One of my favourite combinations is leopard print and denim. Not only do they pair well together but individually, they work equally well with other materials, for example leopard print and leather, denim and suede.
Now before we go any further, allow me to give fair warning that this post isn’t just going to be about textures but also shapes but don’t worry, it won’t be a geometry lesson. Though it is rather appropriate, given that only a couple of posts ago, in my Laid Back Maxi Skirt post, I ended up wearing quite a few triangle shapes. See how many you can spot if you read it!
Saturday was a tease, weather wise. It gave us a fleeting feel of an Indian summer. The perfect day to wear a light-weight, denim shift dress. After last weekend’s 2 day specialist Pilates course, this weekend was all about taking it easy, running a few errands, with a late lunch at a local café thrown in.
As the dress and the boyfriend cardigan are dark, block colours, it meant I could bring in some lighter pattern mixing with my accessories and shoes. As one of our errands was shopping for a new fridge/freezer for our kitchen – oh the glamour, London Fashion Week, ain’t got nothing on my kind of high-end shopping – it meant heels were out, flats were in.
The theme for Catherine’s #iwillwearwhatilike link party this week over at Not Dressed As Lamb is statement shoes. My ever so dandy, Leopard Print Chelsea Boots are my statement shoes or to be precise, my statement booties. I suspect we’ll be seeing quite a few high heels linked but I don’t subscribe to the idea that a statement shoe has to be high. In fact, I purposely chose a flat heel, not to be contrary and not just because we were fridge/freezer shopping… well… alright… maybe a tiny bit contrary and anyway, do you know how much fridge/freezer shopping involves standing on your feet, comparing the size of hydrator drawers???
I want to show there can be an alternative interpretation of statement shoes/boots. They don’t have to be ridiculously high heeled or ott in shape or pattern, unless, of course, you want them to be, which is fine. They can still make an impact by being quietly understated.
Nor do they have to be expensive. I bought the boots preloved for £11.47! They are River Island and currently, their plain Chelsea boots are retailing for upwards of £40. No wonder I’m smiling!
I love hearing the stories behind the pieces that people wear, especially what drew them to buy them and as all my accessories in the outfit were either thrifted or a gift, I’m wearing quite a few stories myself!
The necklace hails from Chile, not a place I’ve visited. It was a gift from my mum-in-law who went a few years ago. Sadly, I’ve know idea what the stone is, as she bought it in a local market. The surface of the disc is so beautifully smooth and brings out the caramel colour of the stitching on the neckline.
I don’t tend to do well with clothes from charity shops (I’m far more successful on e-bay for that) but I am rather good at snapping up jewellery and handbags. This plaid or check patterned, wooden handle bag was another local charity shop purchase at the princely sum of £4.99.
I chose it for the outfit because I’m drawn to it’s texture and shape, as well as its unusual pattern. The red running down it tied in neatly with the red of the boyfriend cardigan. The smoothness of the handles, which are a semi circle shape, matches the smoothness of the necklace, which is a circle. You might not have even been aware of that on a conscious level but I bet you’ve now whizzed up to the necklace photo and whizzed down to the bag and gone ‘Ah, so they are’! Being a kinesthetic person I get a big kick out of those sorts of detail.
And whilst we’re on the subject of shapes, check out the button on the bag’s fastner.
The bracelets were bought in a local charity shop for a total of £6. The leopard print one was in the window display but I didn’t have time to stop and go in at the time, as I was on my way to one of my Pilates clients. After the session though, I scuttled back wondering if it still might be there and lo and behold, it was! I only had to say ‘there’s a leopard….’ and the lady in the shop had already pulled out a long grabber stick and was gleefully uttering
‘I know which one you mean’.
She delicately and expertly air lifted it out from the window display without knocking anything over. I was chuffed to bits when it fitted, as most bracelets fall off my arm; the downside of having thin wrists.
I wandered around the rest of the shop and spied the other two I’m wearing. When I took them to the cash desk to pay, the lady told me they had all been in the same donation which had included roughly 70 pieces of costume jewellery. Sweetly, she added that she was very glad that I was buying these 3 and thus keeping at least a few of them together!
These leopard print Chelsea boots make my feet want to jig. They sit low enough on the ankle that you can wear them with dresses and skirts, as well as trousers and jeans. Even the leopard print in my bracelet is a near perfect match to the leopard print in the boots.
How cool is the fact that even the heel is the same pattern as the rest of the boot. And look closely in the second photo and you’ll see they even have a leather knot tassel on the end of the zip.
Denim Shift Dress from TKMaxx
New Look Red Boyfriend Cardigan (old)
Necklace from Chile; a gift from my mum-in-law when she visited there
Leopard Print & Amber coloured glass Bracelets (thrifted)
Plaid, Wooden Handle Bag (thrifted)
Leopard Print Ankle Boots (preloved)
My thrifted/preloved finds and statement boots hanging out together, enjoying a sunny September afternoon.
