Rag & Bone/JEAN Dre boyfriend jeans | $225 before the discount
Nili Lotan ruched blouse | $225 before the discount
James Perse low back dress | $245 before the discount
The spring event at Shopbop is here…use code BIGEVENT16 for 15% off orders over $250, 20% off orders over $500 and 25% off orders over $1,000. I’m not normally a fan of tiered codes (I prefer a straight discount), but the good thing about these is that there aren’t a lot of brand exclusions. So, there’s that. And, if you planned ahead and saved up, the 25% off $1,000 is a great deal; you could pretty much knock out your spring shopping all at once, if that’s your thing.
Anyway, it seems I usually use this spring code at Shopbop to buy a pair of shoes. Last year, it was the Rachel Comey moon wedges, which I loved, but hardly wore and ended up selling in July. This year, I’m going equally beautiful and with a pair I love, but that are infinitely more practical, I hope: the Freda Salvador Lock D’Orsay flat. As I do, I obsessed and went over and over this decision in my head for hours before buying.
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Also on my list were these Vince mules (so beautiful) and Coclico wedges (also beautiful!!), because I wanted something lighter in color for spring, but I ended up going with the flat oxfords, because, flat. Who am I kidding? I have beautiful wedges and sandals already, and I just don’t wear heels on a regular basis anymore. I want something I can wear the hell out of, and I think the Freda Salvador shoes are it. But we’ll see…
On the things I featured above: I tried on the Rag & Bone/JEAN dre jeans last week in several washes and really loved them. They fit my calves beautifully, and were very comfortable. They’ll stretch, but I think I’d take my “normal” size. I’ll talk more about denim later this week. The Nili Lotan blouse was on my short list of things to buy if I didn’t use my credits on the shoes; I love the light blue, and that it’s not actually chambray, but is as versatile as a chambray shirt. And finally, I don’t really need to say much about the James Perse dress do I?? Of course I love it, and recommend it. Click through to see the back!
Are you ordering anything? What do you have your eye on for spring?
*Coclico shoes are sustainable and ethically produced:
Our materials are sourced locally in Europe, near our small, family-run factory in Mallorca, Spain. At our NYC headquarters, we not only work to underpin the design process behind each collection but also seek the highest standards of ethical and environmental responsibility. The result is a union of modern minimalism and traditional quality.
I would consider Freda Salvador shoes also sustainable – they’re handmade in Spain as well.
Sadly, I don’t think the Vince shoes are necessarily sustainable, per se, but some styles are made in Italy, and I can absolutely vouch for their longevity and comfort.
Many more things I love at Shopbop:
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I love Vince shoes. I bought their flatform sandals in grey last summer.
which ones did you get farha? the double strappy ones? or the slides? I keep looking at a pair of their flatforms…
I got the Saskia slides in grey. I love them.They are the perfect height and color for me. I stopped buying black sandals a few years ago. I love having color or grey shoes for summer because all my dresses are black/denim or grey.
They went on sale at Bloomingdales a while ago but I got them from Nordstrom:
http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/vince-platform-slide-sandals-saskia?ID=1319586&pla_country=US&cm_mmc=Google-PLA-ADC-_-Women%27s%20Shoes-NA-_-Vince-_-93636367135USA&catargetid=120156070000241206&cadevice=c
oh, those are the ones I’m most interested in, also in gray, or another “not black” color – i need to stop buying black shoes/bags/etc. also! how is the sizing? in my sneakers, i size down 1/2 size, did you take your normal size?
I took my normal size. I would have gotten the navy if the grey sold out.
Ideally i am trying to diversify my summer sandals to include more color/grey and metallics so they offset all my black summer shift dresses. I bought a green bag last year and a metallic bag the summer before that also help. I live in a 4-seasons part of the country so I am in grey/black/navy for most of October-April.
I liked the way they looked and they fit in my regular size, but they cut the top of my foot on the instep something fierce! because of not flexible hard sole and a high vamp, i felt like my feet were ‘imprisoned”. maybe it depends on the upper part material, mine were grey suede.
I almost went for the Vince mules but ended up getting the Rachel Comey Mars mules instead. Also bought the Bella Freud Je t’aime Jane sweater in black (which I’ve had my eye on forever. I was $180 short of the highest tier discount but decided not to buy more just for the sake of it. (I bought the LNA cold-shoulder top when they restocked M just 3 days before the sale. Ugh!)
Just a quick question about sizing of Rachel Comey shoes. Do you know if they run small? (I got them in my usual US 8). Now wondering if I had to return them, whether refunds during these sales events are just as straightforward as normal? Thanks!
