Sven Clogs Review: Ankle Wrap Strap High Heel Clogs

Shoes: Sven Ankle Wrap Strap High Heel Clogs, medium base, Mint Patent Leather, sz. 39 c/o

It's been a while since I've done a straight up review outside an OOTD, but I recently received this gorgeous pair of clogs (thanks to Sven Clogs!) and something this cute just has to be shared!  Plus, it is my side project in life to get everyone to join and hop on the clog bandwagon with me. 

I'm not at all ashamed to admit I have more clogs than I care to count. They're just so comfy! See, I have this love/hate relationship with any shoe with a heel. I love the way a heel looks when I'm wearing dresses or skirts, but I hate the discomfort--they're hard on my knees and hard on my old running injuries. But clogs are like my compromise. They give me height and elongate my legs (not that I need either, really) but because they have a significant front platform, things balance out. Not to mention the design of clogs is just really good for you physically; because of the shaped wood base, they give you lower back support, they help align your spine, the help your posture and they are orthopedically designed to support your feet.  As someone who is really hard on her body and stands 6+ hours lecturing daily, that's a godsend. 

I have worn Sven Clogs quite a bit in the past and have reviewed and featured them on the blog before here, here, and here. They have about a bazillion different styles for women, and the best part is every style is totally customizeable. You can pick your wood base color (natural, brown, black) leather finish (suede, patent, nubuc, smooth) and choose from dozens of colors. 

So on to the review:

(Don't mind the "Aquatic Sea-life" pedicure.....that's what you get when you let your 6 yr. old son pick out polish for you. Yes, those are tiny little seahorses and fishies.)

 I decided to go with the Ankle Wrap Strap style this time. The peep-toe, ankle wrap style is darling! I just love anything peep-toe, and I'm a big fan of ankle straps too--very retro. It's a unique variation on the more basic peep toe style that I see so many other brands doing. Because a wood base can tend to be bulky sometimes, I was a little concerned about how it would be to walk with only that skinnier ankle strap to keep the shoe on my foot. Fortunately it wasn't an issue at all! Like every pair of clogs I have, they were very easy to walk in, and it didn't really feel all that different than walking in my more traditional style clogs. Maybe a little weird pick-up feeling in the instep (if that makes sense), but nothing that I couldn't easily get used to. 

This style clog normally come in a higher 3.25" heel, but I requested the lower 2.75" medium base heel, and happily it was no problem for Sven Clogs to accommodate. {They offer their clogs in three base heights - 2" low, 2.75" medium, and 3.25" high bases.} All the more grateful that they were willing to do the medium base for me, because any heel more than 3" tips me over the 6 ft. mark, which I really don't need. I think the medium base is like my Goldilocks height--not to high, and not too low. 

Most of my clogs are in practical colors like nude, brown, navy, or black so I decided to go with a stand out color this time--patent leather mint green. Beyond a doubt, it's one of my favorite colors and I can't believe I didn't already have a pair of shoes in this shade! The color is gorgeous! My closet is now happy. Not too green, not too blue, it's the perfect shade of mint (all the pictures were taken outside without a flash, so the color is true). I was worried that the patent leather might be stiff and uncomfortable, but the underside is a super soft untreated suede-like leather that is very pliant and moves and bends easily. No rubbing or stiffness at all. 

As to fit, my Euro size is almost always a sz. 39 (I'm an US 8.5), and that's the size I went with here. I like my clogs to be on the looser side with fit (as they should be) and the sz. 39 is comfortably  loose, but not too loose. I actually find Euro sizing more reliable and uniform between brands than American sizing. 

The one critique I would have with this style is the length (diameter? whatever you call it) of the ankle strap--it seemed a bit small. I've been told I have pretty slender ankles --mine measure 7.75" around, right above the ankle bone-- and I had to wear the ankle strap on the 2nd to last hole punch.  If you have thicker/wider ankles you might have issues getting the strap to fit around your ankle. Although, since every pair is hand made when you order, I wonder if you couldn't request a longer ankle strap if need be? The folks at Sven Clogs seem very friendly and accommodating, so it couldn't hurt to ask.

Overall, me likey. A lot. I have a 2 week trip to Minnesota planed soon, and I think this pair is going to get some of my very limited suitcase space, so that must say something for the shoes. I love the retro vibe that the peep-toe and ankle strap have. Like I expected, they were very comfortable to walk in too. The worst thing was picking a color because there are just so many to choose from. But in the end, I'm really glad I chose the mint green! I think know it's going to go with a lot in my closet. 

