Shoeniverse Spotlight - the gorgeous Casadei bridal edit

Following on from last week's post featuring the divine Christian Louboutin New Very Prive - Perfect for a Summer Bride, I thought that you blushing brides-to-be out there might appreciate a follow up post showcasing some alternatives. As you all know, I am not a fan of white shoes for a wedding, however much the traditionalists love them. There are basically three choices for a bridal shoe nowadays, and this post highlights great examples of all three, while taking inspiration and showing examples from the Casadei bridal collection 2015.

Whether you opt for traditional white, a soft hint of nude, or a gorgeous soft finish metallic, you really can't go wrong with any of these styles. I think one of the most important things to bear in mind when choosing your bridal heels is the kinds of styles you were normally. If you'd never wear white shoes then maybe it's a waste to spend out on a pair of heels you will never wear again. If you love nude heels then maybe they can be your new go-to special occasion shoe. If you love nothing more than tearing up the town on a night out, then your best bet could be to opt for a metallic you can paint the town red in (with your new husband, of course!) after the big day?

Shop smart and remember to buy flats for the reception too. Don't be a slave to your heels. It's a long day and you want to feel fabulous, not be worrying about sore feet and blisters! You can shop my top three picks below:

Option 1 - Nude
(above, left) - Blade Sheer in Skin / Beige / Gold £675
Asymmetric sandal in nude leather with cross over sheer mesh panels and gold piping.

Option 2 - White
(above, middle) - Blade in White / Silver £550
Iconic "Blade" pointed toe pump in white supple nappa with silver laminated leather piping.

Option 3 - Metallic
(above, right) - Sheer in Cream Candylux / Beige £650
Refined evening sandal with graphic design in cream candylux and sheer mesh panels.

Giuseppe Zanotti just made the most perfect mules.... Ladies, meet your new shoe obsession "GUN"

GUN - £630.00

I am beginning to see glimpses of Giuseppe Zanotti being right back on top form. If these Cowgirl-style spike heeled mules are anything to go by then the soon to be launched Fall 2015 line is going to be incredible. I want boots like this. Right. Now. Sadly the mules are not cheap and impossibly impractical. Don't let that stop you of course if you love them. Whoever said that shoes had to have a practical purpose was probably a man...

Add this season's western inspired mules to your wardrobe. Black leather, 120mm (4.7 inch) heel, with silver buckle and stud detailing combine two key must haves styles of the season for a design led, statement shoe to wear all summer long.

I just found your new favourite ankle boots (thanks to Catarina Martins & @SARENZA)

I think these pretty much speak for themselves. These gorgeous little western-inspired perforated leather ankle boots are perfect from dusk til dawn. In a choice of off white or classic black, they are new in at Sarenza this week and are by far my favourite new boots of the season so far. As with all Catarina Martins boots they are created by hand and are an easy to wear luxury for every day. They can be added to your shoe closet for £163.00.

Catarina Martins’ authentic rock-chic boots combine quality and know-how for an irresistible nonchalance with trendy, rebellious accents. Biker boots with buckles and cowboy boots are the main inspiration for Catarina Martins.

Founded in 1993 by Paulo Martins, Catarina Martins shoes are made for dynamic, fun women who appreciate fashion combined with comfort and quality. Made with high quality materials and made entirely by hand, Catarina Martins creations are unique.

Shop the Outfit - The Shoeniverse Style Workwear Edit June 2015

This is basically the sort of outfit that I was attempting to create. I am very much a devoted Black Milk girl (Sharkie's rule!) and I LOVE my gaudy printed spandex, but this would just be an easier look for really lazy mornings that would actually look kind of smart. But with zero effort. Who doesn't want to be that girl?

You can shop the look below, everything is high street and it won't cost you a fortune to put it together. Swap the wedges out for brogues or gladiators, ankle boots or heels as the weather (and your mood) takes you.

Oasis Double Layer Viscose Camisole £18
It s inspired by a simple cami but silkier, sexier and so much more special thanks to the pretty back cross strap and floaty double layer. Your mirror will approve.

Ted Baker Nashota Distressed Boyfriend Jeans £89
Distressed boyfriend jeans, ted baker womenswear collection, boyfriend fit, distressed denim, mid wash, zip and button fastening.

Linea Kapella T-Bar Footbed Wedge £45
Classic summer style brown wedges - wear them with everything.

Jane Norman Soft Waterfall Jacket in blue £35
Brighten up your outfit with this gorgeous waterfall jacket. Featuring soft texture, waterfall front and long sleeve design. Team with anything from skinny jeans to tailored trousers for a chic finish.

