I'm too old to bind my feet, right?

My shoes don't fit. Again.

This makes me have the sads because here is a snapshot of all the shoes I've acquired during this pregnancy that I now fear I may never be able to wear:
[L-R: Nine West wedges via Style Encore // Tallulah lace booties // Doc Martens via PlanetShoes // TOMS x3 via Zulily // Buyamba sandals]

Aren't they wonderful?

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you may remember that when I had Jude, my feet grew half a size and I had to start from scratch in terms of shoes. I was bummed because I had some pretty great shoes, and I didn't know that feet growing permanently due to pregnancy was a thing. For the next two years, I thoughtfully rebuilt my entire shoe collection, going from a respectable size nine to a harder to find 9.5. Then I got pregnant again. And surprise, surprise... my feet grew nearly half a size again. Thankfully, since 9.5 was so hard to come by, most of the shoes I had acquired in the first Post-Pregnancy Shoe (Re)Collection Project of 2010-2012 were a size 10. But then I got pregnant again. And, lo and behold, my feet are now closer to a 10.5 (which, as you larger footed ladies know, most manufacturers don't make half sizes after size 9). As you can imagine, I do not want to start my shoe collection over again, let alone with size 11's!

I gained more than 50 pounds this pregnancy on top of the extra 10 pounds I had yet to lose from carrying Caroline, so I am just bigger everywhere, including my feet and hands (side note: my wedding rings have been in the safe for more than two years now as I'm unable to get them over my knuckle, and I already had them resized once). All this to say that I am more determined than ever to get in shape... not so my pants or rings will fit again, but rather so all my wonderful shoes will fit!

I am especially bummed because I have been wanting a pair of floral Doc Martens since middle school, and now I am the proud owner of these beauties:
My Facebook friends helped me pick these out, and I only tried them on once before my feet swelled up in my third trimester.

I first fell in love with Doc Martens because Kendra, this impossibly cool girl a couple grades ahead of me in junior high, had multiple pairs of Doc Martens, including a rad floral pair that I've been thinking about for, literally, 20 years now. And my love for them only intensified after pretty much wanting to be Rayanne Graff (without the, you know, substance abuse problems), Jane Lane, and Six who could each wear the heck out of a pair of Docs. Ah, nineties nostalgia!

And now, thanks to PlanetShoes, who I am madly in love with, my floral Doc Martens dreams have come true. Well... almost. I finally own my dream boots but (nightmare!) I can't get my fat feet into them. I've been dying to do an outfit post featuring these boots forever, but I guess for the time being y'all can use your imagination.

1. Dr. Martens 1460 floral canvas // 2. Cuyana leather tote // 3. Moorea Seal Heisenberg Hat // 4. Noonday Collection Golden Leaves Bib // 5. James Perse Kimono Dress // 6. Free People Trapeze Slip
I don't know if this outfit would be junior high Kendra approved, but I think Six would be down. Now if only I could get my shoe size down...

I dye (maybe)

Here I am, half way through my second pregnancy, and --I don't want to jinx it or anything-- but so far, my feet haven't swollen. The same cannot be said of my stomach, my face, and my butt, but let me take a moment to rejoice that thus far, my shoes are still fitting. Woot! I feel a bit unsteady on heels, but I can still rock a sky high wedge with the best of 'em.

In addition to my Blowfish Timo wedges (last seen here), these new(ish) leopard wedges of mine have been in heavy rotation:



And rings still fit, too!

date: 1 May 2012 // occasion: thrift store shopping

skirt: c/o Peacock Plume (similar // previous) // tank: Calvin Klein (previous) // ring: Noir via GILT (invite) // shoes: Sole Society (invite)

I've been thinking about dying this skirt a different color because in the last 19 months of being a mom, if I've learned anything, I've learned that white clothing just isn't as practical as it used to be... especially white skirts and jeans. I found a great fabric dye called iDye, but unfortunately the polyester dye only comes in basic rainbow colors and black and brown. It'd be awesome in coral or neon yellow or even pale, minty green, but alas, if I'm going to dye it, it has to be either red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, black, or brown. What color should I attempt... or should I just leave it as is?

