The first and quickest way to get started with packing is to ensure you have an aesthetic and palette in mind - choose something that you already have a lot of in your wardrobe to keep things easy. Keep the palette minimal e.g. florals with pastels and neutral colours
For example, if you know you'll be doing a lot of sightseeing in Europe where streets are often cobblestone, then flats will be your better option over heels. You may want to opt for 1 closed toe and 1 peep toe if you know it will be hot, or 1 neutral shade and 1 with colour so you can dress the second one up more for any fancier dinners you go to. We always recommend having a white pair of flats like our Athína or Sardinia because they match EVERYTHING in the summer and have a nice wide toebox to keep you comfortable even when your feet start to swell in the heat.
You may end up packing more shoes depending on what you need and how long you're gone for, but we recommend trying to keep things to a maximum of 3 pairs - 1 you wear on the plane and 2 in your check-in baggage.
This will help keep them organised and tightly stored to give you more room for everything else you'll need! It will also keep your other things clean and free from any odour from your shoes.
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It's frustrating both for you waiting on your package and for us trying to get it to you, and for now the best thing we can do is stay patient and understand why things are the way they are at the moment.
So what's happening behind the scenes to cause such a change in shipping? Here's what we know from our shipping suppliers:
All of these aspects of an affected supply chain have hit us small businesses hard and while we do always try our best to get things moving as fast as we can, we will still need your patience as parcels move through their journeys at this new pace.
]]>With Charlie Stone, it has always been one of my aims to reduce the amount of waste created, first by eliminating excessive tissue paper packaging but switching it for a reuseable dustbag, and then using compostable mailing bags instead of the normal plastic ones. But in the end, there was always quite a fair bit to throw away.
So in 2021, I made it a priority to work on developing a new shoebox that could help to reduce packaging waste further, without reducing the protection for the shoes inside. And now in 2022 I'm excited to share with you our new shoebox which we will be implementing into production for the foreseeable future.
This new shoebox will now act as your shoebox and shipping carton. This means no plastic mailing bag, excessive tape or extra shipping cartons to house just 1 single shoebox.
Plus, this shoebox will also become your shipping carton for if you ever need to return your item. All you'll need to do is repackage your shoes into their dustbag, close up the box and add a small bit of tape to secure the closure tab. Then you can ask your post office to add the shipping label directly over our one on top of the box!
These new shoeboxes are made with recycled cardboard and are super easy to add back to the recycling cycle. If you're happy with your shoes and are done with the shoebox carton, just disassemble it (it is a folded box, there is no glue or tape) and add to your local council recycling bin.
We've also reduced the amount of extra bits and pieces that go inside the box that normally go straight into the trash, including paper stuffing and information cards (all information and messages from us are now printed directly on your shoebox! Look out for our handy QR code which you can scan to see our quick release buckle tutorial)
We'll begin using this shoebox for productions starting in 2022 and onwards. For our remaining shoes in stock, we will continue sending them in their original shoeboxes so as not to waste those already made shoeboxes.
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With four gorgeous flats made in the well-known comfortable Charlie Stone structure, there are four luxurious and unique designs each with their own exclusive colourway that are inspired by different parts of Porto (which also perfectly match your favourite Hogwarts houses!).
All pairs in this collection are a size grade 2, meaning they have a regular fit and like the other Charlie Stone designs, run only slightly large with some room to stretch at the width if needed, meaning they fit most foot types. And to cater for all Potterhead friends, all designs come in both a leather option AND a vegan-friendly option! Let's take a closer look at each style, and see which one is the right one for you!
First up is the luscious red Grifo, an elegant flat that combines red suede with red pebble leather (or faux suede and faux leather for the vegan-friendly option) and features a tiny touch of gold at the front. We can just imagine this on all the Gryffindor prefects, can't you? It's boldly elegant and a statement piece perfect for vintage lovers and Gryffindors alike, and you can get a pair right here.
