The Oxford Sprint

photos by john

back when i was just starting out as a personal style blogger, i had a relentless obsession with oxford shoes. it was a challenge, too, because the style back then was hardly available locally, so i had to scour the internet for pairs to call my own. eBay had been a dependable friend through those trying times (loosely termed, of course) and i found myself constantly bidding on vintage oxfords from abroad — most of which left no real guarantee of fit or wearability or even their actual arrival to our tropical shores. still i amassed quite a collection, including pairs that were too tight or too loose or fell apart after being worn only once or twice. indeed the only pair i have left from that time is this, a vintage thing of beauty that remains to be one of my favorite things in the world.

when i was putting this outfit together and thinking of the best shoes to wear with it, i suddenly remembered these black and white oxfords i’ve had for years. i used to wear them all the time but eventually outgrew the phase, so they have been sitting in a sad little corner gathering dust, amid a pile of more shoes i have unknowingly neglected over the years. i know i will have to say goodbye to those pairs soon (we all know the fate that awaits unused, unproperly-cared-for shoes) and i am certain my heart will break a million times over when that day comes. but like every ending in life there is a lesson to be learned; in this case to show my shoes the love they unquestionably deserve before it is too late…

top, skirt, bag – thrifted
shoes – parisian (old)
hat – topshop
necklace – f21