The Perfect Wedding Shoes…

It’s hard enough to find the perfect shoes for your wedding. You know… the biggest day of your life? But could you imagine trying to design them!? It sounds (and is!) amazing and fun, but it’s also super intimidating. You know me as The Shoe Girl, my friends and family know me as a shoe obsessed girl, so the first thing people ask me isn’t “what does your dress look like?” it’s “OMG what SHOES are you going to wear!?” Sure, I could just buy a super fabulous pair but that would be too easy. Plus I feel like since I have the ability to make pretty much anything I want, I kind of have to right?

No pressure.

Jon and I are a mere eighty seven days away from our big day and, well… I’ve been doing what I do best. Procrastinating. So I decided to to approach this formidable and daunting task the way I do my job. I started with an idea, some mood boards and a few quick sketches. Here’s what I have so far…

I’m really into pearls right now and I think I kinda need to wear them on my feet. Do I go all out and use real pears or do I fake it with some costume ones? I’m also really into single soles, but I know that a platform would be way more comfortable and easier to dance in.

Decisions, decisions! Do you see my dilemma?

So I’ll keep at it but I think I may be getting close. I can’t wait to show you guys my FAN-EFFING-TASTIC dress. I love it SO much. And the shoes of course ;) Who knows how many pairs I’ll end up wearing on my big day.

Paging Dr. Hakakha!

This past Sunday, March 8th, was National Women’s Day and the perfect day to honor an amazing woman with some of her patients and closest friends, celebrating the third edition of her popular book, Expecting 411.

My future cousin-in-law, OB/GYN Dr. Michele Hakakha, MD, is a totally awesome rockstar doctor who just happens to have delivered the babies of some pretty famous (and beautiful!) moms. I got to meet some of them and we all bonded through our love of Michele. She is truly an incredible soul. And a total babe!

 It was a great party and I got to hear some really great stories about motherhood and giving birth and especially about what an amazing doctor and friend Michele is. We all laughed so much! It was truly a celebration of being a woman.

Michele gave me a signed copy of the book- NO, I’m not expecting (yet)- and I went to flip through it and found myself not being able to put it down! It’s really great and easy to read… as if you’re chatting with your very well informed BFF about what’s going on with your body before and during pregnancy. I’m looking forward to the day I get to read it for real :)

Coloured Stripes | Menswear 2016 Trend

We spotted stripes everywhere at the Resort collections, and it doesn’t look like they are going anywhere any time soon. The fun is no longer just for the girls, with this huge trend also popping up in the menswear collections.

Appearing in a variety of guises from French riviera blue and red stripes at Topman and Marc Jacobs, to the more kooky neon styles at Opening Ceremony and Moschino, stripes have proven they are suitable for almost every occasion.

Play by day in multi-coloured and clashing striped hooded tracksuits and bomber jackets then dress up for night with a striped gradient jacket as seen at Jonathan Saunders.

There is no limit to the number of stripes either, with some designers opting for one individual piece paired with basics, while others went all out and layered strips on stripes, particularly with the shirt and scarf combination. Contrary to the fashion rules that were drilled into us as children, the trick here is to clash with thick and thin stripes and contrasting colours.

Khaki, mustards, lemon, acid green and classic powder reds and blues ruled the runways, adding a masculine and earthy spin on the season’s stripes. From cool to chic casual, the menswear collections have given us plenty of reasons to stripe up this season.

GET THE LOOK

NAVY BRETON STRIPE MID LENGTH SWIM SHORTS

BLUE AND GREY STRIPE SCARF

NAVY STARS AND STRIPES SCARF

5 Stylish Men’s Hair Trends From Spring 2016 Runways

Hair trends from Men’s Spring 2016 collections showcase a collective revival of vintage hairstyles with redefined dimensions and idiosyncratic touches. Fortunately, the array of hair looks,  featured trends that can be reproduced for different hair types. This means there is something for everybody, no matter what your hair type or length is. We take you through the most popularised hairstyletrends from the Spring 2016 runways covering everything from revived pompadours to redefined fringes, that will lend inspiration for newer, distinguished accompaniments for your spring and summer looks.

