Clarks Shoes Available in India: Go Buy! November 13, 2014

I mentioned Clarks entering into a Joint Venture with Future Group India in October 2009. Well, finally we can see the results of it!

I recently bought FOUR pairs of Clarks shoes from the Future Group outlet in Mumbai. I am a happy woman! 🙂

Brand Factory regularly stores Clarks shoes for men, and now it has finally started storing shoes for women as well. Such a relief!!  I never understood why a store would not keep stuff for women, when it is a known fact that women shop for themselves as well, and shoes are a definite soft corner for women.
On the other hand, it is difficult to understand this pairing. Brand Factory is an outlet for discount clothes and shoes, and these shoes are not at discounts usually. Perhaps I missed out – maybe they do have small discount values attached.

I have also seen Clarks shoes at other retail outlets. This is a VERY good sign. I saw them at Lifestyle Stores and Pantaloons as well. Pantaloons being a Future Group store, this makes immense sense.

As I mentioned before, Clarks continues to be available at Metro shoes and Central outlets.

However, the best part is their availability on the Clarks website. There is now a dedicated India website from where one can order shoes, that too at a discount offer running at the moment. So run!

I like Clarks shoes as I have written earlier. I find them sturdy and very well balanced. Their designs however can be a little clunky. The biggest barrier to purchase of a Clarks shoe is its price.

I recommend you go ahead and check out a  pair! I will post about my purchases on the blog 🙂

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This post is not sponsored in any way. The views represented here are purely my own, through delight of owning the shoes.

Strappy Black Sandals – my go-to party shoes! August 10, 2013

It is always nice to wear heels. However, with driving for more than 3 hours a day and incessant rains, it has been a chore to wear shoes that need buckling at the ankles, or have heels that can slip on wet streets.

The other day when we went out for dinner with family, I thought it was the perfect time to bring out my strappy black heels. Hubby was driving, and we were going to a restaurant which meant – no walking through rainy puddles!

They take me about four inches further away from the ground, and make me feel oh-so-happy. There is something about a delicate pencil heel that can make your back straighter, your stride longer and your smile wider. 🙂

Strappy Black High heeled Sandal

I bought this pair a while ago from Catwalk, and considering the delicate nature of Catwalk shoes, have worn them sporadically.

The black colour ensures it matches most clothes, especially skinny jeans – the silhouette it provides is very sleek. There should be one such shoe in every girls wardrobe. A staple which can be worn with almost any colour, can match almost any occasion, and is feminine.

The criss-cross pattern of the straps makes this very feminine, and the gold/metallic loops on the side save it from being too black.

The material is a soft suede, with bits of elastic near the ankle which helps me slip on the shoe fast despite its steep angle due to the heel and the many straps.

This design per se is pretty standard, but there is a specific pair made for every girl out there. This is mine.

The shoe is super comfortable notwithstanding the pencil heel. It is very well balanced, and the straps hold my feet in place perfectly. There is an ankle buckle, which is a little difficult to tie by oneself. The buckle is a small delicate thing, and the strap is as wide as the buckle. This makes it a little difficult to put it through the buckle keyhole, especially for someone with long fingernails. In my opinion they could have put a simple faux buckle, but then this is a small point, and probably makes the shoe more stable.

Strappy high heeled black sandal with open buckle

All said and done, they are a definite plus to my shoe wardrobe, and a very comfortable pair!

Related articles

• LUX Style: 10 Statement Sandals (ladylux.com)
• Ankle Strap Heels (sheerembellished.wordpress.com)

Jutis – for Rainy season…& Breach Candy July 19, 2013

It has started raining in Mumbai. Let me amend that sentence.

It has been raining in Mumbai since before Summer ended, and there is copious amounts of water pouring from the sky at any given time of the day except when I leave for office. *breaths in*. Which makes me sad.

I have not had a single rainy day off. Never in school, and not in office. Such is life.

However, I do have bright, zany, shiny footwear to repel those evil puddles and light up these working days!