Fossil Sydney Womens Tab Clutch £65
Little things do a lot-our smooth glazed leather clutch holds all your necessities and then some. Created with pockets, card slots and more, it`s the perfect plus one for your purse.

Laura Mercier Satin Lip Colour in Raspberry Sorbet £19.50
Laura Mercier Shimmer Lip Colour in Raspberry Sorbet. Delivers ultra-rich colour in an irresistibly lightweight formula. Its unique blend of moisturizing, anti-aging, anti-oxidant and plumping ingredients enhance the lips leaving a smoother, healthier appearance. One swipe of colour provides hydration and prevents moisture loss ensuring fresh and flawless lips.

Lifestyle Post - I finally caved (and bought a Nutribullet)

I finally gave in and decided that actually a Nutribullet is the latest addition to my new kitchen. Or rather, my new kitchen to be. Seeing as how the building work hasn't actually started on my house yet...

Anyway, I digress.

Just shy of £100 will get you one of these in a variety of colours to match your decor. Perfect for making sure you grab the all essential nutrients in an easy to drink pulp format and boost your metabolism whilst you are being healthy. At first they seemed expensive, but the more I thought about them, the more I believed that this is something that I really need to support my healthy lifestyle. I get it tomorrow and will produce a follow up post once I'm up and running with it. If you are curious, then here is a bit more about it:

NutriBullet completely breaks down your food, liquefying and mixing together all the essential nutrition.

Unlike everyday juicers and blenders, the Nutri Bullet completely breaks down ingredients into a pulp free, delicious smoothie.

It bursts open seeds, cracks through stems, and shreds tough skins to get the most out of your fruit and vegetables.

The Super powerful 600w motor and cyclone technology produces a better, smoother smoothie without all the pulp and bits that you get left over by a regular juicer/blender.

Comes with the Pocket Nutritionist so you can start a healthy diet straight away.

Shoeniverse - How to find the perfect 'boyfriend' jeans (clue: this post might not have the answer)

So, I spent a fair amount of my Saturday trying to find the perfect boyfriend jeans, and I have to admit - I failed dismally. Due to various reasons around my slightly worn out knees, finding skinny jeans to fit can be somewhat problematic. Or at the very best a little uncomfortable. However, I had a dream, one that was sure to work. This involved hip length dip hem chiffon blouses, a variety of summer footwear ranging from wedges and heels to flats and sandals, and the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans. You know what I'm after here. Low slung on the hip held up with a belt. I have the perfect Steve Madden belt for this. My new super-duper jeans would fit flatteringly over my hips, then have an easy ripped leg, ending in a tapered cuff turn up. Not too shabby, and probably something that a lot of you may well be wearing as you read this. However as you read this my dream is currently in tatters.

Surely finding the jeans of my dreams shouldn't be that hard? The ladies in the picture above have all pretty much nailed this look.

It started on Friday. I had a day off from work and decided to run into Superdry and grab these little beauties.



Superdry women's Boyfriend jeans. 
These relaxed fit jeans with a distressed finish feature the classic five pocket design, contrast patterned front pocket lining, a zip and button fastening and an embroidered logo on the coin pocket. The Boyfriend jeans are finished with an embossed logo badge on the waistline and a logo patch on the back pocket.



You have to bear in mind that these are the loosest fit jeans that Superdry currently have in their girls section. They're gorgeous, soft, a great colour and a cool finish. Unfortunately they are also super skin tight over my knees and the very top of my calf despite me buying a size up from what I normally need as I wanted them to be baggy on the hips and slung in with said Steve Madden belt. I was a little disappointed but figured I'd take them back the next day and find a similar pair elsewhere. The good thing about Southampton is there are literally loads of places to shop, with every high street brand you can think of having huge stores.

Saturday started in GAP. I'd done a little research online for suitable replacements and these looked to be definite contenders.



GAP 1969 destroyed authentic boyfriend jeans

Unfortunately I'm unsure if these will fit me or not as they don't actually stock this style in store. This is despite the fact that we have a three storey GAP store, and they have every other style. There were a couple of pairs in the sale but they were too small and I couldn't risk ordering them online in case I had to return them yet again.

So I started to cover town... Debenhams, New Look, John Lewis, Zara, Topshop - you name it and I tried it. I must have tried on more jeans in the past weekend than I have in the past five years, and yet nowhere could I find a pair of jeans in a UK size 10 that would fit me like the ones at the top of this post.

New Look were the worst offenders of the lot, where I must have seen thirty different skinny / jegging options and nothing else (unless you count flares). I don't.

What is going on?

So as of now I'm slightly crestfallen and would welcome any input as to where (if anywhere) to look next. I shall update as and when there is any further progress.

Sincerely, a very sad panda.