Shoe love:

OK, so I need these shoes. Like, NEED these shoes. Maybe I'm not being clear: I need these shoes like I need Diet Coke. Or water. Or oxygen.

I loved them at first glance, and I love them even more now that I know the bow is detachable (because sometimes I'm not really in a bows-on-my-shoes place). I think I need to save up some of my temp job pennies and buy myself these shoes.

After all, my life kind of depends on it.

Dress up:

Oh lookie who decided to blog today!

Part of the reason--OK, a lot of the reason--why I haven't been posting very regularly is that I'm busy. Like, super-way busy (I know, I know, not like you haven't heard THAT one before). But for reals; recently I took on a temporary job that has me going into an office twice a week (Zoe's mom's office!--which would be awesome if we weren't working all the time). The work is meh, the pay is fine, but you know what? I love going into that office. Well, scratch that. I love GETTING DRESSED to go into that office.

Seriously. My work at home wardrobe of jeans and yoga pants are frowned upon at the office--so I have to get dressed, and look nice. And that usually means doing my hair (because baseball caps are also big no-nos), and putting on makeup, in addition to nice clothes. At first, I thought it was going to be a problem--I mean, hello? Jeans and yoga pants, and not much else. But now, I'm kind of enjoying the challenge of "shopping" my closet and putting together office-appropriate outfits. I'm wearing stuff I haven't worn in years (because this is a temporary job, I refuse to buy anything new. Although, I did buy a new pair of "work" pants the other day, but mostly because they were super on sale for $15). The most fun is finding a pair of shoes--and oh, how I love my shoes! Since I have no reason to wear all my pretty, pretty shoes at home, it's been a real treat to wear them to the office.

Don't get me wrong--if I had to do this more than twice a week, I'd be complaining a lot more (I'd also be asking for a raise, because I'd almost have to buy something new). But it's not often, and so far it's fun.

I think the funniest part of this whole experience, is people's reactions. At drop off at school, people are used to seeing me in my work at home uniform--mostly workout clothes and baseball caps, because I'm usually dropping the kids off and working out right away. The reaction I get to "dressed up for the office Tracie" is pretty funny, because it's so unexpected. Maybe once this job ends, I'll continue dressing up once a week, just because.

Oh, who am I kidding? Yoga pants are SO COMFY.

Want:

I've been in a little shoe drought lately, and these cuties are just the thing I need to get out of it. I mean, look at the navy, with the red treads! How adorable! 

Glitter:

OK, I'm just going to admit it. For all the world to read. It's no longer a secret:

Internet friends, I love glitter (Oh, don't act all shocked).

Glitter and the holidays go hand in hand, so if you're like me, you stock up now. I've pieced together a couple of my favorites below. Maybe we can call it, Tracie's Go-To Glitter Guide. I kind of like the sound of that.

1. If you're shy about wearing glitter and/or sequins, I think this Banana Republic sweater is a good way to dip your toe in. 

2. Glitter shell from J. Crew: I have this in black, and plan on getting it in about every other color they offer. I wear it underneath cardigans for a peek of glitter, or on top of button-downs for full force shine. So versatile, for glitter.

3. Platinum dress, from anthro. I seriously wish I had somewhere fancy to go (alright, and a spare $400), just so I could wear this dress.

4. This Free People dress is fun (but maybe on the short, tight side for me. But still, adorable)!

5. I'm loving this beaded skirt, also from anthro.

6. I've seen a lot of sequin skirts this season, but they all seem way too short (and by way too short, I mean basically a belt). I think this version, from Ann Taylor Loft, is just the right length.

7. Sometimes I feel that black sequins/glitter is a little, been there, done that. But this blazer? Why don't I own this glitter blazer from Banana? Why??

8. I can't get myself excited over the sequined Uggs I'm starting to see everywhere. Maybe because they're Uggs, and they're ugly to begin with. Don't get me wrong, I think the kids look adorable in them. But a grown woman needs grown woman shoes. These sequined boots from the always reliable kate spade are awesome, and strike a nice balance between Squeeee! Sequins! and well, grown woman shoes.

9. These kate spades come in other colors, but omigod the navy! Glitter! Sophistication! More glitter! Not black! Can you tell? The navy by far and away is my favorite.

10. Finally, if you're looking for shine, but only a little, this purse from J. Crew is adorbs.

Hello:

OK. I know. Lots of shoes here, but I can't help it! I feel like I've been in a shoe drought for far too long--and by drought, I don't mean lack of shoes, I mean lack of shoes that I actually like. This past spring and summer's selection of shoes was really meh; and I was really slow to love anything this fall as well--that is, up until last week. And when these babies showed up in my Facebook feed, it was love at first sight:

Seriously. How cute are these Lucky Brand boots? Like I need another pair of knee-high boots... but the fact that they fold over like this? I'm sold (well, I'll be sold once they go on sale)!