Now, the Indian Juti is an awesome footwear. It is ballerina type, and it cut low on the sides, showcasing more of the foot that the more famous ballet slippers. Plus, the jutis have a lot of intricate design and handwork done on them. Traditionally from northern India, the term literally means ‘shoe‘ in feminine (as in, Juta is masculine and used to denote more heavy type of footwear. Men have Jutis as well)

However, traditionally, the Juti is made of leather. This makes it a little uncomfortable in the initial days when you are breaking it in, and also makes it a difficult footwear for all those rainy days.

Which, when you are living in a city like Mumbai or Calcutta ( Kolkata) is 10 months out of the 12 (figurative). The sad part of which is the damage they wreak on leather footwear through the myriad potholes filled with water.

Now, I don’t know if you have heard of this place in South Mumbai called ‘Breach Candy‘. It is next to the sea, and is a narrow uphill road. Its remarkable feature is the plethora of shoe shops on either side of the road!

Shoes! Everywhere! And oh! so many. I love the place.

So when in June my mother came down for a visit, I made my way there with her, for not only is it about a lot of shoe shops, it is also a nice quaint neighborhood where one can spend a lot of time doing nothing. Oh! and it has a number of coffee shops and bakeries. What more can you ask for eh?

Walking around Breach Candy, it is almost impossible not to buy shoes. And, in one of the shops as we went in, I spotted these bright blue jutis.

I put them on, only to realize they were made of rubber! Not a bit of canvas or leather near these things! How delightful! Waterproof Jutis!

They have a base color of black, with colored thread embroidery all over it – in blue, orange and silver. The piping of the shoe is silver as well. Imatches very well with jeans, and also any salwar or churidar. They are super comfortable to walk, with enough friction at the base.

Since then, I have paired this pair with jeans a number of times, not only on weekends, but also to my ultra professional office (on Fridays) and had pleasing results. Whenever I need to step out of the car and access that shop, through a puddle, these shoes cause me no worry.

By virtue of being made of rubber, they dont get too wet, and they dry pretty soon. Also, after being wet so many times, they still look as good as new!

These are now my favorite go-to shoes for Fridays and weekends, when its raining.

 

Charles & Keith – Awful Service! June 4, 2012

I bought a pretty black and copper Charles & Keith shoe in January last year.  I really liked it, and it was part of my wedding trousseau. Though I usually get Clarks, Nine West, Aldo, etc., this time I liked the C&K design and decided to buy it. In fact, I bought two of them. The other one was a gift.

However, I only got one ocassion where it matched my clothing, and wore it in November 2011, to a cousins wedding party.

Within one evening, the heel tip came off!, and I had to make do with walking around with a clanging sound from one foot.

The moment I returned to Mumbai, India, I went to the shop and sent the shoe for heel tip repair. This was December. Today, it is May 2012, and I still dont have the shoe with me. I have physically gone to look for the shoe at least 4 times, and yet, there is no sign of the shoe!! FIVE months and no response yet?!

I will not be surprised if they have lost it. And are not admitting it. I am so irritated! Not because they have misplaced a perfectly decent shoe that I wanted to wear a few times in the past months, but also because I held it dear since it was part of my trousseau!

I have sent them an email, and I hope they will come back with an actionable. I hope they do, and I will update here if I get a response.

I am, however, very disappointed with the quality of C&K shoes, as well as their servicing. If you cant keep customers you have, you dont deserve more.

Shiny Indian Party Shoes/ Slippers April 19, 2012

Over the last year I have been attending a number of family functions. Across India – Calcutta, Delhi and Mumbai. Thats a lot of locations for a lot of family gatherings. These have ranged from full blown weddings to smaller-key dinners or festivals.
Now, while for a wedding it is mandatory to have a shiny slipper, or at least one that matches your ornaments (read red, gold or silver), for a family dinner or small festival like Rakhi, the footwear has to match your clothes. Which is to say, they have to be smart, a little shiny to respect that its an ocassion, but cant be over the top. In comparison it is easier to buy a pair of crystal studded footwear for the shaadi!

Wearing a plain sandal of course can be a recourse, but one that will put you on the lower rungs of family fashion. Especially in Punjabi families.

