Monday 11 January 2016

Pretty in pink while taking the B.A.I.T ~ Reviewing the Halina shoes from Royal Vintage Shoes

 

Do you want to know a secret? Promise not to tell? Well when I was growing up....I actually didn't like pink all the much. I lived in blue. It was my colour. Growing up I had a deep fascination with the ocean and blue just seemed to be my way of expressing that. I liked pink enough as a red head but since going blond, I find myself rocking the pink more and more because honestly, there is just something amazing about pink and blonde that makes me feel so powerful yet simultaneously sweet. But that dear ones, is a conversation for another time!

What I am really here today to mostly talk about (as I know I will no doubt get distracted and tell you about this dress at the end as well) are the incredible shoes on my feet! Today I want to chat to you all about the Halina shoes by B.A.I.T that I got from Royal Vintage Shoes!

Flowers ~ Daisy Jean Floral White Signature Double
Brooch ~ Weasley brooch from Franny Lou Designs
Dress ~ Hell Bunny Mae West dress in pink from Natasha Marie Clothing
Shoes ~ Halina shoes by B.A.I.T from Royal Vintage Shoes
 As a pale lass, white shoes are a bit of a holy grail for me. Just like that mystical cup, finding a pair that is comfortable, practical and affordable can be incredibly difficult at times, especially in vintage styles. While I do wear a lot of darker styles, I find that pastels and softer colours, like my dress today are better matched with softer lighter shoes and to be honest I've struggled in finding the perfect pair. 


I'd been umming and aahhhhing about these shoes for a while. I'd seen them on the website and it wasn't til just before Christmas that I finally took the plunge and got them before Christmas to make sure I got them before my work shutdown. They were a hit at my work Christmas Party while my holiday period did steal any real chance of wearing them out (SOMEONE forgot to wear sunscreen!) as well as Sydney's unpredictable weather (SO much rain) I've finally been breaking them in as I return to work full time and therefore dress up in my pinup best daily once more.

By now you are all probably wanting me to hurry along and tell you what I thought of these amazing shoes so I'll stop jabbering on and tell you all!

The first thing I want to say about these shoes is that being synthetic, I find the breaking in period is a few days wear. I recommend during this time to wear stockings! I made the mistake of not doing that on my first wear of them (MISTAKE!) and my poor feet paid dearly with blisters. However, once you've worn them a couple of times they rub a lot less and the top will lift allowing the foot to fit more comfortably. I found mine to be a bit snug across the top still til after I wore them at home with socks for a few hours one night. This really did hep them loosen a little.


Aside from the breaking in period, I have honestly fallen in love with these shoes for a number of reasons:
  1. As someone who walks a lot in their life when not at work (I catch public transport and like to go for a walk on my lunch break to help clear my head) I've found them to be comfortable to wear the whole day. I haven't needed to swap my shoes around which is awesome.
  2. The heel height is also idea for a lot of walking. My arches don't hurt after wearing these shoes for around a 10 hour day (leaving the house, going to work, lunch time walk, coming home) which is always a bonus
  3. The simple cream colour and design makes them so easy to wear with a variety of outfits
  4. I do truly love the lighter shoes for summer.


Also, as a girl on the paler side who struggles to find beige heels that match I find these white shoes to be a great alternative. Dark shoes can sometimes make my legs look a LOT shorter than they actually are, where as the white helps make them look that little bit longer, which is great when I'm already wearing lighter colours! 

These shoes also have a definite vintage feel without looking too grandma-ish. I can foresee these being able to be worn with not just reproduction clothes as I have, but also with true vintage due to their design. 


Price wise these shoes are also pretty affordable compared to other 'retro' brand shoes! These total $72US ($103.57AUD) with reasonable shipping considering the size of the box they come in! Plus, even if you aren't in America you get tracking with USPS which Royal Vintage use and none of my deliveries have ever taken more than 2 weeks to arrive! Which is pretty awesome!


I wear between an Australian size 7 to an 8. I actually have one foot that is just over half a size bigger than the other which can make buying heels that lack a strap very difficult as well as having a foot thats quite narrow with a semi high arch. I got the 7.5 in these and while initially they were quite firm on my larger foot, once they had been broken in the fit was perfect. They fit perfect on my smaller foot from the get go and still do which is awesome! I love brands that do half sizing It really does help ladies like me with 'difficult' feet.


So before I finish up, how about this GORGEOUS dress?? Well I snapped up this Hell Bunny Mae West dress in pink from Natasha Marie Clothing on sale for just $39 + postage! I was STOKED! I'd been struggling to find it on ebay (its an older style/colour) and love my navy and polka dot version! This version goes SO well with my now blonde locks and was the perfect match for these shoes thanks to its white accents!



And just quickly too! How adorable is my little kitty brooch! The Weasley brooch is such a fun little brooch! Made my two kitty loving ladies of Franny Lou designs and only $14.95!



So just like Cinderella before she left for the ball, I love them. They are such a pretty, simple, versatile and practical shoe that I know I'll wear a lot being a pastel lover! Nothing beats a cream pair of basic heels as a pinup, especially when you are a pastel one!

A big thank you to Royal Vintage Shoes for taking me on as a brand ambassador! Its SO good to have access to a great camera now to start bringing for more great posts like this one!

Til next time! Much love


Disclaimer: Whilst I received these shoes as part of a sponsorship with Royal Vintage Shoes, all opinions expressed are honest to help ensure the most accurate information for my readers. 

5 comments:

  1. Wow love that dress, shoes and Daisy Jean hair piece all together...so pretty! :)

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    1. Thank you so much gorgeous! I love pastels and this whole outfit is a current favorite! x

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  2. Great review! I appreciate how thoroughly you vet the shoes, and of course the way you style them is just superb. :-)

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    1. Thank you Lauren! You're welcome! I like to wear them a bit first so I can give the best review I can! Looking forward to my next order!

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  3. You look so good in pink!!!

    Ahhh breaking in shoes! I always carry a whole pack of bandaids when I am breaking a new pair in (this is what I have been doing with my BAIT sandals). I am a size 8 too and find that with open toed BAIT shoes you need to go down half a size!

    Deco Darling

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