Jimmy Choo

Jimmy Choo with ShoesieQ

A Shoefie (or should that be Choofie?!)

As you may know ShoesieQ likes to consider herself as something of an aspiring Shoe Siren. Well last night it would appear that her calls were answered, and then some, as she was lucky enough to be invited to attend an audience with Shoe Royalty, namely the extremely wonderful Professor Jimmy Choo at Jesus College, Cambridge.

Even better, Jimmy was being interviewed by a good friend, the equally wonderful Nicky Shepard, founder of Cambridge Style Week.

Nicky Shepard interviewing Professor Choo

In case you’re wondering what the great man had to say for himself, amongst many other facts Nicky managed to glean from Prof Choo were……

• The first shoes her ever made were for his mum (Awww!).
• Prof Choo’s view on success is if you have a name and make your parents, college and country proud it doesn’t really matter if you makes much money (Awww again!).
• Looking at new developments in the Shoeniverse, Prof Choo explained that 3-d printing is already used in China to manufacture some of the component parts of footwear, but humans still put the final product together. Although this will doubtless change, Prof C is old fashioned and will always want many parts of the shoe making process to be by human rather than computer. He also mentioned a machine has been invented that can accurately can scan feet – but he would personally still want to fit shoes by hand.
• His favourite pair were the last ones he made for Princess Diana. Sadly she died before could give them to her,so still has them to this day.
• His favourite designer is Giorgio Armani! Prof Choo rates him so highly as they share the same ethos, are both down to earth, his designs are simple, classic and very stylish, plus Mr A provides a lot of employment  for his native country Italy
• As you might imagine Jimmy has many pairs of shoes – not least because he’s often given them as gifts. However he passes most on to his friends after couple of months! But in his view everyone needs at least 4 or 5 pairs min as feet sweat, and shoes need to air. Which is also why he recommends you should always go for leather lined shoes as they breathe and mould to the foot better!

 

And in  case you’re wondering ShoesieQ managed to ask a question too! She had been warned that there would be a Q&A session at the end, so asked around for a killer question. There were loads of brilliant suggestions, but the one ShoesieQ plumped for was the brainchild of Alice Toby-Brant (aka Cambridge blogger The Middle Sister), namely:

“Would you design a truly decadent high heel specifically for a man and if so, which man would it be?”

This got a good laugh from the audience, not to mention Jimmy, which was an excellent start (thanks Alice!). His reply was that some men already wear his heels, especially in places like Hong Kong – but it’s almost always in the evening, say at a bar or nightclub. But he added that they needed to practice to wear stilettos – though tbh most of the audience knew that already………. 😉

 

FYI and last, but certainly not least: if this has whetted your appetite, Jimmy Choo has an exhibition on in town, Gems of the Silk Road. The show opened on February 2nd at new Cambridge International Art gallery on Jesus Lane and runs for a month.

 

RANT OF THE WEEK: Extreme Heels!

Now ShoesieQ ie fully aware that she’s in danger of sounding like your dear old mum here. But listen up! For when the mega cool and sexy Cara Delevingne tells Vogue magazine that, “The worst part of being a model? I hate high heels, more than anything” surely that’s worth paying attention to, no?

 

Especially as that interview was over 2 years ago, and the extreme heel has been banished to fashion Siberia for a good couple of seasons now. Yet the uber-heel refuses to die.

 

Proof if proof is needed came for ShoesieQ earlier this year at the otherwise wonderful Cambridge Style Week. This marvellous event featured ShoesieQ’s shoe shop, Modish, amongst the likes of LK Bennett, Hobbs and many more illustrious local and national stores.

Anyway, an acquaintance of ShoesieQ came up to her afterwards and commented that hers was the only catwalk where the models smiled. Now ShoesieQ had been far too busy being nervous to notice, but said mate was bang on! All the rest of the brands put their models in the highest heels possible – and it showed in their faces. How is being miserable a good look?!

And that’s before ShoesieQ gets on to the physical damage they wreak on us. Yes, she knows, she really DOES sound like your mum now. And that may be so, but ShoesieQ has just 3 words for you, if you’re a devotee of skyscraper heels. And they are:

Victoria Beckham’s feet.

Now ShoesieQ did consider adding a pic here to illustrate the point, but decided against it on the grounds that it may disturb readers of a nervous or delicate disposition 😉  But if you really want to see something truly scary – Google them now! High heel devotees – that is your future! And probably sans the delights of being married to the divine David, which even ShoesieQ suspects would easy the pain somewhat (unless those rumours are to be believed………..)