Here, I struck gold. And Im quite smug about it. I found a perfect pair of slip-ons while browsing through the shoe-shops of Colaba (Mumbai) with my poor tired husband. I liked them. He asked me if I needed them. (I vehemently nodded yes) He asked if we can sit somewhere and eat after that. (I vehemently nodded again) He bought them. Joy!

My Every Occasion Shiny Indian Slippers

The Heel

These slip ons have a small heel. THis is very important. A very high heel is invonvenient when you have to stand around for ages, or walk through roads that are less than perfect. The last thing that I want to do is stumble and fall, or be tired when it is my maiden visit to meet relatives. A flat shoe looks less than perfect, because then, somehow, the churidars look shorter, the saris look inelegant, and well… in general the look seems incomplete.
Thus enters short heels. This awesome slipper has a heel of an inch. Perfect!

Style of Shoe

This slipper is not just a slipper. A typical Indian slipper is backless, with the straps ending under the arch of the foot, and divided in front through the thumb and the rest of the fingers. Though a decent enough design, it is rather common, and tends to slip out as well. Also, the shoe glory ends with just the front bit of the shoe.
This particular slip on is more like a slingback. The back is elasticized, making it easy to slip it on while also ensuring the foot doesnt slip out. The design also, therefore extends for most of the shoe, except for the back of the ankle where the elastic resides.

Indian Slipper Shoe for Formal Evenings

The design

The shoe has a leather base, self embossed with flowers, so that when I take it off, it still looks pretty. The top of the shoe is decorated with sequins, beads and a large-ish crystal. The sequiins are a dull copper colour, and therefore even when they are ‘sequins’ they look understated. Especially in combination with the muted off-white beads. The crystal in the center is. in-silo, rather large. However, stuck between all those beads and crystal its kind of hidden, and adds that pop of ‘Look Im a party wear shoe!’ look to it. The whole look it ‘party’ but at the same time, the colours are versatile enough to be worn in any combination. This looks good with my green, blue, red and of course black clothes.
The toes remain fully uncovered in this shoe, and as a result this gives me ample opportunity to show off any nailpolish or toe-rings I might want to sport. With most of the foot visible, mehendi, if applied is also visible for display. Of course, since the ankle is free, wearing a payal is possible, though I havent yet worn it.

This shoe has also been of help in recent times for office wear. It is muted enough to be worn with staid, work-suitable ethnic wear, and often I wear it with my cchuridars to bring in an aspect of colour into otherwise dull surroundings.

Shiny Indian Slipper Shoe

In short,this is become my go-to footwear for any occasion which involves being a little dressed up, in ethnic wear.
I would suggest you go out and get something like this soon, I promise you it will remove the headache of wondering ‘which shoe will match this suit best’.

Ballet Shoes/ Slippers

Yesterday I promised a picture for each of my latest crushes for ballet shoes.

To start with, I had bought a pair of bright red ballet slippers back in 2010. This was after I went crazy in Rocia in Singapore. They had this special offer and the shoes were irresistible! However, when I left the country, I forgot them with my friend. She was so kind as to keep it with her, and when she visited me recently, she got me the pair back, in its original packing as well! How awesome is that?! So of course, I need to start wearing them asap before they become old news. They are still hot and I can imagine wearing them with skinny jeans or a nice skirt on weekends.

My Red Ballets

So this pair is a straighforward flat with a scoop out front peep-toe. And its truly flat. And its comfortable.  And its so simple it matches most things. The colour red is enough to make it interesting.

(If you have not heard of Rocia, it is pretty popular in South-East Asia – India and Singapore, Malaysia belt.)

The other par of ballet flats is one I bought recently, last week. It is a fun thing, and I had to choose the white colour. It of course doesnt match everything, but it is an amazing addition to my closet. I have worn it with my jeans throughout the weekend already. I love how the leather is cut into assymetric shapes which makes it a very interesting slip-on.

White cut-out ballet slippers

Related articles

• Ladies’ Ballet Slippers (hodgepodgecrochet.wordpress.com)
• Women’s Foldable Ballet Flats Shoes with Carrying Case by Sidekicks – inside your choice of color review (aidashoestore.wordpress.com)
• Ballet Pumps Sales Soar (carollitutor.wordpress.com)

90s Shoe Fashion is Back! I want to Buy these Shoes April 18, 2012

These are Shoes Im lusting after. Right Now.

