Search History #2
French dainties, naked shoes, and Edwardian undergarments
This is “Search History”, a weekly series about what I’ve been searching for — and what I’ve found — online.
Naked shoes
Maybe it’s because it’s been getting really, really hot out here on the West Coast or maybe it’s because I came across these skimpy Jimmy Choo’s last week, but recently, I’ve been wanting to wear almost-nothing on my feet. In other words: naked shoes.
A naked shoe can take many forms. For one, the vinyl sandal: full-frontal footwear like these Pierre Dumas slides or these ‘90s lucite heels or these ‘70s YSL wedges, which look just like Maryam Nassir Zadeh’s Olympia. Offering a little bit more coverage are these strappy Charles Jourdan’s — or these dainty Jack Rogers’, which are like if Marilyn Monroe starred as Cinderella. (And, actually, the same could be said about these mesh YSL’s.)
But naked shoes don’t need to be totally transparent. The ones I’m most interested in this summer do leave something to the imagination. I’m talking about the strappiest of strappy sandals. Shoes with the skinniest little spaghetti straps imaginable. Bruno Magli was a master of this look in the ‘90s, pairing chunky square soles with just a few millimeters of leather — the cute bows are just extra.
Corset covers
An Edwardian corset cover is the perfect thing to throw on when you want to look cute but it’s a million degrees out. They’re made with breezy cotton and most of them are cut with flattering scoop necklines and little peplum hems. Plus, they come in a variety of fabrications: cute cutwork, intricate embroidery, inlaid lace, and crochet trim. I love this one that can be worn off-the-shoulder.
A note for potential purchasers: the waists on some of these can get really tiny (they were made to be worn over corsets after all), so you’ll want to double check the measurements before clicking “Buy It Now”.
Cotton kerchiefs and silk scarves
The other week, my friend and I went to the thrift store on a mission: we were to find her the perfect kerchief. We spent the morning digging through bins of bandanas and hankies and silk scarves, and, in the end, the trip was fruitful for both of us. She found her kerchief (white, cotton, and lace-trimmed) and I got inspired to find my own (a chic scarf to throw over my hair in the car or at the beach).
In my mind, the French know scarves like the English know wool — and the ones who know best are Céline and Nina Ricci. The former excels at imaginatively understated logomania and doodly bijouterie prints, while the latter creates the prettiest floral and ribbon patterns. A few of the my favourites from these two include: this flock of doves and herd of painterly horses, these fields of wildflowers, these dalmation spots, and this scarf printed with the signatures of French writers like Colette and Zola.
When buying a kerchief or scarf online, it’s important to think about how you want to wear it. Tied under the chin babooshka-style? Anything larger than 18” square will do. Looped around the neck à la ‘50s movie star? Then you’ll want to go at least 32” square.
Looking for more vintage tops, shoes, and accessories? Follow seconds on Pinterest to browse all my favourite finds, updated daily.