So many shoes and only two feet

I have never been a shoe person. Belts? Yes. Jewelry? Yes. And, yes, even a brief time in middle school, Blossom Hats. But shoes? No, not really. But lately, I've felt that changing. I think I'm going a little shoe crazy because I'm perfectly satisfied with my wardrobe at this point (--insert collective gasp--) but my shoe collection is in a sorry state thanks to my feet still being a half size larger than they were pre-Jude.

Since Saturday, I've become the proud owner of three new pairs of shoes:

Kate Spade wedge ankle booties found at Buffalo Exchange (similar) |The ShoeMint Leopard Jolly wedges (scored at 50% off) | MIA stacked loafers c/o Francesca's Collection

I wore the ShoeMint boots for the third day in a row today because they are that comfortable. I even did an HEB run in leggings and an oversized sweater and threw on those boots.

I'm starting to think shoe shopping is like smoking crack. It's whack! I mean, I pretty much increased my shoe collection by 25% this weekend and I STILL found myself shoe shopping in these wee hours after midnight tonight. I blame Julie. She introduced me to SoleSociety and I keep putting things in my cart there and then shutting my laptop and reminding myself to get a grip on my (barely dormant) online shopping addiction. Oh, *sigh*, but aren't these cute?

Maggie | Talitha | Esme

Whatever you do, do not go to SoleSociety (or ShoeMint or anything like them) prior to Christmas. You're liable to spend all of the money you've allotted for presents for others there. Step away from the computer. Log out of PayPal. Put your debit card down and RUN!

I made it out with some intervention from some friends. Did you?

By the way, I have been getting dressed...

Goodbye, Cynthia Vincent Wedges (again)

You may remember that my little monster dog ate my first pair of Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges. Recently, a diligent and kind reader sent me a link to an eBay replacement pair that I promptly snatched up. The next day? The button popped off. Sadly, the damage is on both left shoes.

For as much money, time, and heartache as I've invested in the Cynthia Vincent for Target gladiator wedges, I could have bought a real leather, real deal 12th Street by Cynthia Vincent pair. I am convinced that I am at the age when I need to weigh the cost of a "good deal" versus buying a quality item that will last. Of course, in my ideal world, I'd find good deals on quality items. With all that said, it is with a tinge of regret that I announce that I've given up on finding another (a third) pair of Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges. I'm ready to start considering a pricier pair that would be worth the investment.Goodbye, sweet shoes. You will be missed:

I'm ready for a new summer shoe MVP.

Amp it up!

You may have noticed in my post from yesterday that the theme for me this month is "Amp it up April". What that means is that I'm really going to try to amp up my style, photography, and blog content (and it's about time!). I'm thinking long and hard about the pieces I add to my wardrobe. These recent additions are great examples of things I love that are also things I think I'll still love in a year or two from now:
The back of the blazer was the selling point for me. That and it's drastically reduced price:



date: 7 April 11 | occasion: hanging out on 2nd Street
blazer: Factory by Erik Hart | shirt (leotard): estate sale| shorts: Free People | watch: thrifted Michael Kors | necklace: c/o Langford Market | shoes: c/o Baby Phat via Lucky Magazine

When I first got the email from Lucky asking me if I'd like a pair of Baby Phat shoes for review, I was like, "Uh, nope. No thanks." Then I scrolled down and saw the photo of the "Paula Heels", the ones they wanted to send. No cat logo, nothing decidedly too "Kimora", and no major bling. Nude leather shoes with a simple buckle and a wooden wedge/ heel? "Okay," I said, "send 'em over."

Verdict: I like them. They're really high quality and are interesting to look at. They would go with most anything. I'd wear them more often, but sadly, these are a bit snug on me (my feet still haven't gone down to their normal pre-pregnancy size!). They're available online in three different colors; I really like the green ones, too. I'd recommend going up a size if you get 'em. They're a great way to rock the clog look without wearing actual clogs.

Video: Date Night

I love making videos! I'm still getting the hang of this new camera, but here's a little project Adams and I worked on yesterday for the Wanted Shoes video contest that we were invited to participate in:

Wanted let me choose any of their shoes to feature in a "Date Night" themed video. I knew instantly that I wanted a pair of gray high heeled oxfords. They actually had more than one choice, so I ended up getting the Bedford Heels, which are now nearly all sold out. I love that oxfords are so popular this season!