Love the clogs? Get ready, because I have a surprise in store for you all on Monday!

(ahh....the suspense is killing me!)

Disclosure: Clogs were provided by Sven Clogs. All review content and opinions are entirely my own. 

OOTD: 5/14/13 -J Crew Factory Addison Trouser in Linen

Top: Lands End Cashmere Sweater, sz. XS

Pants: J Crew Factory Addison Linen Trouser, sz.2

Shoes: Michael Korres

Bag: LV Evora

Necklace: eBay

Bah. These pants ended up reading far too wrinkly and  frumpy in these pictures. Mores the pity because in person, they are stunning. I think they are a Factory re-issue of a pair of retail pants from last summer. I remember green pants last year.

I love linen. Loves it. In my hot, tropical climate it's almost a must. And there's nothing better than a loose, comfortable pair of linen trousers to wear to work in the heat of summer. I could do without the wrinkles, but then nothing is perfect. So when I saw that Factory was offering linen trousers this season at a much more reasonable price, I grabby-grabbed them! The cheery green was calling my name. Though Factory has been impressing me lately, you never can tell with J Crew, so though I wanted to buy the other available color (flax) as well, I initially held off. 

Met or exceeded expectations. They're nice. The fit was nice, the fabric was nice. They are unlined, but that's actually a relief.  Yuck--who wants a hot poly lining in a pair of pants designed to be worn in the heat of summer? The material was substantial enough that a lining is unnecessary. I think these would qualify as "Favorite Fit" which sits a little higher on the waist--something J Crew doesn't do much of these days. Normally I'm not a fan of Favorite Fit, but on this loose trouser style, I liked it. They felt comfortable all around--that's the way a linen pant should be.

I took my normal J Crew sz. 2 in these. They are a looser fit. I wouldn't size down because snug fit anything during the summer gives me the hives. But if you're in between sizes, or want a more fitted pant, you may want to size down. The green is an amazingly vibrant shade. With a nice neutral top, for summer it's perfect. It probably won't call out to all. Thankfully, they also come in the more muted 'Flax' shade which is a nice neutral very nice oatmeal color. After receiving this green shade I went back and bought the Flax colorway as well. Right now they're on promo for around $50 but I think I was able to get both of mine on further discount for around $40. Worth it. 

Factory Addison trouser in linen

OOTD: 5/11/13 -LL Bean Signature Poplin Dress

Dress: LL Bean Signature Printed Poplin Dress, sz.2

Shoes: Jack Rogers 

Bag: LV Evora

A little late to the game here, but this was my Mother's Day outfit. I bought this dress completely based off of Fabulous Florida Mommy's review.  The dress had piqued my interest when it first came out last summer,  but you know how I feel about paying full price.....But then last month FFM mentioned that it was still available, better yet on sale, and because she looked so lovely in it, I decided to give it a try. 

I'm not at all confident about where I fall with LL Bean Signature's sizing, so I decided to go ahead and call for garment measurements. Glad I did! I past items, I've usually needed a sz.4 with LLBS, but with this dress based on garment measurements I decided to go with a sz. 2. I was still a bit worried about fit, because of some very mixed reviews about the bust being too tight. Thankfully, when I got it and tried it on, it fit perfectly! I think the mixed reviews were messing up my judgement. I took my J Crew dress size in this one, but if you're in doubt call/chat with cust. service. 

I will say it is a touch snug in the chest/upper back area, but I think that's more me than the dress. Unless you have a very large bust, or very broad back (like me), it shouldn't be an issue (it still wasn't for me)--I don't think the the cut of the dress is faulty like so many reviewers on the site claim. In fact, I think the cut of the dress does a wonderful job to highlight or create a narrow waist--something I don't have, but strive for. Sizing up for a looser chest would have made the rest of the dress look sloppy. 

At 5'9", the dress hits me above the knee cap. There's enough fabric to let it down a good 2", so this is a plus for tall girls. It also comes in petite, so I guess everyone is happy! Construction was fabulous--nice material, fully lined, hidden back zip, and pockets. It comes with a wide matching fabric belt, which is how I wore it here, but it also looks fantastic with both skinny and wider colored belts. The black and white pattern is the perfect backdrop to add a pop of color. 

The one thing that is a minor irritation is the higher neckline. Since it cuts straight across the collar bone, I would have liked it better an inch lower on the neck. I get what they were trying to do with the silhouette, but the neckline is still a bit to high for me. What do they call this neckline? Boatneck? Square? Whateves. You can see in some of the product images that the neckline doesn't lay completely flat even on the model. Probably a minor fix that a tailor could work out. 

