Shoe STYLE: Ruthie Davis

I LOVE FASHION! but I have a special place in my SOLE for SHOES!! I am always interested in searching for what's new and what's old to re-style new. I have to say that in the high-end shoe biz there is a MAJOR stand out in shoe designer Ruthie Davis.
She is university educated and has had her feet firmly planted in the fashion biz since her days with Reebok in the mid-late 90's. She was then the VP of design and marketing for for UGG Australia, making the UGG boot chic and fashionable on a global scale. She moved onto the position of VP of Women's Footwear Design and Marketing at Tommy Hilfiger. She has since moved on to launch her own brand in 2005.

Cactus Pump (A Ruthie Signature)

Her futuristic, youthful and sexy designs have caught the attention and fab feet of many celebrities and fashionistas around the GLOBE! Beyonce & Ruthie

Fergie

Paula Abdul

Kim Kardashian

She uses a unique mix of materials, textures and colors in her designs. I love her use of color and texture; she makes STATEMENT SHOES! Shes passionate about a Peep-Toe (As I am) and I love the neon pink signature sole. She loves a high heel but also gets the functionality of a flat. She has some really sassy sneakers in her collection!


Spikette Flat in Rose Gold


Did I mention she also has an exclusive Hand Bag Collection???




I had a chance to ask Ruthie a few questions about her personal and professional style.

LISA: What inspires you and your shoe designs?

RUTHIE: I'm inspired by architecture, pop culture, girls on the street, fashion editorial and all things that push the envelope - not in a dark edgy manner, but more in a sporty, sexy and racy eye catching way.


LISA: Describe your personal style aesthetic? What are the key components in your closet?

RUTHIE: I am all about sleek, minimal and aerodynamic fashion. I love the lines of buildings and lines of the human body. I like clothing and shoes that become one with the body - like a glove that moves with you. I don't take fashion too seriously and like to mix up a high-low look - with the shoes and bags being the "high" and the clothing being simple and affordable. While being girlie and glam, I also love a menswear or military flair in the mix - a little tom girl to the girlie. My closet is chock full of shoes and bags, skinny jeans, hot pants, mini dresses, fitted leather jackets and ski jackets, fitted tanks and some sexy silk buttons downs that I of course push up the sleeves and unbutton very low. I have to wear clothes that move with me or I get claustrophobic. lol.

LISA: How do you feel about Vintage clothing and/or accessories?

RUTHIE: I'm not going to lie that I'm not a vintage type girl, however, I love classics. I am into futurism and like new things. But I do love vintage jewelry because it is something that never ages. I have an amazing vintage Gucci bracelet and some Chanel and Hermes vintage that I am totally obsessed with! I also will always love anything from the Mod 60's or 70's Halston era. All of my designs always have some go-go boots and plastic fantastic in the mix!

LISA: Who is the RUTHIE DAVIS woman / client?

RUTHIE: I've always admired women who are confident, smart, funny and feel sexy in their own skin. It's the same unstoppable female that always resonates with me. She's a Bond Girl, an entrepreneur, an athlete or someone you pass on the street that you can't forget. Girls that make me want to want to dream even bigger inspire me.




LISA: What do you feel are the "Shoe Staples" women should have?

RUTHIE: Every woman needs her go to black leather platform bootie. She also needs a platform peep toe pump and a sandal and at least one pair of knee height "go go" type boots. All heels need to be 4" minimum in height. I don't believe in mid height heels. Other staples include flats for running around town in (I prefer tennis shoes and now have my own Ruthie Davis kicks), rain boots (I like Hunter) and Uggs for wearing only in the home or on the slopes. Oh and of course, you can never have enough pairs of heels!!




LISA: What shoes are you wearing for F/W 2011/12?

RUTHIE: My "Avatar" platform pumps in black kidskin and my "Microcompact" black booties are my absolute Fall 11staples. They both encompass a fantastic inherent glam and edge and pair perfectly with everything from jeans to a miniskirt. I also am obsessed with my nude "Ace" peep toe pumps with rosegold hardware details - they make the legs go on for miles! And the huge platform spells all day comfort. Love them all.


Avatar Platform Pump in Purple


Microcompact Bootie in Black/Gold

LISA: If you could give women one piece of style advice what would it be?

RUTHIE: Don't wear what is considered appropriate and normal - take a fashion risk and get your adrenalin pumping - live a little fantasy every day.




Save your pennies ladies as Ruthie's ROCKIN heels come with a hefty price tag ... but don't you think you are worth it??? I DO! Explore Ruthie's world and SHOP HERE

LIKE on FACEBOOK

FOLLOW on TWITTER

MY LOVES (As stated above I'm a sucker for a peep-toe!): The "Ariel Peep-Toe Bootie"

I'll take these three in a size 9 please ....

Blake's Story: DOWN but not OUT

In honor of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month I teamed up with my friend and loving mother of 3 Tori Spelling and contributed my story to the Raise section of her eMAG EdiTORIal yesterday.

Read My Story: DOWN but not OUT HERE


Blake 2 days old - Special Care

This was my reality in the first week of Blake's life. He fought to be here and it was his courage that inspired mine.

As I look back on the last 5 months of Blakes growth I am forced to think of my own. Never has my character been so tested, my constitution so tried or my values and belief system so rocked. What I have realized is that our energy, collectively is best spent celebrating our differences and not judging them. We are ALL guilty of it (Myself included). What a boring, generic world we would live in if we were all the "same" or "similar". Where applicable apply the label of LOVE only.

The comments I have received from my family, friends and most of all virtual strangers in the last 24 hours have been overwhelming to say the least. I cried a lot yesterday while reading the public comments as I realized how many amazing, genuine, good hearted people in there are in this world, more than enough to drown out the negative, ignorant ones.