What do you consider to be a statement shoe? Have you managed to score some great thrifted or preloved finds – jewellery, shoes or otherwise? I’d love to hear about them below, if you have.
Linking with / #iwillwearwhatilike / Visible Monday / Creative Mondays / Garay Treasures / Confident Twosday / Turning Heads Tuesday / TARDIS Tuesday / Whatcha Wearing Wednesday / Colorandgrace / Style Me Wednesday / Throwback Thursday / Fashion Friday / Fashion Should Be Fun / Weekend Blog Hop / Passion 4 Fashion /
I love the colorblocking/pattern mixing! London Fashion Week has nothing on you 😉
I am an unashamed shoe-a-holic – and most of my shoes are statement shoes. My feet are hard to fit so when I find shoes that fit I buy them and hang onto them.
Alicia
spashionista.com
Thanks Alicia. Ha, ha, London Fashion Week is so passé with all it's sartorial fashion – fridge/freezers' where it's at! I think I might slowly be turning into a shoe-a-holic much to the chagrin of my other half!
Love the boots, bag and bracelet combo. Am also thinking I might need a boyfriend cardi now we're drifting into autumn. A great read as always – love your writing, in particular your powers of description xx
Thanks Anna, they are fun aren't they. I'm really pleased with those finds. Definitely invest in a boyfriend cardi; I find them so useful – just takes the edge off when the temperature dips. Thanks for your lovely compliments.
Love this look!!! Esp the cardie and dress- comfy but chic!!! The boots are a great height- I'm not overly keen on Leopard or animal print for myself but it looks great on you!!!! Are we thinking you can get away with TARDIS blue on this?!!?! x
We are most definitely thinking, Kezzie and linked! Thanks for your kind words.
or, the Cheetah people from Survival???!x
Good call! Like it!
What a great way to take a denim shift dress & liven it up with those boots!!!! Love, love, love it!!! jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Thanks Jodie. Those boots liven alot of outfits!
Such a cute outfit, certainly better than the fashion week. And flats! I think high heels are overrated, shoes are for walking after all.
Ha, ha, I'm glad you think so! Agreed about shoes are for walking. I don't mind a reasonable heel but I do have to be comfortable on my feet. They get very grumbly otherwise!
I would say not only your shoes are a statement piece here but also the bag and the bracelets. Have to say that the bag was the first thing that caught my attention in this look. I love the shape, the texture and the print. Then the shoes…being leopard printed they simply can't escape to play a statement piece role. So, I agree, statement shoes need not necessarily be high heeled. The bangles…so pretty. I wonder what were the other 67 pieces from that costume jewelry collection. When I was in London I found a nice Mother and Child pendant in a charity shop.
Yes, you've hit the nail on the hit – it's why I also like the bag too; glad you do too. Great minds think alike. Yes, I also wondered about the other 67 pieces. I was tempted to ask but I was worried I might like them too and it would have been rather indulgent to buy that many! Glad you found a pendant when you were here.
Love that you combined the denim dress with this red cardigan, looks so fab! Love, Kirsten xx
http://www.thelifbissue.com
Thanks Kirsten. I wanted another colour and a light layer and it ticked the box.
Definately statement shoes in my book too, I am always a big fan of leopard print , it works so well with so much.Love it with your denim dress and jacket.
Can't go wrong a little bit of leopard print. Glad you like it too.
All may favourites in one outfit!
Denim dress.
Long Cardigan.
Fabulous and funky booties.
Matching/clashing grab bag.
Chunky jewellery.
All right up my street…..
XXX
Samantha
Fake Fabulous
Ha, ha, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick! All the boxes ticked for you, Samantha! It's great when all the favourites come together.
This is such a fabulous transitional outfit…definitely part summer, but leaning heavily towards fall. I love the boots! Heels often kill my feet so I love a good flat. And I'm glad someone else gets the glamour of my life….a girl's gotta look glam while appliance shopping!
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
Exactly Debbie. It's all glamour here! I'm with you on the heels – always good to invest in a few pairs of really good flats.
Super cute booties. I am a fan of leopard, and love the marsala color added to the denim as well. Love the unqiue one of a kind accessories as well
Thank you for linking up with Turning Heads Tuesday
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
They're one of my favourite boots and perfect for this time of year.
What a cute combination for the fall, love the leopard print pop!
Thanks for linking up to "Bloggers Who Have Inspired me" hope you can join in again on Tuesday.
Rachel xo
Garay Treasures
Thanks Rachel. I do love my leopard boots.
I love how you added so much fun to the outfit with some awesome accessories! I have been wanting some leopard boots but not sure I can pull it off.
Thank you for being a part of TBT Fashion link up and hope to see you Thursday.
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Oh, you soooo could pull them off Alice. Do find a pair – I think you'd look great in them. Thanks for your compliments.