Dark Beach Days

Despite hailing from a near equator, hot country (Hong Kong), I can’t say that I do well in the heat. Heat rashes, sun stroke, excessive fatigue – you name it, I get it.  So it stands to reason that I’m not a big fan of summer swimwear issues, tanning tips and the pages of sandals/sarongs/beach bags that are invading all magazines at the moment.  But I have to grudgingly admit that sandals are essential.  I somehow got through the entire summer last year without wearing sandals at all but I can’t possibly go through another summer of torturing my feet like that.  No no….. so the search began.

I had a very specifc list of ‘No No’s when going on my sandal search. I knew I did not want anything remotely ‘delicate’ or ‘pretty’.  That doesn’t mean I wanted Birkenstocks either (the soles of Birks freak me out…). I knew I didn’t want any of that toe divider malarky (yes, I’m a weirdo who can’t wear sandals that have a thong wedged between my big toe and second toe).  That’s a BIG no no for me because quite simply they destroy my toes.  I knew I didn’t want anything iconic that someone would immediately pick up as a certain designer or even akin to a certain designer – like Jil Sander gladiators or Marni big jewelled sandals or Prada tasselled sandals.

So thank you Public Beware.  First shop I walked into on Dray Walk in Brick Lane and wham bam, thank you mam, I’m done.  These sandals have a white spongey foam ankle wraparound and a similar spongey strap and some simple ribbon ankle straps.  A little odd but not too odd.  Very comfortable.  Not hideously expensive (¬£50) for a pair of shoes I won’t be getting too much wear out of.  So the sandal search which I had anticipated would be a around-the-London-schlep.  But it was a case of around-Dray-Walk-breeze.

I have devised my perfect dark beach outfit using the sandals that defies the convention of revealing as much flesh as possible and is just a little bit bizarre.  It’s for walking about on weak sunny days on beaches in Scotland rather than the Carribean.  H&M tank, shiny black American Apparel leggings, white ruban hat cap and a sort of watersports gear vibe.  Yup, that’s MY idea of summer. 

35 comments

  5. Suise, won’t you absolutely melt in those ALMOST latex like leggings? Are they latex? I think they are awsome where did you buy them?
    And grotesque? Come on.. if you really thought that you would not bbe wearing skin tight leggings, I think you quite frankly look HOT, and I know its not a look you are going for.. but there! 😀

  8. Well spotted the_kitten! However, I wouldn’t pay ¬£70 for a pair of sandals…. I was reluctant to fork over the ¬£50!
    I have serious issues with summer wear…

  9. Love those sandals! Although with the tight hat AND the tight leggings it looks somewhat like you’re going swimming – but maybe that’s not a bad thing as it does have a off-kilter summer reference too.

  11. I really love those shoes. I usually try to go the whole summer sans sandals too (skinny old lady feet don’t belong on a 26 year old, but what can you do?), but with the heat waves predicted for this summer here in Toronto, I don’t think I’ll be able to get away with full shoes for much longer.
    I think you’d probably get more attention in that outfit on the beach than all the other pink bikini-clad chickies running around. 😉 I’m thinking of going the vintage-y route this summer with a 1950’s sheath style, polka dot swimsuit. (Which my collection of mary janes would look stupid with, hence the need for sandals.)

  12. you are the only one who could pull this off, and i love it! i wish i could work those leggings. and those shoes are fabulous. i love the heel part–they look like little wings wrapping around your foot :]

  14. this is lovely, it kind of reminds me of out of a terry gilliam or a jean-pierre jeunet film! ah… just rememeber that powder remedies heat rash, not ointment! (i learned the hard way!)

  15. susie! love love love the sandals, AND the leggings but they do look like they’d be SUPER hot in the summer…but I’m from Texas and I think our version of hot is very different. lol. You’re always gorgeous!

  17. I’m the same with you I can’t wear that type of sandals =( But I love yours, they seemed really comfortable!!
    Summer in HK isn’t just hot, but stuffy also. Couldn’t breathe this morning..

  18. ooh, I totally agree with you about the sandals that separate your big toe from the other toes. what’s the DEAL with that? anyway, I love those sandals but I don’t think I’d be able to wear ’em here in madhattan… they’d get grey/brown waaay too fast!

  19. i don’t like seeing other people’s toes…i don’t like seeing MY OWN toes…so i really dislike all open toe sandals…i’m weird, i know 🙂 it’s hard to look away so often during the summertime when they come out for display everywhere!

  25. Hey :)!
    If Wings make you feet Fly- do have a look at the Finnish Designer
    Minna Parikka’s : “Bridget” and “Polly”.She also have
    other Girly,Fun and Feminine designed shoes.
    I Really Enjoy your Style Blog!
    >—–Greetings from Norway—–>

  28. Love the sandals. I generally try to get something simple and comfortable but it really does feel impossible sometimes when the solution to those two descriptives is Birks. Yuck.

  31. But it’s still a lot of material adhering very closely to your leg..the shoes look lovely, though. Very cotton-wool like and fuzzy, like the summer equivalent of bunny slippers (in a good way, of course 🙂

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