04th May2012

Chic and Classic Parisian Shoes

by Kate
Paris is the city of high fashion both on the runway and the street. The City of Lights might be heading into Spring, but the dreary weather keeps Parisians in their boots all year long. For a true Paris fashion look, then stick to these shoes for look that is both chic and transitional.
1) Canvas Boots

Paris style relies on versatile and classic looks. The canvas boot is the quintessential Parisian shoe of the moment. This is the ultimate transitional shoe thanks to its neutral colors and light look. You can wear a pair of these with jeans and a blazer for a preppy look that will last you all Autumn long.
2) Brogues


The Brogue has been in every French girl’s closet for at least two years now. They go with everything from floral dresses and tights to jeans and tee_shirts. They are easily worn all year long thanks to their simple design. The most daring updated their look with glitter covered brogues. Keep your outfit simple if you want to try the glitter brogue Paris trend.
3) Quilted Ballet Flat


Every Parisian knows that her go to shoe is the quilted ballet flat (inspired by Chanel, of course!). You can find these shoes in practically every boutique, both high street and luxury brand, in the city. If you need a shoe that will take you from day to night, then this is it. The quilted ballet flat will last you for years to come; so, buy a couple of nice pairs so that you will never be without them!
Parisian fashion is easy to copy thanks to its timeless look. French girls do like to shake things up every now and then with a pair of glittery or bejeweled shoes. You can never go wrong with a little Parisian influence.
by: Kate – our Paris-based Fashion writer

Disclaimer: Images are for illustrative purposes only. Please contact us if these images are inappropriate.

27th Apr2012

Different boots and how to wear them

by Kate
The crisp fall air makes you want to retreat indoors and turn up the heat. However, you will need to venture outside eventually! You should invest in warm winter boots to keep you comfortable during the next few months. There are many styles to choose from trendy ankle boots to classic Sherpa-lined footwear. We are here to help you narrow down your decision on what to buy and how to wear your new winter boots.
1) Glitter Boots
Miu Miu glitter boots
The first boot that you should buy this season is the glittery boot! The shoes have been seen in the runway from Robert Clergie to Miu Miu. However, you can find cheaper versions online or at your favorite high street stores. These boots are great for dressing up a pair of jeans during the day. At night, they will look fantastic with a little black dress and a matching clutch. If you only buy one pair of winter boots this season, these should be it!
2) The Rain Boot

The next boot you will need is one that can be worn in all types of weather. Plastic rain boots have been popular for a couple of seasons now. They keep getting cuter and more stylish, i.e. ankle boots from Melissa by Vivienne Westwood. You can the perfect rain boot in bright colors or accented with little brass buttons and bows. This is one boot that you will be wearing many times out in during inclement weather- so, make it fun!
3) Over-the-knee Boots

For an instant sexy look, slip on a pair of boots that go over your knees. These boots can be found in any number of colors or materials from grey suede to black leather. These boots are the ultimate way to dress up your look for a night out on the town.
19th Apr2012

How to look after your leather shoes

by Vercess
Winter is approaching and it will soon be time to put away your sandals and open-toe shoes! Your leather boots and flats take a beating each year as the rain and cold weather begin. If you take proper care of your leather shoes, then they will last you years and not months. Folllow these tips to make sure your leather does not crack!
1) Condition and Nourishment
Leather shoes are all you wear during winter; by the end of the season, they are completely wrecked! You need to polish your leather boots with a nourishing creme to keep them supple. You would not let your dry hands go without lotions, right? The same care should be applied to your leather footwear. They need to be conditioned and cleaned in order to be kept in top shape.
2) Waterproofing
A leather shoe made of suede is very delicate and prone to winter weather destruction. You can keep your suede shoes protected by waterproofing them. Shoe stores sell this special spray which you should then use liberally. You can use a waterproof spray on all types of leather. However, suede is the only leather in true danger of wet weather due to its delicate nature. Using a waterproof spray will prolong its life immensely.
3) A Simple Clean
The easiest way to take care of leather footwear is as simple as a damp rag. If you use a wet cloth to polish your boots after each use, then your leather will remain in top shape. You should not let your shoes sit with grime or mud caked on them. If you do, the leather will become dry and cracked. Think about your own skin after you have removed a clay mask. Your skin feels dehydrated and in need of moisturizer. The same rules apply to leather footwear.
16th Apr2012

Shoe wardrobe frenzy

by Vercess

 

I finally have my own shoe wardrobe, thanks to my lovely fiance for creating one for me. So far I have counted to have about 77 pairs and have bought another 8 on my recent holiday. Talk about women not having enough shoes!

