Topshop HACKLE High Leg Fringe Gladiator Sandals

Topshop's HACKLE High Leg Fringe Gladiator Sandals, £25 are so hot. Just like Etro's Suede High-Top Fringe Gladiator Sandals, these are the sandals to be seen in. I love these so much, am getting all five colours. Yes.. Five!!! They also come in black and purple.

Topshop must haves!!!!!!

RUFFLE Fringe T-Bar Shoe in Gold, £60.

RUDY2 Platform Sandal, £60.

FONDA High Cuff Sandal, £50.

FONDA High Cuff Sandal, £50.

The must-haves for this season from Topshop. This is why Topshop is the true leader of the highstreet.

Petite Feet (No Binding Required)

We've had some new shoes in from LA-based Restricted and we're full of glee -- beaming, cackling shoe-glee. What we love about them is manifold:

(1) we've stocked a range of heel heights from 3-1/2" down to flats, which gives everyone a wide range of options.

(2) Texture mashing: snakeskin-stamped patent leather? Love. The syrupy gloss of the patent is chopped up by the stamped scales creating a lovely push and pull between skin and gloss, pattern and depth.

(3) (and most important!) They make your feet look smaller through some cobbly prestidigitation. Every shoe has a treatment near the very front of the toe box -- satin flowers, suede bows, patent double buckles -- that draws attention away from the length of the shoe and make the front of your foot appear shorter and more petite.

A perfect example of the is the Elite in black and red (pictured): the maryjane-inspired straps have been slid to the very front of the shoe, obscuring a rounded snub toe and making your feet appear more diminutive.

One of our absolute favorites is the Royalty, available in black and camel. It's a complex shoe that could easily fall into the realm of the overdone, but this one pulls up just shy. A silver footbed is swathed in black patent leather stamped with snakeskin.

Two subtle pleats both at the foot front and heel provide that signature Restricted distraction while echoing the 3-1/2" funnel heel.

More gifty Ideas.

This morning on Design Sponge I saw these placemats and doilies from Modern Twist! Love them. Especially the doilies. They would be perfect for my cake platter, and transferring the cake from the decorating turntable to the cake stand. So cute!

Discount Thursdays!

Today's post is more like a "Sale Alert Thursday" but saving money is saving money so lets not dicker over semantics. I have three great sales for my darling readers to check out. First of all its the yearly IKEA sale. I recommend going to check it out on a weekday. My friend M and I went on a Thursday night and felt like we had the place all to ourselves. It was glorious. I got a potting bench which I will be converting into a Bar/prep area for the BBQ area on my deck.

Another great sale going on is the Lime Tage Sale over at Pimperlime. Enjoy up to 40% off on many many cute shoes. Like these cute Pink Numbers from Charles and David.

only $39.99!

The Last sale I am going to mention is the seasonal clearance sale over at West Elm. They are items up to 65% off! And there is a butch of great stuff. Browse through the lighting section for some great stuff!

Happy Shopping!

Almost as Much Fun as Family Feud: Our Survey

OK, let's just get this out of the way first: we love Richard Dawson. No one ever insulted well-deserving game show contestants with such finesse as the Kissing Bandit. We've also never laughed so hard as when a gentleman of a certain age declared "Alligator" the answer to "An animal with three letters in its name." It was the only possible topper to his rival's "Frog." Imagine milk spurting out of our collective noses. Or, uh, hum; that's kind of gross ... just imagine us laughing really hard. Like, crying.

So this got us to thinking that what we needed over here at Lori's was a survey of our own. Since we can't see you, hear you or hide when you approach, we thought getting your opinion the only sensible alternative. We take our customer service very seriously, breezy and insouciant blogging aside.

We want to know how we can do what we do, but do it better. How does our website look? What shoes do you want us to carry? Who does it better? Are you even reading this?

