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Beloved Brown Oxfords

Carreno by Naturalizer

I love packages. These beautiful brown oxfords arrived from Naturalizer the other day. This particular style is called Carreno, in Coffee Bean. They fit perfectly and comfortably and I can't wait for the weather to get cooler so that I can wear them with my many many tights of various colors. More of those pictures to come! For now, following are some photos of my new beloved brown oxfords. Thank you, Naturalizer. :)

Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer
Carreno by Naturalizer

Pugs not drugs,
Katrina

{ I only review products I love and enjoy. If I receive products that don't meet this criteria, I always return them to the sender. }



Pewter Shoes

Landry by Naturalizer

It's been a long time since I've blogged about shoes. Well, meet my new kicks. This pewter patent leather pair is called Landry and is made Naturalizer. I adore the metallic sheen and I love the crisp ruching on top.

Landry by Naturalizer

I'm smitten with these shoes, so much so that I wore them all weekend. Mind you, though -- they run small. If you like these shoes, consider ordering a half size larger than you normally would. I wore them with socks to avoid any chance that the elastic in the back of the shoes might cause blisters. Overall, however -- great walking shoes.

Landry by Naturalizer
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Grand by J-41

Grand by J-41

I was really pleased to receive a response from J-41 after I sent them a link to my Sideline review. They read my review and wishful plea for a pair of their lovely vegan shoe, Peak, in burgundy. They were going to send me a pair, but due to limited sizing availability, they asked me to choose another style instead. So I happily went with my second choice, a mary jane called Grand, in black, with cute black, red, and silver velcro straps.

Grand by J-41

Grand is part of J-41's line of sporty wedges. I've worn the shoes to work these last few days. I'm on my feet a lot and run a lot of errands. I tell you, at the end of each day, my feet felt great and I think a lot of it had to do with the contoured memory foam footbed and the roomy toe box.

Grand by J-41

Now, as far as sizing is concerned, ordering a half-size larger than you normally wear is recommended since Grand fits a half-size smaller than marked. I generally wear between 8.5 - 9. J-41 sent me 9's and they fit great.

Grand by J-41

Grand is really close to perfect except for one thing: the velcro straps are too long. I'd really much prefer a snug fit, as pictured above. But, as you can see, the straps hang over too much. It's just a good thing that the shoes themselves are a perfect fit. The mary jane straps are more decorative than practical. Then again, I do have very flat feet. If you have high arches, these straps may prove to be functional.

Grand by J-41

Disregarding the fit of the straps, these shoes are great. They're cute and practical and can easily be dressed up. Even with the straps as they are, given the chance, I would buy these myself in a heart beat.

Thanks for these shoes, J-41. I adore them. ♥

{ Taco was bribed with Charlee Bears to be cute and very still. }



Shoe Review at Barking Dog Shoes!

Wear Around Mary Jane by Keen

I'm guest blogging at Barking Dog Shoes today -- go check it out!



J-41 Revisited

J-41 Sideline in Olive/Pistachio

I visited DSW Shoes with high hopes of finding a pair of Blowfish flats called Cow Suede in black. And though I found them, my hopes of going home with them floundered when I tried them on. Sadly, I found myself re-living the She Hulk ordeal all over again, and as much as I wanted them to *work*, harsh reality said they didn't fit. But, as you can tell from these pictures, I didn't leave empty handed.

J-41 Sideline in Olive/Pistachio

I immediately thought of Mary at SuffixAbuse.com when I saw boxes of J-41 shoes at DSW. She brought J-41 to my attention some time ago and unfortunately, I had no opportunity to try them on any sooner. To my knowledge, they're not stocked at any brick and mortar stores in SF, so I was happy to see them at DSW today.

J-41 Sideline in Olive/Pistachio

DSW only carried one style, the Sideline Mesh Vegan in Olive/Pistachio. I immediately tried them on and instantly fell in love. I adore the style and the velcro snaps and am absolutely smitten with the colors. To top it off, they're the ultimate in comfort, with a contoured memory foam footbed.

J-41 Sideline in Olive/Pistachio

All the shoes made by J-41 are eco-friendly. The packaging of their shoes are made of recycled materials. Also, the outsoles are partially made of recycled rubber. The Sideline Mesh is part of J-41's Vegan Collection of animal-friendly styles. Hooray!

J-41 Sideline in Olive/Pistachio

Finding this unexpected treasure today has left me intrigued. What other styles does J-41 have? Take a look at this lovely one in burgundy (though it looks like red to me).

I am hoping Santa reads this post. After all, I've been very very good. Really, I have. ;)

{ See them in action here. And, read Barking Dog Shoes' review of J-41's Seville right here. }