Manolo for the Big Girl

So every time I see these shoes, and I see them a LOT, I always think “Man, I don’t own nearly enough Lacroix” and then I have to remind myself they’re NOT Christian Lacroix; they’re Christian Louboutin and THEN I spend the next few minutes putting on my best Edina Monsoon voice and saying “it’s Lacroix, darling. Lacroix.” and maybe singing a verse or two of The Pet Shop Boys’ “Absolutely Fabulous” thereby frightening my dog, who –still unused to my fits of discotheque madness– will promptly find something expensive and pee on it.

ANYHOODLE I love these shoes and at an extra 40% off at Neiman’s I love them even more. They strike me as very Spanish. I feel like I’d put them on and instantly find myself in an Almodovar film being held captive by a lovestruck and filthily hot Antonio Banderas.
Woo. Is it warm in here? Where’s my credit card? Who took my pants?

Happy Fourth of July!

Red

White

Blue

Happy weekend!

xoxo, Francesca

Another chapter in the book of “Francesca catches up on her email correspondence”!

Dear Francesca,

I’m a regular reader, and really appreciate your fashion advice — I’m 5′2″ and a size 14, so it’s hard to find things that suit someone short and generously proportioned. I’ve learned a ton about where to look for superfabulous clothes from the site, and think you guys do a really lovely job of balancing sensible advice and entertaining insights. Kudos to you all!

I’m writing specifically because I am thinking of getting that lovely beaded dress you posted in the post about the semi-annual Nordstrom’s sale for a friend, but can’t find it on the Nordstrom’s site. Can you point me in the right direction? Also, what kind of shoes would you recommend wearing with it? The dress is so lovely the shoes should balance it out, but sometimes those of us on the fleshier side can’t wear the strappiest and most delicate of sandals. Any thoughts?

Thanks again and have a lovely weekend,

L

Dear L,

Francesca is happy to oblige.

The Nordstrom dress is still available in mint green right here. Your friend is lucky indeed to receive such a gift!

As for shoes, indeed the strappy, summery sandals are best. But if you would like a more sturdy shoe, something with more coverage and a lower heel, Francesca would recommend black satin, to echo the ribbon belt, and a simple design so as to keep attention on the dress. Something like this:

Or perhaps this delicate pump by Paul Smith:

Happy shopping, and happy weekend!

xoxo, Francesca

Oh, dear, dear Plumcake.

She once said, of some Stuart Weitzman pumps I had recommended, that they would make the wearer look like a Russian prostitute.

On second thought, I secretly wondered whether she might be correct. But I did not say so because she may have gone out to celebrate my surrender with a toast, and we all know what happens when Plumcake has a “nip.”

But there! She has the stylish taste and the amusing sarcasm, so we love her and make sure to surreptitiously take away her car keys.

But! But! Back to the subject at hand: The beautiful clothes and shoes. Francesca must say: The only people, in Francesca’s opinion, who should wear “ballet” shoes are the ballet dancers. This is Francesca’s two cents; you can take it or leave it, of course.

When shopping for flats, Francesca enjoys perusing the wares of  Taryn Rose.

We have hear the very nice “Vivi” sandals

and the sweet saddle-inspired “Burda”

It is true that these shoes are beyond the budget of many of our readers. Plumcake and Francesca are of the same mind that it is best to save one’s money and buy the best-quality shoe that one can possibly afford, and then to take excellent care of the shoes and get many years of use from them. Still, $400 or $200 or $130 may be but a wistful dream for many, many of the wonderful women who come here every day. And that is alright.

You are superfantastic whether you can afford expensive shoes or not.

Francesca (and Plumcake, too, deep in her wooden heart) hope that what our readers take from our little blog experience is a smile, and fashion confidence,  and the few moments taken from one’s day to look at beautiful things. We know that you are doing the very best you can, with the budget you have, to make your outside look every bit as beautiful as your inside. And that is what makes you superfantastic!

Tomorrow night, Thursday June 12, from 5-9, the Monif C. boutique in New York City is having a cocktail party at the store. Get personal shopping advice, treats, open bar, music, etc, and 25% off the clothes! Address: 325 West 38th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues) Suite 1007. Phone number: 212-842-1641.

Lots happening at Lane Bryant:

1) Make a purchase before July 1, and get a $100 coupon and entries into their $100,000 sweepstakes!

2) Cacique bras are “buy 2, get 2 free” and Cacique panties are 5 for $25, through June 28

3) Summer sale on tops, tanks, tees, and capris.

Be sure to click through the button at the right of our site for more savings!

June clearance sale at Nordstrom! (Though it seems you all have bought out the Plus Sizes. Not much left!) AND, if you order $200 or more from the online store, you get free shipping within the USA. Francesca, herself, has ordered this flap bag by L.A.M.B. to use in lieu of a briefcase, at 40% off,

and the bold 4″ heel snakeskin slingback by Linea Paolo, also 40% off!

Holy Clothing has brought back their lovely “Riona” corset dress, so pretty for Apple shapes! They are selling on ebay, for example here, and are available in many colors!

Summer sale at J.Crew going on (x-large and tall sizes available), and if you enter code SEASHELL today at checkout, you get free shipping within the US and Canada.

