• Supplier Spotlight: Mod Shoes [The Angie]

    It’s a pleasure today to talk about Mod Shoes, which were established back in 2011 but I only became aware of them over the past couple of years. I followed them intently and lusted after their many gorgeous designs (have a look here, honestly they’re the cutest things ever!). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to buy as most of you know I’m vegan. So much to my delight, this year Mod Shoes have launched their very own range of vegan shoes and they are AMAZING! Could this gal be any happier? I think not. 

    If you’ve never heard of the brand before, they make their own exclusive designs with factories based in Spain and Portugal, creating ‘smart shoes for smart people’ setting themselves apart from the High Street and bargain buys. Their focus is on quality designs with influences from the 60’s, 70’s and mod era. I love modern shoes with a vintage twist and their range of retro styles have something to suit everyone.

    I was gifted The Angie in the gorgeous blue and vanilla colour way which based on an original 1960’s shoe.  The royal blue is so striking against the cream – I love it! 

    I love the little silver ball details to the ends of the laces too. Such a sweet and effective touch!

    They’re a patent style (also available as non patent) with a cream toecap and a 5cm heel making them a great choice for work or play. They also have gel cushioned inserts so comfort is definitely key and I can confirm they are really lovely to wear – you could absolutely wear them all night dancing and not feel a thing!

    They’re also really soft and flexible, not like some vegan shoes can be where they’ve rushed to get a vegan option out but the quality isn’t up to par. One of the founders of Mod Shoes is vegan and really wanted to produce a vegan range which looks and feels great and compares equally to the rest of their range. I have to say, they didn’t disappoint! They’re hands down the best vegan shoes I own. 

    The Angie is available in UK sizes 2-9 with other styles available up to size 11. The vegan range also includes the very fabulous Dusty Vee which is a version of the non vegan Dusty from their collection. The turquoise t bar pair are my favourite and it has a slightly higher heel at 8cm with the gel inserts to maintain comfort.

    All shoes are available with the option of Clearpay making it easy to pay in instalments if needed, and delivery is fast and free (over £40). 

    I think it’s important to point out that you don’t need to be vegan to buy vegan shoes – they’re just man made. So by choosing man made instead of leather occasionally, you just happen to be helping the animals too.

    Mod Shoes also offer a range of clothing and cool tights, so if you want to add some snazziness to your legs as well as your feet, you can find those here. I love all the delicate patterns and bold prints – especially as the weather has cooled again this week so tights are super handy!

    The team are really friendly and helpful too, so if you can’t find the answer to a question on the website (there is so much helpful info on there too), then drop them a line and they’ll be able to help.

    I’m utterly enamoured with The Anglie and really enjoyed the change in style frommy usual 50’s to 60’s influences. I’m off to prance around in my gorgeous new shoes now! x

     

    Full disclosure:
    I was gifted this pair as I’m now a Brand Ambassador for Mod Shoes (woohoo! lucky ole me). However, I’ve long been a fan of their shoes and only write honest reviews which are my own personal thoughts, not that of the brand. I was recommending this company a long time before I became an ambassador and will continue to do so as their products are fantastic! 

  • [London Edge Feb 2020 Part 4] Charlie Stone Shoes

    In the fourth segment of my tour around this year’s London Edge, I was absolutely delighted to meet Samantha Capello of Charlie Stone Shoes. What a charming, elegant, lady with real passion for what she does – she very much personifies her brand, which offers beautiful vintage styling with the modern practicality of flat/low heel designs.

    As someone that travels to events and then runs around them all day, I often wear something flat or low heeled for the journey, then swap to my heels once I’m there. I did this at London Edge as you can see from previous photos; I’m wearing a low heeled boot in one, (which I travelled in), and then my platform peep toes for the rest of the show. I would love to be able to wear just one pair all day but the trouble has always been finding something that’s still in keeping with the rest of my vintage styled outfit and comfortable enough to whizz from one end of the City to another. In warmer weather I usually resort to a modern ballet flat but they’re quite bland, offer little to zero support, and don’t add to the overal aesthetic I’m going for with my dresses.

    Samantha has created a range of luxurious, handcrafted, shoes which have taken influences from the 1920’s to the 1950’s – they’re incredibly pretty but comfort is also key with their cushioned insoles and hidden arch support.

