2sweetkittys

I feel like I'm pulling a culinary Benedict Arnold here...but I generally prefer food in Britain! Note I didn't say British food--but food in Britain. Indian food tastes so much better there as does Japanese, Spanish, and Greek food. (Chinese food in the UK, however, is not great...I prefer that in the US. More of the Szechuan variety I think, meaning hotter and spicier.) I do like fish and chips a lot. But what I miss even more are the carveries: my absolute favorite. As I recall, they seemed to be disappearing quickly back in the late 90s, partly because of the BSE scare. There's nothing like good ol' roast beef (yes, I know there's even a folk song about the roast beef of England) and lamb, and yes, Yorkshire pudding. I'm also a big glutton for meat pies, particularly the kinds you find at local summer fairs. I miss M & S quite a bit too. As an American, I was surprised at the variety of food there during the early '90s, especially ethnic food (even if it was probably somewhat Westernized). Where else can you find prawn crackers outside of Chinatown? In America, I love Tex-mex and barbeque--even though I grew up on the East coast and Midwest. I have yet to try some truly authentic Southern food, partly because I've rarely traveled down there except for conferences. (I did like the po' boys in New Orleans tho' but didn't get to sample any real Creole food.) One of these days when flying becomes less of a hassle...

It's been a while since I've logged on here--thanks for the pics, BSS! They look really great. I nearly bid on two pairs today but the price went up much higher than I was willing to pay. (Bought 3 pairs these last 3 months so have to cool off for a while!)

When you think about it, men have worn tall boots over their pants or breeches from the 17th century (if not earlier) through the late 19th. And they wore heels too. So when anyone asks you about tucking your tall boots outside of your jeans, just them you're real "old school"

(BTW - 'China Glaze' are coloured laquers - http://www.chinaglaze.com/ What you need though is a clear gloss topcoat isn't it?).

Yes, you're right--although I'm always a sucker for new colors!

I have never heard of China Glaze--guess that's something to check out. It's probably the top coat that makes the difference (along with general nail care). As I was saying earlier, it didn't seem to matter whether I was using an expensive or cheap color; they all seemed to chip off within a day or so.

Thanks so much again, pussyinboots!

Thanks, pussyinboots-- Maybe that's my problem: I do my nails all at once, waiting only about 5 minutes between coats! Is La Femme a new product? I was in England between 1994 and 2001 but could swear I'd never seen it. (I used to buy Boots and Miss Selfridge.) I will definitely check out La Femme in the US (have just noticed that cosmeticsfairy sells on ebay); Honeypot seems to be a little harder to find.

Thanks, Bootking and ShoeDre-- Bootking, I bought some beautiful gold nail polish by Opi for Sephora, but alas, that chipped within a day! I've heard so many good things about it so I figure I must be doing something wrong. ShoeDre, I'll have to try that out: your nails look great! Vaseline is great stuff with so many uses, isn't it? (If I recall correctly, there was a famous actress who claimed that she used it as a cream for her face...I've started it using it as both a make-up remover and moisturizer.) What top coat do you use by the way? There seem to be at least a dozen by Sally Hansen alone! (speaking of which, I LOVE the new metallics in the different silvers, golds, and bronzes--Olympic colors, LOL!)

I love doing my own nails. Trouble is--my polish always seems to chip within a day! What are your secrets for keeping the polish on for at least 3 days? I should probably tell you what brands I use: Revlon, Sally Hansen, and Wet n Wild. I've also tried Estee Lauder, Lancome and Dior but have not found any of them to be significantly better than the cheaper ones.

I have also owned Manolo Blahnik's - which broke within 4 weeks of purchase as the vamp was clear plastic (like stripper heels) - and it split. Not what one expects from a $900.00 pair of shoes.

Broken, unwearable shoes - are broken, unwearable shoes - whether they cost $90.00 or $900.00! Hence my comment that many 'haute couture' heels are over-rated and overpriced.

If there's anything that annoys me, it's poorly made shoes--especially when those that cost a pretty penny! After all, the whole point of getting decent, supposedly well-made shoes (like a decent car) is to have them last for some time with minimal repairs. I had two pairs of sandals by Stuart Weitzman that broke in exactly the same place after wearing them for a summer: and they broke AGAIN soon after I got them repaired. (Thank God I bought them on Ebay for much less than retail price or I would be feeling ripped off.) Maybe that particular style was bad, but that's probably the last time I will buy Weitzman.

