors inspired ensemble to my friend Will's going-to-America party. At least, I attempted to. Instead I had a massive London travel disaster and ended up stuck on a train at Green Park in the sweltering heat for half an hour. WHY DON'T THEY AIR CONDITION? I made it to Brixton but promptly lost my Oyster, and having brought no money with me to make sure I was sensible, I couldnt get the bus. Hurrah. Luckily the nice tube men let me get home, or I could very possibly have been stranded in South London forever.

(H&M grey trousers, H&M legwarmers, Topshop Maroon clogs)

I paired this with a white H&M tee and my vintage suede camel cardie (£10 bargain). This outfit actually wasn't really inspired by Michael Kors...it's pretty much a full on imitation. Sorry for being hideously uncreative. But here's a close up of my shoes to make up for it...because they're new and really too tasty for words.