Sole Sister Sunday: Loren's Closet

It is my personal Sole Sister delight to bring you the AMAZING shoe close of Internet Business Power House & Entrapreneur Loren Ridinger.  Besides her obvious affinity for all things fabulous, including shoes Loren splits her time this way:

*SVP Of Market America

*Creator of Loren's World - A daily digital dose of motivation, inspiration and information.

*Fashion/Style Blogger At Fashion Cents

*Creator of Motives Cosmetics

*Creator of Cellular Laboratories Skin Care Line

*Designer/Owner of Loren Jewels

*Designer of the HSN hit Jewelry Line Yours By Loren

Not to mention the countless hours she spends travelling around the world to meet and motivate her teams! She is a total inspiration to me on both a business and a sole sister level.

She is also a mother and wife who in her "spare" time LOVES fashion and LOVES her shoes!!

I had a chance to chat with Loren about her coveted closet recently.

LG:  What is your FAV pair for summer? 

LR: My Valentino stud sandals.  These stylish nude color sandals with studs along the straps are versatile for casual daytime wear as well as a great sundress in the evening for a super chic look. 

LG:  What are your "Go To" shoes?

LR: That would have to be my Christian Louboutin Crystal Studded Booties.  I love studded shoes but by far, these are the ones I always wear.  You can’t go wrong with these fabulous shoes and the black studs make them more wearable than most studded shoes. I love wearing them with a simple black blazer, a white wife beater and a pair of my J Brand jeans in a light wash.  Super fashionable.

LG:  Your FAV Shoe Indulgence? 

LR: Christian Louboutin of course!  I absolutely love the signature red sole and Christian happens to be a dear friend of mine.  His personality is fabulous and he is super funny.  So whenever I wear his shoes, which is mostly everyday, I just have to smile thinking about him.  Love him.

LG: If you could give my readers one piece of advice as it applies to shoes (styling, purchasing, etc.) What would it be?

LR: Shoes are a very important component to any outfit.  Pair them up with beautiful jewelry and a great blazer and jeans to make your most fabulous shoes stand out.  You don't have to wait for the right occasion to wear them,  ROCK them daily.  .  Shoes define your personality so don’t be afraid to have fun with your style.  Most important tip:  Think about comfort if your a girl on the go like me.  There are fabulous designers who have comfy shoes, and if you need some added help, always use pads in your shoes to help keep those toes in place. 

Connect with Loren on Twitter - She is passionate about her brands and products and I'm sure would love to hear how Fabulous you think her shoe collection is .... but I think she already knows.

VIVA FRIDA: Part 1

On this day in 1907 one of my SHE-Ro's was born in a small suburb of Mexico City (Coyoacan) - Mexican Painter Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderón AKA Frida Kahlo. Her life story began in the same place where it ended. She was born in her parents home in Coyoacan, known as Casa Azul or The Blue House. Pain and suffering was the backdrop of her life from the early age of 6 when she contracted Polio and suffered at the hands of bullies and critics for her "bad leg" which she hid under pants and later long skirts for the rest of her life.  

Frida age 12: 1919

At 18 (Sept 17, 1925) she was involved in a bus accident that nearly took her life but after surviving it left her with a lifetime of injuries. The bus she was riding on with her then boyfriend collided with a trolley car.

Frida age 18: 1925

Due to her immobilization after her accident she began to sketch and paint to occupy her time. She spent months confined to her bed in various body casts.  She would return to bed and the casts over the course of her life as her health deteriorated. Always with paint brush in hand.

Frida painted her first self portrait in 1926 

"Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress" 

Once "back on her feet" Frida's next life milestone came in the form of famous Mexican Muralist painter Diego Rivera, 20 years her senior, a mentor, a lover, a tragedy, a husband, and a friend. 

They met in early 1928 and were married (for the first time) August 21, 1929 to the total disgust of her religious mother. She commemorated the event in a portrait.

"Wedding Portrait" - 1931 

Currently at the San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art

She was a VERY multi-faceted individual. She was intelligent, brave, and courageous. She was an eclectic mix of the masculine and feminine. 

She was openly bi-sexual, she drank, smoked and cursed like a sailor in a time where "ladies were ladies" and such behavior was seriously frowned upon, especially in her conservative homeland of Mexico with women's traditional roles.  Her dress defied the "trends" of the time. I will talk about Frida's fashion in another piece where I can get more in depth.

Check out this 3 min synopsis video about Frida!   

Want to see the real thing??? Here is a list of the the locations of Frida's Works and where they are today!

LEARN more about Frida:

WATCH:

The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo - PBS Documentary

A&E Biography: Frida Kahlo

Hollywood Bio-Pic: Frida *Watch all the special features too - AMAZING how they made this*

READ:

Biography of Frida Kahlo By Hayden Herrera

Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self Portrait

Frida Kahlo: The Paintings By Hayden Herrera

VISIT:

Frida Kahlo's Home - Now Museo Frida Kahlo

Frida & Diego's Home/Studio

Largest private collection of Frida & Diego's work: Delores Olmedo Museum

*I have been to ALL 3 of the above places in Mexico. AMAZING! A MUST see if you love and appreciate Frida*

VIVA FRIDA PART II  - will examine her later life, more of her work and her relationship with Diego up until her death.

Belt It: Stretch

Stretch belt's are a Fabulous way to define your waist and show off your curves.  They are chic for women of all shapes and sizes. They are a very figure friendly accessory. Pregnant women can also benefit from belting, below or above the bump.

