theseventhsphinx - The Seventh Sphinx

Dear Sphinx,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have been enjoying your recent blog posts and came across a purchasing conundrum. I am torn between two shoes:

Eastland Women’s Open Road Slip On

Eastland Women’s Double Up Jodhpur Boot

[vendor images]

I have purchased both in black leather and would love your opinion on the matter as I appreciate your good taste.

Context?

1. I own four pairs of ankle boots- classic chocolate brown Timberlands for heavy duty snow; Timberland Victorian-styled in sand, Naturalizer Onset in an olive color with chunky low heels; and Clarks Vermont Stowe in dark brown, the dressiest pair. I don’t own any dress shoes that resemble the slip-ons.

2. I am considering these shoes mainly for work purposes as I need something professional but wearable standing for long hours. I work in a lab in which heels would be impractical but there is still a business casual dress code. Instead of going for flats I want a lot of foot coverage in case of nasty spills.

3. Most of my dress pants (which I will be wearing, skirts rarely) cover so much of these two shoes that the silhouette is virtually indistinguishable from each other. I do like the detailing that peeks through with the buckled shoe, as well as how it leans towards a menswear shape (it looks great with skinny jeans too). They are both comfortable though there is a little more heel slip associated with the boots that is expected (despite being a half size smaller). I am a little worried about the leather stretching out but its nothing that can’t be fixed by wearing thicker socks.

I guess my dilemma right now comes down to whether I need another pair of ankle boots (albeit different look and color) or if it would make more stylistic (and financial) sense to opt for the buckles. I think I can wear both casually outside of work, which makes the decision harder.

Keep both? I am trying not to, so am needing a fresh perspective.

Hope to hear from (and hopefully not bore) you,

Lab Rat

*****

Dear Lab Rat,

I am happy to weigh in, and enjoy playing the role of stylist/consultant!

To me the silhouette of the ankle boots is close enough to the Clarks and the Naturalizers to make me lean toward the slip ons, with the larger goal of adding diversity to your options in mind. I’m wondering: if you were to give yourself the task of finding a new pair of flat ankle boots (outside the task of finding work shoes), are these the ones you would choose? Or, on the other hand, if you were to give yourself the task of finding a new pair of menswear-esque high coverage flats, are these the ones you would choose? [Imagine the universe of oxford flats and loafers out there] Then, if you are interested in getting a (more appealing) pair in one of these categories in the future, maybe better to get the other category now. Hard to say, sometimes. Some people are happiest with a bunch of what is virtually the same shoe.

Usually if I am not certain of a choice I like to postpone, and keep browsing (or buy it/try it on). Uncertainty, at least for me, often means that I have one too many reservations about an item, and that I am sure to find something I like more with time. Once I find a few more alternatives (whether I like them slightly more or slightly less) it makes the final decision easier, and it makes me more confident about my choice. I think you should like them a lot. I would assess them for quality as well, durability, niceness of the leather, quality of the stitching, etc. Sometimes when people wonder if they should keep both of something, it would be just as satisfying not to keep either. When you really want something, you tend to know. [At least, when I really want something, I tend to know.] I can’t tell if that is at all helpful or not!

Good luck!

Sphinx

Lalique’s Encre Noir is aptly named. It does indeed smell like black ink, specifically like the black ink I have from the calligraphy shop in Chinatown (different inks can have quite different odors, depending on their origins and ingredients). Put any ideas of unpleasantly chemical toner cartridges out of your mind, proper black ink smells incredible. There is something dark and earthy, like rich, freshly unearthed soil, as well as a slight saltiness combined with a metallic tang that I find reminiscent of both blood and the more enticing of of the various darkroom chemicals. A certain mustiness might creep in, yet it is not unappealing. Rather like the smell of only just moldy bread, the richness of yeast with the touch of mold adding a bit of depth and interest.

Ink smells like… ink, OK?

So to this concept of dark, earthy black ink is added an equally dark and earthy vetiver. This is neither the bright, sparkling vetiver of Guerlain Vetiver nor the rich creamy vetiver of L’Occitane Eau de Vetyver, and it is worlds away from the sweet sophistication of Vetiver Tonka. This is the darkest of my vetivers, and it has the kind of powerful, distinct personality you would remember. It is closer to the raw scent of vetiver oil, which is, undiluted, basically unpleasant. Imagine the root of a bitter grass any human would know instinctively not to eat, and imagine it is still covered in loamy earth, and imagine there are cuts in the root emitting a bizarrely fresh scent, almost minty (in countries where vetiver is harvested people will scrub the roots clean and put sections in a pitcher of water to add a bit of zest, as one might do with mint or lemon). Then you add a bit of smoke, a bit of bourbon, a bit of cedar, a teeny bit of musk (this comes forward later in the day), and goodness knows what else.

This is unapologetically dark. An obvious masculine, which means, of course, that it is fabulous on a woman who loves it*. So obvious a masculine, though, that I think a lot of men wouldn’t touch it, either. It’s not for the faint of heart, and watch out if you do touch it. Vetiver is a common base because of it’s excellent lasting power on the skin, and the smallest drop of Encre Noir lingers for hours on skin and for days or weeks on the inanimate (coats, scarves, sweaters, watch bands, pajamas, etc). For some people the booze is too prominent, for some the smoke, for some it is just too much vetiver (depends on your nose and your taste). That said, for me, this smells goood. This smells alluring. Dare I say it, sexy. It’s dark, rich, intriguing, unforgettable. I apply with a light hand and only when I’m in the right mood (usually when it’s cold out, it can be too much for me in the warm weather). Sometimes I’ll just spray it on a coat or a scarf at a distance to get a gentle cloud of it that isn’t too much a part of me. Great bottle (though the pump sprays copiously, which I find not ideal). Not difficult to find it at a great price, either.

*There is an Encre Noir pour Elle but I haven’t had a chance to smell it yet. Curious, though.

Author: theseventhsphinx

sphinx consult: shoe dilemma

smell this: Lalique Encre Noir