Lia Belle, Sydney
Inspiration print from Lia Belle's apartment
Inspiration print from Lia Belle's apartment
Do you see the seam in the middle of Lia Belle's Prada shoes?Lia Belle HAD to have these Prada shoes, but they didn't have her size. She has very tiny feet, so this is a common issue for her.
Being the crafty Aussie that she is, she bought them in the nearest size she could find and took them to a shoe repair shop. There they removed the heel and cut-out a few centimeters from the middle length of the shoe. Then, they reattached the two severed pieces, re-sanded the heel, re-sewed the lining and refit the heel.
Sounds expensive, but she bought the shoes on sale for $250 and had $100 worth of alterations. Now, the shoes fit Lia Belle perfectly! No one can see the difference, AND she still spent less than the full retail price- smart lady.
Comments on "Lia Belle, Sydney"
I love the first photo! I have a pug too, they are adorable!
The first picture is amazing...!
www.nobodyknowsmarc.blogspot.com
I love the pug! And the blue flats!
Oh how beautiful. I love the first picture - the layers of beige, cream and ginger, the soft textures of the skirt matching the pup's fur, and of course the turquois touches.
That first picture is quite simply adorable.
ha my mum has the same problem. she has a very hard time finding nice shoes because her feet are so tiny.
i so have to send her the link to this post!
Lia Belle!! Sweet, beautiful and quirky as always. Love the colour and LOVE the the pooch!
Layla x
Love is blind,and passioned,and has no limits.She want it & she get it.
I like this whole post! I like the dog's expression... LOL. I like the skirt. I like Vermeer very much. And I like the shoes although it pretty much beats me how such an alteration is even possible.
love,
szucs
I'll never agree that $350 for a pair of shoes is smart, no matter what brand.
I love pugs, my sister has one!
http://henrineuendorf.com/
Wow!! That's such a good idea!! I didn't even know that kind of fit could be done...
It seems Lia Belle has wonderful ideas, very good taste in shoes and a very cute dog!
Loved the post!
I never heard that someone fitted his shoes. ^^ Love the prints in Lia Belle's apartment.
xoxo Sandra
http://glamirrorous.com
Love the story of the Prada shoes. I will love to see them on as well!
The dog looks confused. Wonderful paintings. I recognize the Vermeer, but does anyone know who painted the old man smoking?
I also have problem with the shoes size!Very very beautiful photos all in the colours of the sky!
Tiny feet! I also have the same issue as Ms Belle. I will mental note this crafty idea for future reference.
http://thenewsoftshoe.blogspot.com/
I love her insistence and innovation to have those shoes! Lovely photos. That pug put a smile instantly on my face this morning!
Happy Monday everyone.
Wow all that for a pair of shoes? I think it was worth it
Http://cocozaahb.com
Fun post. Love her resourcefulness! And while I do like all of the photos, I adore the first photo!
I guess she really, really had to have those shoes.
I wonder if that operation could be performed on a man's Hermes tie?
that pooch!!!!!!! so CUTE!
fabulous shoes
Aussies - adapt and overcome...
Hope you enjoyed our beautiful city.
Great recent photos.
love these kind of stories. thanks.
that first photo is so amazing! love the colortones as well!
love the shoes!!! i have found the best shoe maker and i believe that is one secret a girl should take to the grave- the things he has done for me, i don't want to share!!!
http://ohdearcharlotte.blogspot.com
Hah! This is me in reverse. I wear a size 10 with a AA heal. Thirty years ago when I was this young ladies age, this was not a common size for women's shoes unless you purchased the much higher priced designer shoes and even then the stores only carried a few size tens. Finding a pump was next to impossible. I used to have dreams of walking into shoe stores filled with only my size shoe. Every kind of shoe my imagination could think of. Now, I can find just about anything I want. Times have changed. Back to your young lady. I love her Prada shoes and the work she and her cobbler went to so she can have what she wants. She is fashion forward and savvy with her money too. I like her taste, her choice of colors, and her inspiration prints. What does the rest of her look like? One can only imagine, but I picture a lovely smiling face filled with joy and the excitement of youth! Youth is your theme this month!
