in metallic mary janes
4 days, 4 outfits, 1 shoe
No. 2 — metallic mary jane flats, 4 ways
The second in my ‘Essential Shoes of Summer’ series, featuring Bueno metallic silver flats from the Selby Shoe collection.
Last week I ran into a Cabmate instagram moodboard, and was completely inspired by this image of Chloë Sevigny in a decidedly neutral outfit [black crewneck tee, black blazer, jeans] — with the outfit maker being, quite obviously, a huge pair of silver drop chain earrings that hang down past her shoulders. With hair fully back, the chromatic shine of the earrings becomes the main event of the ensemble.
Sometimes an image like this, one of visual and stylistic inspiration, comes along just at the right moment — a moment so right that you wonder whether it was the inspiration that drew you to the image, or the image that fueled your inspiration. Maybe it was a bit of both, in this case. Because I was already in the midst of planning this post about something silvery and shiny of my own. There’s a similar energy coursing through the outfits I wore this week — neutrals, enhanced and enlivened with pair of metallic mary jane flats. I wove the shoes into 4 different days of my week, 4 different agendas, 4 different outfits, 1 pair of amazing shoes. Here’s how I’m wearing my second shoe pick of the summer, Bueno Kehlani Mary Jane Flats.
Day 1 kicked off with 2 hours of squash at PCS, followed by a make-up trial at Andiamo! Salon. I wanted to wear something basic for the trial so I could tell how the shade matched my skin. I kept it simple with a grey crewneck, and my vintage wool trousers [see 1998 femme/minimalism edit].
Layered sterling necklaces were really the only accessory — they were a great chrome castmate to the flats.
I had about an hour to grab a coffee and pastry before my appointment, so I strolled Market to Middle to Pearl to Fore and found myself in line at Standard Baking. I sat in the morning sun eating my morning bun — accompanied by a few bird friends, catching up on Leandra & Cabmate — and then strolled back up to Andiamo through dappled sun and fallen spring petals.
Day 2 I drove up the coast a bit, met with a vintage clothing client in the early afternoon and then had a coffee / R&D date with my brother in Brunswick.
The weather was a little cooler so I did my best practical Mainer by layering up multiple warmth options in a single outfit. I started with a black satin lace cami as the base, with a cashmere greyscale leopard sweater at the waist, and my black Ralph Lauren nylon trench. A lightweight trench like this is perfect for spring (especially if you’re expecting weird weather) and I also just like wearing it on a day out because it has great pockets for sunglasses/keys/phone, etc.
Dark navy Nike track pants were the obvious choice for comfortable driving plus comfortable walking. Not too heavy, and leaving the ankle zipper open showed off just the right amount of shoe.
I had one of the best iced lattes of my life at The Abbey [coffee - cocktails - chaos: the perfect place for a Sagittarius] and then we coffee-walked over to Cabot Mill Antiques to look at treasures and catch up on life.
This is the R&D that I mentioned — always cultivating ideas for the next Great Find. Lots of French feeling inspiration in my shop shots, including a porcelain cherub lamp, a stunning (and huge) wood relief mirror, and some midcentury paintings that made me think of Blue Girl by Picasso.
I love walking through the old mill buildings of Maine. The high ceilings and massive columns, the patina on the floors, the towering windows — there’s a current of creation in these spaces.
Day 3 I met with the feature of my next Style Profile (in a twist of fate, he was wearing metallic Nikes!)
In this outfit the flats were transformed into a more polished look. The mellow color story was grounded in a cream top / bottom duo — including my vintage cotton cargo pants which are quickly becoming a summer favorite (they are so lightweight! and they have an elastic waist! and they go with everything!)
I wore the blazer and cargos in a different look last month and was surprised by how much I loved them together. This iteration is more summery, and the shoes are the perfect neutral foil.
The cargos are a little long on me, making it so the cuffs sort of puddled onto the flats. It all felt very elegant and cool at the same time.
The little cross pattern cutouts are a nice touch for warm weather — these shoes are not only super easy to move in, they feel light and airy because of the open leather.
After my Style Profile meeting I spent the afternoon doing some style research, including reading about Isabella Blow — a magazine editor and style icon. I stumbled on her when I was researching muses of Alexander McQueen. Blow is credited with having discovered McQueen after purchasing his entire graduate collection and launching it into the fashion world. I love the quote in the photo caption — “that is of no concern to me whatsoever”.
Day 4 was a work from home day, where I spent time catching up on emails and scheduling. It was another really hot day so the outfit was narrowed to 2 pieces of clothing: black silk shirt & black shorts. A stem-forward affair!
The flats bordered on sporty with this outfit — they are ridiculously malleable and soft to walk in. Like a true ballet shoe.
In the afternoon I picked up my first vegetable CSA of the season at Bumbleroot Farm. The farm is about 3 minutes from my house; they are on the top of a hill and surrounded by fields of open grass and tall trees. It’s a truly beautiful spot.
The shoes were especially flashy on the farm. I picked up my basketful of fresh vegetables, and also picked out a Thai Basil for our kitchen garden. There is a walking path around the outer gardens and fields of the farm, so I took a little stroll through the clover path. What a dream!
In these shoes I found not only the perfect dose of metallic energy to offset the best neutrals of summer, but a comfortable companion shoes that is easy to throw on and off, easy to pack in a bag, easy to walk in, and fun to be in. What more could a girl ask for? Find this summer essential at Selby Shoe in South Portland. xx
yours in shiny shoes,
Geo
Georgia Dixon writes about getting dressed. Subscribe to receive the weekly substack newsletter, and follow @geo.styled for daily doses of style.
The open ankle zipper 🤌🏻
Great versatility! Your second look was my favorite. Love the layers