It's easy to see how this design got its inspiration from the iconic Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto, with its unforgettable red winding feature staircase and touches of warm gold lighting. If you've been to Livraria Lello (and have had the luck to go when there aren't too many tourists), you'll know just how captivating it is to see in real life and to walk along its bending top staircase feeling like it may melt or move beneath your feet. If you happen to be visiting Porto at any stage, we highly recommend visiting Livraria Lello - it's worth the €5 fee!
There may be new restrictions due to the pandemic, so you can read more about it at www.livrarialello.pt/en-us/ before visiting.
Livraria Lello, R. das Carmelitas 144, 4050-161 Porto
Next up is the pretty and delicate Texugo flats in mustard and espresso pebble leather (or faux leather for the vegan-friendly option), inspired by the wonderfully warm and welcoming tones of Café Majestic along Rua Santa Catarina. With a gentle mustard colour framed by a deep espresso brown and a dainty bow on the front, the Texugo is a vintage style beauty that is absolutely a Hufflepuff must-have. Whether you're heading to the Hogwarts Greenhouse or having a day out at Hogsmeade, the Texugo is a lovely and versatile pair that you'll want to bring wherever you go - get a pair here!
The Texugo takes its warm earthy tones and curves from one of Porto's known gems, Café Majestic. With its art nouveau style facade and beautiful interior that warms the soul, Café Majestic is a must-see spot in Porto that feels magical in its own way, but most particularly in its architectural detail which feels teeming with life and sparks the imagination. Combine that with the delicious desserts available and you'll swear sorcery has played a part!
If you are ever in Porto, stop by Café Majestic for a delicious sweet treat!
Café Majestic, Rua Santa Catarina 112, 4000-442 Porto
We guarantee heads will turn your way with this pair, and isn't it just like a Slytherin to demand attention wherever they go? You'll swear the Dark Arts have been involved here with the stunning Serpente made with suede (or faux suede for the vegan-friendly option) in rich, deep emerald green. Taking inspiration from the darker side of art nouveau like Porto's Reis Filhos shop facade, the Serpente uses intertwining curves to convey that sinister feeling of magic creeping along walls and doorways. We don't know about you, but this absolutely screams Slytherin to us and no doubt mid-century Slytherins would have been showing these off to everyone (along with their latest broomsticks and expensive quill sets!). If you're a Slytherin looking for the latest fancy flat, this one is for you!
One of the most eye-catching shop fronts of Porto, the Reis Filhos is art nouveau in its darker form with gothic elements that thrills the imagination. Better suited to the more sinister corners of Diagon Alley, Reis Filhos is a great spot to see for those who want to see something a little more eerie than the usual art nouveau spots of Porto.
R. de 31 de Janeiro 247, 4000-542 Porto
Are you a witty and classy Ravenclaw that values elegance and simplicity? The modest and stunning Corvo in it's deep navy blue suede and framed with metallic bronze leather (or faux suede and faux leather for the vegan-friendly option) match perfectly with 1930-40's style looks and most importantly, the Ravenclaw house! Inspired by the beautiful azulejos tiles of Porto framed by aged stone walls, we can totally imagine the Corvo being worn around Hogwarts grounds, from Divination to Transfiguration classes. Get your pair here!
If you've ever been to Porto, no doubt you would have passed some of the famous azulejos walls around town - they scale entire building walls and are so magnificent they're impossible to miss!
We love that you can dive right into the details the closer you get, and with every feature you find something new! The contrast of these beautifully crafted tiles against the old worn stone walls is truly something of magic.
Here are some spots to find azulejos walls in Porto! www.portoalities.com/en/best-places-see-azulejo-tiles-porto/
Whether you're a vintage lover who wants a unique pair of flats to go with your 1920-50's style wardrobe, or a Potterhead in need of new shoes to match your Hogwarts house, this collection has something for everyone and is not to be missed! More than just a pair of shoes, this collection is a semi-interactive experience, featuring little details that inspire a little bit of magic in your day. Don't believe us? See for yourself!