I look forward to what the future will hold with Blake and the rest of my family. A future that is unknown for all of us. We will enjoy our moments together confident in the fact that the world may knock us DOWN but they will never take us OUT! This is just the first you are hearing from me but I fully intend on becoming a LOUD voice of advocacy and information as I strive to give children with DS a voice. Sharing facts, and feelings in an intelligent and empowering way! I am PROUD of my son's extra chromosome ... Turns out thankfully MORE is MORE xo


"Every human being is intended to have a character of his own; to be what no others are, and to do what no other can do." - William Henry Channing


For more information about Down Syndrome visit the NDSS website.

Want to read more personal stories from the DS community? Many mothers reached out to me yesterday and shared their virtual spaces of LOVE!

Kellie: Enjoying the Small Things
Christine: Brody's Buddy Ride
Amy: GiGi's Playhouse
Kayla: Loving Austin
C. Smith: Results Not Typical
Amy: Mayson
R-WORD: Pledge to choose your words wisely and kindly!

Julie: Nina's Story

Embrace the LACE

Vintage Balenciaga Lace Hat

I Love LACE! It is a style element that can reflect two sides of the fashion coin; it can make a look soft and feminine or give it Edge and Rock'n'Roll. Lace is all over the place, but has a very Rich history. The concept originated with the Pharaohs using flax cloth decorated with colored threads working them into their own geometric designs.

Balenciaga 1950's lace dress

The site ERAS OF ELEGANCE gives a fabulous and concise history of lace, how it was created and used in FASHION! "The ancient Greeks and Romans also ornamented their togas with colors or gold. A new garment needed no ornament about the immediate edge, but as it became worn and frayed, the threads had to be twisted and stitched together. Lace was derived from the twisting techniques used in decoration of the fringe ends of woven fabric.

True lace was not made until the late 15th and early 16th centuries. In Flanders, lace is called "kant", meaning border or edge. The birthplaces of lacemaking are generally recognized as Flanders and Italy. A true lace is created when a thread is looped, twisted or braided to others threads independently from a backing fabric. Originally linen, silk, gold, or silver threads were used. Now lace is often made with cotton thread. Manufactured lace may be made of synthetic fiber. A few modern artists makes lace with a fine copper or silver wire instead of thread.

For firm evidence of the origins of lace, written history indicates that Charles V decreed that lace making was to be taught in the schools and convents of the Belgian provinces. During this period of renaissance and enlightenment, the making of lace was firmly based within the domain of fashion. To be precise, it was designed to replace embroidery in a manner that could with ease transform dresses to follow different styles of fashion. Unlike embroidery, lace could be unsewn from one material to be replaced on another. Lace became fashionable on collars and cuffs for both sexes. Trade reached a peak in the 18th century.

Additionally, the vogue for lace also is recorded in pattern books as early as 1540. Early reticella designs usually included pointed or scalloped edges. By the time of Charles I, lace was used extravagantly for both costume and interior decorating; by 1643, lace making had become an established industry. In France patterns became increasingly more detailed and delicate; the light, flowery point de France was used for every conceivable decorative purpose. Later the laces of Alencon, Argentan, and Valencienne exemplified French style and design. The making of bobbin, pillow, or bone lace, which is mentioned as early as 1495, passed from Italy to Flanders, reaching its height of production there in the 18th century.

Machine-made lace first appeared circa 1760, and by 1813, a bobbinet machine was perfected. After 1832, cotton thread somewhat replaced linen. In the 20th century, many lace patterns have been revived and modified, and called Cluny lace. The chief modern centers of lace making are France, Belgium, England, Ireland, and Italy."

Lace looks have spanned all era's Madonna has ALWAYS been a LACEY LASS!

Lace is still relevant on the red carpet and runways today. Black is the basic and most classic but colored lace has made a chic comeback.


There are too many "Types" of lace to list so if you are interested you can explore via the LACE FAIRY IDENTIFICATION PAGE

Get LACED From your FACE
Carol Alt - 80's lace veil

to your FEET
DIOR


Can you EMBRACE the LACE? SHOP EVOLUTION VINTAGE


Want to go BOHO? Check out this Vintage 70's beauty from 4BirdsVintage
"Lace - the invention of a goddess and the occupation of a queen" - Vincio

Persnikety Vintage has the BLUES

Many Happy Returns ~ GLAM-MA

Today I must take a moment to wish a VERY HAPPY 89th BIRTHDAY to my GLAM-MA Phyllis.

She is one of the most amazing women I know. She has survived the great depression, WW2 and my dad's family; which is literally a feat in itself. She was a step-mother extraordinaire (of 11 children) an amazing wife and working woman. Biology is not what makes someone a parent or grandparent and the choice to marry her and bring her into our family was the BEST one my grandfather ever made. My sincere gratitude to grampa Chuck!
My grandma has always been there for me and a permanent fixture in my life of love. Never forgetting a birthday or special occasion and was a major influence on my personal STYLE. We have shared a mutual love of fashion for as long as I can remember and I was always excited to go to see her and look through her closet, jewels and her MAJOR shoe collection!
She served as part of the inspiration for my company; EVOLUTION VINTAGE (read the story HERE) and the silver, uber FAB mannequin that ALL Evolution Vintage pieces are photographed on is name after her; Phyllis.

On days like these I wish I was closer to home but know that I am sending my love to Ontario CANADA all the way from the Central Coast of Cali. CHEERS to 89 MORE YEARS!!



I Love You,

Lisa
XOXOXO

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~Rudolph Giuliani

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete. ~Marcy DeMaree
You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. ~Proverb