This article is going to be the end of me. And on shoes, nonetheless....and I LOVE shoes! So, sorry for the rambling below (I needed the break from writing!).......but hey, how badass is this Chanel heel that our Queen Of England, Madonna wore? Now these really are KILLER heels!

Dear Ethers,

A really short one tonight.  My apologies.  Tomorrow could be the same (yes, the victim might be the Wish List!).  I have two enormous feature pieces I am writing that are both due on Tuesday and I am having a really rough time with them.  One is re-working a piece that was really creative (written like a story). It was  bought (yes!) and then my Editor wanted me to add a philosophical element to it that required getting quotes from major companies (which you have to chase, chase, chase) and re-arranging the piece to keep its integrity and also allow it to make sense (no!).  It’s tricky when you sell a piece to a major newspaper.  Once they buy it, they can be cheeky and keep asking you to make little tweaks until it has elements in your work that you never intended.  I really loved my original and wrote it on a whim when a cool event in the fashion world caught my fancy and made me wonder.  It just poured from my fingers and I was so pleased with it.  So was my Editor, but then she wanted to turn it into a leading feature for the week before Christmas—a very savory slot—and needed it to be a more powerful statement story and not as “fun.”  Hey, I get paid per word and am pretty damned psyched, but still, I feel stuck because I don’t think what she’s asking exactly works.  Sighhh…but, this is going to be a big deal and I just started working with this paper (and lord knows I need the dosh and exposure) so I’m not going to say no.  And, hey, a good writer is always one who can take a deep breath and hit the delete button and make edits.  

As for the other piece, you’d think it would be so easy!  I had to interview 3 major shoe designers and ask them each the same 7 questions.  Then, all I have to do is formulate a story about shoes—and hey, even easier, I get to pick the idea of the theme.  I’m allowed a two paragraph lead-in and then I have to weave their answers in cleverly.  Simple, right?  WRONG.  I can’t believe of all things SHOES are giving me a nightmare (maybe it’s my new relationship with shoe gal!).  I think I’ve written and re-written this feature about 4 times and have erased them all without saving one draft.  It’s the main story for a special on shoes for the November 15th issue and I am having is-SHOES!    It’s my first assigned piece from my Editor and I want to show her I’m really good.  She says she’s tried out loads of freelancers and they’ve sucked and I don’t want to fail her.  Maybe she’s cursed me like many a women have cursed a man.  You know, talking about how past boyfriends have stunk in bed right before you and she are about to sleep together.  All sorts of thoughts probably go through their minds and then it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.  UGH!

Anyway, the fuckers are both due Tuesday, 9AM PST and I am shaking in my boots.  I’ve never been this nervous about my work before.  I think I’ve had the confidence kicked out of me by so many Manolo’s (ha ha…ermm…ha) that I’ve lost my One of 365 pride.  It’s also nerve wracking when you know that one company you work for just fired a shed load of people and are making serious budget cuts which trickle down to you and this might be a way to make up for that loss of much needed cash.  

So, will you forgive me today?  My eyes are crossing from staring at my Mac—I even got desperate enough and tried to distract myself from writing by taking crazy pics with my Photo Booth on my computer.  I’m proud to say that I have wonderful Warhol-esque images of me cross-eyed and sticking my tongue out.  

I have to dish about the party. Some nutters were there and I’ll let you now Mr. Depp, sadly, didn’t show.  But a few famous faces did and a crazy Arab prince arrived and I have a hilarious story about that which will make you wonder if I am lying about some of the crazy shit that happens in my life.  

If you asked me when I was a kid if I would be 29, sitting in front a computer on a Sunday night ready to burn all my heels as a coup d’etat against the governing body of shoes or that I would even be obnoxious enough to use the expression coup d’etat instead of speaking English, then I think I would have tried to buckle down on my math and science skills and tried to become a therapist (I’m nuts, remember—and they say it helps one to know one—maybe I would have been great!).  

