In search of perfection
Do you ever feel as if your life revolves around the contents of your wardrobe? That if you could only find that oh-so-elusive “perfect” blazer/white T-shirt/stack-heeled boot then your life would be complete? I’m not someone who goes crazy for trends, when I’m window-shopping I’m not thinking “I need florals” or “I must update my wardrobe with a super-clutch” because I’ve always had my thing going on and it revolves around classics. But therein lies the problem. When it comes to classics it’s all about the finer details. Even though I have a stack of stripy tops, umpteen pairs of skinny-straight jeans and more mens-style trousers than I care to count, there’s always that sneaky feeling that there must be an even better version out there that I don’t know about yet.
Boots are a bit of an ongoing obsession. I love a stack-heeled boot but I can’t wear high heels for every day. I can do a cuban heel but I don’t want an obvious cowboy boot. The iconic Dior Homme gold ankle boots have always appealed but with my miniscule 37s they weren’t available to me. Or so I thought. On my way to The Shop At Bluebird this week I spotted some not-bad looking replicas in a King’s Road shop window. The shop is one of those bizarre places that sells faux-punk Blondie T-shirts and the like, souped-up versions of what I used to buy from Kensington Market in my teens but it’s not a look that warrants an entire shopful of them these days. Picking my way through the screen-printed madness, in the depths of the shop I found a shelf of said boots all in mens sizes. On further investigation it transpires these are a new mens range from Terry de Havilland. De Havilland had his first round of success in the 60s when he was the go-to shoemaker for the likes of David and Angie Bowie. He enjoyed a mini-revival a few years ago when the Primrose Hill set took to his uber-wedges but has since disappeared under the radar. Well, now he’s back with this new range, Archie Eyebrows , a dandyish delight of patent, python-print and two-tone. The best bit? A womens range is due in April, so the female version of those perfect gold boots can at last be mine. Looks like I can call off the search…for now.
Pic: Dior Homme A/W 2005
20 March, 2008 @ 9:00 pm
the best part is that boots always outlast shoes. in duration and style. you can keep them for years and years and still wear them to death
21 March, 2008 @ 11:42 am
The Terry de Havilland range sounds interesting…do post pics if you can get hold of them…
I never went for the revival of his wedges….. a tad too glitzy for me…
21 March, 2008 @ 1:02 pm
Susie, the pics are in the link. Click on “Archie Eyebrows” :)
1 January, 2009 @ 10:06 pm
i’ve been looking for some gold ankle boots for absolutely ages and found out Terry De Havilland did exactly what I want, but no idea if they are still available and my living in the north nowhere near london does crush things slightly.
if anyone has any idea where to get his beautiful gold boots (mens or womens) do tell :)
the URL is a photo of the boots :)