An Oxford-style shoe can be both professional-looking and casual. When I'm not in the mood for a heel at work, or my toes aren't perfectly pedicured on a summer weekend, my Oxfords are a great alternative. The ones you see in the photo are extremely flexible and soft, making them so comfortable I even sport them at the cottage. I also love the brown stripes and laces with the burnt orange colour. Even though the hues aren't necessarily neutral, I tend to treat them that way, so I can pair them with more of my clothes, allowing me to wear them more often.
This shoe came as quite a surprise. I was on vacation in Miami last winter and happened to stumble across them in a department store that had a limited selection of 5's -- a pretty common small-foot problem, especially in sale sections. (BTW: Did you know that many stores only carry one Size 5 in every shoe, if at all? So after that one pair sells, you're SOL. Grrrr.) Anyway, I picked up this shoe off the rack, hoping it was a 5, which it was, and...it fit! Of course, the laces help. I find that I can wear shoes with laces even if they're a little too big because I can tie them tight to prevent slipping out at the heel. Before this trip, I had never tried on Cole Haan's. Turns out the brand is pretty good as far as Size 5's go. I definitely back-pocketed that bit of info for shoe shopping at home in Toronto.
P.S. Another Cole Haan post coming soon. This time, I'm looking for your help!
WHAT I'M WEARING
Shoes: Cole Haan, Soft denim cuffed pants: Forever 21, Sweater: Old Navy