Fabulous Shoes Worn Two Different Ways

Rev. Gidget is doing an interim ministry in an urban setting. She wrote to me several months ago and commented on the sense of style and fabulousness of the African American women she was seeing in her community. She attributes her new sense of fun and adventure in accessories to these inspiratrixes. I’ve known Gidge for a long time and I have to laugh and clap with glee when I see how far she has come in her sense of personal style. Like, these fantastic shoes!

Here’s how she wore them for a day at the office. I think this is a super sharp look. I love the interesting pendant (it looks vaguely religious and makes me want to ask the story behind it — hence, great conversation-starter!). The scarf looks really good — like something she put on because she liked it; not contrived and uncomfortable the way scarves can so often look. The proportions of the outfit are excellent for her, and she’s petite so that’s not always an easy thing to achieve. Hair, make-up, glasses, all communicate contemporary spirit and creativity that never veers anywhere near wacky. She looks like a mature leader who knows who she is and has a strong personal aesthetic:

Now here’s Gidget at a community event where she needed to dress it up a bit. She’s added pearls, earrings that she says she loves, and a striking red shirt and black shift (that she advises are more tailored in person than appears to be in the photo). And, of course, the fun shoes:

Very pretty, very appropriate but this ages her a bit in a way that the previous outfit does not. The big overshirt paired with the long pearls seem a bit old for her — not frumpy but not as chic and creative as her day at the office look. Because Gidget is petite I would ideally like to see her in a more structured top layer. Or if she’s going to wear an unstructured over-piece, I would have belted the tunic to give it some shape, and/or doubled the pearls to pull some energy and focus up toward her face. The heaviness of the pearls pulling the eye downward paired with the unstructured line of the shirt doing the same thing gives me the sense that her clothes are swallowing her just a little bit.

Up close, very pretty! Great color on ya, Gidge.

Thanks, Gidget. Looking good in the neighborhood.