Why, you venture to ask, do you want my opinion? Ah, Gentle Reader, the answer is that during one of our nefarious meetings in our dark, secret, evil (but pretty awesome) marketing lair we realized the key to global shoe retail domination lay in your hands. We know! We were shocked as well! Respect the customer? The marketers weren't happy and they sulked about in our lair until we tacked on an appeal to Mammon. That earned a hearty round of MWEW-HOO-HA-HA!s and everyone was happy.

The result is 10 questions (so easy!) and a $5 discount (free money!) that we hope you take more seriously than this posting. So please take a moment and help us improve our site and our selection. We look forward to your opinions.

Survey Says ...

Topshop Superb T-Bar Platform

Topshop's Superb T-Bar Platform, £65, is a newer version of the Topshop 'Super' Platform. I absolutely love these. Wear with an LBD for that added glamour.

Gift Ideas For ME!

Ok so this is a shameless self promotion. But what good is a blog about things you love if you can't make a list of good gifts for the blog owner so that she will get some awesome Birthday Gifts. And Since this Birthday is going to be a Dark Dark Day the presents better be good.Everyone says I am hard to shop for. I always find that very surprising. Mostly because I am a consumer. I love stuff. I think perhaps the problem lies in the fact that everyone things I like expensive stuff. Which is true but I can't afford a lot of expensive luxury items and I figure out how to get a lot of things that are great deals. I know when to stretch my dollar. Also I am pretty picky about my clothing and I am a plus size girl so buying clothes for me that I will like is pretty much out of the question for most gifts unless I go shopping with you. But there are still so many gifts out there I would love.

Hence this post. I will list several gift ideas for me in a wide range of prices. For all you readers out there that do not know me personally you can send gifts to PO Box.. HA just kidding. But really this is a good look at gifts for any stylish Lady.

Lets Start with the more expensive treats!!! After a quick browse over at eLuxury and I have found this adorable shoulder bag from my favorite designer Marc Jacobs. But at $550 I don't think I will be getting it this year. Mostly because Mr. Delusional and I have decided in lieu of Birthday Gifts this year we bought ourselves a new flat screen TV. $550 at eLuxury

A more economical bag would be this cutie by Kate Spade from Nordstrom's for $245. Its in thesame color scheme as the Marc Jacobs but in a hobo bag. Adorable. Also Kate always puts the cutest lining in her bags.$245 Nordstroms

I know I said buying me clothes it out of the question unless you want to pick me up something from the Rachel Pally collection at Nordstrom's. Like this dress:

Rachel Pally Nordstroms $234

Ok lets bring this down to the less than $200 range.

Lets start with Sunglasses. I love designer sunglasses almost as much as a status bag. How about these cuties from Marc Jacobs. I might not be able to wait until my Birthday for these lovelies. Look at the cute side detail and the great shape of the lenses.

Marc by Marc Jacobs $115

Or these cute Sunglasses from Betsey Johnson at Nordstrom for only $75!Betsey Johnson $75

They have a great classic aviator shape that looks good on many face types.

There also a ton of gifts out there under $50. First of all I am on a total Old Navy Kick. So a gift card to old navy would be fine if you feel really lazy. But for more personal gifts I am also wanting a few pairs of brightly colored Havaiana's Flip Flops. Which can be found at many many places. Another great gift is jewelry from local crafters. I really like Talia Serinese Designs at Saturday market. She also has an Etsy shop with a smaller selection of her work. Etsy in general is a great place to find gifts for people for great deals. I recommend browsing the vast listings even just to get gift ideas.

Ok I am loosing blogging steam but I will end with these are just suggestions. Also I by no means expect to get gifts for my birthday. This is merely a list of suggestions for things I like for people who were planning on buying me gifts but get hung up on what to get me and then ask me what I want. Other things that make great gifts: books or movies that make you laugh and will probably make me laugh as well, concert tickets, bottle of wine that you like.. chances are I will like it too! Art that strikes you as beautiful will probably strike me as beautiful. Flowers are always a wonderful surprise, potted or cut. Honestly I am easy. I love everything that is pretty or shiny or thoughtful. And I know on my Dark Dark Day that is my Birthday this year anything that will make me laugh will be much appreciated as I say good by to my youth.

