Mules are high-vamped slip-on shoes with an open back that exposes the heel. Mules do not have ankle straps so there is nothing securing your foot to the shoe other than the grip of your feet. Mules were one of the footwear trends back in the ‘90s, along with platform sneakers, loafers with chunky treads, and combat boots. 

Mules are fringe trending and come in an assortment of styles, as seen below. Most are heeled, but some are flat. Both round and pointy toes are represented. Some styles peep at the toe. Heel shapes can be stiletto, chunky or wedged. Most mules in the ‘90s were black, and that also seems to be the dominant colour this time round. 

The advantage of the mule is the ease with which it can be slipped on. Fast, no-fuss and breezy. The downside is that it can slip off as you stride, unless it’s a snug fit and your feet can comfortably grip the shoe. They are particularly suited to high volume feet because filling out the shoe is a prerequisite for keeping the style securely on your feet. If they’re peep toed, your toes should stay on the soles of the shoe, and not venture beyond the edge of the toe box.

I prefer closed toe mules, either heeled or flat. I like peep-toe styles when the peeping part is small so that the shoe covers most of the toe. Although I don’t mind long toe exposure in thong sandals, I don’t like the look of it with these high vamped mule sandals.

I like mules best when they are worn with jeans or trousers of the same or a similar colour, thereby creating a low contrast between the two items. I like it a little less when there is a high contrast between the mules and the bottoms, but I am not opposed to the combination.

I wore black mules back in the ‘90s because they were all the rage. They barely stayed on my low volume feet, and made a hectic clacking noise as I walked. I’m not in love with mules, so I probably won’t be wearing them this time round. I can see them working well for some of my clients though, and some are sporting the trend already. Closed toe suede mules are extra comfortable, so I’ll be on the lookout for those styles above all others.  

Over to you. Will you be wearing mules?

Ann Demeulemeester’s first book, H&M’s eco-friendly collection, Zappos testing a new shopping service, and more style-related news from around the globe.

• Dylan Penn, the daughter of actors Robin Wright and Sean Penn, has been chosen as the face of a new marketing campaign for the Gap factory stores.
• This is a beautiful piece by The Telegraph’s Lisa Armstrong remembering fashion designer L’Wren Scott who sadly passed away on Monday.
• Natalie Joos, the Belgian-born consultant and stylist, has designed a colour blocked Summer travel capsule collection for Belgian handbag and accessories brand Kipling.
• If you’re ever in the mood to “Lagerfeld” your social media messages, then the designer’s new emoji app might be just the ticket.
• Stuart Weitzman has created a capsule collection of Spring shoes in collaboration with Harper’s Bazaar. What do you think of the four styles?
• Personal shopping recommendations based on Instagram pics? Zappos is currently testing the service with a pilot project.
• H&M’s much talked about Conscious Exclusive collection, for which only organic fabrics and materials from sustainable sources have been used, launches on April 10 and will only be sold in 150 stores worldwide!
• Feeling sporty? Topshop has teamed up with Adidas for a 20-piece collection inspired by the sportswear brand’s signature pieces. 
• Fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester has written a book that promises to be “the first and highly personal perspective into her work and processes”. The tome containing over one thousand images comes out this Fall, but can be preordered now.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that Vivienne Westwood loves 18th-century paintings? French artists Watteau, Fragonard and Boucher are particularly inspiring to her because “all three say so much of that age”. The designer told The Guardian: “To look at a painting is to enter a world. I love that 18th-century version of the pagan world. It’s a delight. The only place to find ideas is by looking at what people did in the past. It’s the way you can be original. Nothing comes from a vacuum; it is impossible to be creative unless you have a link with the past and tradition.”

This ensemble was inspired by an outfit Lupita Nyong’o wore for air travel. It’s casual, easy to pull together, and one my Mom-on-the-go clients in particular will enjoy sporting for Spring. It’s also a practical outfit to wear for car and plane travel. Simple, structured, comfortable and relaxed. 

