All in a days work: the story behind the shoes

Did you know that it takes approximately 130 people to make a single pair of precisely handcrafted Alfred Sargent & Sons shoes? Our Stylist, Niki, recently had the pleasure of visiting the handmade shoe factory to get a glimpse of the secret skills involved in turning a piece of raw leather into a fine shoe. From selecting the leather to clicking, then gimping, brogueing, tanning, lining, and then finishing; it’s a complicated process, but somebody has do it!
Check out some of the photos from her tour of the factory in Northamptonshire England.

Niki's Style Tips

NIKI SAYS:

"Liven up a soft thin stripe with a bold and contrasting polka dot"

"Complimentary diagonal lines break up a steady grid pattern"

Brought to you by the color RED

Commonly regarded as the first color known to man, it is the most controversial hue on the spectrum namely because of its conflicting connotations. Since the dawn of time, red has been associated with seduction and temptation - remember the apple that Eve couldn't resist? Or the sexy flowing dress that Gene Wilder went gaga for her in that '80s classic flick, The Woman in Red? And what about lure and secrecy of the Red Light District...?
Red is also the color most frequently used to represent passion and that infamous and often feared four letter word: l-o-v-e. From those cute little hand-drawn hearts on letters sent to secret crushes all around the world on St. Valentine's day, or the gift of a single long-stem rose to express fidelity. Red evokes a sense of youth like the cherry on top of a banana split; or Freedom - our forefathers sure knew what they were doing when they put it on the flag. Finally, red is also used for safety measures like stop signs, fire trucks... the list goes on and on...

Red, with so many mixed signals it's no wonder that people either love it or hate it!

Other red things:
red-light district
cherries
strawberries
Santa Clause's uniform
stop signs
fire trucks
tomatoes
blood
Italian race cars