1. My red ballet flats that I had forgotten about since 2010. I had forgotten them with my freind. She only just reminded me of them rececntly by bringing them to me. They are soon to be out of fashion, but I still love them. I need to wear them asap!

I will upload their picture the moment I take them.

2. These so in-fashion cork-heeled platforms that I can picture myself wearing. I just need to find the

Platform heels of Corck that scream style

right shop and price. And hope that by then its not trending on the street too often. And buying them

from Aldo or Nine West or Charles&Keith in India are not in the question. At least, not

right now. I can almost see myself mentally hum “Baji Baji

Bumbo Chiki Chiki Chiki Chikita”! in them (Remember that song?) while I walk through the elite stores of Palladium, Lower Parel looking all chic and hep.

Sunshine yellow platform Trainers

Platform Trainers with Bike-chic look

3. I wanted them when I was in school. I want them now. I had forgotten about them till date, but now that they are back in fashion, I dont want to miss the bus. Like last time. I still remember trying out so many of them when I was but 16, but none of them were ‘right’ for me. This time round, I want to get that pair. I know they are waiting for me somewhere!

4. This pair of white cut-out ballet shoes that I just bought. I would have purchased another in bright yellow as well if I could! that would have looked to cool with a pink dress!

Again, a picture is due, and I will upload ’em soon enough!

My Indian Kolhapuri slippers and the Ethnic toe-ring

5. A pair of ‘slippers’ that I can just casually slip into when running errands. Something like

my old Kolhapuri slippers. Something I can wear with jeans, skirts, dresses alike. Maybe Ill just go get myself some nice Kolhapuris again. I lost the left foot of my trusty pair. I mean, ONE foot! And then the next one (pictured) finally gave up. And isnt that a really cool, really traditional toe ring Im wearing? I love to wear it and act all ‘married Indian good-girl’ type. In my mind.

Brown Brogues for Women

Lovely red Brogues!

6. And as a luxury item, a good pair of brogues. Preferably brown, with a cap toe. With hints of copper or steel on it. Tasteful, of course. You see I have it visualised perfectly in my mind. Now to find something like that in real life. In a “store nearby”, which has my size, (and) in my budget. Sadly, winter came and went. And brogues never caught on in Mumbai. Or even India as far as I saw. I wonder why. They are so useful for office and casual-chic. Ive always had a brogue-alike in my closet. Something I can pull on for the days I dont want to wear heels and still want to look smart for office. For days when I want to protect my heels from the elements while going out on weekends. And now, I need them. Slowly, I think they have moved up from the luxury item I classified them under, and are turning into a necessity.

Ah! Brogues for Women!!

So there you have it. a list of shoes I would LOVE to own, right now! And wear them. Let me see how soon I can fulfill this list!

Related articles

• Brogues (trendyornot.wordpress.com)
• Boot trends: Brogue (moneyguidebook.com)

Shoes in News: Christian Louboutin & Jimmy Choo November 15, 2011

Shoes are headliners today in almost any fashion magazine or paper. While it has been important to know what shoes were matched with which dress, over the past few weeks, if you have been following CNN or The Independent (in other words the US and the UK fashion markets) it has become a little more shoe-centric than, say, a few months ago.

It all started with the Louboutin story.

A Fight over the Color, not Logo

A Louboutin Pump

If you dont know about the famous shoe brand on which Jennifer Lopez sang her famous ‘Louboutins‘ song from the album ‘Love?‘ – ‘Im throwing on my Louboutins!‘, now is the time to read up. However, unfortunately for us, the video never got filmed – Christian Louboutin had stated that he was ‘flattered’ that JLo had sung a song with his shoe line in it, and had thought up amazing creations for the video, but – sigh – that never happened.

