30 Days of Creativity, Days 4 and 5

Saturday was an errands day, which doesn't open itself up to many creative moments. BUT, I did manage to finally come up with a good makeshift tripod for outside shots on the patio!

This



takes this.



HEE! Good thing we live in Chicago, where we NEVER put our snow shovels away in case we jinx it. (Also because we are lazy and garage-less and thus have no place to put them.)

Yes, that is a repeat of Friday afternoon's outfit; it worked so well then for the blistering temperatures I wore it again when Saturday was more of the same. This time I added my Gap tote (from last year) and my new mustard yellow walking sandals (Keens, can you believe it?).

Which leads me to Sunday's creative endeavor: a photo essay of this year's sandals.



I love, love, love sandals and wear them pretty much nonstop from early May to early October. I don't have what Angie at YLF calls "fussy feet", but I do know when it's hot out that if my feet are even a little hot the rest of me is miserable. Put me in shorts and tee and socks and sneakers, and I will sweat profusely because my feet are so hot. Sandals let them breathe and keep my temp better regulated, a critical issue when having to layer up for meetings or cold air-conditioned offices. So a great collection of sandals, for work and for home, is important for my closet.

I started building this collection at the tail end of winter, shopping around based on recommendations from YouLookFab and Barking Dog Shoes; both sites are excellent for comfortable, pretty sandals selection ideas. Sandals are the one area where I don't waste time looking for sales; the best styles and color combos tend to go fast so I snap them up as soon as I find one that works. Since I buy them months before it's time to wear them, I keep the collection in a stack of boxes in my bedroom, and I only remove them and throw away the receipt when I am wearing them for the first time. There have been many times that what I thought would be great in March turns out to be wrong in June, so I will return.

Let's start from tallest to highest:


The orange Clarks Long Ponds were my first sandal purchase of the year, recommended by YLF way back in February. I first ordered them in chestnut but they were too dark and heavy, so I returned them for the original orange. They're still a heavy-looking shoe, more appropriate for skinny ankle pants or under bootcut jeans than with dresses, but I love how chunky/cool they are.



The Katie & Kellys from DSW also started life in my box stack as a neutral color, but when I realized I had two neutral sandals and no blacks while getting ready for my friend's bachelorette party last month, I ran to DSW and exchanged them. I like the black in this strappy look because it doesn't look heavy (and the lighter sections of the faux croc pattern helps too), so these do work nicely with dresses as well as pants or jeans. These are also surprisingly very comfortable; the wedge is a platform all around so the slant of the angle is low, almost like you were wearing flats.



The last of the heeled sandals are my Clark Laguna Reefs, an exact duplicate of the same ones I wore to death last year and snapped the strap on in April. Thank goodness Clarks brought the style back this year; they are the definition of the perfect nude work sandal.



Now it is on to my more casual, flat sandals. I scored here too, big time!


The Clark Privos were a revelation this year; I wanted to get a funky pair of Privo sneakers for yoga Saturdays, but when I saw these in the store you could probably see the skidmarks as my plan abruptly reversed itself. They have the awesome Privo soles, but a grey patent straps on top. My feet could be unsweaty AND well supported for long walks! SOLD.



The mustard Keens sat in their box the longest as I was unsure if I would actually wear them much. I know, it seems crazy doesn't it? But once I got the Lands End shorts I realized I would need at least two flat walking sandals to go with them, and out they came. I wore them in the above outfit, and again on Sunday with jeans and a cute lilac top, and they looked perfect with both. They're funky casual, and you know that color is just too much for me to ignore. Barking Dog Shoes are to thank for this one, from way back in February!



Lastly, these Clark flip-flops were an impulse purchase their outlet store last month with Jessie, but I have been amazed how much wear they are already getting. They are the perfect pedicure shoe, but also for around the house or short errands in jeans or shorts. So much cuter and real-shoe-looking than rubber flip-flops, aren't they?



What I like best about my collection this year is the variety in colors and styles; I have a couple of neutrals for my patterned dresses, but the rest are great unexpected colors that add a nice punch to a neutral outfit. And each one has its own purpose, so I can rotate them nicely through all the roles I play each summer day.