Amazing! Love the shoes
hmm if i paid that much i would expect the shoe to fit.
loved the second print ... i think it is an old malay man smoking a rollie. delectable piece! how lovely the original painting must be.
I LOVE the picture with the dog, it's properly lovely :)
tweet tweet tweet
x
Ha, that's an idea for the future! I wonder if it would work the other way around - like if they only have very small sizes and I need to have the shoes bigger... hmmmmmm :)
Channelint Elliot Erwitt are we?
I love the story about the shoes
Sorry Sart, but somebody who goes all that trouble and money to get a specific pair of shoes has the wrong priorities in life for me!
now THAT is a shoe freak.
I LOVE that first photo! I would hang it on my wall! Sooo amazing- cute dog, chic clothes/shoes, and beautiful composition!
Sweet shoes, love the colour, and very sweet dog!
that dog is sooooooo darn cute!!!!
that dog is soo cute.
what a scrappy,
ingenuitive type of lady;
just my type.
OH HOW LOVELY!
1st one is adorable :)
I believe one day pugs will take over the world because they simply ROCK!!
I'm a big believer in shelling out extra money for alterations, so long as you get the fit you want and know you'll make good use once the fit is perfected...so, cool stuff with the shoes...
http://thestylerealist.blogspot.com
Wow, I love the first photo! Dogs are the best. Also, the shoes are cute and I love how she had them altered. x
www.FashionSnag.com
love how the pug's leash matches her shoes!
Such beautiful shoes!
http://izzenxoxo.blogspot.com/
Oh cute dog!!!!!
The top one is very Elliot Erwitt.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37038099@N08/3466131867/
It was the shoe repair shop that was the true genius here. I wondered if it'd take a special shop to do this kind of alterations. The Prada shoes looked exquisite!
I love this post!! and the first photo with the dog is so good, love it!!
xx
ART,http://johannaurban.blogspot.com/
I love what she did with those shoes, such ingenuity! She has great style, anyone who loves pugs does. (I love pugs.) And she obviously was inspired in her shoe choice of blue by the blue in the Vermeer and the Indonesian print.
I love that first picture, it's sooooo adorable!
xx Biana
www.littlesomething-something.blogspot.com
That is incredibly thrifty and committed. Lovely.
@Laguna Beach Trad
it definitely can.
I just got your book. It's amazing! thank you.
oh, i just love these Prada-shoes. They are amazing!
www.jesuisunereveuse.blogspot.com
Love the first photo. Those dogs are the best at the "Wha...who, me?" look. Interesting story about the shoes. I really enjoy your snippets that come with the photo, Sart!
I am impressed with the cobbler she found, I have never heard that something like that could be done. I have so many shoes that could have been fixed had I been able to find a cobbler willing to go that extra mile. I have a pair of boots that only need re-lining but I simply cannot find anyone who can do it, such a shame that more people don't see the beauty in saving something rather than buy a cheap replacement. I applaud her!
aw, pug-people love their pugs -- and this one really steal's this post's thunder :)
i'm very intrigued by this shoe story... thank you for sharing!
ThroughTheButtonHole.blogspot.com
WOW -- who knew you could do such a thing --- WOW i have the tiniest feet and as such my shoe wardrobe is pitiful... there is hope yet! Thanks for this post!!
How could I have missed the photograph of Lia? It was there before wasn't it? If so, I need to make sure I'm always wearing my glasses from this point on. Wow, she is everything imagined! Looks like the metallic shoes she has on in the second photo of her are Prada too? Not sure. Anyway, she's lovely.
Really love the first print. There's something about it that is so pretty and mysterious.
http://flashfashfash.blogspot.com
That dog's a born poser!
what an adorable dog.
So I thought I'd comment on how freakin' cute the pug is. But, um, looks like that's not a very original idea.
