TOMS black woven diamond Bella Espadrilles // Express shorts // Cashmere sweater // TOMS sunglasses // PANDORA necklace
If there’s one country this girl is dying to go to, it’s Spain. The romantic gestures of acoustic guitar, summer nights, flamenco dancing, a “z” pronounced with a soft “th” – it’s all very Vicky Christina Barcelona. But seriously, who would say no to a Javier Bardem threesome followed by some tapas?
Do me a favour and play the soundtrack while you read my post.
I’ve been a serial hispanophile for quite some time now. It started with the first few songs on a Cafe del Mar album and immediately I thought myself superior to all other human beings. That my ears had been graced with those sounds – I would never be the same. Hi, my name is Justine and I’m an esoteric bitch. My tastes aren’t fabricated though, they aren’t popular nor do they make me cool, in fact they make me quite offside. Like I’ve missed the punch by a few inches. But that’s OK. I would rather be in my own world than try to be someone with manufactured tastes, which comes off as inauthentic as it is boring.
Wouldn’t you rather know why I love ballet espadrilles instead?
I went through this phase when I was in University, trying to get the attention of a boy I liked by basically dressing like an off-duty ballerina. I would literally wear pink leg warmers and actual ballet shoes to school (NB: they have a soft leather sole lol I can’t – I laugh at it to this day. I must’ve been mad). I would walk around campus like this. And campus, for anyone who went to UofT St. George meant Bloor St. in downtown Toronto. So there I was, light grey Roots capri sweat pants, baby pink leg warmers and white ballet shoes on the streets. The worst part? I actually ran into my crush wearing this getup. He was…. unimpressed.
But whatever – you know – I was pushing the boundaries. Now properly lined ballet flats are all the rage. And I still rock them with equal rigour. For example, the ballet espadrille with ribbons? Where the eff were these when I was trying to get a date back in 2004. These shoes are the epitome of everything fabulous about dance and Spanish lullabies. I can imagine touring the Basque provinces by day in my ballet espadrilles, washing away my past by the seashore at sunset, falling asleep to a guitar solo by night – or you know, Pacha Ibiza by 4am.
There is just something so YAASSS about these shoes. While everyone else is wearing gladiators, I’m here in left field with my ballet espadrilles like, “hot summer nights only.” If you’re obsessed with ballerina aesthetic and are a fellow Hispanophile, holler at your girl!