Overall, me likey. Anything remotely nautical catches my fancy. Even at it's full $125 price, the dress feels more expensive. J Crew would have knocked this thing up to well over $200. Currently it's on sale for $79.99, so I felt very happy with what I got for what I paid. Still lots of sizes available in both regular and petite. 

 

OOTD: 5/10/13 -What do you want to be when you Grow Up?

Shirt: J Crew Silk Collar Tee, sz. XS

Skirt: Ann Taylor Factory Seersucker Skirt, sz. 2

Shoes: Jack Rogers Mid-Wedge

Bag: LV Evora

On this day, I was volunteering to be a presenter at Child's school's Career Fair. They do a little "Career Week" every year to help the children become more aware of the various careers that are out there, and encourage the kids to continue on to college. All week long there were activities for the children, ending with a big career presentation on Friday done by community members and parents. 

Parents and community members were asked to volunteer to set up a station explaining or showcasing their career, and then the kids (Kinder thru 8th grade) were sent in with a sheet of (age-appropriate) questions to ask about each various career. And of course Husband and I volunteered!  I represented "College History Professor" and Husband represented "Psychologist".

Many of the topics were over the heads of the littler kids, but at least it gets them exposed to the idea that they should be thinking about what they want to do when the grow up. The older kids were equipped with questions such as: -What's the hardest part of your job? (grading essays)  -What training did you need for your job? (lots and lots of college)  -What was you favorite subject in school? (um, band class?)  -What's the best part of your job? (summers and Fridays off!)  -Do you ever make mistakes in your job? (certainly, we're all human. And even I get confused with dates sometimes)  -What tools do you use for your job? (um, dry erase markers and a really, really good memory?)  -What did you want to be when you grew up? (Indiana Jones, duh.)

Of course there were several careers that were far more popular than mine, like Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, and Border Patrol Officer (we have a lot of those down here). History, and teaching in general certainly doesn't appeal to the young masses, when there are many other more exotic careers out there. But I was able to sell them on the fact that teachers have summers off! And since I specialize in American History, I impressed them with fact that Benjamin Franklin is cool because he's on the $100 bill. 

Naturally, the historic Bobble Heads didn't hurt either 

(that would be Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin). 

I have to say, that while I sadly didn't grow up to be Indiana Jones (apparently that role was already taken), I am supremely happy with my career. Teaching at the college level is the right job for me. I love my field--history is exciting to me. I have probably done the same War of 1812 lecture over 200 times and I still get excited every semester when the students discover that the Star Spangled Banner is actually a poem describing the Battle of Fort Mc Henry. 

I enjoy what I do--I create my own lectures, exams, and teaching schedule. I have academic freedom and a college that (within the confines of bureaucracy), supports me. It's not a glamorous high-paying job, but I feel emotionally/spiritually satisfied, which I think is more important in the long run. And moreover, I feel like I'm helping to make a difference in the lives of young adults. I think my 6th grade, Indiana Jones loving self, would be very proud. 

What did you want to be when you grew up? 

 

OOTD: 5/8/13

Top: Boden Easygoing Top, sz. US 4

Jeans: J Crew Matchstick, sz. 27

Shoes: Jack Rogers Georgica

Bag: LV Evora

jewelry: TJ Maxx

As the name of this Boden top implies, I was in an easygoing mood this day. Lecturing for the semester was finally over, and a week+ of tests for the students were starting. Sitting behind a desk grading doesn't require dressing to the nines, so I figured I might as well get really comfy.  

These Matchstick jeans are probably most certainly my favorite pair of jeans. I don't wear a lot of jeans in the spring/summer months (unless they are white) because it's just too hot. And ever since I've moved to the tropical South, somehow my mind has convinced me that jeans are a fall/winter item--like tweed, wool, and velvet. {But don't tell my closet that---according to it, I own enough pairs of jeans to wear a different pair every day for a month and a half.} 

OOTD: 5/7/13

Top: J Crew Factory Clare Shell, sz. XS

Skirt: J Crew No. 2 Pencil skirt, sz. 2

Shoes: Jack Rogers

Bag: LV Evora

Necklace: eBay

With this skirt, I honestly don't think I could create a outfit I don't like. It's just soooo purdy! It is one of the very few pencil skirts from J Crew I've splurged on and paid almost full price for, and I still don't regret it. 