The part that makes the outfit comfortable is the knitted fabric of the blazer, which is soft and stretchy. Knitted blazers are especially good for broad shoulders and/or a full bust because they give those areas of the body a little more room. Layering a soft tee under the jacket makes the outfit even more cozy. 

Choose any colour palette and feel free to add patterns. Here are the components: 

Bottoms: Think jeans in any style and colour that tickles your fancy. Boyfriends, straight legs, skinnies, bootcuts or flares are all good. Leather or pleather leggings are another option, as are knitted Ponte pants. A denim skirt could be cute too. 

Top: Think solid big tees in a fluid fit, or throw in a fun graphic tee. A form fitting tee is fine too. The extra length of the big tee is ideal worn untucked over leggings. Or partially tuck the front with jeans. I’ve chosen black and white tees because they are the most common, but any colour is fab, as long as it works with the knit blazer. 

Knit Blazer: Knit blazers can be solid or patterned. Their structure provides ample waist definition over a big tee. Some knit blazers have fun lining, like the citron lining on the grey Gap blazer below, which can be turned up on the collar and sleeves. Leave the jacket open for maximum comfort. 

If knit blazers aren’t your thing, substitute a woven blazer in an all-season wool, cotton or linen blend. 

Footwear: Add on trend footwear to make the outfit look current. I’ve chosen booties, slip-on sneakers and cut-out oxfords, but there are many options. Think slipper flats, loafers, d’Orsays, pointy toe wedges, peep-toe booties, or casual caged sandals. Make sure the footwear works with the bottoms. 

Accessories: Finish off the outfit with a tote, cross body, mini backpack, bucket bag or bowling bag. Feel free to add a scarf or belt. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired. 

I bet some of you will be able to shop your closets to put together this look. Hope to see your renditions in the forum.

Clothing and accessories with sheer detailing are on trend this Spring. The Guardian shows us some examples of what exactly “the new sheer” looks like. More examples in their All Ages-in pictures series, in which they have styled the trend for different age groups.

The Invisible Woman put in her two cents on the topic back in January, and tells us why older women can wear sheer clothing too.

If you want to add a little sheer yourself, Refinery29 has a roundup of 17 subtly sheer pieces. The ASOS sweater with sheer striped sleeves (7) is my favourite.

Fab Links from Our Members

Vicki was saddened to hear that fashion designer L’Wren Scott passed away on Monday, and would like to share this article showing some beautiful photos of her work.

MaryK reports that Ali of Wardrobe Oxygen has broken her arm rather badly, and turned her readers on to a fun invention: CASTCoverZ.

Laurinda came across this clever DIY that demonstrates how to bleach a pale blue denim jacket into a white one. The Renegade Seamstress also cropped the length by cutting and resewing the bottom band.

If you’re interested in continuing the conversation about Normcore, Deborah suggests having a look at Alyson’s blog post.

Trix informs us that Corporette is offering suggestions for how to shop your closet for those who think it’s a great idea in theory, but don’t quite know how to go about it.

Vildy thoroughly enjoyed this article about Juliette Gréco, the French actor, singer, and gamine girl who was the Left Bank’s muse. Vildy also loved these Pinterest images featuring a lot of Juliette’s black and oversized outfits.

Our very own footwear maven Annagybe would like to share this BBC article on the history of the stiletto.

Angie found this funny piece that compares Tilda Swinton’s outfits to… something else entirely. She also recommends reading about Sally’s experiences with laser hair removal as the post is very interesting and highly informative.

We’ve linked to Movie Star Makeover before as it’s a great read for everyone interested in vintage fashion. Ingunn would like to add that there’s also a cute quiz that made her feel like a star after taking it.

Parsley found this amazing base jump photo shoot for a Roberto Cavalli campaign. Fabulous photography, she says, but extremely scary to watch.