MY FEMME MANIFESTO

1. A femme desires. She wants. She lusts. In sex and in life, she knows what she wants and she isn't afraid to ask for it. She knows how to take up (and demand) space and how to use her voice and her body.

2. A femme deserves what she wants. She doesn't feel bad for wanting or taking, despite what society tells her she should feel (especially if she's a woman).

3. A femme can take care of herself just fine. She can get on perfectly well on her own. But if you're lucky (and deserving), she may just let you take care of her.

4. A femme is an expert on her-self – her body, her face and hair, her style, her walk, her looks, her orgasms, her vocations, her entrances and exits. All of it is a studied art and no one does it better than her.

5. A femme is an expert on how others read her – butches, other dykes, women, men – both because of and in spite of how she presents herself. She is aware of the signals and signifiers she puts out into the world and knows to some extent how to control or manage how she is read. She knows how to return a gaze, whether desirous or derisive. She knows how to play into others' fantasies of her for her own pleasures.

6. A femme also knows that in playing with femininity she is playing with a fantasy territory that has many different meanings, in/to both queer and straight cultures. It is littered with landmines and traps: expectations, assumptions, demands and misconceptions. And she knows how to navigate the terrain – with style.

7. A femme knows how to seduce and how to fuck as a femme – whether she is bottoming or topping, dominating, submitting, switching, watching or performing.

8. A femme knows that all this – from walking in heels to fucking – is a set of SKILLS that are learned and perfected over time and with practice.

9. A femme is a queer. She doesn't apologize for her femininity – especially to other queers. She is not an outsider; she is a member of the community. She is not judgmental of other queers and demands to be treated with the same respect. A femme is not a queer in spite of her femininity, and she is not a femme because she "can't help it." Femme is a manifestation and expression of her queerness, how it appears on her body and in her life. Femme is intentional, personal, and erotic.

10. A femme is not invisible. If you don't recognize her, maybe you just don't know how to look.

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOE FETISHIST

miss gala darling
it's true. I have a bit of a shoe fetish.

I think the steep slope of a fierce heel is seriously sexy – I know it will cause me immense amounts of pain. I know. but ohhh....

where I am in the world right now it's -40°C and there's like 4 feet of snow out there. sad but true: the only real shoes you can really manage to wear out of the house are big, clonking insulated boots. not without their charms but also not particularly sexy.

combine that with a growing obsession I'm having right now with karla's new stripper boots:


(doesn't she wear them so well there?)

...& today I'm writing a little ode to shoes as a bit of a gesture of longing and lust.

if you let them, shoes have a magical quality to totally make an outfit. really. think about it: I can throw on my favourite jeans and a well-worn t-shirt and it's just another jeansandtshirt deal. but throw on a pair of chuck tayors... or 5" platform heels, or red cowboy boots, or strappy electric blue sandals? well, now you've got something. or a little black dress with black pumps... or 18-hole doc martin laceups, or purple velvet ankle boots, or big green rain boots? imagine the possibilities!

shoes also have a way of saying "yes, I did this on purpose. aren't I fabulous?" unless they're particularly loud, shoes are usually the last thing most people see in your outfit when they look you from face to feet. you can be wearing the craziest, most original, or most questionable outfit ever, but if you're wearing a serious, well chosen pair of shoes, your curious observers can see you've put some thought into this get-up – you've got something going on here. if you're wearing any old shoes – a pair of uggs, a beat up pair of sandals, whatever – it's a lot harder to pull off that effect. (though I also have a fondness for outfits that are extremely well thought out paired with that old beat up pair of sandals... but I digress.)

I also feel like I can try out almost anything on top if I've got on a pair of shoes that say, loud and clear "this is the real me." I have a personal soft spot for boots of all kinds – cowboy boots! docs! ankle boots! knee-highs of all shapes and sizes! – as well as ridiculous, S&M-ish heels, and shoes in bright bold colours that make me feel good about otherwise wearing head to ankle black.

I love shoes that make you feel fabulous the second you put them on, shoes that have something to say. "look at me, look at the way I walk, I'm going somewhere, just you wait..."

the shoes you choose can dress up a casual outfit or dress down a formal one. shoes can take a regular outfit and add a hint of drama, daring, sexuality, defiance, kink... if you let them.

of course you can always hide them under your pant legs, too.

xo laurel.

