Rugged Yet Refined

I found the perfect summer shoes while I was in Boston last month. At a large shoe store in Cambridge, I fell in love with the hot, strappy numbers pictured left. I chose the "Aquarius" in brown/pistachio. I had seen them pictured in a Garnet Hill catalog earlier in the spring, but when I actually had the chance to try them on and confirm that they are, indeed perfect, the opportunity was just too good to pass up.

And so I must admit that I've rarely taken them off the past two months. They're sporty and feminine, strappy and practical, colorful and simple, rugged yet refined. And SO comfortable. I would recommend them to anyone.

The shoe brand is called J-41 Footwear. More product information is available here. The Web site offers the following product description: "Combining a highly-functional design with exceptional style, J-41™ Footwear sets a pace well above the crowd. From leisurely outings to more intensive activities, J-41™ is a high performance “go anywhere” shoe that looks and feels great. A roadmap — gently embedded in our soles — symbolizes the unique and very special adventure that each of us embarks upon."

So please, go get your own strappy number. You won't be disappointed. You also won't be able to take them off. I've seen the shoes being sold at Zappo's, REI, etc. Should you chose to accept your mission, good luck.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

These are the new rain boots I bought in Chicago at Nordstrom's over the weekend. I've been searching for the perfect pair of rain boots for quite a while now, and when I saw these on the sale rack, I quickly made a bee line for them, taking out several north shore suburbanites who unluckily found themselves in my way.

They're cute and simple, and I love the brown buckle on the top. With the snow melting and April showers on the horizon, I should get plenty of use out of my new kicks.

Riding Cupcake Mountain

From classic chocolate to decadent red velvet, this tasty women's performance bike jersey may give a subtle hint for a sweet stop on your ride home...

I like it! Sugoi Cupcakes Bike Jersey ($70)

LOLE: Live Out Loud Everyday

I recently discovered a new women's active wear brand that I really like. It's called LOLE, which stands for Live Out Loud Everyday. There's a great, high-end women's active wear store in Madison (on Monroe Street) called Stone's Throw, which carries a lof ot LOLE items (and by the way, is having a massive sale until Jan. 19). LOLE's winter pieces rock, but I also love many pieces from their spring line as well.

Who knew, but according to LOLE's Web site, you are what you wear. Their clothing is described as "Bold and beautiful. Strong yet sensitive. Feminine yet functinoal." And so desperately, I want to be all of those things. Furthermore, the site describes that, "LOLE is passitionate about creating the ultimate in fabulously feminine active wear for today's fashion-minded, forward-thinking woman." Can I just say that I love that sentence? Fabulously feminine active wear. Beautiful.

Isn't that enough to make you want to shop? And yet, I reluctantly decline. Now that I'm done with my tenure at Banana Republic, my bank account is very grateful. But when I do feel like shopping again, which I'm sure will be all too soon, I think it's time to move beyond professional clothes and focus on active wear. And LOLE can help me be sporty spice.

The Perfect Accessory for a Perfect Storm

Last night's extreme storm warnings were a false alarm—at least for Madison. There were, however, five tornadoes that touched down in the state last night, mainly across central and northeast Wisconsin. The worst of the damage was at a resort sixty miles northeast of Wausau, but no serious injuries were reported. Here in Madison, we barely got rain.

I love summer rainstorms. They are the best to sleep in. And run in. This morning I also got thinking about umbrellas, and how they really are an amazing fashion accessory for a rainy day. There are so many great designs with vibrant colors and elaborate patterns that brighten even the dreariest of days. Much like shoes, I’m always drawn to umbrellas. And I don’t think I’ve ever had more than a black, shoddy-spoke Walgreen’s special, but I do think it’s time to upgrade and finally bring a little needed pizzazz to my raingear. Pare*umbrella sells beautiful designer fashion umbrellas. They’re based out of rainy-city Seattle and have many Tokyo-inspired pieces. In a glass-half-full kind of way, their Web site states that, “a cheerful, lovely umbrella on a gray rainy day can have a contagious effect on those around you. Wouldn't it be nice to have everyone around you enjoying the rain as much as you? You'll soon be looking forward to the next day of rain.” Their designs are amazing, and the umbrellas seem to be very well-made with fantastic attention to detail like delicate stitching on their leather handles. My favorite designs from their current collection are the Jack and the Bean Tree, Handsome Pindot, I love Knitting, and the Macaron. The Mushroom Wonderland is also pretty sweet. Most of their styles retail for about $60, which isn’t too bad considering how often one is forced to replace a Walgreen’s special. Grrr. Oilily also has gorgeous umbrellas, which have always been some of my most-admired. So does Tray 6, but theirs aren’t quite as fun and fabulous. Yes, it’s definitely time to update to a "cheerful, lovely umbrella." Happy rains!

