Hey Beauties! (craving an avocado with chili-lime-salt.. specific huh?) I am here to tell you that sometimes, patience really is a virtue. I’ll just came out and say that Off-White is my favorite brand, I think the work Virgil Abloh and his team curates is so unique and innovative.
I love how there are different price points in the line and realistic purchases can be made. “Aint nobody got time” to spend $600 on joggers and not feel some type of guilt (at least I can’t). In my mind I feel shoes are a tad more justifiable since you can wear them everyday and not get looked at like you have one pair of pants, you’re constantly trying to flex in. I know from *cough stalking cough* I mean scouting Off-White’s website that the brand offers a more basic (“Vans” style) shoe in both a high and low top, at a decent price point ($230.00). I knew that after my first handbag I was ready to dive deeper and this was the way to go. Something in me really wanted to purchase my first pair of shoes in person to not only try them on, but just for the general adrenaline rush I knew copping my first pair would bring me.
*FOMO*
I had an unrelated trip to Vegas planned and immediately remembered that an Off-White store front was due to open at the Wynn Plaza. I tried doing research to see if it was open already or what the status was, but in all the chaos that happens in my life before any trip, it had slipped my mind and it wasn’t till I was wheels up that it came back to me. I couldn’t check in to my hotel fast enough to dump my bags and head to the Wynn. Dun-dun-duuunnnn was the sound that played in my head when I walked up to the store and it wasn’t open and still fully wrapped in vinyl with the dreaded “Coming Soon” vibe.
The fact that the vinyl used to cover the store front gave me FOMO with its signature Off-White arrows and logo didn’t make me feel any better (but she still got a pic tho?…) This made me want the shoes even more and I was on the hunt. I went to different retailers in several casinos and some had a limited selection of the brand, while others didn’t have one piece.
I made my way into Barney’s at the Venetian and noticed they had a few of the high tops but not the style I had my eye on. In talking with one of the salespeople (Hey Tawnya!) she offered to send me pictures of anything she received in stock via text if I was willing to share my contact information.
The Plug
Within days, I was already getting pictures of everything she had coming in before it hit the sales floor. Nothing makes your day MORE than receiving a picture from your new “plug” with the shoes you’ve been dying for. I don’t think I’ve every responded faster to a text message in my entire life. This next part is a blur and I refuse to be judged or blamed for ANYTHING from this point forward… *sarcasm* She responded with “The only sizes available are…” and proceeded to name every size but mine (wtheck?!) I don’t know what possessed me to agree to a half size under my usual size but, I did (desperation).
The shoes were at my doorstep in record time and it was the moment of truth, they were snug, but they did indeed fit. I didn’t feel my toes poking the end or anything, but they were indeed “fitted”. I did notice that they were a stiffer canvas shoe with not much cushion in the sole so that worried me a bit, but they were DOPE and I think the hype alone had me convinced. I had an upcoming festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas and knew these would be on my feet roaming the streets of downtown Austin.
I had a package on the way from HBX containing a pair of Places+Faces socks and matching crossbody canvas bag. The stylist in me was working fast and I had already paired them all together for the event before they even arrived. I am shocked at myself for picking up the socks in yellow and not black. I was already envisioning how bad a** the orange from the zip tie on my sneakers would complement the logo on the yellow background of the sock, it was a whole vibe. Receiving the socks and bag and pairing them together was exactly what I was looking for.
Hot & Ready
This Places+Faces bag has literally become my go-to travel bag. Opening It from the packaging and feeling the quality, I could tell it was of sturdy canvas material and the print logo was the perfect size and placement. I was anxious to get the zippers open and check out the inside. The bag showcases a double zipper with 2 separate compartments and a smaller outside compartment under the logo made of mesh to keep things you want easy to access but don’t mind others seeing your goodies since the mesh doesn’t do a good job of hiding your belongings (I kept my phone in here). The back also has another slot with a snap button to keep your items secure. The zippers were smooth, sturdy, and the strap was adjustable in case you wanted the bag to fall shorter or longer. This is the perfect type of bag to take to a festival or if you carry a lot with you on outings, the multiple compartments and sleekness of this bag will keep you comfy and organized all day and night. This has quickly taken the place of my camera bag and fits all my essentials.
I have been known to put anything from a change of clothes in here to a pair of slides which is what I wish I would have brought with me on this occasion! The shoes that I was literally OBSESSED with and DYING FOR… KILLED.. MY… FEET and now had me dying in a totally different way. *Disclaimer: I walked all day, from bar to bar; an easy 33,000 steps in a pair of shoes a half size too small so… there’s that. Towards the end of the night I could feel my feet swelling up and there was no support on the sole at all. This was probably the wrong time to break in these shoes but again (desperation). I did pair the yellow Places+Faces socks as I envisioned and that made it worse. The socks were of excellent quality, they were soft, thick, and felt expensive but it was my fault completely for the pain I was experiencing.
I Still Love You Tho…
After the pain subsided, I decided to wear them the next day with a thinner sock and it immediately felt different. I could tell they were starting to take shape, the more I used them, the more “broken in” they became. I’ve worn them several times since but never for an extended amount of time until recently (literally last weekend) I walked all day for about 6-8 hours, and my feet did indeed throb and I was in pain on the final walk back to my hotel which was about 7 blocks total. If you are in the market for a dope a** shoe that is solely for looks and not comfort, this is the shoe for you.
I can only speak for what I felt aside from the sizing being off a half size, so take it with a grain of salt. I can tell you one thing, I was shooting for the gram and as I was in a squat position, I noticed that right where the shoe bends on top, the rubber (sole) was becoming unglued from the canvas….. (um excuse me?) I love the shoes regardless and will continue to wear them, but you know I had to share the gossip. I have since purchased a different style of Off-White sneakers; do you think my experience was the same? STAY TUNED Beauties…..
