The deep rich purple portrayed in many of Fashion Week’s Spring 2011 collections inspired me to wear my bright purple Ted Baker dress, corseted boning with tulle petticoat and all.

Some fashion week days are particularly hard on your feet because of all the standing in queues waiting for show venue access, plus all the commuting on foot in NYC. Still battling with sore feet, I needed another day of extra comfortable shoes in order to keep up with the scrambling. I couldn’t wear the stacked heeled pumps which I had originally planned to go with this outfit so it was on to Plan B. And a more theatrical and arty outfit was born when I replaced the pumps with flat oxfords. I added micro fishnets, cropped tuxedo jacket and brightly patterned L.A.M.B bag. I also mixed in extra large pearl baubles seeing as the look was already on the dramatic side.

It’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea to add flat oxfords to a pretty 50’s frock when pumps would definitely have looked more sophisticated and chic. But wearing flat oxfords with dresses is a fashion forward look and out of practical necessity I took complete advantage of the trend – and I happen to like the look too. Fashion does not need to mean pain. In this case it meant complete comfort.

Greg really liked this outfit mainly because of the tuxedo jacket. I can wear my cropped tuxedo jacket over just about anything and it will get a thumbs up from hubby. He also enjoyed the spunky theatrical touch of the flat two toned oxfords. But the commentary didn’t stop there. Greg also said that I looked like a modern day Mary Poppins. How true! A foot full of flat oxfords and the medicine did go down.