Francesca is known, she hopes, for her classic and classy style, so it may surprise you to know that she avails herself, sometimes, of plus-size lingerie offerings at Fredericks.com. Yes, they have plus sizes, and not all of their merchandise is best suited for a college spring break scene on a souped-up set of CSI: Miami. At the moment they have many nice items for the classy woman who wishes to let her hair down, at reasonable prices, such as this satin-and-lace chemise which Francesca recently ordered in the “hibiscus” color. And now through Sunday, there is free shipping on orders of $95 or more within the continental USA.

Another promotion code for you! Buy swimwear at Junonia by the end of the day on Friday, enter code 06118, and save 25 percent! For the Size 14+ woman who spends much time in the pool or at the beach, Junonia offers swimsuits in categories like “chlorine resistant,” “water sports,” and “full coverage.” Pretty colors, too!

Finally, two more important announcements for the Poor Girl:

Summer clearance at the Coldwater Creek Outlet! Major deals, here, and many clothes available in plus sizes. Excellent for the poor girl! (And yes, they have items appropriate for the younger womens. Just look carefully and you will find!)

And, through Friday, enter code RD13899 upon checkout at Roamans.com, and save 25% on your highest-priced item. Look! Now you can have this pretty blouse, very nice for Apples, for under 19 of the American dollars.

Happy shopping!

xoxo,

Francesca

“Why don’t you ever do flats? Why don’t you ever recommend shoes Real People can afford? Why did you stab my grandmother in the neck when she said your silver Marc Jacobs sandals with the faceted perspex heels made you look like some sort of intergalactic crime-fighting space tranny?” Whine whine whine.

Here! Here are your frickenfracken flats! They’re a great color, I love the designer, the frayed edges (don’t worry, they’re finished) and slightly Moroccan cut to the throat do a great job of keeping a potentially overly precious satin slipper from being too cutesy AND it’s on a great big honkin’ sale. What more do you want from me?

PLUS there are oodles and oodles of other cute flats from Delman a gorgeous formal skimmer from Valentino and lots of other flat-footed finds. HAPPY NOW??? I CAN ONLY GIVE SO MUCH. **dramatic faint**

Now someone needs to fetch me a cool compress for my forehead. Mama needs a nip and a lie-down.

Edit: And anyone wants to gnash their teeth about $136 still being OMG SO EXPENSUV !!11!! should feel free to visit any of the 1,04,000 sites that google says specialize in “cheap footwear” or perhaps any of the 2,230,000 under “child labor shoes.” It’s about investment.

I don’t want to worry anyone, but there are Crocs outside my front door.

They’ve been there for two days and I think they were juuuust a little bit closer today than they were yesterday. Am I being stalked by plastic clogs? Did they not take kindly to my little April Fool’s ruse? ARE THEY CALLING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE?!

I suspect they belong to my new neighbors who have views about decorating that involve some sort of Toltec owl ashtry, a Feng Shui mirror, a “howdy y’all” door plaque with I-swear-to-God little carved wooden cowboy boots dangling from it and a plastic lawn chair, all of this in front of a small door.

Why couldn’t they leave these outside my door? Now THESE are a fitting “tribute” indeed.  On Sunday the fashion world lost one of the last of the old guard, Yves Saint Laurent.  Before founding his own house, he was the boy genius designer for Dior and if you wear trapeze dresses or pants for social occasions, you have Mr. Saint Laurent to thank.

Alas, they are not available in wide-widths, but these beauties by Elie Tahari have a snakeskin upper and a subtle, marbleized floral pattern in the wedge heel!

Best of all, they are now at a deep discount at Bluefly, down 40% from $495 to $297!

Happy weekend!

xoxo, Francesca

Look, the simple and versatile pump by the name of Nanico, which usually sells for $235 or more, is on 40% sale at both Zappos and Shoes.com, at a savings of 94 American dollars!  (Francesca frets that the American dollar is not worth as much as it used to be, but such is life. We who earn our income in dollars and spend much of it abroad console ourselves with the beautiful, well-made shoes.)

Happy weekend!

xoxo,

Francesca

Can you even imagine how unspeakably fab you would be in these robin egg glories? They are, of course, by il Maestro Manolo, from his new Pre-Fall collection.

It is to sigh.

Do you know what you really need to show these off to their best advantage, though?

A yacht.

Growing up we had the sweetest little yacht in the whole wide world named The Night Owl and it still wounds my patent leather soul that I never had the opportunity to wear any of my fabby shoes acquired later in life aboard The Night Owl.

I feel that many of my shoes really need a yacht to truly be shown to their best, and I suspect that when I die and if by some clerical error through the pearly gates (how Chanel!) my celestial residence won’t be a bunch of martyrs in cotton voile maxi-dresses perched on clouds, serenely plucking upon the ten-stringèd lyre. Instead, I will repent from my previous evil ways –namely scuttling about on deck like a sartorially challenged crab in clear pink glitter jelly sandals and sneaker-type monstrosities with neon corkscrew laces and a good deal more layers of rolled-down socks than the weather and confines of good taste required.