    I’ve been a fan of the brand for a long time and adored their style but, as I’m vegan, the leather items weren’t an option for me. I was delighted to see a thoughtful selection of vegan products (I particularly love Roma and Firenze from the current collection), have been added to the upcoming season releases, using a high quality, breathable, microfibre PU, which I’m thrilled about.

    These stunning rose gold and white, shell shaped, flats are called Moorea, both vegan and will be launching in April. I love the shape of these with their open toes, exuding elegance and so easy to wear with a dress on balmy summer nights or paired with capris and a light jacket for a day of exploring a Parisian city break.

    I also noted they have the handy quick release buckles which I believe all collections will have going forward. They’re so much easier than having to do the buckle up each time, you just lift the strap into a hook and you’re done! I have a few shoes with this style already and they’re so much faster to put on and hold firmly in place without fuss.

    Also new to the vegan range this year are these low t bar heels:

    Modelling the black pair on the day, they looked great on Samantha and were clearly comfortable as she’d been on her feet all day by that point! They went really well with the dress Samantha was wearing and seemed to be a versatile shoe – something you could wear to the office or out for dinner.

    The rose gold pair have the design detail of a Manhattan flat to the front, but with the addition of a small heel. They’re super sparkly and guaranteed to make your outfit shine! It felt like a really good quality glitter too, not the type which rubs off or leaves a trail everywhere you go, you can tell they’re exceptionally well made.

    As well as the dazzling array of shoes, I spotted these glorious rattan bags which were launched at the start of the year.

    Inspired by Grecian Summers, these sweet little bags are named Kythira and come in white (above) and natural (below) with gold fixings.

    My favourite is the natural version as it sets off my Tiki inclinations. The dimensions are 20 x 13 x 6.5 cm, small enough to be demure, but big enough to hold a mobile phone, (which many vintage styled bags don’t consider), along with your other essentials. Unfortunately these have already sold out on the website (I’m not surprised as they’re undeniably a must have item) but hopefully stockists will have some incoming.

    You can buy the full range directly from Charlie Stone via their website (do remember to factor in customs tax and duties when importing). It’s also important to note that they’ve taken the rather fabulous step of using only 100% compostable, plant based, mail bags for single item orders and use minimal tissue paper for packaging leading to much less waste. In a world of fast fashion, it’s so important for us to be consciously thinking about our own impact and it brings joy to my heart to see a company so proactive and innovative when it concerns our planet – we only have one and need to be kind to it.

    You can also purchase Charlie Stone shoes here in the UK and EU from the following stockists:

    Voluptuous Vintage

    Top Vintage 

    Revival Retro 

    These shops have a good selection to choose from, and some will be stocking the Summer lines, so I look forward to seeing the new styles grace their websites.

    I hope you’ve enjoyed having a look at what’s to come for Charlie Stone, it was a real pleasure to chat to Samantha and learn more about her company and the exciting way it’s evolving.

    The next edition of the London Edge highlights will be going live shortly, subscribe below to be notified x

     

  • Crazy for Coloko! Shoe Review

    I’m a bit of an Imelda Marcos if truth be told. I have hundreds of pairs of shoes but only one pair of feet – go figure! But I can never resist a cute pair of shoes and these low flats by Coloko tick all the boxes! I’d been wanting a pair of jelly style shoes since forever, but everything I’d previously seen reminded me too much of actually wearing jelly shoes to school in the 80’s! So I was delighted to finally find a pair that feel more grown up, but fun at the same time.

    The Blossom style I chose is an open shoe with covered heel and toe, featuring a double bow on top. I opted for the blue and it has a speckled effect (almost like glitter but it isn’t at all shiny) and a small heel of 15mm making them super comfortable to walk around in for long periods.

    Coloko Blossom side and sole

    The footbed has a really sweet pattern on it too, as well as the sole of the shoe – they haven’t forgotten about keeping things pretty when they’re not on your feet, which I love (and think of all the cute patterns you’ll leave while walking on the beach!).

    Coloko Blossom Footbed

    I was a bit concerned about them being open and thought they may slip on and off my heel, but they’re a perfect fit and don’t do that at all. I would say I’m a small 4 (37) and they’re true to size.

    Recently I’ve been trying to make better choices for the planet, so being a vegan friendly product is such a plus too. The packaging is fully recyclable as well (though I tend to keep all the boxes my shoes come in so they don’t get dusty).

    If you sign up to their newsletter there’s a 15% off code for orders and delivery is free over £30. They have other ballerina flats and sandals too, which are obviously going to be next on my list!