Ladies! It’s our LUCKY DAY!
Because we can wear all sorts of comfortable shoes and be perfectly au courant (which means “of currants” — you know, like a scone!).
Seriously! Boat shoes!
I grew up in the prep era in one of the towns featured in “The Preppy Handbook,” and was a theatre kid who avoided the preppy look like the plague. Now as a middle aged gal, I am having a lot of fun seeing the resurgence of some of the classics from my youth in New Canaan, Connecticut (say it with a clenched jaw, please, Muffy).
I find myself really yearning for a strand of graduated PEARLS, for God’ sake! If you spot me in a Fair Isle sweater and turtleneck with an add-a-bead necklace pulled out of the top of the turtleneck, please do something drastic, will you?
I don’t have any boat shoes but I am so happy to see that the Oxfords trend continues unabated. I posted this back in September.
I bought these from Zulily and I love them with a pair of black slim-leg pants, black blazer and bright blue blouse. Or with black slim-leg jeans, a cardigan and a scarf knotted at the neck, my hair in a top-knot and my Warby Parker specs.
And look at the fabulosity of these old-school Bass Weejuns done up in metallic! If you order these (and who could blame you?), remember that Weejuns run a bit tight across the instep and take some breaking in. Once accomplished, however, these babies will honestly last you a lifetime. Muffy and Biff still have theirs from 1987! Although not in silver, which would be far too flashy for the country club.
A friend bought me a pair of these Calvin Klein tie-less Oxfords in sand color. I am LOVING them. The nailhead detail and heel make them just a tiny bit tough.
Now, a word of caution. Oxfords and other neo-prep flats require some styling or they will instantly identify you as Suburban Realtor On Her Day Off, Tennis Mom or Boat Mom. I love tennis and boat moms, and I love suburban realtors (especially the one I’m working with right now), but you are a community leader and you need to present with more panache.
Click on all these photos to enlarge.
Also? Need I say? These are NOT to be preached in.
photo by chictopia
I love the shoes, but hey, I’ve gotta take issue with going to the “looking like a mom” place…Whether one is a “soccer mom”, a “tennis mom”, a “carpool mom”, a “suburban mom”, or whatever, the assumption is powerlessness and superfluity and the diametric opposite of “community leader”. In my experience the opposite is actually true, and moms who are raising kids as a career choice have time to be community leaders too. between packing lunches and laundry and carpool, getting our nails done and two hours at the gym (just kidding about that last part) we have a lot of daylight to burn and most of us aren’t watching the soaps. As a clergyperson who decided to not outsource childcare I chafe under the sterotype and I know I’m not alone. No one disses bivocational clergy attorneys or clergy doctors or clergy farmers.
[I get you, but you’re reading too much into what I’m saying. I’m talking *purely* about dress and appearance. Most women community leaders I know ARE moms, but they don’t show up for important meetings in jeans and polo shirts. There’s a way to style yourself for public leadership that requires going home and putting some effort into grooming, accessorizing and image that we don’t have to think about if we’re throwing on a pair of chinos and sweater and Oxfords. You dress for the role. Most women I know play several life roles. We have to be mindful of transitioning between them in terms of visual image. – PB]
And in our era of polarization – compare these with our new standard for high heels. Monstrosities I doubt I could stand up in even to try them on in the store. They look like old photos of the sadly club-footed Chinese empress who inspired foot-binding. So glad there is also this option…
You forgot the blouse with the McMullin collar and the circle pin. (I grew up hearing “a circle pin means you are either a virgin or a Unitarian — you can’t be both.”) Yuck.