Black & Tiffany Blue

When I'm not working all hours of the day & night, I pause to have conversations with friends...like this one today (so nice to hear from people other than annoying subcontractors who can't write)

Scene: Dariaux,* amazing friend in Atlanta by way of Austin (though not from Atlanta, she'd much rather be here in our Nation's Capital, and is slowly, but surely working her H towards the Big Move) is in Chicago on business. True to her nature (this is why we're such good friends, among other 1000 reasons), she's found time in her hectic meeting schedule** to stop into the W Hotel boutique (she always manages to find the best hotel deals when she travels - I keep meaning to figure out how). She's totally classic style - think a cross between Kate & Audrey, with a splash of Lauren Bacall. She emails me via her ever-so-convenient BlackBerry...

Dariaux: I just bought a lovely pair of Coach shoes (on sale) and a great necklace at the W hotel -it will be perfect with all of those black sheath dresses :u). Now I need a pair of black shoes with some blue (Tiffany blue) detail - any thoughts? I almost went shopping at Ferragamo but decided that would be dangerous.

DC Celine: Yes - stay away from ferragamo! If I'm being good, you have to be good.Hmmm...let me slack off for a few, and I'll see what I can do. Why black w/ blue detail? Why not blue?

Dariaux: But they had some lovely shoes . . . Because I don't want all blue shoes :-)

DC Celine: Good answer.http://www.zappos.com/ - my favorite shoe site.

Dariaux: But you were supposed to tell me to go to Ferragamo :-). Rationalization - isn't it better to buy one pair of really good shoes at 400 dollars rather than 4 pair of shoes at 100 each that only last a year? And of course, I am using the same mental logic about why I need a Hermes bag :-)

DC Celine: It is only better if you can afford it NOW. Besides, sales are wonderful - look hard for sales, and you can find the amazing stuff & not break bank. (can you tell I'm a new, frugal woman?! Right.) And an Hermes bag is a TOTALLY different story.

Dariaux: Technically I can afford it but retirement beckons, so I should be frugal. Hermes saddlebag, please.

Anyone have any good shoe suggestions for Dariaux?

*A prize to the first person who can explain Dariaux to me...ok, I don't actually have a prize for you, but I'm curious to see if others out there know without a Google search!

**For example, when we were in Vegas at a conference, I think we hit a grand total of 2 seminars during the week-long conference. Instead, we spent time at the spa, in the pool, and generally talking about everyone we possibly could. When we worked together (it seems like eons ago), we invariably would check out the hotel bar to see what the single malt selection was like. Strangest experience: The Grand America in Salt Lake, otherwise a great hotel with gorgeous suites, where the bar was practically in a back alley, and the pours were so exact, it was mortifying.