Disclaimer: Charlie Stone does not agree with the views of Harry Potter's author JK Rowling. The Porto collection is in no way affiliated with JK Rowling or the Harry Potter franchise, and is not a licensed product of WB.
]]>If you're also a huge fan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, then you would know that there is no other person to bring Midge to life than the marvelous Ms. Katie Licata (@katieemilyl).
With Spring and Summer being just around the corner, let's explore some marvelous ways to channel your inner Midge Maisel through fashion.
Charlie Stone: I think like many mid-century vintage lovers out there, we adore Midge's style on the show. Obviously not all of us have access to true vintage pieces, but we still want to try our best to emulate her wonderfully elegant and fun late 50's look. She certainly has a particularly colourful and detailed look that is so instantly recognisable - what can you tell us about Midge's style?
Katie: Midge's style is often very accessory focused; with coordinating hats, bags, shoes and jewelry. In the show, Midge's mom remarks how Midge would participate in anything that she could get an accessory for, like when she wanted to learn to drive so that she could have pink driving gloves. That's still seen in her adult wardrobe with unique shoes with cute details like bows, scarves for travel, colorful luggage, and her huge collection of hats for every occasion.
Find pieces with cute little details like our Rose flats!
For her jewelry, she usually has pieces that match her outfit color or her accessories, but that don't draw too much attention as they're not the focus of her looks.
For vintage reproduction jewelry, we love Bow & Crossbones!
C: Her hairstyle is always prim and proper, how can we achieve it?
K: Her hairstyle can be achieved with a wet set, my method is with alternating rows of pin curls. A translucent hair net works really well to help hair from falling for situations like dancing or spending time in humid weather. A scarf is great to protect your hair on windy days or for a convertible ride like in the Catskills episodes.
Try a vintage hairstyle tutorial from Youtube!
C: And for her makeup?
K: Midge's typical makeup is fairly simple with a bit of eyeliner on the top and bottom lash line, mascara, neutral eyeshadow, a bit of light blush on the apples of the cheeks, and a red lip. Her makeup accentuates her natural features. She usually wears a matching red lipstick and nail polish but that is occasionally swapped for a more peachy, pink, and coral colors in places like the Catskills rowboat scene and in Miami. Just as her outfits change when she travels, her makeup adjusts as well.
Did you know Revlon released a Mrs Maisel collection?
C: What else should we need to remember when it comes to her style?
K: There is a very intentional use of color on the show, reflecting the storyline and locations. For example, Midge dresses vary differently and in a different color palette for going to the Gaslight than she does for an interview at B. Altman. Donna Zakowska, the costume designer, takes inspiration from color combinations in nature as well as places like vintage Vogue magazines.
For the perfect dress, look to Miss Candyfloss!
C: So how can we add a touch of Midge's style to our own?
K: To make Midge's style your own that could look like trying out unique color combinations, picking accessories that are all coordinated, finding clothing and accessories with unique details, trying out a vintage hairstyle, or theming your outfit for the activities you have planned.
Thank you for your insights, Katie!
Time to get out there and put on your best Midge Maisel impression as we wait for Season 4 to finish filming and hit our screens! Just remember:
And of course, channel your inner Midge today with none other than our new Spring/Summer '21 collection featuring dainty, 50's inspired flats that will take your sunny OOTD's to a marvelous level!
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So while we wait to find out what becomes of our favourites Susie and Midge, we’ve got something just as exciting to share for anyone who is a fan of the TV Series and all their fabulous late 50’s and early 60’s fashion.
Charlie Stone’s new Spring/Summer 2021 collection, called New York City 1958, pays homage to the same fashion era and setting that The Marvelous Mrs Maisel TV series is set in, and features three incredible flats that are made for avid enthusiasts of vintage fashion looking for a more comfortable alternative to heels.
Buckle in ladies – you won’t believe how marvelous these are!
