Red Shoes

  Top : Emily Farina (similar) / Jeans : Blank Denim / Blazer : old (similar) / Bag : old (similar) / Shoes : Forever 21 & Emily Farina (similar) / Sunglasses: Karen Walker

A few months ago I bought a pair of red heels from Forever 21 with the intention of turning them into a special pair of my own with ruffled silk rosettes. I had done a similar technique before and wanted to revisit for a new pair of shoes. While I knew what I was doing, I wanted to test the technique on a cheap pair of shoes rather than a pricey pair. After initially posting about the shoes here, I finally got around to actually wearing them!

Red Ruffle Heels

Shoes : Forever21 (similar here, here and here)

If you follow me on Instagram (@emilykfarina) you may have seen that I did a fancy little DIY project lately that involved a pair of Forever21 shoes and a whole lot of ruffled silk.

The technique I used was not a new one, but rather a shoe-decorating method I had employed for my senior fashion collection at Cornell. I had seen a pair of designer shoes recently that had chiffon rosettes all over them. Immediately I thought "I can do that. I'm going to do that". So I found an affordable pair of heels (in case it didn't turn out so well, minimal loss) and hit up Mood Fabrics for a little silk crepe de chine. Rather than go for some boring color like black, I went for red. Bright red.

Shopping For : Spring Shoes

It has been a long road to get to spring shoes this year, filled with winter boots, thick socks and covered legs in order to keep your toes in tact. I especially look forward to warm weather since I like the footwear for those seasons so much more.

 I hate wearing tights to begin with, but by the end of the winter pulling on black tights just seems downright torturous. The same can be said for boots. April rolls around and the boots I loved all winter begin to resemble straitjackets for my feet.

But we have made it to May and the warm weather again! As I've mentioned in a few of my posts, I tend to shop both high-end and low-end for my clothing, loving some Old Navy pieces as much as I love designer items. But shoes are one of the categories I don't like to skimp on. I think faux leather looks like, well, faux leather. I'd rather spend a little more money and get some nicer shoes than cheaper ones. It's easy to pass off low-end clothing as higher-end, but with shoes you aren't fooling anybody.

The beauty of a nice pair of shoes is that it can transform your entire outfit. You could be wearing a plain white tee shirt and basic skinny jeans then slip into some amazing shoes and suddenly your outfit went from simple to stylish. While I do have a few pairs of crazier shoes, for the most part I stick to neutrals that I can get a lot of wear out of. I know that I will wear black, nude and brown shoes often, so I don't worry about investing in shoes in those colors. 

I have been adding probably too many shoes to my wardrobe this spring [insert 'speak no evil' monkey emoji here], but all have been thoughtful and deliberate. My biggest addiction has been espadrilles, I just love them soo much. They are comfortable, casual, easy to walk a lot in, come in an array of colors, fabrics and designs...I digress. But of the new spring shoes I have purchased they are all pairs I can wear to work, in my free time and with many outfits, ie. they are very versatile.

When deciding how to transition your wardrobe for a new season, I suggest picking at least one pair of shoes to purchase that is fashion-forward but neutral. By pairing these shoes with your existing wardrobe you look instantly current and on-trend, and the neutral color means you can wear it often with many items. Definitely important when dropping some decent money on shoes. 

I've round up a few of my favorite picks for this spring below. All fashion-forward and unique but neutral enough to wear all the time. Anyone have a favorite shoe this season I should know about?

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Cornell Design League Show 2010; "Fancy Free"; shoes

Before I had even designed the clothing for my line, I knew I wanted to make colorful, big shoes to match. My plan with these shoes was to make it look like the model had stuck her feet in a flower bed and pulled them out with flowers still attached. But rather than using flowers to get the look, I made poms with different fabrics. The result is pure happiness; at least for me.