The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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shoes Archives - Page 11 of 11

A kindly meant word of career advice…

If you work with men...

And you EVER have occasion to walk ANYWHERE with them, be it to a client meeting, or to lunch, or at a conference...

Please, wear shoes which enable you to walk as far, and at the same pace, as they walk.

Every day, I see groups of business people in which the men are striding ahead, conversing and laughing, while the women are mincing along in the rear on their high heels.  They're left out of the conversation.  They're left out of the main part of the group.  THEY AREN"T KEEPING UP.

If you dress in a way that limits your mobility, you cannot expect to be considered an equal to a person who dresses for a combination of business appropriateness and comfort.  No matter what any magazine tells ... View the Post

Doing the right thing…

As many of you know, I've sworn off buying any new clothes (or shoes) for twelve months, beginning this September first.  I'm now 29 days into the project, and have felt no pain regarding it, so far.  In fact, it's been quite a relief to be able to just completely turn a blind eye to all of the "must-have" lists that float around this time of year.

Why is it that I don't see so many "must-have" lists for men?  They have more money than we do...  Maybe there's a connection there?  But I digress...

One thing that has become even more of a priority for me now is the upkeep and maintenance of the things I currently own.  This could sound like drudgery, but it really is quite gratifying for all sort of reasons:

The obvious saving of ... View the Post

Vivienne Veto: stupid shoes, part two

Unless you've come to Paris to run the marathon, or you have an enduring and severe orthopedic condition, there's NO reason to resort to this type of shoe for sightseeing.  Remember that when you go somewhere to enjoy the people watching, you have an obligation to be "watchable" yourself! Admittedly, these have NOTHING for support.  But they're certainly a step in the right direction. And if you're young enough (or hip enough) to pull these off, they'd be a great option.  Bottom line on Vivienne's ongoing shoe rant:  try to strike a balance between beauty and practicality.  There are literally hundreds of thousands of shoe designs in the world; there is unquestionably something being manufactured (Cole Haan/Nike, ... View the Post

Vivienne Veto: stupid shoes, part one

It is indeed very warm in Paris during the summer.  And when you're out hiking about all day looking at the beauties that Paris has to offer, you want to stay cool.  And of course there's always that pressure that goes along with the fact that you're in PARIS; you want to look your very best - up to date and stylish.  But SERIOUSLY...

This is the time of year when Vivienne's staff spends quite a bit of time calling doctors to the hotel, or occasionally sending someone off in an ambulance to this hospital, because of shoe-related injuries.  No kidding.  Once a day, at least, right now, they'll have some absolute BIMBO IDIOT stagger into the lobby with a broken heel or torn straps, as well as broken bones and torn ... View the Post

Back to the roots of the Vivienne Files – part 3

Just a quick snippet of the original Vivienne today...

"As to the matter of shoes - she usually has 3 pair in "rotation" and has 12 pair total.  But these shoes are (just like her clothes) the best things she can get her hands on.  $300 for a pair of shoes is reasonable to her.  But she has them resoled and re-heeled repeatedly; she estimates that shoes last her at least 10 years.  I know she's wearing one pair she has had since college, and she's 34 right now." ... View the Post