Fashion was never apart of my life until I studied abroad in London in the fall of 2013. Haling from the small town of Bedford, New Hampshire, I lived an extremely sheltered childhood and was rarely exposed to high quality designer brands. My parents, God love ‘em, are basically on the V.I.P. lists at L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer, both quintessential New England brands lacking in what I now consider to be the trend factor. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love a good pair of Bean boots or Sorels and rock a flannel or a quilted vest at least once a week, but it’s time to break from the mold ladies and gents. It is my time to find my true style and passion for fashion.
I never understood the appeal of a one-thousand dollar pair of pumps that come in every color or material, and had red bottoms, until I lived in a shoebox of a flat on The Kings Road in London. It was typical to walk out of my flat and see teenage girls and women ranging from early 20-somethings to 60-somethings, flaunting a pair of those red bottomed pumps. One evening I saw a woman in the most chic ensemble of all time. The outfit; a polished all black silk jumpsuit that could have easily been swept aside on the sales rack, was perfectly paired with a pair of gorgeous python pumps with the iconic red sole. For the first time in my life I was awestruck by the simple, yet sophisticated beauty of an outfit. Prior to this encounter, I thought these shoes, which I only recently found out are Christian Loubitons, were a waste a money; a status symbol that only the wealthy could afford. Well, let me tell you folks, this previous notion has changed. After seeing this outfit, and countless other ones like it, I would do anything to own a pair of these delicious shoes. I melt at the idea of slipping those babies on and waltzing through the streets of London or New York, albeit when it’s not raining! They are the perfect addition to any wardrobe and truly could take an outfit from blahtastic to urban chic. What could be better?!
I have spent the last year exploring the fashion industry and have grown to love and admire iconic and up and coming designers and brands. Who knew the girl from New Hampshire would one day wind up wearing faux fur on the regular and drooling over shoes online. Owning a pair of Python Loubitons might be a stretch, but Hell, life’s a dream.