This time, I wanted to just pair it with something understated and simple so the skirt could really stand out. I had recently purchased the J Crew Factory Clare shell in white, and knew it would be perfect. These sweater shells are a lifesaver for me during the hot summer months. They keep me cool in the sweltering heat, but are inordinately more dressy looking than a basic tank. It makes it look like I care way more than actually do, when it's 104* out. I was able to snag mine for around $15 online with some promo or other, and now I'm kicking myself for only ordering just one color. 

Factory Clare shell

OOTD: 5/3/13 -Justified

Sweater: Lands End Canvas V-Neck Cardi, sz. xs

Top: Boden Ravello, sz. US 4

Jenas: Lands End Girl's Skinny Jeans, sz. 16

Sandals: Jack Rogers

Bag: LV Evora

New blog look today! 

It was time for a change. I wanted something fresh and simple--less busy looking.  I love the professional, clean look of others' blogs, but I just don't have the knowledge or resources to get all fancy-shmancy myself. So I took some time to tinker  (within Blogger's limitations) with the look/layout of the blog while one of my classes was taking their Final yesterday. So with my limited skillz, what you're seeing is the end result. Let me know what you guys think!

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Just out for a day of shopping and errands here. I was meeting Husband and some friends for lunch so I tried to step it up a notch from my normal grocery store wear. Maybe it worked.

I will mention I'm wearing one of my new Lands End Canvas monogrammed sweaters. While regular Land's End has a plethora of monogram-able items, there's only a handful of things that have the monogram option over at LEC. When I saw a this cardi as one of them I knew I needed multiples. Yes, I have the older LEC Heritage cardi in about 20 different colors, and no, I really don't need another new cardi (especially since I have the Heritage version in gray already) --but, this one is monogrammed, people. And it's v-neck. So it's different. And totally justifiable. Totally.

OOTD: 5/2/13

Sweater: Brooks Brothers Merino Open Cardi, sz. XS

Tee: Old Navy, sz. small

Skirt: J Crew No.2 Paisley, sz. 2

Sandals: Vincent Camuto

Bag: LV Evora

This is Husband's very favorite J Crew pencil skirt. Yes folks, that's right--Husband knows and pays attention to my pencil skirt collection. Cute, no?

This skirt had to grow on me. It's one of those prints that looks lovely while on the hanger, but throws me for a loop every time I try to pair a top with it. Whatever the combination, it rarely felt "right." This time, it felt right on the first try. Go me!

OOTD: 5/1/13 -Jack Rogers Georgica

Sweater: Lands End Canvas V-neck cardi, sz. XS

Tee: Old Navy, sz. small

Skirt: J Crew Factory (old)

Belt: J Crew

Sandals: Jack Rogers Georgica

Bag: LV Evora

Necklace: J Crew Factory

Ok. I was getting sick of wearing just one pair of shoes day in/day out, so I Zappos-ed me a new pair of flat thong sandals--Jack Rogers Georgica. I know that many people have either love or hate Jack Rogers. I guess I'm on the love side. Yes, they are over-priced for a pair of leather flip flops, but so are Tory Burch Millers and plenty of people still wear those. And there is something about them that just appeals to me. I like the south-western whip stitching that is the Jack Rogers trademark.  I like the Florida-esque/ retirement/ vacation vibe they have going on.

 I bought my Jack Rogers metallic Navajo pair last year and wore then to death, and had already planned on purchasing another pair this summer so it was a good excuse to order. So kill me, we like what we like.

I will say that while I like the look of the Georgica style better on my foot, I like the fit and feel of the Navajo better. Somehow the Georgica style feels loose and less secure on my foot. I ordered up a 1/2 size because many of the reviews said this style ran smaller than the Navajos. And lining them up with one another, the sz. 8.5 Navajo is just a hair shorter than the sz. 9 Georgica, so I think sizing back down to the 8.5 would only make them shorter and my toes hang off the end. Maybe (probably) I just have a narrow foot, which makes the skinny straps less secure on my foot.

Overall, I really like them. They are still distinctly Jack Rogers looking, but not quite so iconic/identifiable as the Navajo style is. I like the big leather disk in the center of the shoe and the few little metal studs don't read western at all. The whip-stitching takes a little time to break-in and be comfortable, and I'll have to wear this pair a few more times before they're there. I haven't seen them offered anywhere (or know if they even make them) but this style would look amazing in navy, don't you think?

Jack Rogers Women's Georgica Thong Sandal