I also loved the Loefler Randall Petra slides but I didn’t want black and the silver were too shiny for me. But they are as comfy as Birks but cuter imho.
The LR Petra’s are more comfy than the Vince Saskia. I had tried them both on.
Farha´s last blog post ..It’s time for brunch!
i’ve had several pairs of rachel comey shoes and always found them to run perfectly true to size. and yes, refunds are straightforward during the sales, i just hate to make a mistake during them, and lose out on the discount!! and that has happened for me the last several sales…
wow, good for you not buying more to get the bigger discount! i almost always try to resist doing that and fail. although i didn’t do it this time, so good for us!!
The Freda Salvador shoes are beautiful! I have been trying to be more mindful and waiting between impulse and buying but they only had 3 pairs left. They look like they will be perfect for nice weather. Can’t wait to get them. Thanks for your great posts as always.
oh! you got them?? I’m excited about them, they’re a very different style for me, AND they’ll be great for weather like we’re having now, where it’s not HOT, but not cold, and I’m not ready to get my toes summer-ready yet LOL
I did! I’m excited. They meet all my criteria– I am trying hard to buy fewer things and have them be sustainably and responsibly made. The article about all of the clothes going into the landfills after we’ve all been de-cluttering is terribly disheartening.
Wow, $1000 on a whole new seasonal wardrobe. It’s fun to consider having lots of new pieces, but in terms of sustainability…and my wallet… it seems excessive. I’m just curious, is this how a lot of women shop – by adding/replacing entire chunks of their wardrobe all at once? It’s a whole different mindset.
I met the owners/designers of freda salvador a couple years ago and was very impressed by them – the shoes in person are incredibly well-made, and so beautiful. i’ve wanted a pair forever, but wasn’t sure how they’d work on me, and which style i’d like, so i’m glad i finally took the plunge. i hope they work out!!
yes, that donated clothing/landfill issue made a very big impact on me also, when i saw it in the true cost. aside from the fact that a lot of our donated clothing gets thrown away, much of it also goes to developing nations, and has crowded out their local clothing industries…
i think the answer is truly to try and buy less, so we don’t have to keep purging and donating, but also to take very good care of the things we do own, and when it comes time to part with them, try to sell/give them directly to someone (or an organization, like dress for success, etc) that we know will use/appreciate them.
I completely agree. Fewer things that are better made is without question the right answer for me. I do so much better in the morning when I don’t have a million choices and actually wear the things I have!
i have no idea how a lot of women shop, only myself, and i have tried to save up and buy seasonally, and once, during sales, etc., and never have been able to do it – i’m not that organized. i think, though, that quite a few people (men included) buy seasonally, based on what they need/want for the upcoming season and then don’t shop again until the next one, or whenever. It makes sense to me…
as far as sustainability is concerned, i don’t see the relevance of the dollar amount? everyone’s budget is different – and of course, $1,000 doesn’t have to mean “lots of new pieces,” it can mean a couple pairs of shoes and a bag, or dress, or just one bag. who knows?
Oh, I have my eye on lots of wonderful things! But I decided to hold out for the items on my running list instead of just going for something “unplanned” (and undoubtedly wonderful). I’m learning that along with my minimalist style, I have to throw something totally fun in there occasionally….while trying to stick to my budget at the same time.
I love those Freda Salvador shoes! I can’t wait to see how you pair them up with outfits. This may be something you’ve covered before, but I’m curious as to what makes the Freda’s sustainable, but not the Vince shoes made in Italy? I’m not sure that I’m totally getting the concept. Thx!
i’ll respond more in depth in a post, maybe, but basically, i guess i consider smaller companies like freda salvador, coclico, etc. that handmake their shoes on a much smaller scale, more “inherently” sustainable than larger companies like vince, even though they produce some of their shoes in Italy. In many cases, and perhaps what happens with Vince, there are only a few shoe manufacturers in a certain country that produce shoes for many many different brands.
I don’t think this is what happens with freda salvador, coclico, and other brands that manufacture in spain – i think they have their own artisans and craftsman who make the shoes, but i can’t be sure (this is based only on what i’ve read on their sites…). to me, that is more altogether sustainable.
in general, for me, i think it tends to come down to the smaller the company, the better. not always the case, of course, but sometimes i do think the company can be more environmental-minded, ethical, and put in place more inherently sustainable business practices.
Thanks, Grechen! That makes sense to me….the idea of smaller and artisan-made. Although I still think a point you made earlier is valid: If we wear a pair of shoes often and for a long time, it is inherently sustainable. I look forward to reading more.
yes. of course, i think that is probably the most important way we can get a more sustainable wardrobe: wear what we have 🙂