So, Louboutin’s are shoes, made by Christian Louboutin. Just like Manolo Blahnik‘s are. He started making shoes with the now-famous red soles. And every celebrity wears one at least once a month. They are just so easy to identify!Also, he hardly ever makes low-heels. The shoes are designer, high heels for evening affairs. A pair typically costs hundreds of dollars and have been seen on innumerable starry events, including on Carrie, on Sex and the City (yes, that is a qualifier).

YSL's 'red-all-over' Shoes

And then – YSL happened. They made a shoe range that was ‘red all over’, and raised red flags all over Louboutin’s workshops. So, Louboutin argues that they (Louboutin) have the patented red out-sole for all their shoes, and anyone making shoes with red out-soles infringes their right. The red out-sole is of the colour ‘Chinese red’, but they argue that any similar shade of red can be confused by consumers.

The million-dollar suit for “trademark infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin” was filed in April 2011.

This is now a rather interesting case – can colour be trademarked?

Tiffany - Trademark Blue

Tiffany has now jumped into the game, and supported Louboutin. Why? Well, because Tiffany has trademarked their distinct ‘robin-egg blue’ and if Louboutin loses the case, (as they might, with YSL’s logic), Tiffany may stand to lose some day in the future!

So much for a simple shoe. Here, we have a legal battle between some of the biggest name sin high fashion over the color of the sole of a shoe!!

This will surely set the precedent for legal cases in years to come.

aad

aswdwa

podf

Jimmy Choo

On other Shoe-related BIG news, Jimmy Choo will be seeing some changes! After 15 long years heading the range, Tamara Mellonis resigning from Jimmy Choo. The other high-fashion foot accessory will now see new leadership and who knows? A new direction?

Tamara Mellon with her Choo's

I will let this brilliant article speak for me on The Independent.

 

Note: Links trackback to The Independent, The Economist and Forbes for their brilliant articles on these subjects; apart from Wikipedia

Reader Feature: Showcase your Shoes! November 11, 2011

Show me your Shoes!

I know a lot of women out there (and a lot of men, too) who own lovely shoes. Though I love shoes, it is physically and financially impossible for me to own and store all varieties. It is also mentally impossible for me to know all varieties.

I invite you, reader, to now come forth and send me a picture or two of your favorite pair. And tell me a story of why it is your favorite. And I will put it up on this site!

Show Me Your Shoes!!

You can contact me by a comment on the blog (any post will do), and I will direct you to the email address where you can send your pictures and write up. If you have a blog, I will provide the link to it.

Your shoe-story can be about your latest purchase or your oldest hand-me-down pair. It can be about a solitary shoe, or a complete shoe closet. It just has to be about shoes and the shoes in your life!

I love a good story, and I just simply LOVE good shoes! So give me either, or give me both – and I will be more than happy to showcase you

The price does not matter, the make does not matter, the age does not matter. What matters is what matter the most to you – why you like that shoe!

What I will need (The Requisites):

1. A good picture of the shoe. It can be with you in it, it can be the shoe alone. It should be well lit so that the shoe can be seen clearly. The image should be of at least 4MP clarity (not too difficult in todays age). If you have multiple pictures, please highlight at least one picture. I will put up as many as I can, but not at the cost of the text.

You can also send me multiple shoes’ pictures. If you have a closet of shoes you want showcased, send me a picture of the complete shoe closet if you want.

2. A Story. Text of around 300 words or more centering around your photograph. I may or may not edit it a little

3. Your details. I am sure you as a person will be crucial to the reason the shoe/s are important! So please send me a two-liner about yourself, as well as the following details:

Preferred public name (will be displayed)
real name (for my records)
email address (let me know if you want it public, else it will be private)
age, gender, location (will be displayed) and
blog address or contact detail you would want to put up on this blog (if at all. Its ok if you don’t)

Anything additional is a bonus! This can be your own picture, your neighbours picture or your pet’s picture! To put up the additional information will be my discretion, based upon your sidenote/story on it!

It’s really that simple! So I will await your feedback, and perhaps make this a regular feature here?

NOTE: The postings will be ad-hoc as of now, and on first-come first-serve basis as far as possible. I have no prejudices, and will have no reason to reject an entry if it fulfills the requisites.

