“Those are incredible shoes…”
I was standing on the sidewalk of Abbott Kinney Boulevard , putting the finishing touches on my hair in the reflection of Catherine’s car window. The woman was just passing by… she had breathed the compliment out as if she couldn’t help herself but remark on them. “Thank you!” I called after her as she walked away down the sidewalk, waving her acknowledgment.
Catherine Grace O’Connell is a fellow midlife fashion blogger and the inspiring founder of the #ForeverFierceRevolution Facebook Group for midlife women. We were in Venice Beach, California with her photography team, getting ready to shoot images together for Jaclyn Jones USA shoes, a brand of made-in-America, luxury women’s shoes Catherine had recently discovered.
I was happily sporting my new 4″ heels and getting ready for the next shot when I heard that admiring voice behind me: “Those are incredible shoes…”
Can Designer Shoes Really Be Comfortable?
I was impressed with the Jaclyn Jones concept. The Jaclyn Jones USA line features shoes of all heel heights. They are high quality, luxury shoes, handcrafted in the USA, with unique designs that transcend seasons and fads and last for years. They are designed by a woman for women to wear them in comfort.
Founder Jaclyn Lesley Jones was originally inspired by the desire to look good in shoes without walking like an injured animal. Me Too!!! I have arthritis pain in my feet and knees so heels can be uncomfortable. But I’m an LA Girl. LA Girls LOVE heels. So I suffer through the pain and wear them anyway, sometimes at least.
So, the possibility of a high heel that looked like a piece of designer art but felt comfortable, is pretty much the perfect shoe. That is a luxury that is tough to find in a beautiful shoe, especially a tall heel, so I was eager to try out the line for myself.
The Jaclyn Jones team sent me the Poppy heel to style for our photoshoot. It is a beautiful 4” high heel (could a heel this high really be comfortable?) that on initial inspection lent itself to a fall look.
The focal point of the shoe: burgundy calf-hair leather over the entire top of the foot. A pair of matching burgundy lamb-skin leather buckles embraced the ankle, set off by a bronze shoe back above a solid wood, 4: heel. There was a gold plate engraved with the Jaclyn Jones USA logo on the inside of the heel itself, giving the shoe a richness reminiscent of royalty. #ILoveGold
Now for the best part: the bottom/sole of the shoe was surprisingly dense and spongey without looking clumpy. The sole was made of fine leather, beautifully shaped, but according to the website (which I ran and looked at) it has rubber and foam on the inside, in between the foot and the sole. But you could not see any thickness- the shoe had the same finesse that other designer shoes have.
I took special note of this because I have often wondered why the soles of women’s shoes are so thin. Our shoes usually have just a tiny, thin sliver of leather between us and the sidewalk- no wonder our feet hurt so badly- the shoes don’t give us any protection. Men’s shoes always have very thick soles.
I put my Poppy shoes on for the first time when Catherine and I arrived at the photo shoot location, buckling them around my ankles and standing up onto the Venice sidewalk. They felt… beautiful. In fact, Catherine and I trotted all around Venice beach on hard concrete surfaces taking pictures for several hours, with zero negative impact on my feet. I even remarked to Catherine how awesome it was that I felt like I was wearing high heeled sneakers.
I wanted to wear them all the time, so I challenged myself to style them for this shoot with clothing from various seasons. I love warm colors and gold, so the shoes blended right in with my existing wardrobe.
Jaclyn and her team are offering a rare opportunity for you to experience their beautiful shoes for yourself. From June 28th through July 7th 2018, use code USA20 for a 20% discount off any shoe on their site! Happy shoe shopping!
Styling my Poppys
Spring
First I paired my Poppys with a casual, spring work look: white shirt, mustard yellow capris, and a black blazer. I had fun shooting this with Catherine because, without planning, she had styled her beautiful Jaclyn Jones USA “Magnolia” navy boots with the opposite: a white camisole, black pants, and a mustard yellow blazer! It was cool symmetry, especially because of her platinum blonde and my deep chocolate brown hair. We were Yin and Yang for that shot!
Jacqueline: Capris / Blouse / Blazer / Jaclyn Jones USA Shoes
Catherine: Pants / Camisole / Blazer / Jaclyn Jones USA Shoes
Fall / California Winter
Then we both changed our business blazers for hip, fuzzy, winter coats for a California Fall/Winter look… We marched passed some fun signs on the Abbot Kinney boardwalk, prancing in our heels as if we were wearing flats.
Jacqueline: Capris / Blouse / Coat / Sunnies / Jaclyn Jones USA Shoes
Catherine: Pants / Camisole / Coat / Sunnies / Jaclyn Jones USA Shoes
Fellow Instagrammer, friend, and stylist Julie Bee (Instagram: @over_fifty_in_Hollywood) arrived to join in the fun. We all zoomed off to some cool walls to shoot another look. This time I selected a navy blue top and a black pencil skirt, and the shoe paired nicely with that as well. I was seeing a great future for this shoe….
Jacqueline: Top / Skirt / Jaclyn Jones USA shoes
Catherine: Blouse / Pants / Jaclyn Jones USA shoes
Summer
For my final look, I selected a graphic-patterned sundress, and the shoe paired nicely with this too! I could wear the shoe with fall, winter, spring, and summer clothes.
We had fun with this section of the shoot too, because we were right on Venice beach boardwalk, and people were applauding and shouting encouragement (our camera crew really attracted attention) and one guy even insisted Catherine looked like just Taylor Swift. 🙂
Jacqueline: Dress / Jaclyn Jones USA Shoes
Catherine: Dress / Jaclyn Jones USA Shoes
I was so very pleased to work with Catherine and her team on this project. Catherine makes me feel so supported, as she does with all the women in her Forever Fierce Facebook group, and the shoes supported my midlife knees, ankles, and feet so I could enjoy that sassy “Sex in the City” in my shoes feeling for hours. We had such a great time.
If you are in the market for a beautiful pair of high-quality comfortable shoes, visit Jaclyn Jones USA and check out their fine selection. I will be enjoying my Poppy heels for years to come.
Onwards and Upwards!
Jacqueline
Jaclyn and her team are offering a rare opportunity for you to experience their beautiful shoes for yourself. From June 28th through July 7th 2018, use code USA20 for a 20% discount off any shoe on their site! Happy shoe shopping!
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