So internet friends, tell me: what shoes/boots are on your radar this fall? 

Shoesies II:

It's cloudy, rainy, yucky and all around gross outside today. I think lime green shoes (with a hot pink heel) are in order:

Oh look at that! Kate Spade happens to have a pair right here. I know I just bought a fab pair of shoes... but a girl can never have too many, right?

Shoesies:

I love Tory Burch (especially the shoes. My God, the shoes!), I love a good sale, and most of all, I love a good sale on Tory Burch shoes. So last Thursday, when facebook notified me that Tory Burch had a special offer just for TB facebook fans, I was sold. And, just my luck, they happened to be having a sale on the shoes I had been coveting ever since my friend Marcy featured them on her blog (proving even further that we might be twins separated at birth--at least fashion-wise--we unknowingly bought the same exact pair of shoes). They were half off, so there was no way I was NOT buying them.

Fast forward to yesterday, when UPS delivered the goods. Have you guys ever gotten a package that was just so... pretty? And fun to open? Because I am a packaging nerd, getting the shoes themselves wasn't enough--can I just say: squeeee! Packaging!

It was like my birthday, all over again. I've ordered my fair share of shoes online, and I've never been so excited to open a package (and not because of what's inside). Fun orange wrapping paper, with an embossed gold sticker, holding a note from Tory herself (OK, not Tory herself, but still. Fun).

Um, yes, Tory... I did find what I was looking for, and I DO love them!

Even the receipt/return shipping ugliness came packaged all nice in this pretty little envelope. The back says, "We love this envelope--it's a great place to keep all those lists, receipts and unframed photos."

I love this envelope, too; but not because of it's usefulness (although, bonus points). Packing receipts are rarely pretty, and return shipping labels are just downright ugly. But all of that yuckiness was contained in a pretty cute sleeve.

Oh, and the shoes?

Bright red penny loafers? Yes, please!

LOVE them.

Want:

OH. EM. GEE. You guys, Target has partnered with Missoni to bring us all affordable zig zag goodness!

Debuting on September 13th, the Missoni for Target line includes clothing for women, men and kids (natch), as well as accessories, housewears, and a bicycle. Yes, a Missoni bicycle.

You can see the entire collection (and read some of the hysterical comments--"This doesn't look like something I can wear to a PTA meeting or soccer game!" Ummmm...) on Target's Facebook page.


Hello, adorable. Seriously, I think I might just go broke buying this stuff (not to be worn together, natch. I think it's a little much if you're piling Missoni, on top of Missoni, on top of Missoni).


There is a very blurry line between want and need when it comes to these shoes.


As with these great winter accessories. Hurry up and get cold so I can wear these!


OMG My kids are going to rock the socks off the world in this adorableness. Seriously. How. Freakin. Cute. Is this??!


Home accessories? Yup, I'm in.

Mecca:

The Vogue shoe closet? Yup, that my friends, is Mecca.

Shoes:

It's time.

Time to put away the boots. Time to put away everything fur-lined. Friends, it's time to break out the peep-toes.

While it's certainly not warm enough (in Connecticut, anyway) for sandals, it's time to start thinking Spring. And that, my friends, means peep-toed shoes, and--of course--pedicures.

And while you're at it, enjoy this adorable post about kate spade staffers' slightly unhealthy (says who??) obsession with shoes. If I worked in an office at kate spade, I would be hoarding shoes this way, too.

To have and to HLD

Yummers.

Last week, twitter was all abuzz with anthropologie's new bridal shop: BHLDN, whose website was unveiled today. Did I mention yummers?

First of all, the shoes. MY GOD, the shoes:



I am aching for these yellow ones. My brother in law is getting married this fall, and I think I have found the perfect shoe for the wedding:



Then there's the dresses:



Gorgeous.

There's pretty hair accessories, to die for jewelry, belts, gloves, handbags... it's all stunning. Totally makes a girl want to get married all over again (to the same guy, of course!).

Want:

These adorable neon-toed flats, from--where else?--the always awesome Kate Spade.



It's not quite Friday, it's still a little snowy, and it's fa-reezing out. I think a little neon-toed yumminess is needed to get through the day.

UGG is for Ugly

I fell victim to the UGGS trend a few years ago. I'm pretty sure I was pregnant at the time, so the lapse in fashion judgement is (somewhat) excusable. But--MY GOD, the warmth. So, so toasty.

Fast forward to my latest footwear purchase:



The best news is that they are slippers, so I won't be going out in public with them--or so I thought. I've already worn them out of the house twice. TWICE! Thank goodness they can pass for real shoes (sort of. OK, not really. Listen, you all can have some sort of intervention if I ever leave the house in a muumuu, or something equally garish).

