everything is vintage, except the shoe
No. 1 — mesh sneakers, baroque pearls
This summer I’m partnering with Selby Shoes [South Portland] to curate essential picks from their footwear collection. Selected & styled by me, for you. xo
Little else is more elemental to one’s closet than a good pair of sneakers. They are the reliable foundation upon which we can construct nearly any look; and the ease with which a pair of sneakers can be paired across a wardrobe is the mark of quality. And while these shoes have been central to the streetwear zeitgeist for decades, I’m not sure we’ve ever been in a more open-minded moment of sneaker acceptability in the fashion world. [Vogue has done a lot of legwork on this subject]
What I picked for the summer sneaker of 2025 is a balance of lightweight material, neutral color story (with a tiny pop of orange on the laces) and the most supportive footbed I’ve experienced since the Chaco leather thong sandals I had circa 2008 (RIP).
They have a casual and cool quality that is hard to put into words. The vast majority of the shoe exterior is mesh; not only is this essential to the temp control of your tootsies, but one can catch a glimpse of skin through the honeycomb pattern! The inside is lined with what feels like terry towel so there is no reason in the world to wear a sock.
I could go on. But despite all the stats, I really chose these sneakers based on how well they compliment my daily uniform.
The Uniform
I’ve got a closet full of buttondown shirts, due in large part to my ever-increasing appreciation for their simplicity and timelessness. I like a buttondown because it can be so many different things. Tucked or untucked. Bottom buttons undone to show skin. Top buttons done up to the neck. Jewelry nestled in the collar. Rolled cuffs. Cuff links. I mean, the list goes on. So naturally, the uniform starts with a buttondown shirt.
Specifically, a very old and very thrashed L.L. Bean chambray shirt that was already half in the bag when I thrifted it a few years ago. I proceeded to wear it as a gardening shirt for two summers and it’s now so worn in that it’s starting to shred at various seams. In other words, it’s perfect.
Piece 2/2 in this uniform is a pair of wide leg black pants. If you are a regular reader you’ll recognize these pants as something I wear ~ all ~ the ~ time ~. Elastic waisted, with black, unfitted pantlegs that go long past the ankles; pretty much everything you’d ever want in a daily-wear garment.
Finishing touches include my coin necklace and a vintage leather blazer.
To put it simply, the Taos sneakers were an effortless addition. The day I tried them out I was wearing a variation of this uniform [black silk buttondown, ivory cargo pants]; when the shoes went on, they were completely in sync.
“But what about the baroque pearls?”, they asked.
Deeply inspired by a style profile on Don’t Let Disco founder Ashley Moubayed, I decided to create my own shoe charm to adorn the sneakers in an off-balanced manner — and what better thing to juxtapose a sporty sneaker than a baroque pearl. Don’t Let Disco leans into using recycled and vintage beads — which I love. For future charms I’ll be keeping an eye out for costume jewelry to deconstruct, but for this shoe-candy, I had a very specific vision.
Let’s back up for a minute, to the Portland bead store I discovered earlier this year, Caravan Beads. I gifted my SIL a Marrakesh Necklace workshop, and the resulting necklace was divine [as seen in the olive & stripes look from my menswear edit]. Post-class we had a blast getting lost in the bead collection. Ok now fast forward to creating my shoe charm; not only does Caravan had a vast selection of pearls, their team was incredible and handheld me through choosing all the hardware I needed to make this thing come to life.
To create a charm that worked with the bead size I chose, I ended up buying an entire spool of beading wire. It only takes a short piece to build the totem, so look out world, more charms are on the horizon!
I’ll leave you with the genuine recommendation to check out Selby Shoes — yes, for this sneaker, but also for many other thoughtfully curated styles that are selected with quality & support in mind. I actually approached Selby about working together because I think their collection has a lot of gems, while being incredibly dedicated to providing quality shoes that are made to carry you with support. It was so fun working with their team to create this collection, and I can’t wait to share the next 3 summer styles with you! For now, here is a complete breakdown of the look:
SNEAKERS Taos Direction Sneaker, Selby Shoes
I am deeply in love with the neutral color story of this sneaker, but was still tempted by a few other color variations — the slate blue was divine, and there’s an option with a cherry-red heel accent. So good!
PANTS Wide leg pull-on pants, vintage
Other black pull-on pants that I’d buy in a heartbeat: adidas satin track pants, vintage Liz Claiborne, FP pull-on trousers w/ elastic waist - epic
SHIRT L.L. Bean Chambray buttondown, vintage
Obv top recommendation would be to thrift something like this, esp if you live in Maine where there is Bean in literally every second-hand store. However, for a bespoke selection of thrashed attire I really like the aesthetic of Gas & Grain — top uniform picks would be something like this trashed tee, faded striped buttondown, or this cotton jacket that wears like a shirt.
CHUNKY NECKLACE sterling silver coin/chain, vintage
Each necklace from this designer is handmade from vintage elements so no two are the same — this gorgeous drop necklace would be another fit for the V of a buttondown. Tip: her designs always drop on IG first.
JACKET leather blazer, vintage
I thrifted this leather jacket a few weeks ago. I had been eyeing a very similar vintage Gap blazer on Etsy which was 3x the price, so was super excited to run into this piece. Mine is a petite and therefore the body of the jacket is a bit shorter, which I actually like for me. The shape is classic, and the leather variation adds a sophisticated twist to any ensemble. If anyone is interested in adding this timeless piece to your wardrobe, the Gap jacket is still available!
yours, G