RELATED: 4 Popular Men’s Hairstyle Trends To Try Now

Fifties Slick

Lanvin, Brioni, Louis Vuitton, Canali, Versace

A distinctive fifties hair reference point was the order of business for design houses like Brioni, Louis Vuitton and Lanvin. What is required to achieve the fifties slick hair trend? A good quality hair gel or a mousse will add shine and sleekness for a worthy tribute to this decade. Keep things simple with a shiny slicked back look or add dimension with fifties partings that will register edgy and voluminous. Comb through hair lightly to add a bit of texture.

Get The Look

Modernised Side Parts

Polo Ralph Lauren, Kenzo, Oliver Spencer, Ermenegildo Zegna, Burberry Prorsum

There is no doubt a classic side part will remain timeless, but the newer interpretations of this trend boasts reinvented takes of this traditionalist look. This hair trend can be harnessed for men with all hair types. Ensure you are blow-drying your locks after a good quality matte mousse has been worked in.  Experiment with different hair partings for reinvented version of this hair trend that will keep things more interesting and tailored to your own personal style.

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Revived Pompadours

J.Crew, Bottega Veneta, Tommy Hilfiger, Gosha Rubchinskiy, Lemaire

Whilst the pompadour is enjoying a revival, newer interpretations of this hair trend take the more textured form. Keep the sides of your hair intensely short and don’t be afraid to keep longer more voluminous dimensions on the top for an edgier look. For men with curlier hair, add dimension with a strategic haircut that will give a better proportion to your length. Men with straighter hair can harness their natural hair type in a side swept pompadour for a different approach to this beloved hair look.

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Redefined Fringes

Margaret Howell, Dior Homme, Berluti, Hermes, Coach

Fringes featured heavily in many spring collections. Dior Homme sustained a refined, sleek blow-dried fringe alluding a nineties aesthetic whilst designers like Berluti and Coach focused on texture and dimension. Fringe hairstyles work more favourably for straighter hair types as well as those with longer locks. A versatile hair mousse or pomade will work wonders for a bit more control when adapting this hair trend.

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Textured Curls

Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Valentino, Kolor, Salvatore Ferragamo

Perfect for those with existing curly or wavy hair, design houses professed a love for textured curls in their spring hair looks. Take inspiration from the volumised versions of this hair trend a la Valentino or wear this look with a baseball cap referencing Salvatore Ferragamo. However you wish to interpret this trend, a great starting point is distinguishing what kind of curls you naturally possess. If your hair is wavy, add a matte hair mousse for extra bounce. For curly hair, utilise a pomade to add more distinction.

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SWEATER WEATHER by Muriuki kagiri

My biggest pet peeve when I comes to how us guys dress has got to be the staple jeans and t-shirt look. Yes, there are the chosen few who actually pull it off, but as for the rest of us, we look so bland and mundane. No one would bother stealing a second glance.

So on this post, I’ll show you guys two alternatives to the jeans and t-shirt look.

For the first look, I went for a more polished outfit. Something you’d wear on a first date. I wore fitted black jeans a knitted sweater and beige high tops. I’m really into knits this time of the year. This particular piece is  both warm and airy, which is a good thing given how El-niño has trolled us a good one and we can’t really tell what to expect.

How to Take Care of your Leather Shoes this Rainy Season

It is raining in Limuru! Raining hard in the last two weeks. Bet it is also raining where you are. The streets, the grass, the pavements are wet, and our shoes are undergoing a war of sorts-keeping your feet comfortable and warm, while withstanding the elements being thrown at them.

But, are you returning the favour? Are we taking care of our shoes as they do, our feet? Or, at the end of the season, will we see leather shoes like this:

Leather footwear can manage tens of thousands of flexes. A persistently wet and dried shoe will only last a fraction of these uses.

Leather is nothing but animal skin which is made up of fat and proteins can only retain a set amount of moisture after being cured and tanned. The fibers that criss-cross each other in the hide, give leather its unique strength, but are also very susceptible to drying out and cracking if not treated with care.

Water can and will destroy the suppleness of your shoe’s leather. Water warps the shape of the shoe in an undesirable way. And water cracks your shoes.