Jesus, for a quick post this thing is already almost 900 words with my ramblings.  I can’t ever write a short tid-bit, can I

Sorry for complaining, but it sure was nice to write about something else besides heel height and balls of feet.  And, seriously, no matter how bad this writer’s block is, it certainly beats the red carpet.  BLECHHHHHHHHH!  Sighhh……crystal ball, I beg of you, where will I be in the next 5 years??

Dedicatedly yours,

—One of 365

Dear Ethers,

After attending the Valentino show last night (I will share all tomorrow) I wish I had something catwalk worthy for you.  But alas, I am just a mere mortal with a mere mortal’s bank account, so you’ll have to enjoy what I have picked for this week!

It’s been wild weather in Los Angeles.  We had a cold spell for about a week and now it’s hot and BBQ temperature again.  The evenings are lovely and cool, but you don’t need a jacket or a coat because the temperature drops to the perfect “Ahhhhh” after the hot day’s heat has cooked you.

I’ve chosen something I think would be great to wear if you were to go out in the evening for a casual night and wanted to be comfortable, trendy and have a bit of flair to your outfit.  I also like the idea that navy blue is the base color.  Nobody wears navy blue because it is so tricky to pull off and so few people own navy pieces to make a coherent outfit.  I think this look is classy and elegant, but it also stands out with the oriental-style culottes.

This is a real fashion juxtaposition from my seductive Sienna/Kate look from last week (grrrrrrr) and I know some of you mother’s were concerned, so to set a good example for my younger readers, I wanted to put together a little outfit that was ladylike (but still very cool). But those who finger wagged, just you wait–I am in the market for some over-the-knee boots and when they are bought they will be shown on a Friday.  And I am going to shock you with something short to show off how sexy-rexy they are.  So be warned!!!!!!!

I hope you Ethers have a wonderful Friday and I shall speak to you tomorrow, maybe not the same time, but always the same place.

Dedicatedly yours,

—One of 365

In The Navy! I really like how the culottes break up the color and really add flair to the otherwise monotone color scheme. Flats are always easy and great to just slip on and go out in. And a basic top with a little bit of oomph shows you're not just a bore buying a basic Gap pocket T-shirt. All in all, I think our lady of leisure looks quite dapper.

Poor, neglected navy. Yet, so lovely when done well. I love this top because of the neckline detail. It almost looks like you're wearing some sort of elaborate neck piece. I felt a very vintage vibe coming from this top when it caught my eye and immediately grabbed it. It has proved versatile beyond belief. It works perfectly with denim, classic with white, very Ivy League with khaki and really fun with red. I also got this for a steal. Topshop in London was selling this on sale like hotcakes because they were replacing them with black. Navy Neck-Detail Top, 8 pounds, Topshop, London

I've had these cuties for at least 6 years. They have never fallen out of trend and when I wear them I always get compliments. I tend to wear them with a heel because they hit me in a place that make my legs look slightly short, but I do like them with flats. I love the little pleat with the red insert. Really creative. These have so much detail like fabric covered buttons at the fly and beautiful seam work. They also are 100% brushed cotton and have a lovely crisp, stiff feel to them. I've worn them out to lunch, to work and to an evening event. A great buy. Oriental Style Culottes, Bellum, $35, Loehmann's, NYC

I'm not a big bling girl. You won't see my carrying around an LV emblazoned bag and a Giorgio Armani mobile. But I do like designer items (of course!). Coach isn't really known internationally. It's more of a US thing, am I right? Anyway, I went into the shop and they were having a monster blowout. Now, they have the emblazoned disease. So nothing really suited my style. But then I saw these lovely velvet flats. And of course they had been marked down a million times because they weren't label whored-out. I loved that they were navy blue and had a sweet brass detail on the toe. I thought they looked classic and elegant and I had never really seen a navy flat I liked before. But, if you look closely in the picture, you'll see stamped into the velvet are the C's that the label is famous for. That I can handle because unless you stare at them, you really can't "C" it. I think they look cute with this outfit because they make it more casual, but the velvet adds a bit of dressiness to the ensemble. I've worn these with shorts, a long skirt and jeans. A really great buy. Navy Blue Flats, Originally $175, bought for $50, Coach, Los Angeles