Brand Spotlight! La Plume

We'd like to give a warm welcome to our newest member of the Village Shoes family: La Plume! Named after the French word for feather, these light as air and superbly comfortable shoes will keep you up and on your feet all day.

So what's the secret? The cork mid-sole will mold to the unique shape of your foot with shape and wear. It'll form to the exact shape of your arch and give perfect support without an expensive custom orthotic. The cork is topped with a leather-lined, generously-cushioned footbed that not only adds additional comfort, but eases the sometimes uncomfortable break-in period of the cork. The outsole is capped with a rubberized material to make the shoes slip-resistant, and increase the durability of the cork.

We think these lovelies just scream vacation. If you're headed out to a far away place, you've probably got a lot of walking in front of you. Whether you're headed to Paris or Nebraska, when you're in a new place, you're bound to want to see the sights--museums, gardens, parks, etc. Now you don't have to worry about the inevitable foot pain at the end of the day (or trying to get your partner/friend to give you a foot rub).

These shoes are also great for those of us with pre-existing foot problems. Plantars Fasciitus, corns, bunions, or hammer toes? The padding and adjustability helps to ease pain and shift pressure points away from sensitive or painful areas. The adjustable Velcro straps also make them a great choice for people with wide or narrow feet.

Overall, La Plume sandals are an absolute treat for your feet, and we're proud to be supporting them through our shop. Come in and try a pair on!

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Brace Your Boots: How to Weatherproof Your Boots for Winter

Out on the west coast we've got clear and sunny skies, but our friends on the east coast aren't quite so lucky. Looks like snow--and a lot of it--is coming your way. In addition to stocking up the pantry and investing in a few more wool socks, it's time to clean-up and weatherproof those leather boots again. Stay in cuddled up with Netflix if you can, but if you're forced to go outside, make sure your boots are ready.

Step 1: Clean 'Em Up

First things first, clean off the damage winter had previously wreaked on your boots with a little saddle soap. Using a damp cloth and a little saddle soap, rub the cloth in circular motions into the leather to remove salt stains, water stains, and buff out some scratches. This will darken the color of the boots, but they should fade back to close to their original color as they dry.

Step 2: Conditioning

To keep your boots in top shape for as long as possible, it's best to rub in some mink oil or leather lotion to keep the leather moist and supple. The intense cold followed by dry indoor heat isn't doing your boots any favors this winter, so give those beauties a drink. Note that mink oil will darken the color of your boots significantly (especially if they've endured a few seasons of dryness), so applying a test patch on an easily disguised corner may be best on light colored leather boots. Check out how mink oil transformed these vintage Fryes:

@dellazell brought in her vintage @thefryecompany boots for some love. They look amazing! #regram #leathercare #bootsforlife #nofilter #villageshoes

A photo posted by Village Shoes Ashland (@villageshoes) on Dec 16, 2014 at 4:01pm PST

Step 3: Color and Shine

After the leather lotion or mink oil has soaked in and had some time to dry, go ahead and apply some standard shoe polish and/or shine to fill in any remaining nicks or scratches and restore luster to the leather. This step is definitely optional. For some boots, saddle soap and mink oil are enough (like those Fryes above), for others, polish helps significantly with restoration. If you're unsure, try a test patch.

Step 4: Use Protection

If you choose to ignore all the other tips and tricks on this blog, take this one to heart: use weatherproofing spray on all of your shoes and boots. If you live in a snowy or rainy environment, this is a no-brainer. Spray them over once paying special attention to the seams and soles, let them dry, then spray them over again.  Once they've dried, you're ready to head out into the weather!
Even for those of us who live in sunny climates, however, a good spray down with weatherproofing spray can help protect your feet from stray sprinklers or spilled glasses.

Exceptions: Suede, Patent Leather

If you're cleaning and protecting suede, make sure to use products specifically labeled 'for suede' to avoid damaging the more delicate material.

Patent leather also requires a little special care, and can be polished up with some petroleum jelly. Most weatherproofing sprays should be fine on patent.

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Whew. That was a lot of information. Sound like too much trouble? Skip the fuss and opt for some weatherproof boots like the Caird or Alice from Bos & Co. These boots have a waterproof lining build into the shoe, as well as a weatherproof silicone coating. No soap/oil/polish/spray required.

Have a Happy Snow Day!

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New Spring Arrivals!

Sure, it may still be cold and raining outside, but that doesn't stop us from dreaming! Spring is just around the corner and we could not be more ready! This week we got our brand new spring collection by Eric Micheal, and they have us antsy to pull out our white jeans and pretty florals and put them to good use! We put together some cute springtime outfits to help us fuel our daydream!

Preppy Spring by village-shoes featuring Eric Micheal's Sadie in melon

We think that the Eric Michael Sadie in melon goes fabulously with a Kate Spade inspired outfit. The white jeans and structured geometric bag keeps this look polished, whereas the chambray shirt keeps the outfit casual. For weekend shopping or casual Friday at work, you're sure to turn heads.

Boho Spring by village-shoes featuring Eric Micheal's Ginger

We used the Eric Michael Ginger in a fun and breezy boho-inspired outfit. We love how the raw-edges of the shoe are reflected in both the bracelets and the very trendy fringe on the bag. Still chilly? Throw on some tights and a brown leather jacket or a chunky-knit cardigan to wear this from March through September!

Laid-back Spring by village-shoes featuring loose fitting sweaters

Some days just aren't for stilettos. On those days, throw on the super-comfy cork based Izzi with some boyfriend jeans, an oversize sweater, and and some sunnies. Sling your wallet and some keys into a beachy tote, and you're out the door, looking chic, in 10 minutes flat. Style nirvana achieved.

Check out some other styles from the collection! We'll keep updating as we get more online!

Love,

Jessie and the Village Shoes Team

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Resolution Reevaluation

It's inventory week at Village Shoes, so we're all busy counting away. This week, our post will be short and sweet. See you next week!

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One week into the New Year, and I haven't woken up early once.

Oops.

Whereas I don't want to call one of my New Years resolutions a bust already, it might be time.

It turns out, after a little self-evaluation, that both enjoying my late evenings and getting enough sleep are more important to me than forcing myself awake at 7 am.

It's particularly easy during the New Year to get caught up in pursuing the idea  of someone rather than the reality of yourself.

So, only a week in, I think I'll make a few edits to the list:

This year, I'd like to pursue positive improvements to my life while avoiding guilt and struggle.

So, I won't be waking up early (too much struggle), but I will start taking yoga courses (without feeling guilt about the cost).

Rather than getting caught up in the idea that you have to suffer to create change, embrace joy and happiness. Be gentler with yourself.

Make 2015 your best year ever.

Love,

Jessie and the Village Shoes team

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Happy New Years!

We wish all of you the best in the coming year, and we can't wait to see all the the joys and challenges that come our way. Cheers to 2015!

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