So, I think really, the best news here is they are so. SO. Toasty.

Paint swatch awesome for your feet

Oh Converse, how I heart you.

Chuck Taylor and I have had a thing going for quite some time. Plaid, flannel, velvet, or just plain black canvas (the current pick); Chuck Taylor All Stars have been in my life for years and years and years. We love them so much that it's become back to school tradition for the children all to get a new pair of Chucks in September. I love the teenager's pick:



But when buying them, I came across these (PRODUCT) RED paint swatch shoes that I love, love, love:



The hi-tops also come in red, and the lo-tops come in green. It's hard to find a pair of Converse that I don't like; but these? These are pretty awesome.

Magic shoes + quick fixes

Ladies, I wish that toning your thighs and butt were as easy as popping on a pair of "magic shoes" (LOVE that) and doing normal daily activities--don't we all? If it were that easy, I'd own 10 pairs of Fit Flops, Sketchers, Reeboks, and more. I would be the queen of magic shoes!

However, seeing as they're being referred to as magic shoes and all, I just can't bring myself to buy a pair. Which I think is OK by Nike, who does not make a pair of magic shoes. Instead, they make sneakers. Plain old, non-magic, sneakers. And in their ads, they come right out and say it: This shoe works if you do.



Gotta love the honesty, right?

(Read the full article on Ad Freak)

What Not to Wear: traciedesigns edition

OK, let's face it: I've always been into art and fashion. At one time in my life--in grade school--these paths crossed, and I spent most of recess not running around like the other kids, but sitting outside with my back against the wall designing outfits. I had a whole composition book filled with them (God, I wish I had kept that!).

Of course, that phase didn't last much past the 5th grade. And while I'm not designing my own clothes, I still have a big interest in fashion--I think, for a work at home mom, I can be pretty stylish (if I do say so myself).

Well that thought lasted up until about yesterday at 2:00.

Because yesterday, I had a meeting with a potential new client--a fashion designer who is looking to get back into the biz--and let me tell you, yesterday, in my J. Crew cargo pants, what I thought was a great shirt, and what I thought were even better sparkly sandals (sidebar: I love me some sparkly shoes these days!), I have never felt less fashionable in my life.

Because remember Laura Bennett, from Project Runway? She may as well have opened the door to greet me the other day. Black symmetrical flow-y, awesome top, black leggings, black loafers that I could sell to put one of the kids through college. Thrown together fabulousness.

I, on the other hand, felt like a prime candidate for What Not to Wear: Work at Home mom edition.

Don't get me wrong, the potential new client said or did NOTHING to make me feel like that (well, except for being fabulous); and also, I am SUPER WAY EXCITED to work on this project because she showed me some sketches and fabric samples yesterday, and one word comes to mind: drool.

Definitely not work at home mom apparel. But definitely apparel that work at home moms can wear when they go out for a night on the town and want others--men and women alike--to drool over them.

So, note to self when meeting this woman again: less J. Crew, more Barneys. I wonder if this is becoming a write-off...

If the shoe fits...

Now we all know that I love me some shoes. But I loathe (loathe, loathe, loathe!) shoeboxes. I don't have the space to store my shoes in the boxes they come in; so because I have major environmental guilt, I have turned our cellar into a shoebox land fill--until we actually needed the space. But Puma? Puma wants to see my cellar (and, alright, the rest of the world) freed from shoeboxes:

The bag uses 65% less cardboard than the typical shoebox. Created out of non-woven mesh, the recyclable material requires less work and creates less waste. It has no laminated printing and no tissue paper, it takes up less space than boxes and also weighs less when shipping. It can also can serve as a replacement to the retail bag. According to fuseproject, all of this will result in Puma's reduction in water, energy and diesel consumption from manufacturing by more than 60% a year.

Love it. Shoe companies? Are you listening?

(via Creativity)

Blogiversary!

3 years ago, on February 19th, the traciedesigns blog came to life (alright, I'm a few days late in celebrating, but let's not get all technical here).

In celebrating my 3 year blogiversary, I thought it would be interesting to see what the traditional 3 year anniversary gift is.

You guys, it's leather (or crystal, or glass. But roll with me here, guys--I can always use a new handbag or shoes. Glass? Notsomuch).





So, if my blog could pick out it's own leather gift, I'm pretty sure it would love these shoes, and this handbag. However, since my blog can't actually wear either of these, I'd happily oblige. Just sayin'.

More shoes!

Sometimes all you need is a statement shoe. Tory Burch, truer words have never been spoken.

Did somebody say shoe font?

I'm not too sure why they just didn't call this font "Tracie."