Here are some tips on keeping your leather in tip-top condition in this weather:

• Never wear your new shoes in the rain until they have been worn about 3 or 4 times. They need to be broken in slowly, rather than taken straight into the war front 
• If your shoes do get wet, put newspaper. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 48 hours before you wear them again. Wick off the water right away or use a dry rag or towel if available to wipe off the water. Pull the moisture from the inside of the shoe. This can be done with newspaper or a small dry towel. The key is to draw the moisture out, so every hour or so replace the moist paper with dry paper. Depending on the extent of the soaking, this could take from two hours to two days.Wet sole leather will wear out twice as quickly as dry sole leather.
• If you are walking through wet surfaces, it is really important you treat your leather with care immediately you reach your destination. A simple, brisk wipe off will suffice.
• If you live in salty areas like Mombasa, have you noticed your leather shoes get a whitish stain? That’s salt, and it is hard to remove. Wiping your shoes off immediately you get inside will prevent this.
• Despite what you might think, leaving your shoes next to a heat source only makes the problem worse. Let them dry slowly at room temperature. If you heat them you will cause the moisture to leave too quickly and greatly increase the chance of the leather cracking. Cracked leather cannot be repaired.
• Wipe down your leather shoes after walking through the slush!
• Polish your shoes regularly. Polish them with plenty of polish and allow them to sit with the polish on as long as possible. Ideally let the polish stay on overnight. Make sure you get plenty of polish into the welt and the crack between the upper and the sole.
• Conditioning and polishing the leather will help keep your shoes in tip-top shape and ready for whatever you throw at it. Think of it like moisturizing your skin after showering. If you don’t moisturize, you dry out, skin gets rough and cracked, etc. Your leather shoes work the same way.

Rainy Weather bonus

Wear good shoes – Be sure your shoes/boots are not only suitable for what you are doing, but also for the conditions you will or could encounter. Choose styles which are warm, breathable, and are waterproof.

Layer appropriately – Don’t assume that wearing extra socks will keep your feet warmer. Layering socks can be too much of a good thing, especially if you tend to have sweaty feet. Over layering your socks can cause your feet to overheat and sweat, which means you now have a wet sock, which can actually end up making your feet colder..and smellier.

- See more at: http://blog.batakenya.com/page/2/#sthash.lzQEErxl.dpuf

ASICS GT-1000 4 Review

The upper is still all sewn but the fabrics used are lighter and more flexible. The midsole remains unchanged and the fit is medium in the heel and mid foot while opening slightly in the toe box.

My test pair arrived in an understated but attractive silver black and blue color combination. My usual US size 10 fit was identical to last year’s.

ASICS GT-1000 4 General Info

ASICS GT-1000 4 – Lateral Side

For the fourth year in a row, Asics quietly packs a huge punch into the GT 1000 series. By utilizing older tech, Asics keeps the price point within reach and still provides a capable stability shoe.

For 2016, the GT 1000 keeps the same midsole but gets an improved upper and a slight reduction in weight. If you loved the older GT series, don’t miss this one.

ASICS GT-1000 4 Sole Unit

ASICS GT-1000 4 – Sole

Asics uses some of their older materials to build the GT 1000 series which helps keep the cost down. The midsole of the GT 1000 4 is still founded on SpEVA foam which was Asics’s go-to foam before SoLyte.

It is a proven platform but it is heavier than SoLyte. Another veteran material is the Duomax which comprises the posting under the heel and arch of the shoe.

This denser foam gives further support to an over pronating foot by slowing down the inward roll that many runners experience.

Externally, we find the GT 1000 4 is built on an identical semi-curved last as was the GT 1000 3. Still present is carbon rubber at the heel for high-wear durability and softer blown rubber up front for enhanced cushioning.

The sole is tied together by a brilliantly designed mid foot shank that adds stability and resistance to torque. The shank replaces the former Space Trusstic system found on older GT 2000 series shoes.

Asics also carves its Guidance Line flex groove from heel to toe. Also present is Asics’s iconic GEL cushion and it is found in the lateral heel and provides for a soft landing and a more controlled medial roll.