Casual Shoes for Men: Office Wear June 22, 2010

Weekends are casual wear in office. The one day men in offices revert to jeans. Since shorts are not allowed in a formal office environment. Most men to severely lack in the imagination department. For them formals mean black or brown trousers and casuals mean jeans. This post is for such men. Especially. (for the rest with some fashion sense, its for you as well! And for women suffering from fashion loss thanks to being with fashion deprived men)

Man in Casual Wear

Why only jeans qualify as informals, is something I havent deciphered. Especially since all clothing companies try so hard to educate them about: linens, khakis, cords, canvases. And of course, for the more experimental, trousers in innovative cuts, including (yes, I will say it) the Jodhpurs (see image on left).

Coming to shoes, the other fallacy I have noticed is the simple bifurcation in Men’s minds about shoes:
a) Formal shoes: Black, Brown
b) Casual shoes: Sports shoes (sneakers)

While formal shoes are experimented upon to some extent, with laced, slip-ons and even innovative leathers, its the casual shoes that take a beating.

There is nothing worse than the sight of men in office, wearing jeans coupled with black, formal shoes. No, jeans coupled with floaters and socks come a close second, but black formal shoes definitely win. (It is so horrible, even Google doesnt store an image!)

So what can be worn as casual shoes in office?
Well, the standard sports shoes and floaters are there. However, sports shoes all the time are boring. They may be comfortable, but be truthful. Do you really always want to wear sports shoes? Also, it gives the impression you have only 2 pair of shoes – one for office and one for running. Not Good.
As for floaters, they are not a feasible option in formal offices, which promote ‘Friday Dressing’. And I despise them anyway. Sorry.

In such a case, I offer to our dear fashion deprived men, the quaint, old-fashioned product, universally known versatile shoes known as ‘Loafers‘.

Men's Loafers - Louis Vuitton

Loafers are typically slip-on shoes, with a mocassin construction. Traditionally made from leather, loafers are slip-on shoes that resemble a moccasin on top, but have a wide and fairly flat heel. They can sometimes be worn for formal wear, but a pair can be owned, which scream casual. No man can go wrong with loafers – they are as masculine as they come, no matter the colour.

Loafers with Show Bows

Loafers are best in brown, white, or even black (and sometimes deep wine red). They can be soft leather, with stitches showing on the sides, have tassles (like cowboy shoes) or metal decorations (as popularised by Gucci)

Tassled Loafers_Gucci

Dress loafers are those which are more moccasin-like, with deeper cuts, but they look more formal.

If however, our fashion deprived men find it difficult to identify loafers, the famous suede shoes can be a substitute that can be considered by them.

Blue Suede Mens shoes

Suede Mens shoes

Suede shoes in light brown, less heels, with or without laces, can work wonders as casual wear.

Suede Boots

Boots are another option, though they may not be perfect for office all the time, they can look very good with jeans, especially when the correct pair is worn. Boots dont always have to be high, ankle length boots do just as well. Suede boots can be wonderful as casual wear, if worn with the right pair of jeans.

Athletic Inspired Shoes

For those, whoever, who do not want to venture into loafers, mocassins, suede shoes and boots, ‘athletic inspired shoes’ are an option! These are a mix of boots and sneakers, while being actually shoes. They can be just upto the ankle, and are usually in the garb of mountain climbing shoes.

Athletic Inspired Woodlands

Some of the best places to buy casual shoes for men in India:

– Rockport: A great option for long lasting shoes, especially if you are loathe to buy leather since they have a good collection of non-leather. Rockports are always sturdy, long lasting, comfortable and yet quite stylish.

– Woodlands: They offer some of the best athletic inspired shoes in India.

– Regal Shoes

– Mochi Shoes

– Clarks Shoes

– Levis Shoes

– Inc 5

– Chain stores like Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons, Westside, etc.

So, considering there is a last working day for the week, every single week of your working life, I suggest to all my male readers – go ahead and get some casual wear shoes. C’mon! I a sure you are tired of wearing the same old shoes all the time! At least if you are not ready to get rid of those jeans every weekend, get a pair of shoes that make those jeans look good 🙂

Happy Shopping! Here’s to more Stylish Men at workplace!