Singapore shopping - Second pair of shoes for 2011

It is my first pair of Chloé shoes. And yes, it is another pair of flats. Out of all shoe types, flats is the one I wear almost daily. Be it weekday or weekend, it is my first choice of shoes. Unless I have a specific outfit in mind, which I usually need to go with a certain shoe type. I know it sounds boring but after spraining my ankles twice (once each side), I might have developed a phobia of wearing high heels. So until I feel my ankles are 100% back to normal, I guess I will continue to wear and buy flats.

Anyway, this pair of shoes wasn't my first choice. I wanted to get YSL 'love' flats, which was in an amazing color. And it was on sale as well. However, the sizing was a little off, plus the fact that the shoes didn't look that well-made (at least compared with my own YSL purple flats which I bought about 2 years ago). So I decided not buying it. Then... I wandered off to Chloé and tried on their shoes. Wow, "soft" was my first thought when putting on theirs. Sad to say this but YSL needs to increase their QC standard before it drops further. Back to Chloé shoes, they fitted me perfectly. I had half a mind to buy on the spot, even though there wasn't any sale at that moment. But... there is always a "but". My size was sold out for the design that I like. Damn...

Luckily, I have another way to get I want, without flying to Paris. Namely online shops. Coincidentally, one of the websites is giving out a 30% off for SS11 collection. So why should I wait for the sale? And a few days later, I received my lovely shoes.

At the moment, the shoes are at the shoe repair services shop to have their sole prepped. I've learnt my lesson with my old Lanvin flats. Now I just need to see how it's done and if it is what I think it is, I will have my black Lanvin flats prepped as well. Yep, expensive shoes definitely needs more care than your average run-off-the-mill shoes. But the reward is when you wear them and they change your outfits as well as posture entirely.

Updates on 21 Jun 2011:

I really regretted having it re-soled and re-heeled. A disaster. Shoe repair services in Singapore suck big time. This is my second time having problems with my shoes after sending them to the shops. Let's see how long I will put up with this pair before chucking it into the bin. For 424 (400 + 24) bucks, I guess I have to wear it at least 100 times. For every other day, this means around 6 months. It means until next year. Well, I can do this. But first, I need a spare nail file.

Singapore shopping - First pair of shoes for 2011

It's Salvatore Ferragamo Spiffy flats in silver. This design is so great that this pair is, in fact, my second purchase. My previous pair was bought last year for the rain season. After 6 months which I had worn it almost every other day, it had given out and broken. Even if the price is a little high for jelly flats, my cost per wear is very low.

And believe me, investing on day shoes is a must. Your health is affected partially by your posture, either walking or standing. And shoes contribute a big part in it. Again, my reason is: it is better to buy one pair of good shoes, than buy ten pairs of cheap but badly made shoes.

Shopping wish list for 2011

About 3 months have gone by and I seem to be right on track of some of my resolutions, which I hadn't written down at all. Sometimes I wonder if it is that necessary, but if I have the mood, I guess I will make that list (maybe in June... lol).

Anyway, this wish list might have its pros and cons. Pros is that I have some focuses to spend my hard-earned money on, instead of buying mindlessly and the whole damage is still the same. Cons is, well, it makes me more determined to get those. But still, sooner or later, I will have to buy some of these, can't really resist the temptation.

- Shoes: Maybe 2 pairs. I'm looking at these at the moment: YSL patent 'Love' ballerina flats, YSL Tribtoo pumps, Salvatore Ferragamo heels or flats, Christian Louboutin Pigalle pumps.

- Clothes: Dresses, skirts and jackets/cardigans are the focus. A pair of nicely cut pants should be great too. The brands should be DvF, Massimo Dutti and Zara. Again, I dun really wanna invest too much in clothes. Not a wise choice for me.

- Accessories: I'm changing my mind about belts. I guess I should have a few basic designs to go with my clothes. It really makes a difference. That is when I dun wear my empire-waist dresses. For scarves, Hermes is the only brand I will pay most attention to. Call me a snob but once you wear a Hermes scarf, you dun really want to buy another brand. Unless it's a gift, of course. Finally, sunglasses. A pair of Chanel sunglasses is all I want for this year. I have had Mont Blanc, Fendi, YSL and LV pairs. It's time to get Chanel for my collection. The big question is whether they have the design I like.

- Jewelry: Either fine or costume jewelry, I dun really care. If something catches my eyes and within my budget, I guess I will buy it. But I will try to avoid clip-on earrings. I have a pair of clip-on Chanel earrings and it's painful to wear it. Le sigh... Semi-precious stone jewelry is also my love of the moment.

- There will be NO budget for bag or wallet this year. I can say I'm quite content with what I'm having now. Next year will be another game though.

My shoe collection

I have made a decision with regards to my bags and shoes. From now on, I will try to buy those with good quality. Considered these as investment pieces, this will help me from buying too many shoes and bags which don't last me more than 3 months. Also, given my limited space, I will need to focus more on building a small but well-covered wardrobe. Quality over quantity.

At the moment, I have only 4 pairs of designer shoes. These were bought from different sale events and with discount from 70% and above. I am very proud of this collection even though I haven't managed to establish a personal shoe style. Anyway, I allow myself to acquire about 4 pairs of designer shoes a year. Yes, no more cheap shoes and no more seasonal de-cluttering!

1. Alexander McQueen Mary Jane Heels



Red and brown. Suede and fine leather. Very sharp combination. Dislike its pointy toe cap though, cos it hurt my feet terribly. I have wide feet, ya see!

2. D&G buckle crunched flats



One thing I like about leather-made accessories is that the more you wear them, the more they become beautiful. This pair of flats isn't an exception. I have been wearing it for more than 6 months and it looks prettier and prettier. However, due to the crunched design, it was a pain in the ass to wear. Until I cut the rubber band and it is perfect.

3. Marc Jacobs dark blue pumps



Square toe and chunky heel, a comfortable design? Nah, dun let it deceive you. It's 4-inch high which can really kill you if you walk too much. Talking from a painful experience here! But I love the additional height it gives me and the compliments I got from wearing it. Just be prepared to soak my poor feet in warm water at the end of the day though.

4. Yves Saint Laurent Ballerina Flats in Purple



My latest addition into the collection. Actually I wanted to buy the silver cage bow heels but that pair cost over SGD1k, even after a 50% discount. And it is 4-inch high and I was still traumatized over my Marc Jacobs pumps. Anyway, I just realized I hadn't had any purple shoes before. So here it is, lovely sitting there in my shoe rack.

All in all, for this year, I have bought 2 pairs. I might buy about 2 more pairs, if there are any good deals out there for me grab! My wish list includes a pair of Lanvin flats and a pair of Christian Louboutin heels.