Topshop RAINBOW Swirl Platform

For those of you who can not afford the beautiful Prada black and gold sandals, do not to worry!! Topshop has unleashed a rendition of the shoes which is rather like the Prada ones, to an extent, and at a very favourable price. So achieve the look without breaking the bank.

Topshop's RAINBOW Swirl Platform, £65.

Miuccia Prada black and gold leather sandal, £387.

Behnaz Kanani 'Queen Panther' Cutout Platform Sandals

Camelia
Gloriosa
Gloriosa
Delphine

Statement shoes are everywhere. From the catwalks to the high streets, they have replaced the 'IT' bag as the hottest fashion item. Cast your eyes on these beauties. In the range of about £600, get yourself kitted in a super high pair from designer Behnaz Kanani.

Materials, Girl.

We're excited by a range of new materials hitting our jewelry shelves of late. We blogged a while back about natural wood and precious metal combinations like Blue Wild Indigo and Tashi.

Be-Je Designs has taken a different tack: enamel. There is something about the slick surface of enamel that is irresistibly touchable. It's tough, has great luster and, when coated selectively over a base metal like stainless steel, has a great play between the metallic sheen and enameled gloss.

With so many materials available this season, we thought we'd ask you what you prefer. Are you into off-beat woods and industrial-cum-chic surfaces like enamel? Or are you a more classic gold and silver gal? Embroidery? Something else? Take a vote and let us know!

Sex and the City Movie

While I was in Mexico I had the pleasure of seeing the Sex and the City Movie. I know there were mixed reviews of the movie, but if you enjoyed the show you will like the movie. It was basically like watching an entire season of Sex and the City in one siting. For me the best part of the movie was the clothing. Patricia Fields knows how to dress a movie. I, like probably every other woman who has seen the movie, am currently coveting Carrie's Dior Cutout sandals! I love that she pairs them with the soft floral dress and jacket. The juxtaposition's of the soft and hard is great. What's not great is the $780 price tag associated with the shoes.Also if we are being realistic (I know... who wants to be realistic about shoes?) the heel on those Dior's is a bit terrifying for me. So even if I won the lotto and could afford them I probably couldn't walk very far in them. This Delusional Fashionista knows her limits with Stilettos and she is no Carrie Bradshaw. So I set out to find a similar pair for much less $ and a more comfortable shoe for walking in. Here is what I have come up with so far.

Steve Madden Max II on Zappo's for $115

This pair is a pretty good knock off of the original Dior pair. The grommets are a bit different but I am pretty impressed with how similar they are.

I also found this pair from BCBG:

BCBG Nickole on Zappos for $99

This pair is more inpired by the Dior shoes. I like them because they are under $100 (just barely) But they also dip down lower in the front creating a more elongated look for your leg, rather than chopping you off at the ankle. It is a good option for those thicker legged ladies out there like myself. It does have staggering 4" heel making it almost as high as the original Dior.

Lastly I found these Nine West for $93. This pair a sturdier looking heal and a similar shape minus the grommeting. I miss the grommets though, don't you?

Nine West Zanja on Zappos for $93

Discount Thursdays!

So I am back from Not so Sunny Mexico! Turns out I do like Pina Colada's and getting Caught in the rain. And its a good thing I like getting caught in the rain because it happened quite a few times! But I had a wonderful time non the less and managed to get a bit of a tan!

Anyway back to the real non-vacation world. And with that I have a great Discount Thursday Post. KATE SPADE CLEARANCE!!!

Wellesley medium shopper Original Price $425 on Sale for $229!
Katy Cyril continental wallet Original Price $195 on Sale for $99!

The sale ends tomorrow so get your credit cards out girls and take advantage of this great sale!

Topshop is Hot!!!!

Six reasons why I love TOPSHOP?...... Cast your eyes on these finds!

Topshop's SENORITA Short T Bar Shoes, £60.

Topshop's RUFFLE Fringe T Bar Shoes, £60.