But to share the guilt, let’s have a sneak peak into famous people and celebrities’ shoe wardrobes!

Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera

I love it how her shoe wardrobe is painted pink. And her son that stares at the camera, better watch out he might think these shoes are his…

Eva Longoria Parker

Eva Longoria Parker

Eva looks sexy in her 133 square foot master closet in her LA home.

Khloe kardashian shoes wardrobe

Khloe kardashian shoes wardrobe

Khloe’s shoe collection looks bright and colourful, I would love to see them up close!

Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul

Oh my, when I saw Paula she looks like a shoe fairy, she seems to love sandals and strappy heels!

Mariah Carey has over 1000 pairs of shoes all arranged by colour, material and event. I think it will take me more than an hour to decide what to wear!

I can’t stress enough how addictive are shoes and how great they look when organised in a shoe wardrobe!

 

12th Apr2012

Shoes as Investment

by Vercess

There comes a time in your life where you should be building your shoe wardrobe from the basics.Cheap shoes hurt your feet, easily fall apart and they can smell! There is no good thing about inexpensive shoes unless you want something that will give you blisters and a bad odour. A solid collection of high quality footwear should be a priority for every woman making a shoe investment in her wardrobe.


Shoe quality is made up of several key components. The material, the sole and the overall function and design of the shoe. The material should be all weather proof, especially boots. Winter is coming and your boots need to keep your warm and dry. Their material should be easily waterproofed to keep your feet from getting soaked.

wet shoes

The next key part of a well made shoe is its sole. You need heels or flats with a solid grip on the ground or you will be sliding all over the place. If you are going to be walking all day and every day, then these shoes need to have a substantial base such as rubber  or non slip grips that will not wear down after only two weeks. Cheap shoes will start to come apart at the foot, heel and base if they are used too much.

chocolate high heels

The final aspect of a high quality shoe is its overall function and design. You want your shoe to be worn with everything from jeans to skirts. A high quality shoe will have the ability to transform your look and keep your feet protected in harsh winter weather. You should feel comfortable in them after a day on your feet. Quality shoes are an investment because not only will they keep you from repairing them, but you will not need to throw them out after only one season of use.

*Images are for illustrative purposes only. Please contact us if these images are inappropriate.

07th Mar2012

Red is The Spirit In My Footwear

by Felicia

Red is such a fiery and passionate colour that promises a nice dash of spirit to an outfit. The alluring colour is making its way to my current shoe collection, which comprises the peep toe heels, loafers and ballerina flats.

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Because of the royal attention the colour receives, I tend to avoid wearing red footwear, for the fear of committing fashion faux pas. Over time, through observation, I managed to set myself some loose guidelines to follow. I’m sharing these humble tips, hoping that you will find as much joy as I do, by letting the colour bring out the best in your outfits.

Catch the drops of red

If you have beautiful dresses or tops with floral prints, then red footwear is a great option to harmonise the feminine look, with just the right dose of sexiness to it.

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Add colour to the colours

If you still haven’t caught on with the colour blocking trend, it’s time to pull out your red shoes and experiment! Personally, I think red is most beautiful with camel. So, if you still have reservations about colour clashing, try wearing red shoes with camel bottom, and a striking coloured top.

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The berry sorbet

Ok, pun intended- berry sorbet, in my own vocabulary, refers to a palette of sweet colours in pretty shades of pink, purple and orange. If you are still not entirely convinced on colour-clashing, consider wearing red shoes to add a beautiful punch to the sorbet palette. It’s a no-brainer if you want to look both sweet and sexy.

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Red with black

I personally would avoid pairing red with black, largely because, it brings to mind too much of the femme fatale look for my liking. Also, the two colours look harsh together. But I know of fashionistas who love a pop of colour on the sombre and somewhat boring colours.

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On the other hand, I don’t mind red footwear on black, as long as the outfit is not exactly solid black. Light doses of black details, or even just a tiny bit of colour gradient on the outfit makes a huge difference for me.