Wanted has launched a new YouTube channel and they invited 10 bloggers to make a video for it (see also: my YouTube link). Cutest video will win a prize! I don't think the winner is based on number of votes (thank goodness! I always feel awkward asking my readers to vote!), so I hope the folks who decide the winner likes this. We had a lot of fun making it. Wish us luck!

P.S.
Don't you just love the song in the video? Please check out my dear friends' band Trees of Lyres on Facebook. Matt was so nice to let me use their song. Trees of Lyres are, like, the cutest couple, ever (click that link for proof). Like what you hear? You're in luck! MP3's are for sale here.

[shoes c/o Wanted specifically for this video contest]

Review: Whooga boots

Feel free to judge me harshly on this one. I can take it, I think.

Last winter I found myself wishing for a pair of UGGS. I ended up buying a generic, thrifted pair at the Texas Thrift Store and gladly wore them on set of I Didn't Come Here to Die. They weren't that warm, but they were great for trudging around our on location camp site, and I was glad to have been able to use them.

When Whooga wrote me to see if I'd be interested in reviewing a pair of their ugg boots, I almost passed. They're just not my style, and for the life of me, I can't figure out how to wear them stylishly or unironically. But a little nagging voice kept reminding me that all winter last year, I wore my generic thrifted ones indoors or to run quick errands in the morning hours about town. I relented and now own this much better looking pair and even wore them to the dentist office yesterday:

Whoa, Matchy

It's not often that I plan an entire outfit around a pair of shoes, but when the kind folks over at PB&J offered me these gorgeous heels, I readily (and hungrily) accepted. Remember? I'm rebuilding my shoe collection from scratch!

date: 14 December 2010
occasion: City Group tonight
coat: Tulle
dress: Dusty Rose (Ross)
tights: We Love Colors
pumps: courtesy of PB&J Boutique

I'm excited about this new online boutique. I especially love their Classic Hardware jewelry line (lots of animals in there!). PB&J recently launched their blog Casual Clothing, and they did their first post offering some great goodies (like rain boots and winter accessories) to the first responders, but so far (as of this very moment) there have been no takers! If I were you, I'd go over there to snag 'em! While you're there, be sure to take a look around the PB& J shop. I recently picked out this this blouse, and I love it, but I have not yet styled it. In fact, I'm having a little bit of trouble styling it because I want to show off how cool the back is. Anyone have any ideas for it?

Work it, work it

Saturday night was Hubs' company party, and in many ways, I felt like I was going to prom. The night before I had mentioned to my friend Sarah what a fun time I had had at Hubs' company party the year before and she was like, "I want to go!" Hubs texted a co-worker of his, and he welcomed Sarah be his plus one. That night, they both met up at our house, my mom was standing by to check out what we were all wearing (and to watch Jude), and we headed out to Lamberts to dance the night away.

It was a little chilly outside, meaning I broke out a winter coat for the first time this year. Not bad for making it all the way to December 11th without having to wear a heavy coat, huh?


Luckily, this year, the party was inside, so I was able to show off my new dress.


Surprisingly, I was the only one in a red dress. I really loved the accordion pleating on this one.


I bought nude wedges with my Nordstrom Rack Groupon, certain that they'd go with whatever dress I ended up wearing to the party. I had no trouble getting down on the dance floor in these.

date: 11 December 2010
occasion: Hubs' company Christmas party
dress: ModCloth
coat: vintage, Savers
bag: vintage, Texas Thrift
shoes: Franco Sarto, Nordstrom Rack

I first learned about the magic of a nude shoe in college when I was doing the Miss Kanakakee Country Fair Queen Pageant (Go ahead. It's okay. Laugh!). Nude heels were a requirement for the (mortifying) swimsuit portion of the competition. I was dubious about them until we put them on, but then voilá! Everyone's legs seemed a mile long, and I was hooked. When I started rebuilding my shoe collection last month, near the top of my list was a pair of nude heels. When I saw these at Nordstrom Rack marked down to $25, I knew I had met my new dress-up go-to's. As a bonus, these happen to be incredibly comfortable. Who else loves nude shoes?

I love your advice.

