the tale of five shoes

It's been a while since a proper shoe post, I do believe the latest pair was the purple summer sandals. The ones who met a pitiful end and had to be returned alas. But we had a month or so of summer fun together. And I learnt the lesson to never again buy a pair of cork oak heels.

Now time for the shoes since then, shoes I think, hope, know will bring years of fun and walking in comfort. They get to share a post, the five of them. Beware of long post. But if you like shoes, and colours, I think you'll have fun.

All shoes, except for the birthday pair, found on sale. One of my, not so, secret skills is apparently sniffing out good shoe sales. When immensely enjoying shoes of good quality that is good for the feet it's quite essential to look for bargains...

--- Sorry birthday shoes of last year, it's never really been a good time to use you properly, heel spur acting up, weather not right, a year later your tale still remains untold... But I thank you for bringing my attention to the El Naturalista sister brand ART shoes ---

Bobbaloos, shoes and nailpolish - the three things I apparently can't seem to get too many of.

Ever since I got the lovely red ART maryjanes in Helsinki in April I've wanted to get another pair in the same model line called Paris. The heel height and recycled rubber soles are incredibly comfy and I've worn them a lot. (Plus it doesn't hurt that they're perky and fun for rainy days, which we had our fair share of during the summer that was...).



I spied these intriguing sandals at online summer sales, I ended up chosing them in green - the colour green in shoes come a very close second to red in my book - and they are lovely. With a very unusual (for me) and nifty clasp - a dance shoe clasp apparently - they're a great pair of airy summer sandals. Of course, due to the delicate woven construction not as sturdy as other types of shoes, thus long days in them without possibility to change shoes, is most probably not a good idea.



When we went to Gdansk I knew that, apart from a visit to Sephora, shopping was not very likely to happen. Obviously I was wrong. My (not so) secret skill of sniffing out a shoe sale led me to a shop - in a very nice shopping mall, I don't like shopping malls at all, but for some reason I rather enjoyed the Galeria Baltycka in Gdansk - that sold El Naturalista. And a well-known fact is that blue shoes come a very close third after red and green shoes in my book.

These blue, sturdy beauties are from the same line as the violet easter shoes, Dome. Very comfortable heel height and nice for spring/summer/early autumn wear with or without socks.



When I had to return the purple cork oak sandals I looked for an open toe summer shoe replacement. In vain. I did however spy an intriguing pair of raspberry red oxfords with rose pattern at El Naturalista. And even if it was in a line (Solar) I hadn't worn before I had tried them on thoroughly in Helsinki when I couldn't decide which pair to get, so I went for them.



They sure didn't disappoint when they arrive. Seriously gorgeous. A stunning electric kind of pinkish red hue, the imprinted rose pattern is unusual and lovely. Just as the blue ones above they're great for spring/summer/early autumn with or without socks. Comfy heel height, if I could wish one thing it would be that the insoles were exchangeable as in, for example the Iggdrasil, Tesela and Dome-lines.



This applegreen pair was not something I planned to get at all. Honestly. But ever since I discarded the gorgeous applegreen pair for the fabulous yellow ones I have (not so) secretly been dreaming of the possibility to stumble over the Tesela model in that colour again. This pair was on sale at a price that was too good to say no to, plus only three left of which two were in my size. Really, one would be stupid to walk away, right? Right.

The Tesela-line really is my favourite El Naturalista model. Perfect heel height. Now if they could only bring back the oxfords in new colours...

Now for the last pair, last but not least. I've been eyeing a pair of quirky, wrinkly Dome boots since last winter. Saw them in red, saw them in green. Never on sale, never the right size, never the right time. Every season bring new colours to covet in the El Naturalista online store, this year the Dome boots came in a fabulastic oldfashioned pink hue too. Birthday money made me go for it. Stunning colour, quirky boot, same line as the blue shoes above thus very comfy.



With them I got a pair of complimentary wristwarmers - which I first thought was suppose to be leg warmers, but no normal-sized grown-up woman would be able to fit those over ankles and they fit perfectly as wristwarmers. I guess gaiters can be synonym for wristwarmers too... - which are adorable and in just the colour I would have chosen if possible. As it happens colour matching with boots.

And there endeth the tale of five shoes. Bobbaloo approved.