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Red with white

Whilst red is not entirely in harmony with solid white outfits (in my opinion), it sure looks a lot better compared to red with solid black outfits. Red shoes tend to add visibility to solid white outfits. A nice way of incorporating red with white is to wear it with something that has white details, such a dress with white stripes, or podka dots. A solid white top with a stronger-coloured bottom may do the trick too.

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Have fun letting the red shoes work for you!

 

02nd Mar2012

Ankle Boots: Smart Shopping Tips

by Vercess

Summer’s gone and as the season leans towards the chilly weather,  we also excuse and allow shopping for a new pair of boots!

I am currently obsessed with ankle boots as they are great shoes to wear as the seasons change.

They offer your feet support and warmth during cold days; whereas, they are not so stuffy when temperatures are warmer. You will be able to wear your ankle boots with everything from dresses to jeans.

The following is a list of tips to follow when you buy ankle boots.

Ankle Boots casual look

Ankle Boots casual look

1) Flat or Heel?

The great thing about these boots is that they work both as a flat and heel. There are no rules when it comes to the height of the heel! However, these boots are better when the heel is thick and chunky. Stilettos ankle boots are not very secure nor are they attractive. You will want to choose an ankle boot that you can easily walk in all day long.

Red ankle boots

Red ankle boots

2) Colour Choices

When you buy ankle boots, you should stick to neutral colours like black, beige or brown. These are multi-seasonal shoes and not geared towards just one season. Therefore, you do not want them to be furry winter boots or pastel spring shoes. A nice plain colour will be the best choice if you plan to wear them daily.

Suede Ankle Booties

Suede Ankle Booties

3) Open Toe?

One of the latest trends this spring is the open toed ankle boot. This is one trend that you should not follow! These shoes are hybrids of winter boots and sandals. They serve absolutely no purpose other then confusing people and chilling your feet. Stay away from these boots!

Open Toed Ankle Boots

Open Toed Ankle Boots

The ankle boot is a great way to show some leg if love to wear boots all year round. You can also show off your clothes without your shoes distracting from your overall look. You will want to buy ankle boots if you love to be fashionable and classic because these shoes work with all styles.

27th Feb2012

2013 Trends Sneak Peak

by Vercess

 

Cave Look : Discover 2013 Trends

It is only the beginning of 2012 but designers think way ahead and predict the future trends. I was lucky to sit and listen to the seminar at the Australian Shoe Fair in Sydney about trends for 2013. A great talk to help retailers stock their future collections! It is also exciting as it offers insider information for people in the fashion business and of course I am excited to share it with you!

Here are the key looks for 2013.

1. Sporting life – it is indeed the Olympiad year so think clean palette. Also, zips and draw cords will be popular. For the male clothing department, “shackets” will be a term, it is the mixture of shirt and jackets.

Fashion Dictionary

Fashion Dictionary

For shoes, I have seen high heels that look like sport shoes but that trend has not really taken off just yet. I guess 2013 will be the year for it.

Running Heels

2. Aquatic Story – Think weightless fabrics with underwater imagery. Mermaid tails for tops and skirts, scuva zips and cut outs as well as mother of pearl effects.

Iridescent Laboutin High Heels

Iridescent Laboutin High Heels

Bodycon dresses will still be a trend as well as wave inspired hemlines. For shoes and accessories it will be the iridescent finish. Check Chanel bag and Louis Vuitton bags and shoes.

Aquatic Inspired Shoe

Aquatic Inspired Shoe

3. The glamorous 50′s- fashion does reinvent itself and 2013 is the year of candy inspired colours, of longer length skirts and dresses, pastels and duster coats.

50's Inspired fashion

50's Inspired fashion

All the dresses are mostly below the knee, it’s fun, flirty and fantabulous

Candy Inspired shoes

Candy Inspired shoes

4. The Tribal Artisan – north African influences as well as Egyptian inspired dresses, think gold and royal colours as well as more earthy tones.

Tribal Dior Shoes

Tribal Dior Shoes

2013 will be rejecting technological overloads instead a come back to nature and the basics. Anything asymmetric and beading will be the next big thing.

Tribal shoes

Tribal shoes

So look out for these trends, however the future is unpredictable, you might set a new trend that designers will follow instead!

 

 

Disclaimer|These are sole opinions and analysis according to the worldwide trends and new collections by the worldwide designers. Any intention to shop is not the writer’s intention. Images are for illustrative purposes only.

