Pump it!

Superga

Buffalo

Converse

Superga

I keep toying with the idea of a trainery-style pump. I am so not a trainer girl; I only own one pair of 'sporty' looking shoes which are split soled dance pumps, certainly not pretty (black and meshy-hmm) but definitely functional and in my mind this is usually all a training shoe should be. I've never worn Converse, which certainly seems to be the style-blogger pump of choice; one of my very favourites, the inimitable Garance Dore, rocks a white Converse with that typical French insouciance and aplomb which I think many others find very hard to pull off. Perhaps it's a French thing; one of my work colleagues is also en Francais and she always looks sublime in a poppy red pair of Converse, in a way that I would look flat footed and childish.

But my head has been turned! After years of combining a high heeled boot with a skinny pant, or failing that, a ballet pump with a skinny pant, I am now keen to try something different and (gulp) embrace a trainer-pump. See what I called it there? Not a trainer, oh no-there'll be no sportyness here, no siree. I don't want any foaminess, whiteness, chunkiness, airiness, anything sprung or padded or airbagged, nope, what I want is a slender, chic, girlie laceup with an eycatching print or shown in a luxe fabric. I don't want 'colour', I find it very hard to wear coloured shoes, unless they have a decent heel and bring a solid pop of block colour to my outfit, and I find bright coloured flat shoes remind me too much of children's footwear and as I have tiny feet (size 3 and a half/4 depending where I shop) anything pink, green, yellow or red (blue can just be do-able in a flattie, especially teamed with a black cigarette pant) is just a step too far towards kiddie. In fact a good friend of mine used to call me 'ladybird' (in homage to the 'ladybird' children's line of clothes and shoes, carried by the now defunct but never forgotten high street stalwart, Woolies) years ago when he discovered I had such little trotters. So you can see my predicament-how to find the perfect pump?

Superga is a brand much regaled by the hipster celeb set; Fearne Cotton is pretty much a single handed champion of the brand and is often seen shod in bright yellow or pink pairs of the classic dap. Now, our Fearne has that cute, punky little rock look about her that enables her (and, I'm sure, her averagely sized feet) to carry off such colours and styles with ease. Ditto of Sienna Miller who often leans towards washed out shades to add a bit of youthful style to her boho vibe. If I was to pick a pair, I'd go for the above: either a snazzy tweed or a slick textured leather that would work with any of my current trouser collection and I would surely love!

The Buffalo pair in leopard are completely where I am at right now; for AW11 I know the real fashionistas will be rocking snake print but I can't ever let my love for leopard print die; and these will bring it to every look. I'd wear them with a midi skirt or my classic black skinny pants, plus a denim jacket and that's my transitional look sorted.

Of course, Converse are the ultimate classic pump and this slick pair, delivered in a suedey-textured taupe, will work harder than any style of pump in your wardrobe. Such a basic shoe anchors an outfit beautifully and will be a classic for years to come. And ultimately we all want that, don't we?

All featured shoes are available at Spartoo. And they carry colours, too, if you're braver than me!

What do you make of trainer pumps? Are they something you like to wear?

xoxo