Anyway, the really mad part of this, is that these days you can buy great looking shoes that don’t crucify you. Lose an inch or two off the heel for starters, and look out for shops with brands that aren’t just about high fashion.  Cos even if you still want that classic sexy high heel, there are still some great options out there that won’t crucify you.

 

Take these beauties by Hogl that have just turned up at Modish. They’ve got mega soft uppers, a light and flexible sole, plus the special “softline“ tread that is Hogl’s trademark.

So if, despite everything, you just can’t give up your high heel habit, pop a pair of these babies on. Your feet will thank you. You have ShoesieQ’s word on that!

REJOICE – The Average British woman now owns 21 pairs of shoes!

 Yesterday ShoesieQ spotted a story in the papers that truly warmed the cockles of her heart. For, to paraphrase the immortal words of D:Ream, Things are Indeed Getting Better.

Now to be fair this was a fleeting moment, as right now said papers are full of doom and gloom about all sorts of terrible world events. But still ShoesieQ grabbed hold of this one particular item of Good News, clasping it to her bosom like a long lost child, (pretending not to notice when it squirmed awkwardly).

For it seems that the average woman now owns a mighty 21 pairs of shoes!

OK, so ShoesieQ accepts that to you this may not seem like much reason to rejoice. And she suspects that, to some, this number may actually seem on the low side. In fact many of the women that ShoesieQ meets in the line of duty (ie in her shoe shop) love shoes, and unsurprisingly many of them feel that 21 is a somewhat paultry total. Then there are probably others, particularly of the male persuasion, who seem to think that  all women have  hundreds of pairs of shoes.

But as long term readers of this blog may recall a few years ago ShoesieQ spotted a survey by GoCompare stating that us British gals had an average of 19 pairs. And the good ol Co-op reported a year later that this number was now 20. So ShoesieQ was chuffed to bits to see that this fantastic upwards trend had continued to 2014 🙂

And there’s more! The latest study of 2,000 women  aged 18 to 60, also found that average woman in this country:

• Will have splashed out £6,500 on footwear by her mid 40s
• Own an average £354 worth of unworn shoes (mainly comprising of stilettos)

 

Plus:

• Over 40% of our shoes are worn either once, or never!
• 61% of us  own ‘sitting down’ shoes to be worn at a restaurant or other ‘sitting’ occasion (!)
• 35% buy shoes they didn’t need because they were on sale (only 35%?!)
• 30% keeping shoes simply because they look beautiful in the wardrobe
•  20% of us are either so absent-minded women (or own so many pairs) that  they forget they have them.

Although to be fair wrt to the last point this may not be the whole story. To ShoesieQ’s highly trained shoe – antenna  it sounds a bit like when we get caught out having snuck a new pair into the house by Him Indoors. When challenged about buying yet another pair of shoes, how many of us have uttered something like:

“What, these old things? I’ve had them so long I can’t even remember!” 😉

Insider secrets: How to find great looking COMFORTABLE shoes!

It’s not always easy to find that perfect pair of comfy shoes that don’t instantly morph you into your grandmother. So here are some tips to help ensure you don’t have to sacrifice comfort on the holy grail of looking hot!

Size does indeed matter!

‘Fraid these are going to be a little on the snug side 😉

Obvious though this is,when it comes to shoes you need to start off with them being the right size. Of course that’s not quite as easy as it sounds, as quite apart from anything else, very few shoes these days come in different width fittings. And one thing ShoesieQ’s learnt from having her very own shoe shop is that every manufacturer, every style, every pair, of every shoe, AND every foot is different! And that’s before you factor in the fact that feet tend to get bigger as the day goes on – so try to buy shoes in the afternoon if possible, as feet are at their largest at the end of the day.

Pitch perfect

Even women who don’t think they can do heels will often find that a pair with a decent platform can work for them – simply because a lot of pain caused by heels isn’t down to their height – more to the pitch of the foot.  And the recent arrival of flatforms onto the fashion scene (ie flat shoes on a platform) means that just about anyone can wear them. But if flatforms/platforms aren’t your thing, there are more and more mid-heeled shoes around these days, so give them a go!

When it comes to heels – feel the width!

Funky demi Wedge by Fly London

Even if you get on well with high heels, you’ll know that some are more comfortable than others. A wide or chunky heel provides a larger base for your weight to be distributed upon, which means they almost always feel better on than a stiletto does. And a wedge is even better!

When it comes to soles – it IS possible to be too thin!

