Hannah Rochell, Features Editor at InStyle magazine and founder of flat shoe blog EnBrogue.com, paid us a visit at Donna Ida Belgravia to show us how to pair the perfect pair of flats with the perfect pair of jeans. Here, Hannah guest blogs and shares her style advice with us:
ENBROGUE's HANNAH ROCHELL: 'When people first read my blog about flat shoes, they often assume I am tall and that’s the reason I avoid wearing heels. But the truth is, I’m only 5 foot 2 inches, and I wear flat shoes because I prefer them. I can’t walk in heels, they’re painful, and I just love the aesthetic that a flat shoe gives. But that does mean that I have to think about how I style up my clothes - particularly jeans - as a flat shoe isn’t always the most flattering option if the proportions of your outfit are wrong. Given that I don’t actually own any heels though, I have to make it work!
This is my fall back outfit - blue jeans with a turn-up, a loud jumper and statement Grenson shoes. You’ll see me dressed like this, or very similarly, on most days of the week until it is hot enough to swap the jeans for shorts and the jumper for a T-shirt. I like that this style is a slim boyfriend, as being less baggy means that they don’t swamp my frame.
I’ve recently discovered tailored jeans - somewhere between boyfriend jeans and trousers - and as they are usually cropped they are perfect for a shorty like me. I LOVE this pair by J Brand, with their mini pinstripes. I think they look great with my brand new monk shoes from a lovely British brand called Northern Cobbler.
I’m careful to buy boots that just sit on my ankle bone. Anything taller than that interfers too much with the hem of my jeans. These from Penelope Chilvers are incredibly comfortable, as are the IDA Rizzo Lavender Cords I am wearing. They have a higher waist which works much better with petite proportions than jeans that sit on the hip.
With skinny jeans, it’s all about the turn-ups. A flash of ankle really lengthens the legs and I need all the help I can get! This pair by IRO is a nice, snug fit (meaning the turn ups stay put) and has an amazing tie dye-style wash which makes me think of Californian hippies, and also makes my Birkenstocks their perfect partner.
Hmm...white jeans - a tricky trend so it’s worth spending a bit more money for a good fit and fabric (you don’t want them to be see-through!) and these IDA jeans tick all of those boxes. One classic deserves another - or two - so I’ve teamed with a Breton stripe and leopard shoes of my own design; a collaboration between EnBrogue and Jemima Vine (they are sooo comfy!).'
Follow Hannah Rochell and EnBrogue. You can buy Hannah's Book fabulous book featuring Donna Ida jeans 'En Brogue - Love Fashion. Love Shoes. Hate Heels' from Waterstones.
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