I know it’s been a bit since Nina Garcia’s book came out, but I ran across this fun article where Garcia explains shoes, only how a fashionista can.
The Utmost Importance of Shoes
Project Runway’s Nina Garcia gives some solid advice about the dos and don’ts when it comes to shoes and your own personal style.
You can never have enough high heels. You just can’t. People will try to tell you differently. Smile politely and slowly strut away. A great pair of heels is a powerful thing — it can change your mood, your posture, your attitude; it can make a boring outfit instantly fabulous, and it always makes your legs look better. How many things in the world have that much power? I don’t know of any. This is why I respect the shoe and often start the entire dressing process with the shoe and let it inspire the rest of my look.
Disclaimer: I know I said there are no rules when it comes to style, but we are talking shoes here. It’s a whole different ball game and I feel it necessary to lay down the ground rules.
Invest in a good pair of shoes
Even if it’s only one pair. There are only a few designers who make very good shoes. It is difficult and expensive to make a perfect, quality shoe. It is also impossible to make a cheap shoe look expensive. Spend wisely here, because it really matters. The names that you hear repeatedly have certainly earned their reputation, among them:
Manolo Blahnik: The sexiest and the safest investment. A sure thing.
Christian Louboutin: To-die-for red soles, the most creative styles, big on toe cleavage.
Roger Vivier: Extremely chic and one-of-a-kind.
Jimmy Choo: Very sexy and the most comfortable. For the real chameleon.
Azzendine Alaïa: For the connoisseur and adventuress.Where your size
Often in my business, I see fashionistas who are a size 7 try to fit into a sample size 9. I guess they think that nobody will notice. People notice. And when girls try to squeeze into a smaller size, the effect is ghastly. Toes spilling out of a pair of strappy, sexy sandals is a very painful sight. I do not wince out of sympathy for your feet. I side with the shoe.
Only show two cracks
Toe cleavage does not get the attention it deserves, but trust me, it matters. Two cracks, no more.
Get pedicures
Chipped toe polish, cracked heels, etc. are not acceptable.
Don’t go too high
I am a fan of height, but there is such a thing as too high (over four inches). You will not be able to walk correctly in a heel over four inches. Your posture will shift and you will look ridiculous.
Watch your proportions
Hardly anyone can pull off a very short skirt with a very high heel without looking like a tramp.
You can never have enough high heels
Never.
From The Little Black Book of Style. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Copyright (c) 2007 by Nina Garcia. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Buy Nina Garcia’s The Little Black Book of Style at Amazon.ca or Chapters.Indigo.ca
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