Lanvin Lovelies
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 9:34 AM 
Photo used with kind permission from Stephanie Himel-Nelson of LightHearted Photography
We tend to focus on Mrs. O's sartorial pursuits, not because we don't love shoes, rather, it's just more difficult to find a good shoe shot. We were thrilled to come across this beauty and thought it deserved a feature. The photograph was taken August 6, 2008 at a roundtable event with military spouses in Norfolk, VA.
Paired with black leggings, Mrs. O wears a pair of black patent leather, square toe ballet flats from Lanvin. The tapered square toe seems to take inspiration from traditional ballet pointe shoes. And though difficult to gauge from this image, we believe this pair may also have a subtle wedge at the heel. Favored by celebrities like Kate Bosworth and Katie Holmes, Lanvin flats are coveted for their comfort and of-the-moment colors and textures. And at more than $500 per pair, they are a definite investment shoe.
Of note, this pair does not appear to be from the current season, which means Mrs. O has likely re-worn them from year to year. We were able to track down a similar pair at one of our old haunts, The Closet, a fantastic consignment shop on Newbury St. in Boston. If you're ever in Boston, it's absolutely worth a pop in: 175 Newbury Street between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets.
Photo from The Closet Boston
Reader Comments (17)
Oh, lovely! This looks like my kind of shoe. Although the price tag? Not so much... :P
Kristan
http://jbu.phuzzymath.net
I like that she can wear timeless designs. Those shoes will last forever!
i love me some flat shoes! as much as i'd love to see mrs. o in fabulous heels more often, i adore her for sharing my love of comfy flats.
sort of an update on the inaugural gown watch front, designers submitting sketches: http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/11/diane_von_furstenberg_has_subm.html
god i'm so excited to see what she's going to look like.
Patent leather says it all for me.
Has anyone worn these shoes? Are they worth the investment? I wear flats all the time and it might be worth it to break the piggy bank if these are as comfortable and long-lasting as they are chic...
It is so great that Mrs O wears a Lavin accessory - this says so much about her fashion awareness. It is nuanced and informed.
Nuanced - I love that.
Nuanced indeed - much like this blog - it is the BEST.
I am addicted and so are all the friends to whom I have sent it to.
This Mrs O blog appeared at the exact moment I needed it.
Thank you for quenching my insatiable thirst !
Must. fight. urge. to runoffandbuy a pair of black patent leather flats.
Oooh but photos like this don't help, I tell you! Sigh. Teh cuteness.
first, this blog is awesome! the flats are chic, cute. but $500? hmm .. i found these at old navy for $19.50 here: http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/product.do?cid=17095&pid=613689&scid=613689012
Oh yeah, Mrs. O knows all about Parisian fashion houses. Isn't it great that we're all excited about this amazing woman. Carla Bruni, look out!, you have competition. I bet what ever she decides to wear for the inauguration will suit her perfectly. I guess it's hard to please all fashion critics.
Lovely
Oooh! They look so nice up there! I'm a big shoe fan and when I saw these, I just had to take a picture. Classic and timeless, that's Michelle Obama. (-;
Hi,
I just got the metallised lanvin bronze and patent black. However the back elastic prints and marks the heel area. Is this normal for lanvins? Would it eventually stretch out? The front is comfortable.
Please advise those who wear them, thanks!
When I saw the elastic I thought "Hey! That's the solution to all those gappy ballet flats I wore in the '80s!" But I do know that crunchy elastic marks look and feel uncomfortable. . .
Pointy toed flats are more flattering than the square toes or the stumpy round toes. They make the feet and the leg look slimmer.
What size does Mrs. O wear? I know she is tall and if she wears the same size as me, then there is hope that I can find fashionable shoes, yet.