You don’t have to be the princess of pea-and-feather-mattresses fame to loathe the sensation of feeling every pebble on the pavement as you walk. Even worse, shoes with very thin soles tend to offer very little support to the foot, which will cause pain in the short term and potential foot/knee and back problems in years to come. On the other hand if you treat yourself to a pair with platform soles, not only will you benefit from the extra cushioning they provide,but you gain extra inches without extra discomfort.

Sock it to ’em!

When you’re buying shoes do try to make sure you try them on as you tend to wear them. So if you know you won’t be wearing socks or tights under a particular pair of shoes, try them on in bare feet, and vice versa.  You’d be amazed what difference this can make, and how many people don’t follow this simple rule.

Avoiding the point…………..

Round toed sexiness at its best

If comfort’s key, go for round, or oval, or even square shaped toes on your shoes,  and put anything for shoes with a pointy toe back in the box. Unsurprisingly that goes any shape of toebox that forces your feet into an unnatural position.

But if you’ve found a pair that gives your toes a little bit of wiggle room and doesn’t force them round corners, chances are you’re onto a winner.

It’s what’s inside that counts!

Often what makes a pair of shoes uncomfortable is on the inside. Exposed seams, knotted bits of thread, folds of leather that rub your heels, or fastenings that press against the top of your foot can all make shoes completely unbearable.

Flat broke?

As a general rule, flats are more comfortable than heels. But not all flats are created equal, with some being downright excruciating to wear for any length of time. And for many of us, even fans of flatties, a tiny heel is often better than none at all

Know Your Feet, Know Your Shoes

Do you have high arches? You probably already know that pull-on boots are likely to be a problem to even get on your feet. Flat feet? Then you’re likely to need a bit of support around the instep. So before you go shoe shopping, take a look in your wardrobe to see what works for you (and what doesn’t!).

If at first you don’t succeed…….

Ok, so you’ve found the almost perfect pair. But something’s not quite right about them. This may sound mad, but ask to try on another, identical pair. As sometimes, just sometimes, if it’s really meant to be, the second pair will fit beautifully.

And no, ShoesieQ has no idea why this is. Perhaps the Shoe Goddess smiles on those who persevere? But she’s seen it often enough in her shoe shop to know that even shoes from the biggest manufacturers have subtle variations that can make all the difference.

Not all shoe shops are created equal

Of the big chains the only one that seems to really cater for comfort with even a modicum of style is, in my opinion, Shoon – although Clarks can have the odd moment of genius.

But wherever you go shoe shopping it’s best to buy from shops with a good returns policy. For example at ShoesieQ’s shop we let everyone try the shoes at home for 14 days – and you get a full refund if they bring them back in a resaleable condition within the fortnight. So that’s plenty of time to make sure they really do fit and feel fabulous.

Now admittedly ShoesieQ’s a bit biased here, wot wiv her owning a shoe shop n’all: but before those happy days when she was an HR clone she pretty much always shopped in independent shoe shops. Because if you find a good ‘un ,they tend to have the most interesting ranges, employ staff who really care (and know their shoes) and will be more than happy to get what seems like every box out of the stockroom to make sure you get the perfect pair.

And if you find one where the owner’s a sample size 37, the chances are she’ll have tried every pair on herself just to make sure that they don’t crucify her customers. And you’ll have hit the jackpot!

The Ultimate Shoe challenge – ShoesieQ v 5 inch heels!

5 inch skyscraper heels by Calvin Klein

As regular readers of this blog will know, a  couple of weeks ago ShoesieQ found herself starring as one of the, ahem, ‘models’ in the Saffron Walden Fashion Show (‘Modish shoes hit the catwalk again’ – Apr 28). And one of the pairs she popped on her tootsies to sashay down the runway were these gorgeous babies by Calvin Klein.

And they really were AMAZINGLY comfortable, despite the fact that the heels are a good 5 inches. In fact ShoesieQ was so enamoured by them that they made their way into her personal collection ;o)

So last week, on yet another rainy old day in Cambridge, ShoesieQ decided to set herself a little fashion challenge involving said CKs – which was to see just how long she could wear them for in one sitting. Or, more accurately, one standing, as working in a shop means spending a lot of time on one’s feet ;o)

Here’s a diary  of how she got on

8.30 am Drives 30 odd miles from home to the Park & Ride in Cambridge  with no problem, despite the fact I usual take off my heels to drive. But I did need to move my seat back a few inches ;o) No scuff marks either – RESULT!

