Although summer is still around technically on the calendar, it has officially become fall here in Vancouver. The rainy weather has begun. I suppose the next 10 months won’t be all grey skies and sweater days, but it sometimes feels like I will be spending it all pining away for the summer months!

Things to be happy about:

Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks

Wellies

Umbrellas

Scarves

Colourful leaves

 Cozy fireplaces

And also: smores, french onion soup, ankle boots, watching movies while cuddling, sleeping in, blankets, slippers, candlelight, cool breezes coming in through the window, dramatic nail polish, tights, and Serendipity.

What are some things you are looking forward to?

xoxo

Fab Brunette

{images via weheartit.com}

 As much as I adore summer with its’ open-toed pumps and strappy sky-high heels, when I feel that brisk wind coming through my windows, I know that boot season has returned! Here in Vancouver the summer has been short – yet fabulous! – and fall is indeed having its first few days of breezy loveliness. Leaves are certainly starting to change colour and slowly, but surely, are gathering in piles and along street curbs. Here are some of my favourite booties from this season, which are your favourites?

xoxo

Fab Brunette

ps. For a full list of designers and boots, click here.

I never travel without my diary, one should always have something sensational to read in the train.

- Oscar Wilde

{image via weheartit.com}

…because there are no words that give justice to the beauty of this dress. Found on Net-A-Porter’s wedding boutique, the successor to Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding dress, Vivienne Westwood’s latest creation definitely leaves mouths a-gaping.  Check it out here.

I used to love love love lists. Like a lot. I would put lists everywhere: in my planner, in my phones, on my computer, in notebooks – everywhere and anywhere. There were duplicate lists all the time of things to do. Things to pack. Things to buy. Eventually I think I got overwhelmed by all these ‘deadlines’ and just gave up on it all. Ha! Just like that. Cold turkey. And I really don’t miss it too much.

Now I simply have ‘mental’ to-do notes. If it’s uber important it will go in my Blackberry, but otherwise it gets lost in my head. Seriously. I’m rather forgetful in my old age (26. Bleh.) and now I need to write certain things down or I will lose focus of it. There have been a few things I’ve wanted to do recently that I keep delaying or… forgetting about!

1. Get a tattoo. This has been on my list of things to do all year long! I’ve finally figured out exactly what I want (I think!), but now it’s just a matter of going to get it done….

2. Cook a steak. To perfection. Medium-rare. At home. Something I think is impossible to do. But I will try it, hopefully next week!

3. Drink more green tea. Something I used to do quite regularly has somehow fallen out of my daily routine. But how to remind myself? Reminder on my phone? Perhaps… it’s as if the kettle sitting atop the stove top doesn’t remind me enough. Wait – I’ll make a cup right now!

4. Get published. I know, I know, this is more of a long-term goal. But I love writing, I do. I’m currently working on a novel, but I’d also love to be doing freelance work, or even have a regular column – offline or online.

5. Be productive. I know what I’m talking about here. I am the Queen of Procrastination. As well as the Mayor of Distractionville. Today, for instance, I have sent out random emails to magazines and editors in hopes of job openings, baked up cookies AND brownies from scratch, cleaned my whole kitchen, and written blog posts. Be MORE PRODUCTIVE. Focus on work. That’s my mantra.

xoxo

Fab Brunette

ps. What’s on  your list of things to do? Do you keep lists or do you leave it to chance like me?

Have I ever discussed my problem feet on here? I’m not sure if I had or not, I mean, I’m sure I’ve mentioned it but I don’t think I’ve ever fully gone in depth about the subject. My feet? Not interesting to you? Au contraire – darlings you will soon see that a girl who loves shoes as much as I do must understand complexities between the shoe that you wear and the foot that you put it on.

What’s my shoe size? Between 9 and 10. A  w i d e  9.5. I have shoes that are a size 9 and shoes that are 10s. I have 10s that are too big and 9s that are too small – and it’s not my feet – it’s the designers! I looked through my closet and took a quick tally of my shoe size:

Louboutin = 40 Manolo = 39.5 Dior = 39.5 & 40 Miu Miu = 40 Cole Haan = 9 Gucci = 9 Miss Sixty = 40

I only did this tally because I like to shop online. As the years go on I have less patience for ‘real shopping’ than ever – it wastes so much of my time and my daughter only likes shopping when it concerns her, seriously. So I spend my ‘free’ hours perusing online websites – Zappos, Ebay, Victoria’s Secret – places that will easily shop to Canada – but shopping for shoes online takes major skill.

How To Shop Online for Shoes

1. You have to know your size, for one. And you have to know that even though the Gucci show you own is a size 9, the next one you order might not fit, seriously. It’s happened to me.

2. Look at the material of the shoe. I always pray that the shoe I’m lusting over will be made out of a stretchable leather. Or a forgiving fabric. Or it could be a sandal – sandals are somehow more forgiving if they’re not the correct size (unless your toes go over the edge…) But if the shoe is made out of some cheap material then they probably won’t forgive my wide feet

3. Style of shoe. D’orsay pumps are always life savers for me – a completely closed pointy-toe? Major no-no. I’m not a fan of round-toe but almond-shaped toe is perfect for my wide foot… *le sigh*

4. If all else fails, look at the return policy. Make sure they will allow them.

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You  need to understand my frustration with my feet to understand why I’m crazy enough to go online shopping instead of trekking into the stores to actually try them before I buy them. First, I am overly picky. I could go to 10 different shoe stores and not find a single shoe I like. And some days I want to buy every single shoe in one store.

Nevertheless, shoe sales people hate me.

Wait, that’s not true – there was one. When I worked in a high-end department store I visited the shoe department three times a day, and I became good friends with a fabulous guy who worked in that end of the store – when a new shoe would come in he would save it for me, letting me try it on, walk it around the store, and although I didn’t buy every single shoe in there, I quickly became familiar with all the brands: Fendi, Miu Miu, Prada and Choo – these are all shoes that don’t like my feet. Pointy Manolo’s and frilly L.A.M.B.’s are also a no-go. Marc Jacobs and Micheal Kors – hell for my feet. But my fabulous shoe god was patient with me, allowing me to waste my whole lunch hour trying on shoes instead of eating (maybe that was the success to my diet back then?) – but then I quit my job and I heard he moved away and we never spoke again

So you see, it’s not enough for me to truly love a shoe for me to buy it. I once bought the blue Manolo Blahnik’s from the SATC movie, and they looked like shit on my feet, weren’t quite my style but I had to have them. And then I ended up selling them on Ebay. At least they paid my credit card bill.

I guess it might be true when they say that you’ll do anything for love.

xoxo

Fab Brunette

The movie was a bit of a let-down to me, as was some of the fashion – I even purchased the Sex & The City 2 Movie book, which mainly showcased Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe. Much of Carrie’s wardrobe came from the Halston Heritage Collection, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as Sarah Jessica Parker is currently their spokesperson. I have to say I’m not much of a fan of the Halston dresses – those loose, flowy shapes don’t do much for my figure – but the accessories in the movie made my heart stop!

Neiman Marcus has put up a couple of pages on what to buy from the movie and here are my favourites!

See the rest here on Neiman Marcus!

xoxo

Fab Brunette