We had a great turn out for our Thanksgiving dinner! More than 15 people came by, including Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky. She happened to be in Austin on Thanksgiving during her odyssey, so she arrived in Brave and brought her adorable pooch Little Bit. It was so exciting to finally meet her. She is an amazing soul, and I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity this blog has afforded me to meet so many new people over the sixteen months I've been doing Adored Austin.

I wore the same thing yesterday that I wore on Thanksgiving day. I didn't notice Thursday's sweet potato stains on my dress until I got home from lunch yesterday. Oops!
I tried Man Bites Dog for the first time.


I ordered the Buffalo Hottie (wing sauce and bleu cheese), while Hubs got the vegetarian chili dog.


I dressed all wintery in the morning, but by the time lunch rolled around it was 70º! Typical crazy Texas weather.


Y'all picked these boots for me, and I LOVE them!

date: 28 November 2010 (& 25 November 2010)
occasion: lunch at the South Austin Trailer Park Eatery with Austin City Life friends
dress: thrifted via Buffalo Exchange
sweater: F21
leggings: American Apparel
blouse: Express
boots: courtesy of Wanted Shoes

When Dana over at Wanted Shoes reached out to me to offer me any pair of shoes on the site, I was floored and a little overwhelmed. I liked almost everything, and the prices are right in my price range. I couldn't believe how many pairs of boots they have, many of which had several color choices. I narrowed it down to three pairs, and ended up ordering the Tower boots per your guidance. The perforations on them make them really unique, and they are a little bit western so they fit in well with my Austin-bohemian style tendencies. So, can I just say THANK YOU? Thank you to Wanted and thank you to my readers who, no doubt, have the best style, ever.

Since you've proven to have remarkable taste, what do you think of these?

[note: you can click on each dress to see it's specs]

Hubs has a fancy Christmas party coming up for work, and I need a dress. The invite said "cocktail attire", and I don't think I own anything of that ilk. I want to be a hot piece of arm candy for my darling computer nerd, but it is a party for his work. I don't want to set the tongues a-waggin' at the water cooler come Monday! I am thinking about renting a designer dress from Rent the Runway, but which one? Y'all are batting 1000, so would you like to help me out again? Please?

The shoes I got are nude leather wedges (via my Nordstrom Rack Groupon), so I think they'll go with anything. I'm partial to one and five, but Hubs likes two the best. At the risk of sounding old fashion, his vote should probably count heavily, right? Opinions?

Comment of the Day: If he works in a computer nerd farm, tradition suggests that his colleagues will not understand any non-dress-shaped dresses (such as dress 2). Maybe check with him if he thinks they might be baffled and think you are crazy? If so, go with 5 or 4 if cleavage is no issue. If not, go with 2! -Claire

The Post-Pregnancy Shoe (Re)Collection Project: part 1, boots

Well, here we go again. Fall is here, and I'm on a boot hunt. Let's just hope this is more fruitful than last year's Great Boot Hunt of 2009. This season has ushered in a new endeavor: The Post-Pregnancy Shoe (Re)Collection Project. After giving birth to Jude, my feet haven't been the same. They are a wider, longer version of themselves, and almost all of my pre-pregnancy shoes no longer fit me. My midwife has confirmed that most likely they will not go back to their former selves. It's quite sad to me, as I really enjoyed my shoes. I am thankful, however, that I didn't have a collection of Manolos or Louboutins or Jimmy Choos. Most of my shoes are treasures from Buffalo Exchange and Savers, so at least there's that. On the bright side, I get to get some new shoes, and I've already started with four pairs of flats from Urban Outfitters.

In any regard, I spent an embarrassing amount of time last night pondering over boots at Wanted. I've narrowed it down to three pairs, but I really can't make the final call. Y'all have never led me astray when I've had you choose apparel for me in the past (see 1 and 2), so let's try it again:

notes: you can click on the boot to see its specs. Hubs likes #1 the best. They are no doubt the most versatile. The middle boots are inspired by the wintery looks on Ruche. Ooh la la! And lastly, if #3 came in my (new) size in black, there would be no poll. That's what I'd get. Alas, they only have my size in navy. They're the tallest at 21.25'' tall. Wow!


I totally trust you and will be placing my order in the next couple of days, so vote vote away! And thank you. I'm terribly indecisive.