But in addition to the pug's precious face, I love how the owner has matched the pug's leash to her shoes! Fabulous.
love it! specially the 2nd print;)
The (im)Perfect Harmony
not only lovely imagery. loved the story as well - could have been me. good idea actually :)
Now THAT is commitment, and very clever at that.
~taryn xx
How smart of her. And what gorgeous shoes. Here I shlep around in shoes too big, or else in shoes that pinch. And after I paid full price.
However, I have sworn off Prada. I bought a pair of boots on sale last year and even on sale they were roughly 6oo bucks. They kept making my feet all black and it was hard to get off as it was dye. Also the zipper which ran up the back was hard to do up once the leather bent a bit at the ankle. I flung them to the back of my closet disgusted.
Boo, Prada.
Ah - you added a new photo. Love that look, especially the silver shoes and the leopard belt.
wow completely glamorous, plus totally love the shoes :) !
http://fashionsmind.blogspot.com/
wow completely glamorous, plus totally love the shoes :) !
http://fashionsmind.blogspot.com/
The Prada shoes are so beautiful!!!!!
XOXO
welovenew-york.blogspot.com
i feel better just to see this great pictures,especially the first.
The composition of the first picture is great - & more interesting than the 'Vermeer'.
Congrats!
http://davidikus.blogspot.com/
http://www.davidranc.com/
Great Idea for remaking the shoes :)
Screw the pooch. Toe cleavage is sexy. Word to the wise.
Nice puggy.
awesome skirt/pup combo
So smart... I'm taking note!!! I always find sale shoes too big and this is a fantastic idea... and I love her shoes!! Won't forget this...
xox
glamalert.com./glambassador
Very, very inspiring!
i make shoes for the opera in Brussels, Belgium.`such a great idea, i am also a shoetuner.i give workshops
WWW.SHOETUNING.BE
That first picture is priceless...However, my heart belongs to the third photo of the girl with the blonde hair and that beautiful outfit! The gorgeus seafoam jacket with the pink skirt and silver heels.....My favorite thing about it, and what makes the shot, is her little leopard-print belt nipping in the waist. Such a lovely detail.
By the way, I love the first picture. The dog has an incredible look :)
Lia Bella looks like fun. Her style captures something I cherish above anything else-taste. Tiniest details that make a dull looking outfit look superbe(the belt),mixing yet matching(!) and having fun but in style. Love the first and the third pic! The dress on the first is a dream.
Why does everyone like pugs? They're very ugly dogs. On top of that, they're defective.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/dog-breeders-issue-massive-recall-of-07-pugs,2206/
It's amazing how lusting after a pair of shoes can bring out such creative problem solving. I'm not sure any pair could tempt me that much, but for real shoe freaks, this was an ingenious solution.
no one can see the difference, but u know the difference. There she is paying the brand, not the shoe.
ooo wee fabulous picture alert. that dog shot is awesome!
Love the first pic... The dog's leash is even coordinated with the oh so lovely shoes!
The white wall tiling on the third page is amazing...Would love to know if they are bespoke??
http://architecturalized.blogspot.com
Any chance a girl could find out where she goes to get her shoes fixed by someone so amazing?? Good cobblers are hard to come by these days.
I have small feet too. If I could find a good cobbler that would do that for me, I'd buy tons of shoes that are a size or two larger than mine...great story.
fridayswithcilantro.blogspot.com
The first photo is notable not ONLY for the adorable pug with the "WTF?" look, but also the study of that awesome skirt. The detailing, the way it hangs, oooo, that's good.
The third photo is, as a previous commenter noted, the true prize of this series. I see SOOO many people of all 4 genders dressed in a uniform of black and/or denim on the streets of San Francisco - this woman would put them all to shame, in a good way. Subtle, fem, and breaking the mold that so many others feel they have to conform to so that they can look "alternative" and non-conformist. Pace the hipster sitting next to her...I like his ginger coloring (genetics, no fault of his, but his close beard put emphasis on it) and his glasses. I'll give him his jeans, as the dirt near the front pockets makes it look like he works for a living, but overall James Dean did it better 54 years ago.
