This weeks inspiration comes in the form of footwear. Glorious, artful, marvellous footwear. All of the things I won’t be wearing for a while as I broke my toe on Saturday.

So while I wallow in my self induced misery (I kicked a chair I’d moved and not put back where it belonged), I’ve put together this fabulous list of all the wonderful shoes I want to be wearing and their no less impressive flat counter parts.

Polka dot twins 

Spiked up Sisters 

Friends of Flame 

Glitter Girls 

Jackpot Cherries 

For the circle skirts.

………….

Now I’m off to the shops in the one pair of pool side flip flops I own to try and hunt down something even remotely this stylish!

I haven’t been brave enough to count how many shoes now live in my wardrobe.  I know that there are quite a number that should really never been worn outside of a photo studio for fear of permanent injury… yet I do.  After weeks and weeks on my feet and suffering from the most hideous swollen legs and crippling foot pain, I called an end to stupidity. Could I find cute and comfortable shoes?

Given that I think my podiatrist and osteopath have me down as their future retirement plan, I know I can’t give up my fancy heels; besides which it is too damaging to my psyche. But finding heels of a manageable height with good width, comfortable foot bed and retro looks as well as something I can dance in? The hunt was on.

The problem with so many of the cheap and cheerful shoes out at the moment is that they are just cheap really. There is nothing cheerful about how much pain you are in after an hour or two. When you consider that many of my events mean standing for a 10-12 hour day, then spending another 5 hours on the dance floor, you can imagine how medieval most shoes feel at the end of that!  While I haven’t yet put these through the ultimate test of one of those events, I have worn them for a 5 hour straight session of standing up on ‘stage’ presenting. And they didn’t kill me!

Shoes – Wittner - “Mood” in black or red suede. (Damn you internet shopping, I found another three gorgeous ones on the site while just looking for this link!)

Price – $159.95

Available – Instore and online

Features – Ankle strap (a must have for dancing), sturdy square design heel, cushioned foot bed, black suede with self bow.

Comfort Factor – Very good! I bought these with the express purpose of not being crippled after a 10 hour stun of standing at events. So far, they aren’t as good as flats of course, but right up there with the more comfortable end of heel wearing.

If there is something you’ve been dying to find to fix your vintage wardrobe, but just haven’t found; add your request and let’s see if we can find you your own Vintage Style Find o’ the Month.

When I had the opportunity to go and see Dita Von Teese launch her new vintage inspired fashion label, I knew I wanted to wear something pretty but not too over the top. Of course an occasion like that feels as though it calls for the christening of a new outfit as well, so it was the perfect opportunity to take my new ‘Honey’ dress out for a spin.

The ‘Honey’ dress by Trashy Diva, is available through my wonderful sponsor who carries all manner of beautiful vintage reproduction dresses, Miskonduckt Klothing.  I have a real fondness for their pieces, not only for their retro sensibilities but also for their quality fabrics and construction.  This dress is a gorgeous scarlet polished cottoning a heavy weight, with some stretch and a side zip. It allows for a very figure hugging fit without the danger of splitting a seam in a moment of haste.  The skirt is super full and perfect for a spin round the dance floor, but my favourite hidden feature? Pockets!  There is something so wonderful about these 1950′s style dresses with pockets on both sides of the full skirts; it just makes you want to start posing around like a movie star on her day off.  And thanks to my lovely friend Helen McLean Photography, that’s exactly what I did.

Outfit Details

Dress – ‘Honey’ dress in red by Trashy Diva of New Orleans, available from Miskonduct Klothing

Shoes – Red faux suede wedges – Spendless shoes ($40!- a great find and super comfortable)

Stockings –  Voodoo “Bombshell” seamed stockings

Suspenders – (unseen) Kiss Me Deadly Vargas roll on girdle in blue.

For my all my new readers, thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you find things here to delight, inspire and help you on your glamorous journey. Make sure to follow me on my official Facebook Fan Page and Twitter to keep up with all the events and news hot of the press. You can also subscribe to my Super Kawaii Mama You Tube Chanel to be the first to see all the new interviews and tutorials.

Happy Melbourne Cup Day all!

I have new shoes.

New shoes that required this dress.

You can see why..

Vivienne Westwood and I are clearly soul sisters. I can almost taste the juicy red sweetness when I look at these shots.

If you haven’t already discovered Westwood for Melissa, do not click on this link; ever. Or you will be poor. Happy, oh so very happy, but poor.  You can see even more shots of these beautiful shoes and how I wore them on the weekend over at Lustable.

YUM!

As yet another weekend of jet setting around the country comes is upon me, I’m very much looking forward to taking some time off. No rest for the wicked yet though!  I’m getting better and better at travelling, my suitcase gets smaller and my ability to put together outfits on the fly is improving even more with all this practice.  The hardest thing is trying not to pack too many shoes!

I’m learning to wear flats more often these days, as lugging a huge suitcase around airport and train stations while teetering on 5 inch stilettos means I’d need to up my health insurance.  The problem though with many of the flat out there, is that the market is flooded with the cheap and nasty kind. Even sometimes the expensive and nasty kind.  Those that still have a decent whack of a price tag but have paid zero attention to how they build their shoes and what sort of support they offer from pounding the pavement in them all day.

Wedges are another great alternative that do offer more support, but when travelling I have room for only one pair of large heeled shoes and I try and wear them rather than jamming them into the suitcase.

Here’s my picks of the go-anywhere travel shoes that have become my saviours in recent months.

Just click to see the full details.

No one should go through life without at least one pair of leopard print shoes.

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Eye catching shiny and brights.

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Graphic prints and contrast.

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Question is… just which ones will I get? I may be about to give my credit card a work out, but at least my feet will thank me!