Tag Archives: Summer Styling

Summer Styling – Why not start with a pair of White Shoes?

Summer Styling – Why not start with a pair of White Shoes?

Welcome to Gloriously Vintage today, dear Reader, I hope you are well and excited about the summer which is getting nearer.

 

As you know from the Big Seasonal changeover, I have only just brought out my white shoes and accessories to begin my summer styling. So dear Reader, I was certain that I was wearing the white shoes, white handbag and gloves last Saturday, but had not got much further with styling the rest of the outfit!

My white shoes are stilettos and make me feel wonderful when I wear them.  I adore heels and these give a summery lift to whatever I wear with them.

White shoes seem to be coming back into fashion after some years being decidedly out of fashion, for about 10 years, due to the “Essex Girl” effect of fake tan legs and white stilettos!  I take no notice of all this and wear what I want to!  For me, white shoes are a major part of the summer months, and always have been.

 

What do you think?  Are you a fan of white shoes?

Do you have a favourite pair?

 

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This is a new outfit from my summer wardrobe for this year, wearing colours that are a change for me, as I spend a lot of time in red, coral and neutrals.  Last Saturday I was going to my Hairdresser to work on my summer hair colour and styled this outfit. The lipstick is a blend:

 

Bobbi Brown lip pencil Red + Revlon Red + Bobbi Brown Parisian Red

 

Using the white shoes and handbag as an “Outline”; I filled in the colour with this skirt and jacket.  I bought the skirt from Oxfam earlier in the year in anticipation of S/S.

The skirt is by Country Casuals and is fine summer weight and has sheen on the fabric that makes it dressier.  It moves well and is navy blue with green polka dots all over.

This blue jacket is by Eastex.  It was bought new for Glenn’s mother to wear with a pretty dress for our wedding in 2001.  It was much longer then, about 4 inches in fact.  I have inherited it and worn it with a navy blue and white polka dot dress for a few years.  Sadly, there is more of me now and I do not fit into the dress and the jacket was too long to go with any of my other separates.

 

Last year dear Reader, I decided to go and see my dressmaker to have the blue jacket made shorter to give it a new lease of life.

 

It is polyester, so is S/S but because if the colour and style it goes with my in-between season clothes too.  She shortened it by about four inches.  This worked because of the button spacing.  The shorter jacket can now work with a number of outfits.  I am so pleased with the result.  Have you had any alteration successes?  There will be more of this blue jacket in future posts.

I decided to go with more contrast with the white shoes and accessories for this outfit, but it would look good with navy blue shoes and handbag as well, although more formal, I think.

I then picked out this lovely silk scarf.  It is a super large square with some great colours on a near white background.  I bought it at an Antiques Fair held at the Chateaux Impney Hotel in Worcestershire.

 

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When I go to the hairdressers I always take off my jewellery and put it into my handbag until the hair is finished, to protect it from all the styling products.  So I chose jewellery that would be entirely manageable there.

 

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You can see the lovely round Monet brooch on the shoulder.  I love this brooch and wear it a lot because it is set with pearls and a small diamante.  The earrings are unmarked and are gold tone and pearl clips.  The shape of the earings really goes with the brooch so they make a “set” for me.

 

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You can see here, the pearl cuffs.  They are stretchy and take off quickly.  I often go to the hairdressers in them because I can take them off so easily.  Dear Reader, do you do this, take off jewellery at the hairdressers?  I started doing it when I was wearing a more vintage style, really to save the jewellery from harm.

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This dear white bag came from Diane Ashman at Antiques for Everyone a couple of years ago.  It is one of my favourite bags because of the size and the balance.  It just feels very comfortable on my arm.

 

These gloves are off white and match well, much as I like to wear gloves; I also like to carry them with my bag!  Do you do this?

 

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I am excited about this hair colour as I am going lighter for the summer.  My blond is more ash blond here and I have extended my blond highlights down the back of the hair to the nape, making the shade look much lighter overall.  I have a new hair product that is a rinse to add to the permanent colour that lasts for 3 shampoos.  There are two colours I am using an ash blond and a more golden blond.  This means I can boost my colour either way through the 10 weeks until my next appointment.

 

What I do with my hair is just as important to me as my big Seasonal Changeover.  Do you change your hair a little for the summer?

demmi parure

My husband took me out to dinner in the evening and I wanted to look a little more dressed up so I wore these earings and put the brooch on the shoulder of my top, so that when I took the jacket off the demi parure could work its magic!

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The colours of the jewellery toned with the scarf very well!  So that is recorded in the Style Book so that I do not forget the pairing!

 

I would love to hear about your favourite outfits with white shoes.  Do chat in the comments or on my Facebook page.  I am looking forward to the next weekend as it is Glenn’s Birthday and Father’s Day – am busy planning some more outfits and having a great time with the styling!  I am looking forward to showing them to you soon on Gloriously Vintage!

Thank you to Glenn for taking these photographs.