I have this recurring fantasy that I’m driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in California, trying to make it to Santa Barbara before the sun sets. I’m driving a classic red Oldsmobile convertible. My dark hair, tied-up beneath a light blue Hermes scarf, longs to break free. During my journey, a few strands get lucky and make their great escape. They dance around my favorite Jackie O sunglasses and tickle my sun-kissed face.
Even though I’m driving on the cliffs that teeter the sun-drenched ocean, I’m lost in another body of water, a sea of love. I’ve arranged to meet the man of my dreams at Stearns Wharf. We’ve agreed to rendezvous at a local piano bar, where we’ll listen to sultry music and drink a king’s share of martinis.
Our evening will consist of longing glances, the occasional whispering of sweet nothings and a mutual understanding that there is absolutely no other place in the world that either one of us would rather be. I can hear my throaty laughter now, before it happens. There’s just a certain way a woman sounds when she’s in love.
Maybe it’s the sound of reckless abandon or maybe it’s just the sound of happiness. Whatever it is, I never want it to go away. I dream of a velvety box where I can store away the feelings that new love brings. I would lock it up and enjoy it at my leisure.
This time, the familiar drive seems excruciatingly long, but it’s more exquisite than the weekend before and I’m thankful for that. The day is lazy and generous with her beauty, but stingy with her time. There’s never enough of it. Never enough time to see and do and live for all the things we long for.
The gingham-collared button-up shirt that I’m wearing snaps occasionally against my skin, as it flirts with the warm sea air. My soft and supple white worn-out jeans are rolled up just over my ankles. They’re the perfect length to show off “The Elegant Espadrille.”
I chose the shoe especially for this evening because it’s romantic, relaxed and regal. It’s the kind of shoe that doesn’t seem like its trying. Sometimes, simple sophistication is sexier than an over-the-top high heel. You can wear them to dinner, do a little dancing and then easily slip them off for a midnight walk on the beach.
The good news is, you don’t have to have a recurring fantasy (like this one) to wear them. You do have to have a desire, though, to take your wardrobe from Winter to Spring in an easy, effortless way. “The Elegant Espadrille” is the perfect transitional slip on. It’s by far, the most popular shoe of the moment.
You can pair them with just about anything. I love wearing them with my favorite skinny jeans, a funky t-shirt and a buttery-beige, light-leather-textured coat for extra style. If I need to dress the look up, I go with fashion that flows, like a wonderful wide-legged pant and a pretty silk shirt (pictured in the blog.)
This Spring “The Elegant Espadrille” that’s most popular is one with a nautical flair. The easiest way to anchor the look is to choose a shoe with colors that give off a yuppie-esque New England appearance; blues, beiges and whites are just right and more than suitable for a drive up the California coast or for a day in the life of a Miami fashionista.
Always try an Espadrille on for size, because they can run flat in the arch of the foot and slip off the heel. A half-size smaller, for me, makes for a more adjustable fit, because the shoe’s made mostly of material, woven rope and stark stitching, so it stretches as the foot finds its way to an adjustable comfort. One more thing: this type of shoe is delicate and wears out easily, so don’t break the bank when buying a pair. In the meantime…
Just as the sky started to sprinkle itself with light pink, a hue of plum purple and a warm speckle of red, I pulled up to the Wharf to find my man waiting for me. God, he was handsome. He was wearing beige drawstring linen pants, a white button-up (because he didn’t believe in my “T’s With Personality” blog from a few weeks ago) and slim, white Havaiana flip-flops. We embraced passionately and kissed as if our lips would never meet again.
As we walked toward the sunset he smiled at me and said: “I wish this moment could last forever.” I grinned with agreement. I did want it to last forever, but a part of me knew that next year, something new and different would sail into style. At least for now, though, I was living life one stylish step at a time and that’s why “The Elegant Espadrille” is one of my favorite things.
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Editor: Matthew Auerbach
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