Vegan Shoes

Please excuse me for the two full weeks of silence!  I just quit my job as an academic librarian, and I took a few weeks to relax and travel.  I start training at my new middle school in Newark, NJ a week from tomorrow.  Yay!

This past weekend, my mom came to visit me in New Jersey.  She has been in and out of surgery this spring, so it was great that she felt well enough to come and play for a few days.  While waiting for our tour at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Saturday, we went shopping in lower Manhattan.  We came across an adorable vegan shoe store, and upon spotting incredible footwear for work, Mom offered to buy me a pair of animal-friendly shoes for my new job.  Aw!

The pair that she especially liked were oxfords in white and black, but because they were sold out of my size, I pushed for these little darlings.  At only $49.99, they were absolutely a steal.  I’m a huge fan of animal rights, and I have fostered kitties in the past.  Unfortunately, because of my history of a negative relationship with food (binge-eating disorder and extreme emotional eating), I have not yet made the jump to vegetarianism because I don’t want to mess with restricting food groups for myself at the time.  I totally enjoy the idea of vegan-friendly non-food products, however, and I’m proud to sport these shoes while I hit the mean streets of New York and Newark this fall.

The “mustache” (as my friend Lauren calls the ornamentation on shoes like this) is my favorite aspect of these shoes, along with the kitten heel.  The shop’s name wasn’t clearly marked (could have been a pop-up?), but it’s located on Orchard Street right below Delancey.  Check it out!

 

Meow’s The Time Heel

What a cute way for a cat lady to share her love of mews with the world! Super cute heels that are comfy enough to wear to work. Also comes in pink, red and black!

Work With Me Dress in Black

One of my latest finds is the “Work With Me” dress in black found here: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/work-with-me-dress?kpid=29204-s&utm_term=29204&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=G.PLA.US_NB.X_Dresses_Solids&adc=pg_302_11020_51ae4318e4b0dd7325a4e447_27480939129.

I celebrated my 28th birthday last week, and I chose to have a party at Medieval Times with friends and family.  Like a good fashionista, I used this event as an excuse to purchase a cute new dress.  Since I don’t have separate wardrobes for work and play, I was determined to find something versatile enough to wear while teaching middle-schoolers (read: conservative) but adorable enough to shout “birthday girl wants to cheer for the sexy red knight.”  Since I’m also transitioning between jobs, I was on a budget.

What girl ever has enough little black dresses?  A few of mine have seen better days, so I decided to spruce up my closet with this retro yet mod number.  The material is 83% Polyester, 14% Rayon, 3% Spandex, and it stretches just enough to glide over sexy curves.  I love the cute little ruffle around the waist, and I was pleasantly surprised that it does not add any extra bulk to a regular gal’s figure.  The Peter Pan collar is wonderful, and the zip up back renders this dress incredibly easy to slide on and off without risking leaving behind white deodorant marks.

My favorite thing about this dress?  Other than the price tag ($49.99!), it’s definitely the puffy shoulders and ample sleeve-length.  The angular look of the shoulders makes the dress much more modern, and they also provide some sass.  The sleeves make this dress comfy in all types of weather with or without a cardigan.

Pair this dress with open-toed red wedges and costumey vintage jewelry and you’re golden!