Blue Non-Suede Shoes

My incipient Kate Spade addiction seems to increase with my bridge playing (yes, I am a loser but I do like wearing spade-themed jewellery while playing cards--clubs would be better still). I should really unsubscribe from their mailing list, partly because all of the information provided about sales and special discounts is only relevant for US customers and partly because I just get too tempted by all the pretty accessories. Last year was Kate Spade's year of colour, where each month they picked a different colour and released a lot of different items in that colour (and most of the colours were colours I liked). This year, it's the year of pattern, and the pattern of the month is stripes, which means they have quite a few nautical-themed products.

I went to the Kate Spade store in Covent Garden today to see whether their dollar-pound conversion rates had improved at all (they hadn't). Luckily, I had a movie to get to, so there wasn't too much time for temptation, although I did eye up a few items, including the hugely impractical but very cool travel magazine clutch and some jewellery. Annoyingly, I left my open spade ring at my parents' flat in France and I'm now being won over by the anchors away and sailor's knot rings, although I will probably wait for the next 30% off day. I also really like the sentiment of the New Year's resolutions-inspired range, including the eat cake for breakfast pouch. As though I need any encouragement.

I did make one purchase this afternoon, although not from Kate Spade. I've been wanting to get a simple, unadorned pair of dark or deep blue ballet pumps for a long time and although I did eventually get a pair of navy pumps from Joules last summer, I really wanted a colour that would work with black as well as navy. So this pair of deep cobalt blue pumps from Banana Republic (not available online in the UK) worked perfectly. They are also really comfortable and will work for the last few months of winter as well as in the summer. They were £65 but I've been burned before waiting for things to go on sale at Banana Republic and then discovering my size is sold out. As with Kate Spade, the US website of BR seems to offer a lot more discount codes than its UK equivalent, but as BR doesn't offer shoes or petite clothing online in the UK, it doesn't usually make that much difference to me.