16th Feb2012

Sydney Shoe Fair 2012

by Vercess

Australian Shoe Fair

I have just visited Sydney for the annual Australian Shoe Fair exhibition. This event was on for 3 days (12-14th of Feb 2012) at the Sydney Exhibition Centre. Although the price was quite dear to fly from Perth to Sydney, I thought that this event will be the perfect opportunity for me to see before we launch Fassioncave in the next few months.

Vercess at Sydney Shoe Fair

This is me at the entrance of the expo on the very first day. I also met up with my business partner and co-founder Fredy that flew from Melbourne to Sydney for a day!

I’m very excited as there are hundreds of exhibitors and the expo was also a combination of the Fashion Exposed and Bags and Accesories fair. Entry was only limited to ABN holders and business buyers so I feel lucky to be able to go to my first Shoe fair.

The highlights of the expo for me was going to complimentary seminars that talked about the Trends for 2013, E-commerce tips for online businesses, Effective Business tips and much more.

I was able to meet wonderful people on the industry and possible suppliers of women’s shoes for Fassioncave.

Here’s Fassioncave’s 5 hot list for possible suppliers.

1. VanGoh Shoes – Proud to say they are the only one I met from Western Australia during the expo and they sell customised shoes beautifully designed by Vanessa Goh. They have a store at Subiaco and some in Claremont and in Perth CBD. They have beautiful leather shoes and quite trendy too! My favourites are their unique and comfortable sandals with good craftmanship.

Macanna Shoe

2.Macanna Shoes –  Beautiful Italian shoes created by a Taiwanese designer. Their shoes are so beautifully outrageous and unique. All their shoes are handmade and every little detail speaks of innovation. They have over 70 retail shops in Taiwan, 40 in China and some in Japan, they are exploring the western market and we are hoping to meet up with them when we visit Taiwan next month.

Ramarim Shoes

Ramarim Shoes

3. Easy Life Shoes – Their shoes are designed and produced in Brazil. After trying on their high heels, I just fell in love. Their high heels and boots are to die for. It is made in cow leather and the insoles are unimaginably soft, and they mold to your feet. We are looking into stocking some of their shoes! It is very addictive!

California Comfort

4. California Comfort – We met a lovely american couple from Brisbane and Kristy designs the shoes herself. The beauty about California Comfort shoes are the insoles that make it seem like you are walking on cotton. They also have interchangeable upper and you are able to add different shoe blings to the shoes. Talk about total comfort and innovation!

Cocorose London Ballet flats

Cocorose London Ballet flats

5. Cocorose London – When practicality meets fashion. Cocorose London ballet flats are foldable and is perfect for a travelling companion. Their shoes are designed by a UK designer and the shoes are so trendy and useful.

I am looking forward for the next Australian Shoe Fair in Melbourne in August! Will keep you posted on our ventures!

 

13th Feb2012

Dr. Martens’ Collaboration with S’pore Designers for Charity

by Felicia

Some time in October last year, I was invited by Max Tan, a fashion designer friend of mine, to attend an exhibition in Singapore. It was one of the highlights I was looking forward to, on my three-day whirlwind trip. The exhibition displayed works of Dr Marten’s collaboration with 20 budding local designers for charity. It goes without saying that Max Tan was one of the distinguished designers, selected for this collaboration. The exhibition was held at Zouk nightclub and it was graced by friends and personalities of the media/ fashion industry.

I was fortunate enough to get snapshots of a noteworthy items, which I’m going to share in this post.

Leading the show is Max Tan’s collection. Designed in classic black, the material and texture adds an interesting but subtle dimension to the shoes. It is indeed very Max Tan style! Max has a successful clothing line, and he has made a name on the international fashion arena, including an appearance on the UK Vogue magazine. Check out his website – http://www.max-tan.com/

 

Check out the pinky/purplish bling platforms! Aren’t they amazing? When I saw those shoes with silver sequins,  I thought the style was pretty similar to Christian Louboutin’s. Well, from afar, and at first glance ;)

These shoes are too cute, and I am particularly in love with the white graffiti ones.

It was such a great night, but I have to admit that I felt pretty smashed way before midnight. Did I mention that I managed to take off with a goodie bag of Dr Martens’ #FirstandForever promotional items too? ;)

Checkout my personal website: http://www.feliciawong.com.au/

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