My lust for Manolo Blahniks (especially the red patent leather mary janes, oh how I lust!) is tempered by the knowledge that there are causes out there more worthy than my feet. Wouldn't $500 be better spent toward a charitable cause? Or climbing my way out of debt? Or saving a whale somewhere?

This is my way of feeling guilty about virtually everything. It's a severe character flaw, especially when it keeps those Manolos from my closet, aka Their True and Rightful Home. This is all rhetorical, however, because I don't have $500. Which may be the crux of the issue. If I could afford to buy my $500 shoes and write a $500 check to a woman's shelter the same day, I imagine that I would prance merrily home with nary a guilt-ridden whimper.

At its essence, I don't believe that style requires the excess of money that magazines like Vogue might lead you to believe. (Though you can sure look amazing if you do have it.) While I would love to own couture dresses and Manolo Blahniks, scouring vintage shops and buying red Franco Sartos on sale can yield a similar effect. At least in San Francisco, where you're more likely to see Birkenstocks than Prada.

As many other fashion bloggers have very eloquently stated, style is what you bring to the world - not what fashion brings to you. People like Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. inspired me to love dressing well because they had style that transcended the labels they wore. (They were also mind-numbingly gorgeous and had all the resources of fashion at their well-manicured finger tips.)


I think the most stylish women are those who are healthy and intelligent and devoted to making the world around them a little bit better. With a few pairs of Manolos stashed away somewhere.