First up we have the Susie, a cute baby blue leather flat with white trimming that is just darling paired with a 50’s style full skirt or dress, or better yet a Midge Maisel themed dress inspired by that lake scene!
Then of course when you’re off on a summer getaway at the Fontainebleau hotel, you can’t go past this incredible white leather sandal called Midge. Modelled off a real 1950’s wedge, the Midge is a flat and oh-so-comfortable summer sandal that will have you looking poolside perfect with a vintage touch.
Lastly we have the Rose, which is a stunning blush tweed flat with a dainty little bow on the upper, making it wonderfully elegant and classic. We can certainly imagine ourselves in these, walking through B. Altman and browsing through the many shades of red lipsticks!
And just in case you didn't love these enough, take a peep inside the shoes and check out what is written on the insoles of each shoe - a sunny reminder before you step into each pair that...
And as if it wasn't already exciting enough as it is, these charming shoes are also designed to match the new Spring/Summer 2021 collection from Miss Candyfloss called "Dream Away Holiday"!
Get shopping now and complete your perfect Midge Maisel look with Charlie Stone's New York City, 1958 collection!
Last year we went to Paris to work with the enchanting Miss Alba (@missalba.banana) who has been one of our long time style idols and collaborative partners. Together with her studio Les Garconnes Studio (@les.garconnes.studio), we created a short video to capture the spirit of Charlie Stone.
'La Vie En Rose' is a beautiful french song made famous by Edith Piaf in 1947, which roughly translates to say "Life in happy/rosy hues". For us, this phrase perfectly captures the spirit of our Charlie Stone world and the way we want the wearer to feel in our shoes.
Her shoes are comfortable so she can enjoy every moment of the day without a second thought. With a base she can rely on, she is free to express her personal style through little quirks and love of whimsical vintage things. She celebrates her uniqueness and is unapologetically 100% true to herself!
Many of our friends and customers are lovers of vintage style, and like us, may have felt at some point in their style journey that they have 'stuck out' from the rest of the crowd of modernity. Ever worn vintage in a mostly monochrome office? You know what we mean. So La Vie En Rose is a reminder of this beautiful, magical world and how it makes us feel. This is the world from where Charlie Stone was born.
To celebrate our new video, we are doing a special giveaway competition! Here's what's up for grabs:
- 1 winner: a free pair of your choice
- 3 winners: $50 voucher for our online store
How to enter:
1. Repost our new video on Facebook, Instagram or download the video here to choose where to post it later
2. Describe YOUR unique style
3. Tag @charliestoneshoes + #laviecharliestone
Your profile must be public so we can see the entry. Competition ends 19th January 2020, winner will be announced on our social media pages (Instagram & Facebook).
Good luck! ✨
Commonly referred to as a 'Gatsby' theme, this is easily one of the most popular new year party themes and will no doubt dominate this new year. It was the era of modernisation - jazz music grew popular so dancing became more free, fun and expressive as the Charleston exploded into the scene. Fashion took ground breaking turns as designers like Chanel became popular. What's not to love!
Here are our tips for making the most of NY2020!
Shoes can literally make or break your night - there's nothing worse than getting jazzed up, getting to the party only to feel your feet blistering up before the dancing has even begun! And then trying to survive the many hours to follow? No thanks. We believe mindful selection and early preparation of your shoes are the secret to maximising the night. If you're comfortable on your feet, you can keep going until the sun comes up!
If you're not good with heels, DON'T WEAR HEELS!If you're going to wear heels, stay small!
And don't leave it to the last minute, which brings us to our next tip...
Another common mistake is to buy new shoes at the last minute or leave them in their box until the day of the party. Like a pair of jeans, shoes need time to wear into your foot shape to feel truly comfortable. Buy your shoes early and spend some time wearing them in a clean environment (we recommend while you're at home on a weekday evening watching the latest season of Marvelous Mrs Maisel with some tea and biscuits, but that's just us..)
If you're running out of time, no stress! Use the socks and hairdryer trick!