Shake the loser, Lia.
Coming from a girl who wears 4.5, you can't imagine how tough it is to find shoes and chic ones at that... There was a shoe boutique in NYC (right next to the 59th st bridge) that specialized in high-end shoes like Christian Lacroix and Marc Jacobs starting from size 4 to 5.5 ...They closed last year!!! =(
I love the coffee stained jeans in the third picture. The perfect accessory for any barista!
great pics.!the colour inside.specially the bleu....
http://commodestyle.blogspot.com/
Smart indeed...and she's given me a new idea.
As flybynightkarmarepair commented, the girl should ditch the hipster! Looking good comes naturally to some, not all.
These pics are great.. Especially the first one. Very cute!
http://stylespotterfashionblogger.blogspot.com
A look is all in the details, no matter how accidental or effortless. This is why I love the gentleman with the dirt crusted pant and casual black tee.
It is void of any complex grunge-era inspiration - he is likely a cyclist and he happened to get dirty. I love details like that - not dirty in a bad way, just fashionably unkempt.
http://dressedfordinner.wordpress.com
Great pictures,...Atta girl Lia make those shoes work for you.
Great photos & cute story!!! The shoes are just so loveable!
And BRAVO for Lia Belle.
It always impress me THE MOST - when people are creative and smart and somehow even economical when looking for being chic, stylish etc.
love love this post!! what great style and i love that pug...freaking adorable!! perfect expression in your capture!
i also love the peeks into her inspirations and the natural shot outside the cafe!! what a cool couple!!
OMG! The first pic is adorable! The dog is so cute!
www.abitoffashion.com
What a dog! He looks like he'd like to have a chat, if he could.
Prada, nice but hurts...
materialism at its best.
prada shoes..
http://bulbizar.blogspot.com/
I love the painting comparisons!
no, i adore the unusual juxtaposition of sartorialist girl + grungy hipster cyclist.
I'm not sure I like the shoe-story.. I think you should be able to accept that that very shoe isn't available and wait for the right one. Such tenacity seems to me inappropriate for an object. Sometimes it's nice to let just go!
god she's cute. x
It's easier for people who don't understand (ie, don't have tiny feet) to think your "priorities" are all messed up or you should "let go" (as the anon commentor above said) with regards to shoes.
To them I say STFU!
Having tiny feet is a F8cking burden in this day and age because small shoe sizes are on the way out. Shoe stores rarely get more than a few pairs of size 6 and rarely anything less than that.
So to someone who wants a pair of shoes to fit her FOR ONCE then I think Lia Belle had a fantastic idea.
Unless you yourself have small feet and know exactly what it's like to never be able to get a pair of shoes that you like or love, then you really shouldn't comment on the situation at all.... or, in more fitting words, maybe you should walk a mile in someone's (smaller shoes) before you comment :) Hmmmm?
so cool...
NEW POSTS
http://watermelonfeet.blogspot.com
What a brilliant idea! So clever!
When you said crafty, I didn't think you meant this crafty. I don't blame her. That pair of Pradas are gorgeous. I still can't believe she purchased them for only 250. What's even more unbelievable, is that you can actually alter the size of a shoe!!!!
Crazy!
The dog!!
:) http://fashphotomusicology.blogspot.com/
The shoes! the dog!
http://plasticflowerpeople.blogspot.com/
I like blue shoes in first pic.
Totaly genius!
She has great personal style and an adorable little doggie!
www.sarabbentley.blogspot.com
the first photo - turquoise shoes & a hint of turquoise from the back of the leash. amazing!!!!
Obsessed with shoes myself, I applaud Lia Belle's ingenuity.
Love your posts, as always.
http://www.novembergrey.blogspot.com/
the pug is just to stinkin' cute!
www.brklynview.blogspot.com
I HAVE THOSE PRADA SHOES! My mum thought they were too sparkly for her so gave them to me, but they are a little too big. I'll definitely try and get them altered, they're so beautiful. Favourite blog, bought my mum the book for her birthday.
