Giant Boot Alert: L.L. Bean Flagship Store

Outside the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine you will find a 16 foot replica of their famous hunting boot.

The store is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The store is part of a complex with other L.L. Bean stores, such as Home, Bike, Boat & Ski, and Hunting and Fishing. About a block away you’ll find an outlet. The flagship store includes a trout pond and a coffee shop. You can also take L.L. Bean excursions, such as kayaking.

On the main floor you will find a wide selection of men’s shoes, mainly hiking boots and sports sandals. The woman’s selection is upstairs and includes mostly L.L. Bean shoes with a few other brands, like Born and Keen, mixed in. A great idea was that they had steep rock stairs and a slope for you to test the shoes on.

Royal Wedding: Pippa Middleton’s Shoe Choices

After the Royal Wedding, Pippa Middleton has caught the world’s attention, especially after stepping out in a stunning cowl neck Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress at Kate’s wedding. The unmarried Pippa is becoming a style icon like her sister and her shoe choices complement her sense of fashion.

At the Royal Wedding ceremony, Pippa wore white pumps under her dress, although the exact designer and style is unknown. You can catch a glimpse in the below picture. The Official Royal Wedding site does not specify who made her shoes. It says that the bridesmaid’s shoes were made by Rainbow Club, a shoe company based in Devon. It describes them as “classic Mary Jane style shoes are made from satin and finished with a Swarovski crystal buckle.” The pictures suggest Pippa did not wear these same shoes, just like her dress was different than those of the young attendants.

Shoes for Spring: What to Wear When it Rains

My inclement weather collection.

In Ithaca, it seems like it’s been raining for weeks without end. To survive I have a collection of cute, waterproof, and comfy shoes to stay stylish and dry.  Although rain boots, or wellies, are traditional and I have owned many pairs, sometimes I want something different. Also, when it starts getting warmer I find rain boots sweaty and hot.

In general, from rainy days you should wear a study and waterproof material like rubber, pleather, treated leather shoes. Save suede and light colored fabrics from sunny days.

My Collection:

Rain Boots:

For early spring and major storms, nothing beats rain boots. They keep your feet and the bottom of your pants dry, so you can splash in puddles and run through mud. Especially if you’re not wearing them to work, go crazy with color to make a dreary day more fun. My current pair is the above black and white check from the Talbots Clearance Outlet, but I have had bright pink plaid and sunflowers.

The Other Royal Wedding Shoes: Princess Diana, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth.

All eyes have been on the historic wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton. (This blog has received more hits than ever before. A big thank you!) Although the wedding broke some traditions and Kate was a commoner, there have been other royal weddings and other wedding shoes with pictures readily available! 

Princess Diana

Princess Diana wore embellished white slippers on her wedding day. They were made by Clive Shilton of embroidered ivory silk and detailed with mother of pearl sequins. There were heart shapes at the front and the soles were made of hand-tooled leather (mspmint, 2010). The heels were low so Diana at 5’ 10” wouldn’t be taller than Prince Charles (I Do Weddings, 2011). The heels were trimmed in 24 carat gold (Diana, Princess of Wales, 2010). A spare pare was made in case of an emergency (mspmint).

Royal Wedding: The Sky-high Heels of Victoria Beckham

All eyes were first on Kate Middleton as she wed her prince, but with a crowd of the famous and fashionable in attendance one couldn’t help but glance at their outfits.

Victoria Beckham, the former Spice Girl, Posh,  showed up in navy from hat to shoes. Her outfit has been no stranger to controversy.

Liz Jones of the Daily Mail said, “The effect was more suitable for a funeral than a wedding.”

Royal Fashion: Kate Middleton’s Shoe Choices

All eyes are on Kate Middleton, or as I should probably Princess Catherine’s, fashion choices now. Even before she was so famous, she has shown a great sense of classic fashion. Not surprisingly, she has also had some great shoe choices.

The day after her wedding, Kate stepped out in on trend rope-bottom wedges. Wedges are everywhere for spring, especially with rope bottoms. For Kate, the shoes add a pop of spring and lend a slightly more casual air to her outfit. According to whatkatewore.com, the wedges are LK Bennett Greta Wedges. They are not from this season, so finding your own pair will be difficult.