Monday's outfit was loosely inspired by Angie's midi pencil skirt and bomber jacket ensemble post. I say "loosely" largely because the jacket isn't a bomber jacket. All of my bomber jackets are actual leather bomber jackets (mostly vintage) so they don't really work with the black fitted midi or overall look I was going for.

So I loosely interpreted it and decided I'd go for a look I occasionally break out that tricks you into believing I'm tall and leggy (ha!). I do this by pairing a very high waisted skirt or pants with a very cropped jacket and heels. It's pretty good at elongating my petite frame and tricking the eye into believing I have a lot more leg going on than I really do (or at least that's what I tell myself!)

I don't wear midis terribly often. In general they have a tendency to stumpify my already short legs because of where they hit on my leg -- but this one I have had for years and actually have always liked the way it looks on me, whether styled up or down. You can't see in the photos but it has a very subtle tone on tone micro-pattern of a diamond shaped grid, which I thought played well off the tribal pattern accents of the vintage cropped jacket. I also like that it's got a bit of a va-va-voom factor without looking "trampy."

The jacket is a vintage 80's oversized and cropped black jean jacket with interesting black and white embroidered and fringe details (with just a touch of red on the shoulder pattern). I picked it up last month at Long Beach flea market for $20. I cuffed the sleeves so you can still see the black and white pattern on the cuffs. I thought shortening the sleeve length visually helped balance the proportions of exposed leg and and exposed arm to a more flattering effect.

...and I just have to sing the praises of these platform boots I just bought. I mentioned in my post a few days ago that I had tried these on at a boutique in Brentwood I had stumbled across that specialized in brands of shoes that were made for comfort but that I hadn't bought the size 7's because I thought it was very noticeable in them (because of the open toe and heel) that my feet were two different sizes --but they were the most comfortable heels I'd ever put on my feet.

Well, I went back the next day to try them again and get my BFs opinion on whether the foot size difference was incredibly noticeable. I ended up trying on the 6's as an alternative while there (this brand doesn't make half sizes) and low and behold, the toe overhang of one shoe now looking a tiny bit too small was mostly unnoticeable (especially compared to the .75 inch heel gap on the larger size when viewed on the smaller foot) and the comfort factor was still through-the-roof amazing. So I bought them in the size 6.

Well, I wore these boots for 9 hours straight --ran in them from meeting to meeting that day. Took the stairs numerous times... and at the end of the day my feet were happier than they've ever been. Seriously, these are more comfortable than sneakers I own! Whatever the underlying platform is made of is ultra-lightweight and whatever cushioning they use in the footbed is to die for. The rest of the leather is like butter (no rubbing or chafing). I have seriously never, in all my years of wearing high heels, been so amazed at the comfort of a shoe! All of this on a 4 inch heel (with a one inch platform).

Even the next day there was nigh a sign of soreness in my foot or achy-ness in my knees. I am simply astounded by these boots!

When my BF picked me up from work that day I got in the car and said to him, "I have just one sentence to say about these new shoes." To which he responded, "please tell me they were as comfortable as you thought they'd be in the store."

My response: "We're going back this weekend and I'm buying the brown ones, too."

I will kick myself forever if I don't. Since I know both colors in this style will be major workhorses. They aren't cheap ($300) but I'd honestly pay double that to get that kind of comfort out of a cool looking and versatile heeled boot!

High waisted midi pencil skirt: Bebe
Thin stripe b/w t-shirt: Kohls
Cropped jacket: Vintage Contempo Casuals (via Long Beah flea market)
Open toe/heel lace up leather platform boots: Lily & Lola (via Step! in Brentwood)
Bag: Chanel (via designer consignment)
Earrings: vintage sterling and black druzy quartz (via Santa Monica flea market)
Cuff bracelet: Vintage sterling Elsa Peretti for Tiffany Bone bracelet (via estate buyout)
Sterling Rings: vintage 60's modernist (one via flea market another via an antiques co-op on Cape Cod)