Tiny feet are so sexy!
Hi pug.
In case anyone's interested, in the first picture, the skirt is actually made from an Indian sari. The triangular pattern represents temples. There are different sari patterns that "belong" to different regions of India - I have to confirm with my mom but am pretty sure this one is where my family is from!
Anyways, very cool pic - I love it!
As an Indian, I second Kohl Girl's observation. Though full-length silk skirts like these are already popular down south of the country, what a wonderful idea to have a skirt of the length she's wearing.i must get down to doing what i've been putting off for long - to forage a silk saree with 'temple border design' from grandmamma's collection and fashion it into a skirt :)
I understand the pains of tiny feet as I myself have it.
I've been doing online search for small shoes and am not affiliated with this site but they sell really cute shoes in petite sizes.
I wish they had my size of 3.5 though :(
www.pretty-small-shoes.com
I'm 'shuming that's Ms Lia Belle sitting on a bench with a blokey. Whoever it is, I like her top. Both the cut and the colour.
she has amazing style & taste!
Yes mate representing the pugs! Love the shot of the pug, seriously, I love pugs.
http://ozwaldboateng.blogspot.com/
Love the poochs expression. Fantastic
in regards to that gentleman's pants, I think it's most likely espresso, not dirt (guessing he is a barista) I am a barista as well and often have espresso grounds all over the top half of my pants from wiping my hands/portafilter off on them
regardless, nice set!
OMG, I didn't know that it is possible to do that...A few weeks ago I found the most beautiful shoes on the fleemarket. They were nearly unworn sixty Bally shoes. I should have bought them...
I love the third photo outside the cafe!
I find it intriguing that the shoes are in her hand and not on her feet...this is where I would have those beautiful shoes after about 30 minutes of wear.
Sigh.
Wish I could be a better chic city heel wearer!
It's an ongoing issue for me.
The first: the friend of Elliot Erwitt dogs?
Geniales! Tanta vida!
Love the first pic --- honing in on the shoes and just part of her skirt, the colors and the dog! Those Prada shoes are GORGEOUS - I'm drooling! I do wonder how long the "re-attached severed" pieces will hold up.
The silver shoes are YSL - I have them in black satin with gold trim... I like her whole outfit in that outdoor shot.
And the pug, of course, like the hundreds above this comment... :)
Surely the first pic reflect the Vermeer print? the colour and the form? very subtle.
one more thumb up for the first pic!
i'd love to know the name of her cobbler. and any good alterations places in sydney too... help! thanks.
We all enjoy a splurge once in a while. But I will never understand or accept buying $350 shoes when that money could go to something more ness
Being Sylish doesn't have to be expensive - it only requires two tools: frugality and fabulous creativity. Being a moral human being, however, one who values equity above a transient whim, requires something much more important and impressive: a good heart and a strong mind.
I adore the 3rd one. Happiness. :)
Have a beautiful day.
Fashion Abuse
Mmmmmmmmmmm Love the shoes !!!!
Amazing..smart...:)
I just LOVE this shot! And it became more interesting when I read the story behind it. Every woman should love her shoes as a man would love his car. As a woman who just adores a nice pair of shoes, I give 2 thumbs up to Lia Belle. And of course, praises to the photographer
First photo is great!! LOVE IT!
the dog is so amazing!!
and may I ask what type of camera you use? Already thanks:)
www.soxie-gal.blogspot.com
love the shoes
Those Prada heels are so gorgeous! I can't get over how amazing they are! And the whole "making the shoe smaller" thing....WOW. I didn't even know you could do that!
Whoa! Smart lady indeed!
This shoe alteration advice is more than dangerous- Now I am encouraged to buy shoes even if they don't fit!!!
Where did she get this done? I rather not find out who can alter shoes by trial and error...
Lia Belle is so lovely! Way to represent Aussie girls x
First photo = Cover of your next book!
Or maybe the last photo with the awesome shoes...
That is fantastic ! I live in Sydney, where is this amazing cobbler ?