9.15 am Cycles the 3 miles to my shop, Modish, in the centre of Cambridge. Only problem with this is my bike seat is now too low! But feet stay on pedals, shoes stay on feet and I feel safe. In fact I  discover that I can tuck my jeans into the elastic straps so no need for cycle clips! Though perhaps as well that I didn’t bump into the fashion police………not my best look ;o)

9.30 am – 5.30 pm Working in the shop. Am on my feet all the time with perhaps 5 mins sitting down to eat my lunch and another 5 mins off my feet to go through some paperwork. Other than that am up and down stairs all day, even at one point up a 5 foot ladder to get some boots down for a customer from the top shelf in my stockroom. Again, feel perfectly safe – not even a wobble.

6pm Cycles across to fellow Cambridge retailer Boudoir Femme who are having a Style evening. Drink a cocktail (courtesy of those lovely people from 12a) and admire their fabulous new Spring collection :o)

7.30pm Pop across to the Jolly Sailor with a friend for a bite to eat.

9.30 pm Cycle back in the pouring rain  to the Park n Ride. Shoes still look amazing despite being soaking wet.

9.45 pm – Drives home, still wearing these shoes

10.30 pm – Gets home and DOESN’T EVEN KICK SHOES OFF THEN, but admires how utterly gorgeous they are, how pretty my feet look in them etc.

For those of you who don’t know ShoesieQ, well, amongst many other things (!) she’s a gal who loves fabulous heels but is more than a little averse to the suffering that often seems to be part of the deal. So she is particularly delighted to have discovered just how wearable these are.

In fact they’re so  impressive that said friend,who doesn’t really do heels, came in on Saturday bought herself a pair too.

If you fancy trying a pair to see if they really are THAT good, we have a few left at Modish’s Cambridge branch (3 Green Street)  –  call us on 01223 354436 and we’ll even hold them for a few days if you can’t get here straight away.

Modish at the Saffron Walden Fashion Show – Part II

As promised here’s Modish’s contribution to the second half of the Saffron Walden Fashion Show.

This time we were strutting our stuff to that 1980’s classic Adam Ant’s Goody Two Shoes.

And although this was a bit before our first model’s time, Hannah tackles this musical challenge with her usual grace – firstly in a pair of mid heel sandals by Lunar (£45) followed by some skyscrapers by Iron Fist (£69.99)

Penny came next and sashayed down the catwalk in a pair of Black patent courts (Tamaris, £55) and some mad patent kitten heels in fire-engine-stop-the-traffic red by Bronx (£75).

Last but not least was ShoesieQ. I too opted for some red kitten heels,but this time by Lunar (£45), and then what are perhaps the most comfortable pair of evening shoes I’ve had the pleasure to pop onto my delighted tootsies by Audley. Not cheap at £175 – but worth every penny.

Mind you I’m not sure anyone was really studying my shoes at this point – they were too busy looking at my prop! You’ll see what I mean if you click on the link to the vid below.

Finally I’d just like to make a special mention to our camerawoman Susan Harvey who did a great job filming us without laughing (too) much..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F8PNvyovI8

I’m head over heels for these babies!

Now I know ShoesieQ has developed a bit of a reputation for taking the mick out of the weird and wonderful side of the shoeniverse. But in this case I just wanted to share with you possibly the most beautiful shoes I think I’ve ever seen.

Sure they’re not the most practical things ever and as such they’d never actually make it into my shop. Or indeed onto my feet.  But they would definitely have pride of place on my mantelpiece!

 

Shoes that are NOT to be (t)rifled with!

Talk about  shooting yourself in the foot……

Are these the latest Jimmy Shoo(t)s......? Sorry!

Heels with a bit of Vorsprung durch technik

I knew that cars had crumple zones, but shoes?!

Then again, perhaps it’s not such a bad idea. After all, it could come in handy when you stub your toe………..

 

Shoes fit for a Duchess (of Cambridge)?!

Obviously this is old news now, but sometimes things become clearer with the benefit of a bit of hindsight. And on reflection,  whilst the Royal Wedding was very lovely and all that, wasn’t it just a bit too, well, perfect?  No fluffing of lines, no entertainingly bad behaviour (at least nothing that made it into the papers) and a good 99% of guests beautifully attired with a few glaring exceptions just to prove the rule.

All very beautiful, but not exactly exciting.  Or even that memorable.  And it could have been so very different without much effort whatsoever. For example, can you remember what shoes the Duchess of Cambridge was wearing as she walked down the aisle. Nope – me neither. But imagine if Kate had stepped out in these beauties? Though at a push I would have settled for Pippa – after all, they’d have set that fake tan off a treat!