Tuesday Shoesday: Something New, Something Blue

As you may recall, I’m planning a WanderChic wedding for the end of this summer. My dress is tea length, so my shoes will be on display. Just the way I like it, yes?

And you know me: I love color. I have a soft spot for hot pink (witness my hot pink “khakis,” my hot pink ski jacket which has never been used for real skiing, my hot pink computer case, my hot pink carry-on luggage, my hot pink for-home-use-only Crocs…).

But I’ve been thinking that my shoes will be my Something Blue. I recently ordered these Miz Mooz Milan shoes in Ocean (photo above from infinityshoes.com). I hope they’ll arrive in time for me to test them out at a “practice dance” with WanderMan this weekend. After a four-week class, we’ve got some basic fox trot, swing, and waltz moves (which adds to my already impressive dance repertoire of Tipsy Macarena, Electric Slide, and my signature Can Opener). I want to make sure that these cute kicks can cut it on the dance floor.

I dig the peacock feather detail and frontal bling on these low wedges (photo from loveitsomuch.com). These shoes won’t work for me because my dress has a lot going on (think white flower appliques with rhinestone centers that really are more than the sum of their parts). Though I love mixing patterns and textures, my spidey style senses tell me to back off on this one.

I also like these little faux-suede flats in cobalt (photo from modcloth.com). Though wearing these could err on the side of casual, the shoes provide the right jolt of color. And for under $50, why not take them to change into at the reception (and throw them into your carry-on for your honeymoon)?

OK, I think I’m covered for the Something Blue. I haven’t figured out the Something Borrowed yet. Any ideas?

WanderMan’s mom is in town and recently gave me a cute sarong from Hawaii. It’s a print: neon rainbow palm fronds on a dark background.

I have a few different tricks for wearing scarves but less sarong knowhow. This video from Woman’s Day offers six different “creative wrapping techniques.” I could live without the soundtrack (that uuntz-uuntz music that plays when you’re trying on jeans at the mall), and the “long skirt” technique seems pretty obvious. But I’d like to add the “bandeau cascade” and the “toga dress” to my coverup repertoire.

The Mara Hoffman sarong above (photo from Everything But Water), in Pow Wow, features a bold design and pink tassels on the edges (not pictured. You’ll have to imagine them). It’s a splurge, but those bright colors will go a long way in the heat of summer.

I’m digging the color palette of this Island Vibe Sarong from etsy seller Aqua Energy Designs (photo, above, is from their site). They’re modestly priced and hand-dyed. I could handle walking down the beach like a Mark Rothko painting come to life.

And, OK, I’m getting off-topic here, but on the hunt for sarongs, I also spied this swim cap from Everything But Water (photo theirs). Considering that cute bike helmets were part of my motivation to buy a bicycle last spring, perhaps I could be lured into the water with such an accessory.

If you make a mistake, you might need this card from etsy seller seasandpeas (photo from their site):

Choose a weekend, like Memorial Day weekend, for low-impact outdoor fun in Hot Springs, Montana. Bring your WanderMan. Maybe last year you two went to the Sasquatch music festival, that glitter-sprinkled four days in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. Affirm that you’re not too old for neon wristbands or overpriced margarita slushies served in plastic guitars. Decide to create your own festival this year: SlackSquatch.

Pack summer reading, including the marriage memoirs you’ve been reading and that stack of fashion magazines piling up on your coffee table. Don’t forget your Crocs, your fleecy tights, and a couple of swimsuits. Marvel at Montana’s big fat skies as you drive along the Clark Fork River.

Chat with the people who soak in the pool at Symes Hot Springs, especially the second-grade teacher from Kalispell, and the banjo/slide-didjeridoo player from the band that’s playing at the hotel that weekend. Wish you’d studied more Russian as the women with pageant hair or head scarves edge into the pool. Soak in the hot mineral pools until you’ve achieved the texture and disposition of a lasagna noodle.

Smell the lilacs in bloom all over town. Eat a mean homemade black bean burger for lunch at Fergie’s Pub; come back that night for the pizza. Find treasures in the small but surprisingly well curated vintage clothing store in a row of small antique shops behind the springs. Improvise a fitting room as you wait for the owner to come back (you can also pay at the hotel front desk if nobody shows up ). Schedule a massage with Sandra, the hotel’s massage therapist.

Your rustic room (no TV, no cell phone reception, though there is wifi in the lobby) may start to smell a bit like a musty towel. But that’s the price you pay for hanging up suits, towels, and terry cloth robes after  taking the waters twice a day. Affirm that this faint sulphur aroma is a sign of your outdoorsy-ness (even though you opted for a room instead of pitching a tent in the lawn outside).

Consider exploring other Montana towns with hot springs. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Check out Global Zen’s latest Montana post, too.

Vintage travel poster is from Calico Skies.