Same thing happened with a pair of Kenneth Coles: the strap also broke after a summer's use.

In contrast, I have a pair of Cole Haans with skinny straps that have lasted me at least 3 summers of almost daily wear.

I personally have not had problems with my more expensive shoes and boots like the Lorenzis and RLs (especially some of the latter which I wear almost daily). I guess this is what truly fine craftsmanship is all about.

What's interesting is that I have a pair of Prada boots from 2002-3 with red soles. Now I'm curious to know which designer was the first to do this! I also have a pair of Paciottis that I got this year--although I'm not sure when they were originally designed. Did Paciotti always have red soles or did he copy others?

Hello, DawnHH--they seem to fit! I say "seem to" because I haven't actually tried them on with hose yet. I still have to find a pair of beige leggings or capris and a top that are nearly the same color as the boots but will coordinate with the sweater.

Those are probably the best-looking Uggs I've ever seen: they actually have SHAPE! Most of the ones I've encountered have been the little slipper bootie types that are certainly comfy at home but are aesthetically disastrous.

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I love designer heels, but I have to agree with pussyinboots to some extent, because there are some that are just downright hideous--like the ones recently posted by Majo. I also catch myself wondering, "OK, are those sandals with simple strips of leather really worth $1100?" Maybe it's just me being a relatively impoverished academic but I cannot see myself spending more than $200 for a pair of sandals. (They'd have to be REAL special for that price!)

I tend to prefer boots and sandals. I wear sandals from May through late September, sometimes October if it's warm enough. I have all kinds of boots from furry, pom-pom ones to sleek stilettos w/ metal heels. The more embellishments, the better: love buckles, studs, and embroidery (but not at the same time)

The most I ever shelled out for any heels was a pair of boots that I bought after my first year of graduate school (reward for passing with flying colors!). They were a pair of Calvin Kleins that cost me $695. Those boots remained my favorite for some years until I returned to the US and discovered ebay. (Don't know if that's a good or bad thing since I've bought so much stuff I really don't need...) As such, I've never paid more than $400 for a pair of heels--and at that probably only for 3 or 4 pairs of boots. I recently just got a pair of burgundy patent Oscar de la Renta's that got reduced from $1245 to $319. For shoes, I've never paid more than $175. My best bargains were a pair of RL python sandals reduced from $1100 to 150, purple suede RL heels from $600 to $58, and Delman's from $325 to $30. (All brand new too...)

I agree with others here. I used to go to Bicester Village every once in a while when I was in graduate school (this was during the late '90s.) My predominant sense was that much of the stuff was never anything I was looking for--yet it was still quite overpriced. Nothing ever made go, "WOW--I just have to have it!" The only possible exception was probably Joan and David and they may not be there anymore (my last visit was in 2001): this is the only shop where I ever bought anything.

Hey, Philosopher--I sympathize with your plight even though my undergraduate days are long over. Maybe you've figured out these alternatives already, but have you considered... 1. Working at the library--shelving & cataloging books (there's always a demand for shelvers at libraries because they can never catch up fast enough with those peeps who pull out whole shelves of books and leave a mess in their carrels) 2. If you write reasonably well, perhaps you can write for your college paper or local paper. Don't forget reviewers usually get press tickets. 3. Internships 4. Tutoring (something to consider if you get A's consistently in any subject area) 5. Lab assistantships These are all I could think of for now; maybe others can provide more ideas. These, especially the last 4, are a boon because not only will you be able to buy more heels, but you will also build up on your work experience: which everyone needs today in the lousy job market.

It must be...must be the black hole at the post office! That's right. The post office. It has managed to suck up my checks into the hole while miraculously delivering my packages. (What I want to know is...why are ebay stocks rising so slowly?! You'd think with all the spending I do there, it would go up more than $2 since I bought them!)

