Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Feet
Summer Sandals from Shusole
1Though I have an ever-expanding collection of shoes, most of them are black, and most of them just don’t cut it for every day summer wear. As such, lately I’ve been on the look out for some lighter, and more sunny-weather-appropriate shoes, and the latest addition to my collection is this pair of Ciara Flatform shoes, from online women’s footwear specialists Shusole.
I’ve spotted two big trends on the highstreet this season – pastel brights and platforms – and these beauties tick both boxes. The sandals fasten at the side with a buckle, and have a strappy design reminiscent of ’90s-style jelly shoes, but with an open toe. The platform is around 4 inches high, but despite the height they’re incredibly comfortable as the sole is cushioned, and they’re flat so very easy to walk in.
I absolutely love the colour of these shoes. They’re a gorgeous bright pink that adds a perfect pop of colour to my (mostly) black wardrobe, but the pastel element gives them a dusky hue, rather than an overwhelming fluorescence, which I prefer. However, if pink isn’t your thing, they’re also available in black, white, green, orange, or yellow.
These sandals are so easy to style too. I’ve paired them with leggings and a long top for a casual day look, but they also look really cute with a strappy sun dress, a skater skirt, or even skinny jeans! I’m sure they’ll be featuring in some style posts in the coming months, so keep an eye out.
These Ciara Flatform Shoes cost just £13.49, which for a good quality pair of pretty, versatile sandals is an absolute steal. And even cheaper than Primark and suchlike too! Check them out here.
Naomi x
*These Ciara Flatform Shoes were sent to me by Shusole for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice Shoes
23I know I’m not alone when it comes to loving shoes, especially new shoes, so I was a little bit excited when I received a pair of shoes from the Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice range to review! Chorus Voice are part of Clarks’ SS13 line featuring luxe Liberty Art Fabric linings, and they are a fine example of a beautiful court shoe.
The first thing that grabbed my attention when I took the shoes out of the box was how they felt. The uppers are made from lovely soft suede which feels so luxurious to the touch, and the quality of the suede is obviously very high. I also really like the colour of the suede, which Clarks call Heather – a nude grey with an undertone of lilac which is quite unusual. As my regular readers will know, purple is my favourite colour and a lot of my clothes are purple, so these beauties are a perfect match for my usual colour palette.
The Liberty Art Fabric lining is full of pattern and colour, predominantly purple and lilac, which contrasts with but also compliments the neutral suede. The lining adds a finishing touch to these shoes that makes them so unique and majestic, and they look just as good off as they do on.
It’s not just good looks that these Chorus Voice shoes have, they’re impressively comfortable too. I’d even go as far to say these are the most comfortable pair of heels that I own. As is common with heels, the balls of my feet usually end up very sore after a short period of wear, but I haven’t experienced that with these at all. In fact, I always forget I’m wearing heels when I have them on. The shoes are lined with Clarks Plus insoles and have ‘dual density cushioning’ which is incredibly soft, and they almost mold to your feet as you walk, making them very easy to wear. I find that the lining doesn’t rub either, even when new, so I didn’t suffer any pain when breaking then in. What also helps is the sizing. Clarks’ shoes come in a wide range of half-sizes and different widths, so you can almost guarantee you’ll get a pair that fits well, which is great for me as I myself take a half-size!
Being 5’10” I’m not a fan of ridiculously high heels, so these are the ideal height for me. They come in at around 2.5 inches with a slight concealed platform in the front, which is just enough height for a look of sophistication, which is accentuated further by their elegant shape. The front of the shoes are extremely feminine, featuring a sweetheart topline which I think looks so lovely, and a classic rounded toe which I find far more flattering than a square or pointed toe.
Clarks’ Liberty Voice shoes go with anything too. I’ve been wearing mine during the day with skinny jeans to dress up a casual outfit, which works really well, but they also look great teamed with smart clothing for the office. They could even be carried through to the evening with a cute dress and a clutch, but whatever you choose, they’re definitely versatile and a wardrobe staple.
Clarks’ range of Chorus Voice shoes are available online and in store, and the Liberty shoes are also available in a stunning bright orange shade, which you can view here. They cost just £49.99 a pair, which is amazingly affordable for such a high quality shoe. I was expecting them to be a lot more, so if you’re tempted to get a pair then don’t hesitate – you won’t be disappointed.
Naomi x
*These Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice Shoes were sent to me for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set
8If, like me, you spend the majority of the day rushing around after one thing or another, you more than likely dream of a relaxing way to pamper your feet at the end of a long day, which won’t take hours or cost the earth. If so, then look no further, as Philosophy’s 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set has all the answers!
I’ve seen Philosophy featured on many blogs in the past, and their products seem to be very popular in the world of beauty, and after trying these two foot treats I can see why. The set contains a 120ml tube of Footnotes, an energizing foot scrub, and a 93g tube of Soul Owner, an exfoliating foot cream. I’ve always loved Philosophy’s simple packaging and quirky product names, and these two have both. The products are intended to be used one after the other, starting with Footnotes and finishing with Soul Owner.
Footnotes is a lovely mint green shade, and has an intense but refreshing scent of lavender and eucalyptus. The scrub works best when applied to dry feet, and I find a generous 10p coin-sized amount is plenty enough for one foot. Footnotes has a gel-like consistency and is packed full of micro granules of pumice, which are very fine, so no amount of rubbing makes your skin sore, as can happen with chunkier, lower quality exfoliators. The tube suggests that the scrub can be used with a pumice stone, but I prefer to massage it in with my hands, in a circular motion, focusing on any rough patches. The balls and heels of my feet are quite dry, and the exfoliating properties of this scrub have really helped to smooth these areas, softening them nicely so they’re almost back to normal after just a few uses – an impressive result! After you’ve finished scrubbing, whatever’s left on your feet should be washed off thoroughly with warm water. The eucalyptus content in Footnotes makes your feet feel cooled and very clean after use, and the effect lasts for a long time.
The next stage in Philosophy’s foot pamper session is to apply a liberal amount of Soul Owner to your entire foot area. Like Footnotes, Soul Owner is enriched with eucalyptus essential oil, so the two complement each other to give maximum tingly freshness with minimum effort. My feet always feel so awake and alive after using this set! Despite being labelled as an ‘exfoliating foot cream’, the cream itself isn’t rough or gritty, but is richly creamy and smooth. The exfoliating properties actually come from glycolic and salicylic acids, which help to reduce rough soles. The cream massages in extremely quickly, leaving behind no greasy residue, making your skin feel intensely moisturised and happy.
The results that this Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set give are impressive. All it takes is a few minutes to instantly refresh, soften and smooth tired feet.
The set is available to buy here from QVC UK, and costs £22.25. QVC also stock a wide range of other Philosophy and Skincare products, so why not see what else they have to offer, too!
Have you ever tried anything by Philosophy?
Naomi x
*This Philosophy 2 Piece Foot Pampering Set was sent to me by QVC for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
