Wordless Wednesday: Tour the Bronx Diba Office

The Shoe That Changed My Life

It was 1999; I recently received a pair of shoes that would lead me on an unexpected journey to my career. They weren’t particularly special, a pair of plain black leather Diba booties with a chunky heel and a square toe. Just shy of age of 11, I had been gifted with my first pair of big girl heels.

My dad had taken a warehouse position with a local shoe company. This was nothing of too much interest to me, as I was more interested in hiding my crush on the neighbor boy and playing tag with the kids on the block. I was a tomboy and fashion was a foreign subject to me. As the years rolled by, I dreamed of travel and college and kept my nose to the books. As dances and formal events began to take up much of my time, the perk of free shoes from daddy began to gain some appeal.

The summer after my junior year of high school, my pockets were empty; I was in need of a job. The shoe company was looking for some help around the office to help them prepare for a move to a new building.  My summer job became a part-time job and 8 years later, my full time career.

Through my tenure of high school and college, my friends began to come to me for fashion advice and a great shoe discount. My Payless shoes and sneakers were replaced by riding boots and stilettos and a love for fashion began. Since the age of 17, I have never purchased another shoe brand and I have stumbled into a career that I never saw coming.

Do you have an article of clothing that changed your life?

I submitted this essay to Elle Magazine. Fingers crossed that it gets published!

Bronx Shoes Autumn '13 - Behind The Scenes. from Elvy Sloot on Vimeo.

Bronx-Diba True-Luichiny Fall Preview

Here is a preview of the shoes that will soon be hitting stores!
I am super excited for this season's line. I think it is the best we have done in a long time. Exotic prints, cognac, ink, oxblood and emerald are a staple in the line, along with lots of riding boots and the platform stiletto you know and love!

Guest Post: Lucinda Bounsall from Farfetch.com--Ten Shoes Every Girl Should Own

The Essential Shoes: Ten shoes that every girl should own

When I was younger I never really knew what the big deal was with shoes, they were simply for warmth and practicality. I was happy to throw on whatever my mum picked out for me at Clarks and get on with the important business of playing outdoors. I would never have considered myself one of those girls preoccupied with something as trivial as shoes; for me it was all about good value and a decent sole for climbing trees.

But has something happened to me over the years, I’ve become one of those very girls and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I love shoes, there’s something inside of me that means every time I see a beautiful pair of heels I can’t stop myself from reaching for the credit card as if possessed. The thing is; shoes really can make an outfit, even if you’re wearing an ensemble completely bought from Primark you can still make it look more like Prada with the right pair of shoes, they can make or break a look. 

As tempting as it can be to stock pile sky scraper designer heels and sequined sandals it’s probably not the shrewdest investment and there comes a point in even the strongest relationship where your boyfriend is simply not prepared to build you yet another IKEA shoe rack. So to avoid shoe-buyer’s remorse (as if that’s a thing) and to help make sure you never find yourself in that situation where you don’t have the right kicks for your outfit I’ve been exploring some of the most essential shoes around. 

Ballet Flats

Ballet pumps aren’t just for dancing in; these bad boys are an absolute essential for almost any look. They’re super versatile and the ideal size to carry around in your bag if you’re planning on dancing into the wee hours. Here are some of our fave ballet flats:

1.    PointedToe Ballet Pump – ASOS - £28 – If Ballet pumps are essential then a black pair is even more so, these cool asymmetric pointed toe pair from ASOS are a perfect addition to any shoe collection.

2.    ‘Kitty’Flat by Charlotte Olympia – farfetch.com - £616 – These amazing red satin flats are embroidered with a cat face and are a sure fire way to add a touch of tongue in cheek chic to any ensemble, wear with anything from a pair of skinnies to a cute tea dress.

3.    LeopardPrint Ballet Pumps – H&M - £8 – If you’re looking for something budget friendly then these cool leopard print flats are the perfect choice, they’d look great with a pair of turned up boyfriend jeans and even if you only wear them eight times that’s still just a pound per wear! 

NUDE PUMPS

Nude pumps are the ultimate leg-lengtheners and are regularly spotted on the red carpet by celebrities such as Swifty; opt for a peep toe style to show off a killer pedicure.

1.     Pigalle120 Patent Nude Pump – Christian Louboutin - £410 – These babies are definitely on the pricier side but that’s what you get when you buy Louboutins! Instantly recognisable by their iconic red soles these patent pumps will go effortlessly with jeans or dressed up with a cocktail dress.

2.     Mid-Heel Pointed Pumps –Zara - £33 – A much more accessible price you simply can’t go wrong with a pair of Zara heels and for £33 it would be sacrilege to not get them! Ideal for work as the mid-heel won’t break your feet!

3.    Odeon Pumps –Conleys.de - £135 – These round toed nude pumps are great for any special occasion they are a classic style and will smarten up any outfit in an instant. Why not wear them with a light coloured dress to really tie in the colour a la Taylor Swift?

TOP TRAINERS

It’s pretty clear in our opinion that trainers are the run-away success of the season (excuse the pun) so weather you opt for an on-trend pair of running trainers or a perennially stylish pair of wedged sneakers you really can’t go wrong in our books!

1.     Women’sBlack Suede and Canvas Trainers – Ash - £149 –These amazing hidden heel trainers from Ash have been at the top of our wish-list for ages now and don’t seem to be leaving any time soon. The perfect balance of style and casual cool, we just can’t resist!

2.     Free Run Sneakers - Nike -£75 – Designed for running and training you don’t have to have any intention of hitting the gym with these lovelies as they look great for everyday use.

3.     WL574 Trainers – New Balance - £85 – Add some colour to your footwear collection with a pair of wild trainers from New Balance, play it safe or go for a cool colour blocked style.

ANKLE BOOTS

Whatever your style there is no excuses for not owning a fantastic pair of ankle boots, weather you go for a classic Chelsea style or a heel these are guaranteed to add a little rock and roll vibe to even the dullest outfit. Pair with denim cut-offs like Kate Bosworth or an oversized band tee and black super skinnies for the ultimate word in off-duty cool.

1.     BuckledAnkle Boots – Jeffery Campbell - £175 – These striking Jeffery Campbell buckled boots will add a touch of serious cool to any outfit, why not wear with a feminine tea dress to really change up a look.

2.     CoachellaChelsea Boots - Opening Ceremony – £250 – You really can’t go wrong with a cool Chelsea boot, if the weather is right these will swiftly become your go-to festival footwear and will go with absolutely everything in your wardrobe!

3.     AtlantaChelsea Ankle Boot – ASOS - £42 – If you’re looking for something a little different then a pair of heeled ankle boots are the perfect option, smart enough to wear for those special occasion but still nonchalant enough for the after-party. 

THE SHOWSTOPPERS

Every shoe closet has at least one pair, those shoes that you bought on a whim with your student loan or the remnants of your overdraft. These are the stand-out pieces of any half decent shoe collections and probably at the pricier end too. However they might not be the best value for money as even though you love them like a child they’re highly impractical, uncomfortable and just generally outrageous; you’ll probably end up only wearing them once a year but hey they’re worth it because after all you can’t help which shoes you fall in love with!

 

Written by Lucinda Bounsall from farfetch.