Scratches head...I bought 4 pairs of pumps last year and a pr of shaggy boots with heels that I've not worn yet. As if making up for last year, I've bought 3 prs of boots and 2 prs of sandals. The sad thing is that 4 of them have been kind of impulse buys. They were by my favorite designers and they were almost dirt cheap: as in a 3rd of the original price in the worst case, and a 10th of the orginal in the best. So I have a feeling there won't be too many pairs in the near future! (My resolve will probably vanish in the fall when new stuff appears!)

Great--or dang--you "made" me buy those boots, DawnHH:) They've been listed at least twice since I first posted...I kept thinking well not really. I have enough boots. But after getting a long beige-ish ruffled cashmere sweater just days ago, I thought you know, these boots would look really great underneath it with a ivory turtleneck and matching leggings. Then I saw your post and rationalized--yes! (Now I'll have to search for the turtleneck and leggings, LOL.)

I don't know how long ago high school was for you, but if it was a while back, I think there would have been even less acceptance than now (not that there's a lot of amongst highschoolers today from what I can tell!) I think you were right in doing what you did. So long as you're doing what you want today, that's what really counts: because you're absolutely right--life's too short to dwell on the coulda-beens (even though I probably do that myself more than I ought). It appears that the only place where you can get away with wearing just about anything you want is probably in fashion (of course), media, or education, particularly university education. I had an advisor at an ancient English university who wore wear plunging necklines, skin-tight zebra jeans and stilettos. There was another one who wore leather jackets, minis and ankle boots. The dons in the last century would probably never have anticipated this, tsk tsk--but things do change! (Alas, not soon enough...) Well, if you ever get to be the boss at work, you can begin calling the shots...

I totally get it, Histiletto--I've always preferred heels although I've not always worn them. (I managed to get into flats for a while when they were in during part of the 80s and 90s.) When I was a little girl, I wanted so badly to wear my mom's shoes. In contrast, I've never envied my father's oxfords and loafers, LOL. And I remember thinking back in highschool, that God I'm a girl: I can wear heels! Let's face it, you can do so much more with them--that's why I understand where you're coming from. Unlike men's shoes, women's come in all different colors and many more textures. They can be beaded, embellished, brocaded...just about anything. And of course there's something about the way heels change your posture. You can stand taller, straighter, and strut. (Ever wonder why cats look so proud and elegant? It's because they walk on tippy toes.) It's true that cities can be very conservative, depending on where you are. My guess it that the very posh and the lower middle circles tend to be the least accepting of difference: you'll probably need to find a more "bohemian" area where they're more likely to be tolerant. Life's too short to live up to others' expectations. You gotta live up to your own. (Words of wisdom from someone who grew up in a very authoritarian household and has had to learn to buck it.)

I remember when I was in NYC last summer, wellies were all the rage--and in all colors and designs. Kind of neat. However, they're probably the last form of footwear I would ever consider. I still prefer close fitting shoes. And they gotta have real heels.

One theme that emerges from both of your posts, Majo and Histilleto, is that we need to be ourselves. It's so true. Of course, part of this depends on how and when you've been raised and where you are now: did you live in a relatively "conservative," suburban community? A large city? How did your parents and teachers expect you to think and behave, etc.? Are you allowed to express yourself freely where you live now? Not that all of these factors will necessarily make suburbanites become conformist or city dwellers more open-minded--sometimes they result in opposite tendencies altogether--but the way you've dealt with your surroundings does shape the way in which you decide to "think outside the box." And depending on the combination of their experiences and personalities, some people will be more willing to venture out and experiment more than others. I think most of us know that at the moment men unfortunately cannot get away wearing heels to all places, especially work: if you were to do so, you might find your job on the line if your boss is the least bit judgmental! However, there's nothing wrong with experimenting outside of the workplace. I say--wear them out shopping, to the park, clubbing, anywhere else you want. And maybe you and your friends might help make it acceptable for following generations. It does help. I've noticed in the fashion world that there's been greater willingness to push the boundaries: for instance, that's why there are more men wearing sarongs in cities than there were 20 years ago (at least in the US). There are also more designers for men doing skirts and dresses today: the most famous example I can think of is Thom Brown, who designs not only for the couture collection of Brooks Brothers, but skirt suits for men as well: 30 years ago, you would not have been able to imagine that. From what I understand too, these skirt suits are proving quite popular and selling out. So do what floats your boat. Life's too short to always be conforming to the dictates of others.