Dexter Penny Loafer

FlashBack Friday

Penny Loafers call to mind east coast dress/casual, sock-hops, prep school style and classic American shoe making. This style crossed gender lines and has had a foothold in every decade since the 30's . I can see the crisp white blouse cinched at the waist, smart dark blue denim and shiny pennies peeking out from under the hem in the wardrobe of any woman who loves the classics. Gentlemen have enjoyed the penny loafer with office wear and into their weekends with khakis and no socks.

The split in the strap across the vamp was designed to look like a pair of lips and quickly became the point of embellishment with small objects; pennies in particular. When pay phones were prevalent kids had the coins for a call home niftily tucked in their shoes which proved to be functional and fashionable.

I love the cordovan colored shiny top-grain leather of my Dexter penny loafers. I still have the original pennies I put in them the day I bought them. I pulled out the pennies and read the year: 1997. I have had these gems quite a while. I slipped my feet into them yesterday and the leather had that old familiar feeling that only a moccasin stitched toe box can give you. To be honest, they are a bit small for me now...my feet have changed over the years. I am reluctant to give them up because they feel like a piece of history, my history and the history of American made shoes. Of course, Dexter no longer makes shoes in the U.S. anymore nor do they make the penny loafer. Companies change, evolve and Dexter has gone the way of quantity over quality and have carved out a niche in the bowling shoe market. I bet Mr. Alfond, founder of Dexter never saw that ball coming:)

I won't be surprised to see the penny loafer come back into style as the fashion pendulum always swings and it is truly a classic...So, if you have a pair wear them yesterday, today and tomorrow. Isn't it neat to know you can embrace nostalgia and be a trendsetter with one great pair of penny loafers?

 love and loafers,

abigail dagmar

Must Have Monday! Miz Mooz Heather Review

Must Have Monday

I recently went boot hunting with my friend Sonnet...but we got swept away by the perfect pair of sandals for her feet. How does this happen when we were hunting for boots? SALE! SALE! SALE! When fall/winter season arrives retailers gotta make room for all those boots by putting the sandals on sale.

I don't get to boast that I purchased these adorable Miz Mooz Heather sandals on sale but I am writing this review now so that you might catch them on sale right this very minute. Hurry! They will be out of stock soon.

The wooden soles, sassy shade of red and peek-a-boo toe called to the girly-girl in me and I had to try them on! The cushioning and rocker bottom sole surprised my feet and made me feel as if I wasn't just buying them just because they are soooo darn cute. They are, in fact, three inch heels but the platform under the toes is an inch thick minimizing the effect of the forward pitch. The wooden sole does not bend but the rocker bottom under the forefoot glides you through every step. Dare I say that I find them to be quite comfortable?!? Miz Mooz steps up to the fashion and comfort plate and hits a home run with the Heather sandal and I am glad to have them in my stadium of shoes.

If your local Miz Mooz retailer doesn't have any left you should try your luck with:endless.com andpiperlime.com

Fitting Notes:

American sizing. The footbed of these sandals runs a tad short so going up a half size is advisable. The heel strap however is cut a bit long so your heel may lift up and down a bit. If you are accustomed to heel slip because you are an avid Dansko fan you will find no issue with the play in the heel. The ankle strap does offer security and you are unlikely to get blisters from the loose fitting heel straps. These sandals do not have a removable footbed so they are not orthotic friendly. Remember these are dress shoes and should be worn accordingly even if they happen to be quite comfortable dress shoes. The ankle strap is positioned correctly and should allow for comfort and adjustment for most feet/ankles.  

Retro-Red

FlashBack Friday

“Can you imagine spending 35 years teaching kindergarten in high heels?” One of my favorite shoe-stomers “Evelyn” said those were the shoes and years that caused her bunions to nearly cripple her. High heels are notorious for encouraging bunions and yet we continue our love affair with them. Even now, Evelyn's face lights up when she sees a pair of red heels. We always tried them on for the thrill...knowing full well that the only shoes she can wear now are orthopedic in shape and certainly aren't offered in red. She shared with me that she wished that she had only worn heels for special occasions so that she could wear them now once in a while. Her bunions got so bad that she can't wear heels for more than five minutes before the excruciating pain sets in.