Most Stylish Belted BUMP:

 Tori Spelling

CHICest Curves

CoCo

Stylish Cinching

 Naomi Campbell

Victoria Beckham - Studded Stretch Belt

Ivanka Trump

Many women with curves shy away from this stylish stretch accessory in fear of "looking bigger" when in fact they could not be farther from the truth.  Wearing clothing that are "too big" or really "loose" makes you look BIGGER. A stretch belt is one of the FAB tools in a woman's accessory arsenal, use it to define your shape. Celebrate the shape you have. As pictured above with the celebs - EVERY one's unique shape benefits from a stretch belt!

3 Fun ways to add a little STRRRRETCH to your Style:

1) Pair a solid colour belt with a print.

GET THE LOOK

Vintage Yellow Cello Straw Stretch Belt ~ $22

*Vintage 80's Black & White Polka Dot Romper Coming Soon to Evolution Vintage

2) Style Complimentary Colours together

 (Stay Tuned for my Fashion Colour Wheel Feature)

TIP: Orange & Blue  are "Complimentary Colours" - Opposite on the Colour Wheel.

GET THE LOOK:

 Vintage Rust Blouse with Zig Zag Pattern (from Universal Studios) ~ $35

Vintage Gold Tone "Monogram" Stretch Belt in Navy ~ $25

3) If your belt has mixed colours.

choose ONE and pair with the same solid colour top or pant.

GET THE LOOK:

1960's Red baby doll Mini Dress - Could be styled as a Maternity Top! ~ $55

Vintage 80's Purple Stretch Belt with Hand Painted Wooden Buckle (India) ~ $30

CHECK OUT OTHER STRETCHY SELECTIONS FROM EVOLUTION VINTAGE

Not a Vintage Fan? Check out this Chic Confection from M Missoni - Woven Logo Stretch belt

Do You or Will You Belt It?
Comment below and share your pics!

Writers NOTE: YES ColoUr (I'm Canadian) - I keep getting messages about spelling ;)

Sole Sister Sunday: 4 Birds & Vintage Shoes

1970's Platform with Wooden heels - Sz 9/10

What was once old is always new again in Fashion if you wait long enough. I love Vintage clothing and accessories AND SHOES! For today's Sole Sister feature I turned to my friend, Christy Parent - Owner of 4 Birds Vintage.  She has the most AMAZING collection of Vintage shoe's in her shop (49 Pairs).

I chatted with Christy about her affinity for fashions past and her Sole Sister Status.

Christy wearing a modern remix of vintage & classic modern pieces. A 1930's hand-embroidered peasant blouse, bakelite button earrings from A Blast from the Past, Cartonnier high-waist trouser jeans, bakelite bangles (her thrifted collection), and her 1940's favorite navy platform shoes.

LG: What is your FAV pair of Vintage shoes & why?

CP: My favorite pair of vintage shoes is a 70 year old pair of navy blue suede platform shoes ~ 70+ years old! ~ with high ankle straps & cutouts. I purchased these and six other pairs of 1940's shoes from one owner ~ all in my size and all in fabulous condition. And yes, most of them will never leave my closet!

LG: Where does your love for vintage clothing / style come from?

CP: My love of vintage shoes first began over two years ago when a family shoe store closed its doors after a century in business, and I was able to acquire more than 50 pairs of shoes from the 1890's - 1930's that had been old stock in the shoe store's basement. Most were still in their original boxes with original price tags. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to open the box of 1890's boots and smell new shoes. Handling and photographing that shoe collection was most certainly a highlight for me.

1960's Red Mule Platform

LG:  Tip's for Vintage shoe shoppers?

CP: Handling so many pairs of vintage shoes has made it obvious to me that only the most expensive designer shoes today can rival the quality of most shoes from the 1960's and back. Shoes from the 1950's and earlier are completely handcrafted of high-quality leather ~ kid leather, suede, etc. The soles are leather, the body of the shoes leather, and the shoe linings leather too. Most will be good for another 50 years after a cleaning & a trip to the cobblers for minor repairs for some. A loose or soiled insole, wobbly heel, missing heel tap are all easy fixes by a cobbler. Even though I can't afford designer shoes, I can afford a small bill from the cobbler.

To find a fabulous pair of vintage shoes that fits your personal style and size, I recommend measuring a similar pair of shoes that fits you well to get an accurate idea of the length and width of your foot. Most shoes from the 1950's onward are labeled with a size, but shoes earlier than the 1950's are often not marked, so measurements are a must.

Some of the FAB selections from her shop. Exclusive to Evolution Revolution Readers: - 

ENJOY 20% OFF in her shop using the code: EvoVtg 

 1960's Red/White/Blue MOD Dress Shoe (7)

 1960s Red Sling Back Sandal with Knot details - 1940's Style (7)

 70's Green "Snake" skin - Fredrick's of Hollywood (10)

 80's Mustard Vintage Kenneth Cole w Lucite Heels (9)

60's Navy Vintage Fredrick's of Hollywood Sling back (9/10)

What's your FAV pair of Vintage shoes??? 

My Picks from Evolution Vintage

 Vintage 1950's Gold Metallic Mules w Kitten Heels (6.5)

 Vintage 1972 Stuart Weitzman for My. Seymour (8/8/5)

 Vintage Salvatore Ferragamo Burgundy/Black Shoes w Bow Detail (7.5 AA)

1970's Metallic Sandals (w matching clutch) (7M)