Wardrobe maintenance pays off

Angie's reminder to prep our wardrobes for fall was well-timed. I'd been carting around a bag of things to bring to the cleaners for ages, so I finally made time to do it.

I also brought in a bag of clothing in need of minor repairs. I knew my cleaner could fix them more elegantly than I could. My favorite skinny jeans had a hole. They were new with tags at a consignment store because they had a small puncture on one leg, $50 instead of $300. But the tiny hole got bigger over time, and I never got around to fixing it. I also brought in a pile of sweaters with holes and torn seams.

I got it all back and it's all the benefit of shopping at a fraction of the price. All the repairs are perfect, too. Today's outfit is things I hadn't worn in ages because they were awaiting repairs: the R13 skinnies and a thrifted Club Monaco sweater that had pulled apart at the armpit. I like the outfit. With the sandals, it might be better with the jeans rolled, but that made my legs look really short...

Also, a year ago I posted looking for dramatic minimal sandals. I finally found them this spring! I don't think I've posted them here. These are handmade by a California brand called Cydwoq. They fit my very strange feet as if they were built for me. The high strap across the top doesn't rest on my "foot bump" where my metatarsals hit my foot at an extreme angle. Pressure on that joint hurts after a few hours, so it really limits what shoes I can wear. It might be more flattering to have the strap placed further along my foot, but I don't care, because I can actually wear these!

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36 Comments

  • Janet replied 7 years ago

    I love those sandals! Great outfit too. :-)

  • Sally replied 7 years ago

    Great outfit. The sandals are fabulous.

  • rachylou replied 7 years ago

    Those sandals are sooo good!

  • Cerinda replied 7 years ago

    Sandal envy here.

  • columbine(erin) replied 7 years ago

    That's amazing, the sandals do look like they were built just for you.

  • Brooklyn replied 7 years ago

    Love those sandals. Great find.

  • Anna replied 7 years ago

    Love the all black outfit!

  • jenanded replied 7 years ago

    What a great story! And I too have sandal envy...

  • catgirl replied 7 years ago

    Cydwok is an amazing brand. Have you seen this site full of such brands?

    https://www.pedshoes.com

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 7 years ago

    Nice work! It sounds like you practically have a new wardrobe. Those sandals are really great. I like that brand--the styles are so unusual and really appeal to me, and the comfort is great, if you get the right pair for your feet. I haven't bought any (yet), though.

  • Pat_P replied 7 years ago

    I love everything about this outfit!

  • Shelly replied 7 years ago

    I love the outfit but I just adore those sandals.

  • replied 7 years ago

    I love the outfit, but those shoes are AMAZING.  

  • Deborah replied 7 years ago

    I love those sandals! I hope you don't mind but I showed one of your photos to my hairdresser today as inspo for her own hair:). She has curly hair and is considering an undercut and I was telling her how gorgeous your hair style is xx

  • Ledonna N. replied 7 years ago

    Alright now . I cannot wait to see your winter wadrobe.

    Loving the unique sandals

  • Runcarla replied 7 years ago

    Your dry cleaner sounds like a treasure. Cudos to you for making the time and financial investment in your clothes rather than just tossing. Glad you found some old friends.

  • viva replied 7 years ago

    Such an inspiration to fix rather than toss! Great outfit, and fab photo too:I love the colors and the composition. Your home (design/furniture, etc.) looks pretty cool.

  • Angie replied 7 years ago

    Killer sandals. LOVE them on you. Good job getting all organized too. 

  • Bonnie replied 7 years ago

    How nice to have everything ready for fall. Your shoes are super cute.

  • unfrumped replied 7 years ago

    Great reminder to take care ov what you already know works. I ran up against that with putting together Sind mird polished ( no pun intended) work oufits and realized I was fretting about possible new items while my planned, and desired, footwear was overdue for a trip to the cobbler. It was such a relief to get that done!
    Sandals have a great minimal- architectural look!

  • approprio replied 7 years ago

    Thanks for the heads-up! You've just reminded me about the pile of jumpers I took to the cleaners last week.

    Note to self. Go collect.

    And cool sandals. I've always liked the look of Cydwoq, they look like the North American equivalent of Trippen. 