Getting In Touch with My Inner June Cleaver

The next time I bake a pie, I must be wearing one of these. Love this look. So 50’s housewife, June Cleaver-ish. These aprons are available at Sommer Designs for $36. The one above—my personal favorite, is the Kiwi Marseilles Hostess Apron, which is of course sold out. Bummer. I suppose I will have to settle for either the Summer Flea Market or Lime Dogwood Hostess Apron, which also feature fun retro prints. According to the site, these aprons “will keep you looking and feeling cool as a cucumber as you whirl around the kitchen during your next dinner party.” Perfect. I so want one of these.

Shoes of the Summer

I am a little obsessed with shoes. My mother will tell you that when we go to department stores, she needs to pry me away from the shoe section. I could sit there and look all day. Not necessarily buy, but just admire. Above are my top five (six) picks for summer. Some are more affordable than others, but they’re all my favorites and at least semi-affordable. I will preface my picks by saying that I do not like the trendy new metallic shoes. I also hate hoochy-high platforms, and am generally not a fan of super-high heels. I do need to walk.

1. My first pick is the “playfully sweet” Loeffler Randall Mazzy Flat in yellow. These sandals are made in Italy and available at shopbop.com. Oh, and I lied, these shoes are not at all affordable. They are $325. Alas, I will never have them.

2. Second pick is the leather Reef sandal appropriately named Yeehaw. This sandal has western detail and is available at usoutdoorstore.com for $44. Comfortable and fun!

3. My third pick is a hot fabric-covered heel from J.Crew. It’s the Isabella printed d'Orsay high heel, which is a black-and-white polka-dot number with a little sour lemon tie on top. I also kind of like the shoe in bright sherbet, mostly because of the sound of that color, but ultimately prefer timeless and multifunctional black. Also completely unaffordable at $175. But they sure are pretty.

4. Next, the mid-heel peep-toe canvas espadrille from Banana Republic. Comfortable and classy, it’s the one pair of shoes that I do already own and wear almost every day. Love the lower wedge. Also available in many other colors and patterns, although once again I prefer the multifunctional black or brown in this particular shoe. Pretty affordable at $68.

5. And finally, the Leather Small Wedge in tomato from Dolce Vita. Currently on sale at standardstyle.com for $55.30.

6. Okay, I lied again. I'm not done. I also must add the Na Na ‘Darian’ multicolored leather open-toe sandal. Now it’s a list of top six picks. These shoes are perfect for summer and available at Nordstrom’s for $64.95.

Ach Ach Liebling

Ach Ach Liebling (http://achachliebling.com) is a one woman independent jewelry company based in San Francisco that I recently discovered through a fashion blog. Ach Ach Liebling is German for “Oh Oh Darling!” According to the designer Joanna Petrone, “it’s an expression of spontaneous delight and tender feelings evoked by something small and unexpectedly beautiful.” Petrone further describes that, “the name Ach Ach Liebling was inspired by a sweet song by the crazy-good European techno-pop-y band, Stereo Total, who in turn translated the lyrics from a French song from the '60s.” I love the totally unique and affordable vintage inspired pieces, which feature motifs from nature, books, and old postcards and movies. One of my favorite pieces is the pair of earrings above that are named Robot vs. Computer. I also love several of the necklaces, particularly the dog and nautical themed ones, and the Gypsy Owl earrings.