Pearl detail mary-janes – Oliver Bonas
As I slowly but surely build up my sustainable wardrobe I’ve adopted a one-in, one-out rule and promised to only purchase a replacement for an item once the original has truly been worn to death. This has been the case for these pearl detail mary-janes, which I bought to replace my beloved black suede loafers which I bought way back in 2017. After wearing the loafers constantly throughout autumn and winter for the past six years I have proven to myself that I will reach for a pair of flat black shoes on an almost daily basis, so I felt comfortable investing a little more money in a new updated pair.
I am in love with the pearl ring details, especially as it exactly matches my most-worn pearl hair clip, and love how the pearls elevate a really simple pair of shoes. As I spoke about in this post on why traditional minimalism didn’t work for me, the idea of incorporating subtle feminine touches into classic pieces, such as pair of black leather shoes, makes the idea of a sustainable, more capsule wardrobe so much more exciting and inspiring to me. In order for something to be wearable it doesn’t necessarily have to be plain and boring, it just has to fit you and your style; and that is definitely true with these shoes.
These shoes are 100% leather, with the fabric being sourced from Oliver Bonas’ Leather-Working Group’s certified factories, which ensures their safe and sustainable environmental and social practise. Although it may sound quite controversial to say, I do tend to stay away from vegan leather, and opt for genuine leather instead. Leather is a waste product of the global meat industry and, when sourced sustainably and ethically, actually helps re-use this waste product, not generate more environmental impact. Whilst vegan leather does ensure that no animal is harmed, it also ultimately creates more plastic waste, which will harm animals in the long term. It’s definitely a tricky subject, one which I’m still learning about and educating myself on, so I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I’ve already worn these mary-janes out with tights and dresses, and can’t wait to see how I style them up as we move into spring. Pairing them with a simple pair of jeans and a blouse would be one very easy transitional outfit, and I’ll be sure to share here on chloececiliagoescouture.
Click here to see Oliver Bonas’ ethical leather sourcing information.
Love Chloe x