  • Suz replied 7 years ago

    Those sandals are fantastic for you! Plus, you have pretty feet, not weird feet. 

    Good job on getting all the repairs done. How nice to be able to wear old favourites again. 

  • Mary Beth (formerly LBD) replied 7 years ago

    I love everything about your look, from the velvety richness of the black to how you styled your hair, and the toenail polish.

    I am intrigued by the sandals!  So that across-the-big-toestrap doesn't pull down on the toe too much when you walk?   Are these walk-all-day sandals?

  • replied 7 years ago

    I like your bump and your sandals.
    I am so happy that you were able to get all those clothes mended. I'm so not a mender, but really, really would like to work towards a more stable wardrobe.

  • Chris987 replied 7 years ago

    Wow what a great posting! Those sandals are really fab and your whole outfit is terrific. Love hearing that people actually get their clothes repaired....not everyone does these days! You look wonderful in all black.

  • Sal replied 7 years ago

    Awesome sandals, great outfit!!

    So worth it from every perspective to fix tired clothes!!

  • Lyn D. replied 7 years ago

    Great work, and your sandals look perfect for you!

  • Greyscale replied 7 years ago

    Una - ooh, I think I've come across pedshoes while googling, but I'd forgotten about it.

    Viva - it's actually my office (different angle than usual) which really needed some bright colors to liven up an old institutional-looking room.

    Approprio - I never thought of it, but you're right, they're in the same vein as Trippen. I like Trippen better for the most part, because Cydwoq shoes are usually a little more feminine than my taste, but these are perfect for me.
     
    La Belle - The toe loop is quite comfortable on me, but my foot weirdness affects the angle of my toes too, so I don't know if they're comfortable on all feet. But when I bought them, another customer in the shop said she had them and they were her most comfortable shoes. I can walk for quite a ways in them, now that I've adjusted to them, but I haven't happened to go further than a mile in them yet. I believe they'll be good city tourist shoes, even on cobblestones (that was my goal in buying them).

    Deborah - thanks, I'm so flattered!

    Suz - I'd say my feet are pretty and weird at the same time! And actually the high arch is good for Irish dance (my sport of choice) but it's definitely a 'deformity' from a podiatrist's perspective. 

    Smittie and Chris - I wish I ever got around to doing the repairs myself, but I do try to keep things as long as I can. I might start re-dying certain black clothes, too. I buy a lot of clothing but it's often consignment and a few little repairs can keep something going a lot longer.

    Ledonna - well, this might be my winter wardrobe - last month was colder than February, here in foggy San Francisco! My heat is on at night! But the sandals do go away in winter.

  • Greyscale replied 7 years ago

    Oh and I bought the sandals from 
    https://buloshoes.com/

    which is a local store with really excellent selection for that category of shoes (similar to Ped Shoes). They sell online.

  • Jaime replied 7 years ago

    The sandals were made for you. Check out Vialis too.

  • Jenn replied 7 years ago

    I would have never thought to take my clothes to the dry cleaner for minor repairs, but now that I'm trying to invest in better pieces, I think that's a brilliant strategy and will adopt it, for sure.

    I empathize with your "foot bump." I have one, too, as the result of an old injury, and it does make certain shoes more difficult to fit.

  • elpgal replied 7 years ago

    Thanks for the inspiration- I dropped off 3 tops at the tailor for alterations. $60! Ouch! But better than them sitting unworn or worn unhappily.

  • Susie replied 7 years ago

    I set things aside that need minor repairs, thinking I will do them but sewing is not my forte and I never do. I end up taking them to the seamstress at the dry cleaner and am always happy to get them back in to rotation.

    Those sandals look like they were made for you; great style and they look so nice on your foot. Thanks for sharing a new to me brand!

  • cheryl replied 7 years ago

    You look great. Love the sandals! :)

  • Nishaa replied 7 years ago

    GORGEOUS SANDALS....
    I'm in love.

  • Helen11 replied 7 years ago

    Fantastic sandals, just perfect for you.
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who puts off clothing repairs. I finally took some jeans and pants for hemming, $$$, when in theory I could do it myself , but how much better they feel to wear!

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