Quite a few years ago, Evelyn brought me a pair of her heels from her teaching days. A prized pair of un-apologetically red heels with crisp white detailing complete with little tassels. She had saved all her fancy shoes and wanted to give me this pair as we wear the same size and she said she knew I would “wear them responsibly”. These vintage pumps are lovely; the curve of the heel cup so perfect. I promised to care for them and treat them like a rich dessert only to be indulged in once in a while. I have a set of beginner bunions and they do holler when I wear these little beauties. I will heed the lesson of Evelyn's experience and listen to my feet. We only get one set of feet...lets all be nice to them most of the time:)

Brooks Addiction Review--No Quitting These

Must Have Monday

When it comes to talking myself into going for a regular run I can't have my shoes give me any reason not to and that is why I count on my Brooks Addiction running shoe. Each year Brooks offers a new “Addiction” that brings with it that combination-last, linear sole that fits my feet so perfectly. For me, fit is everything so I don't mind if Brooks feels the need to update colors or add “techy” improvements so long as they continue to stay true to the fit and stability I have come to love in my Addictions. I think my first pair of Addictions were the “5” . I just bought the Addiction 9 and Brooks has already released the “10”. Of course, I bought them at my favorite Bellingham shoe store, Hilton's where my feet still get measured and delighted. My feet had changed a bit and I had to go up a half size from my last pair. If you want a dreamboat of a running shoe...I strongly recommend that you try a pair.

Besides the fact that these Brooks fit me so well I must give a nod to a few of their whiz bang features that make me feel extra groovy about buying them.

My favorite addition to the Addiction 9 and 10 is the little “tongue-stay-put-loop” added to the lacing system to keep the tongue of the shoe from wandering around. (See close up picture) Brilliant!

Being “green” is all the buzz these days and Brooks is helping us all put our best foot forward with their BIO-MOGO midsoles. Brooks uses”... a non-toxic, natural additive to the midsole compound that encourages anaerobic microbes to munch away once it hits an active enclosed landfill. Traditional Ethylene Vinyl Acetate™ (EVA) midsoles can last up to 1,000 years in a landfill. BioMoGo’s microbial munch rate is 50 times faster providing biodegraded nutrients in about 20 years.” Also Brooks “...believes in being agents of positive change and plans to release this technology to all other footwear brands.” I also love that they use recyclable box materials, water-based inks and ditched all the extra and unnecessary tissue and stuffing.

Whether I am simply going out for a walk or busting out my morning run, I am thankful for my Brooks. Stability, cushioning and great fit are the hallmarks of this shoe and the joy in my journeys. Thank you Brooks!

Get fit for your Brooks at your local running store or comfort shoe store...otherwise you can find them at: brooksrunning.com, zappos.com, onlineshoes.com and amazon.com

Fitting Notes:

American Sizing. Traditionally, athletic shoes run short and thus it is always advisable to go up one half to a whole size up from the shoe size you normally wear. I am usually a size 8 and I bought my Brooks Addiction 9 in a size 9 2A(narrow). They fit beautifully. Their narrow widths are not truly narrow which works perfectly for my “kinda” narrow feet. If you have truly narrow feet you should consider trying on the Brooks Adrenaline instead. The Addictions are also well known as an excellent pairing with orthotics and great for folks who have had a recent foot, ankle or knee surgery as they offer premium stability and protection. The Addiction comes in narrow to extra wide widths and are really winners with especially wide feet with their generous toe box and wide platform. Brooks will also do a “split size order” for your feet if they are more than a whole size different from each other for about $25 extra which beats having to purchase two full pairs at full price and essentially wasting a pair.

Wolky Guild? Review

FlashBack Friday

Yes, I bought three pairs of these Wolky sandals within the blink of an eye. Sometimes you just “know” when your sole has met its' mate. Wolky means cloud-like and that is what it is like to walk around in these sandals. The tops are so cute you barely notice the thick soles that cushion your every step. I can't believe Wolky doesn't make this sandal anymore. I have had them for over 10 years and still get compliments on them. (Remember, my shoes only last this long because I have so many pairs, rotate through them and take care of them.)

I am embarrassed to say that I cannot remember the style name of one of my most beloved pair of shoes. The sandal that Wolky made as a follow up was called the Guild which added adjustment at the fore-foot. I am offering ten gold stars to the shoe geek who can tell me the original style name. I searched the depths of the internet hunting for my shoes only to be assured there are not any left on the market to be bought at any price. Thus, even though I have three pairs, I cannot share them and will be sure to coddle them. The red pair are my favorite. I wear the black pair the most. The navy blue pair (I know it is difficult to tell that one of these pairs is navy blue from the photo) are the ones I will miss the most as finding navy blue shoes in just the right shade, shape and size is really tricky. I should have bought two in navy like I did in the red. I even bought my second pair of red ones in the next size up so they will fit as my feet change over the years...yes your feet get longer and/or wider over the course of your life.

I am glad I could share one of my all-time favorite shoes with you and would love to find out about “the pair you love most”. Send me a picture/story so that your favorite shoe will live on forever in the pages of this blog.

Fitting Notes: European sizing. The fore-foot of the sandal fits quite shallow making this shoe an ideal fit for those folks with low volume or narrow feet. The Guild was made to “remedy” this low volume cut to allow for more shapes of feet to fit but gave up the sandal's elegance to do it. The enclosed heel cup does accommodate thin ¾ length orthoses though the footbed is not removable. This model runs slightly long.