Waterproof them... The yucky reality is that some parties get a bit crowded where drinks are destined to be spilled. Get a leather waterproofing spray at your local department store or cobbler and protect your shoes from any stray drops of gin and tonic!
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With your feet and shoes all set to dance the night away, you can enjoy the return to the roaring 20's in true style! Now it's time to work on your charleston before the big night arrives...
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We are very excited to announce that we will begin a transition to using 100% compostable mailer bags for single item orders* from No Issue Co. who are paving the way in plant-based packaging! We are in the process of using up the rest of our current recyclable packaging and expect to be fully transitioned to noissue.co's compostable bags for single item orders* by January 2020.
*For multiple item orders that do not fit in a mailer, we will use recycled cardboard cartons.
It's no secret that the fashion world has not been kind to our world, particularly with the rise of Fast Fashion generating short-lived items of low quality that cultivated a habit of buying, wearing and replacing items multiple times within a year.
DID YOU KNOW?
"The apparel and footwear industries account for a combined estimate of 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and fashion is the third highest-polluting industry in the world. A 2016 McKinsey report revealed that three-fifths of all clothing items will end up in an incinerator or landfill within a year after being produced."
- Excerpt from https://www.rubiconglobal.com/blog/14-sustainable-fashion-facts/
SAYING NO TO EXCESS TISSUE PAPER PACKAGING
We believe in Slow Fashion and doing our best to make our contribution (or rather less of a waste contribution to the fashion industry!). Before moving to the 100% compostable bags, we disliked the way most shoeboxes came with excess tissue paper that just ended up in the bin. So we had already found a way to significantly reduce tissue paper wastage by changing the way we package our shoes and removing almost all tissue paper. For those who have bought our shoes, you will know how our shoes come packaged - you'll only find a very minimal amount of tissue paper in the inner soles!
NO ISSUE CO.
"It is 2019. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Fortune 500 company, or a boutique shop owner, we should all be striving to be eco-friendly." -No Issue Co.
We love what No Issue Co. are doing with their innovation in all types of packaging, and apart from that they also plant a tree on our behalf. Ours is in Indonesia!
WHAT NEXT?
We are always looking for ways to improve our footprint in the world, from ensuring we use great quality and long lasting materials to reducing what we can to minimise the waste we create. We are always open to suggestions as the more minds the merrier, so please reach out to us at hello@charliestoneshoes.com if you have any ideas!
]]>We’re officially less than 90 days away from being back in the roaring 20’s as NY2020 approaches, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll want to be celebrating the return to the 20’s in true jazz-age style by dancing the night away in all that glitters. But when we say ‘shoes fit for a New Year’s Eve party’, your mind automatically turns to a pair of fancy but not-so-comfortable heels, right? Not this time. We’ve got the perfect 1920’s Gatsby inspired shoes that you’ll want to keep on all night (unless you want to change colors mid-party!).
]]>Not this time. We’ve got the perfect 1920’s Gatsby inspired shoes that you’ll want to keep on all night (unless you want to change colors mid-party!).
Still from 2013's The Great Gatsby
A limited edition Gatsby inspired collection of comfortable flats designed with a 1920’s theme of art deco glitz and glamour!
Named after one of the top Speakeasy hotspots of the 20’s, Manhattan weaves together three sparkling colors made with Korean fine coarse glitter, and each color features part of a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925), making the collection incomplete without one another.
Together side by side, they form part of the famous quote from The Great Gatsby, ‘...among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.’
And to add the finishing Gatsby themed touch, the first 50 orders will also receive a free replica of Daisy Buchanan's headpiece as worn by Carey Mulligan in the 2013 ‘The Great Gatsby’ film!
Manhattan’s RRP is $130 USD and is available from charliestoneshoes.com as well as selected stores in Australia, United States and Europe.
Check out the full lookbook featuring french model Miss Alba (@missalba.banana)!
Photos by Flânerie Photo
Model Miss Alba Banana (Les Garçonnes Studio)