Topshop's PEPE Premium Pom Pom Sandals, £80.

Topshop's PEPE Premium Pom Pom Sandals, £80.

Topshop's PRUSSIA Premium Pom Pom Shoes, £80.

Topshop's RIPPLE Cuff Platform Sandals, £65.

Flip-Flopping on Sandals? A Lori's Primer.

The time (and weather) is ripe for a review of our favorite fair weather footwear: the humble flip-flop. The pawn on our chessboard of footwear, the flip-flop may seem lowly, but it has the power to make or break your outfit. It's so easy and so comfortable we often forget it is also quite versatile. Herewith, a primer on some of our favorite brands and where to wear them.

YELLOW BOX: The Quirky
The Gist: Yellow Box puts great emphasis on it's straps, be they silver thongs or woven fabric over platform foam. This keeps them fun, engaging and an active part of your outfit, so consider your co-ordination and let them do their job.

Our Pick: The Jewel in green. The foam cushion footbed supports a black upper bedecked with turquoise and aquamarine stones. It's quirky and beguiling.

Wear It To: Saturday's Mermaids on Parade.







FIT FLOPS: The Prep Sport
The Gist: Touted as a revolution in fitness footwear, the Fit Flop stakes its claims on a tripartite sole that works in reaction to your stride to tone muscles from the waist down. They made the cut for Oprah's Favorite Things for Summer and, fitness aside, they are incredibly comfortable. It's our choice for your athletic flip-flop.

Our Pick: The Walkstar II in bronze. A 1-1/2" platform footbed exercises your legs as you walk (in addition to the workout provided by, uh, the walking ... ) and, regardless, are ultra-comfy and have a prep-sport, René Lacoste-era styling.

Wear It To: The Four Seasons in Dallas or tennis in any tony part of town.


FABIO RUSCONI: The Sophisticate
The Gist: Like any good Italian dish, the simplicity of this shoe belies its sophistication. The result is a seemingly unassuming sandal that speaks volumes about your good taste.

Our Pick: The D567 in natural. A 1" cork sole supports a leather footbed and same-color straps with a hidden, patent leather underside. A graceful curve to the strap turns it 180 degrees from footbed to toe. The result is fluid movement in a sophisticated dye. It signals you know it's so easy only someone of discerning tastes would recognize it.

Wear It To: any High Street shopping session or an outdoor sporting event with blueblood pretensions.


JESSICA BENNETT: The Ageless Trend
The Gist: Jessica Bennett shoes have a savvy hook into current trends. The collection consistently weaves in and out of the current style, picking up bits and pieces and transforming them into a shoe that reflects the moment but lives in its own aesthetic.

Our Pick: The Jayleen in bronze. This slim leather flip with micro heel is dominated by a wide bronzed-and-bejeweled medallion at the front foot. It references '80s glam and gladiator trends without being completely either.

Wear It To: a trendy nightspot under dark jeans or a simple and sexy skirt or dress. Don't mix and match too much: these shoes will carry a lot on their own.

Lori's Warehouse Sale - Naperville

Lori's Naperville, IL store will be hosting a warehouse sale from Friday, June 20th through Saturday, June 21st. Doors open at 10am both days and all sales are cash-only and final. Look for deep discounts on items store-wide!

Comment on this post with any questions ... and good hunting.

Lori's Naperville

27 W Jefferson

Naperville, IL 60540

630-416-3663
directions

Faith 'Cooture' Patent Shoes

Faith's 'Cooture' Patent Shoes, £70, are absolutely gorgeous. These babies have been featured in Look magazine and also come in green and black. I just love the slightly holographic effect on these.

Moschino Cheap & Chic Patent Leather Bootie

Moschino Cheap & Chic Patent Leather Bootie, £325.

I Love these Moschino Patent booties and Alexa Chung matches them very well with this gorgeous flirty strapless dress from Luella F/W 2008 and a vintage Mulberry leather bag, as she attended the Glamour Women of the Year in London, June 3, 2008 at Berkeley Square Gardens in London.