BECOMING AN EXPERT ON YOUR SKIN

garance dore

confession: I'm a big nerd. I read ingredients labels on skin care products and dermatology blogs and wikis -- and I'm not even a science student. but this stuff is all really useful to know, especially since the beauty industry tells us everything will cause miracles -- but at the same time gives us a whole lot of misinformation.

get to know these basic terms and you'll even out the score a little... bachelor femme reader: 1, skin-care conglomerates: 0.


dermatology.about.com

DEALING WITH OIL AND WATER
SUR•FAC•TANTS (sərˈfaktənt): cleansers remove dirt and oil with the super cleansing action of surfactants. since dirt and oil doesn't dissolve in water all on its own, surfactants work by surrounding dirt particles and oils, dissolving them, and then removing them as water runs over the skin. they also aid in the normal exfoliation process of the skin by washing away dead, exfoliated skin cells. facial cleansing is important to remove dirt and oil, as well as environmental pollutants like dust and cigarette smoke, and also because of we tend to put a lot of other crap on our faces like makeup. however, the skin on your face is really delicate, so it's important to remember that not all cleansers are created equally. not only do many contain irritating ingredients (most of which, designed to do things like fight acne, are totally useless in a product that simply gets washed off within a few seconds) but many also use unnecessarily harsh surfactants that can be super drying. this is especially true of bar soaps and soap-based cleansers designed for the body. while harsher surfactants are more effective at getting rid of dirt and oil, this is not usually necessary on the face. even very oily skin is usually adequately cleansed with a gentler, liquid-based cleanser (and, if necessary, an alcohol-free toner) rather than a harsher soap. bottom line: use the mildest possible cleanser you can that still gets rid of dirt and oil and makeup and to save addressing other problems (like acne) for other parts of your skin care regime.

HUM•EC•TANT ((h)yoōˈmektənt): skin stays hydrated in a couple of ways. one way is that in each skin cell are a bunch of little water soluble compounds that absorb and hold water from lower levels of skin and from the atmosphere to prevent skin from drying out. anything that performs this function is called a humectant. when there's not enough moisture in the air for your skin to absorb (such as in very cold or very hot, arrid climates), your skin can get dry because these compounds get dried up. because these babies are water-soluble, they can also be completely washed away from over-exposure to (especially hot) water (like swimming or bathing) or from washing with a too-harsh cleanser, causing dry skin and messing with your skin's ability to retain moisture on its own until those cells are exfoliated and new cells with a new batch of humectant compounds are produced. because of this, don't over-wash your face and always use lukewarm (never hot) water. humectant ingredients in skin care products hydrate your skin by mimicking the work of these compounds, drawing and holding water from the air. glycerin is the big one in this category, but other ingredients to look for in your label-scanning include propylene glycol, sorbitol, and urea. and in your kitchen, honey is also a humectant.

E•MOL•LIENT (iˈmälyənt): skin also stays hydrated with fats (lipids) and oils (sebum). the structure of skin is kind of like a brick wall, where skin cells are the bricks and the mortrar is a bunch of gooey fats and oils holding it all together. these oils repel water, which is why skin doesn't simply get soaked through (like, say, a piece of fabric does) when it gets wet. instead, what happens is that the water molecules that make it past skin's oily barrier get trapped and held tightly in this oily goo, preventing it from evaporating and keeping skin hydrated. dry skin is often a result of skin that isn't producing enough oils to keep it from drying out, and a drop in oil production is usually a result of aging. in skin care products, emollient ingredients simply mimic the oils naturally present in your skin. plants oils (and their derivatives like fatty acids and fatty alcohols) as well as ingredients like glyceryl esters are the most commonly used emollients. cleansers with emollient ingredients can help prevent skin from getting dried out when you wash it, and are good for skin that's dry because it's not producing enough oil.

OC•CLU•SION (əˈkloō zh ən): the oil in your skin also moves out through the pores to act as a barrier on the surface of skin that prevents water from evaporating into the air. this is called occlusion. all emollient ingredients act as occlusives but some skin care ingredients only work occlusively because they can't be absorbed into pores and therefore simply sit on the surface of skin. these include petrolatum (vaseline and mineral oil), silicone derivatives (cyclomethicone and dimethicone), and wax esters (such as beeswax).

NON•COM•E•DO•GEN•IC (ˌnän ˌkäməˌdōˈjenik): this is a fancy word you might see on the labels of skin care and makeup products that basically just means "won't clog pores." pores are the little openings on your skin (that are actually hair follicles) and through which oil moves out on to the surface of your skin. on some areas of skin, pores may be more visible than on others'. when too much oil is produced (usually as a result of hormones), pores can get clogged with oil. it's sort of like a traffic jam moving into a tunnel. pores can also be clogged by skin care ingredients that can penetrate them. humectant ingredients aren't oils so they won't clog pores, and these are the base for most "oil-free" moisturizers you'll see. occlusive ingredients like vaseline, while they may feel greasy, also can't be absorbed into pores and therefore are non-comedogenic as well.

BLACK•HEAD (ˈblakˌhed): blackheads look like little black dots on your skin. they're caused by a pore that is clogged by oil and by dead, exfoliated skin cells that are stuck in that oil. with a blackhead, you're dealing with a pore that's not covered by a thin layer of skin and, because of this, the dead cells get exposed to air and oxidize, causing them to turn black.

WHITE•HEAD ((h)wītˌhed): a whitehead is basically the same deal except the clog is covered by a thin layer of skin so the cells aren't exposed to air and don't change colour. the oil stays inside the clog and stretches the skin, resulting in what's more commonly referred to as a pimple or zit.

AC•NE (aknē):: while there is always some bacteria on your face, an oily skin surface is prime breeding ground for an overgrowth. this causes skin to get inflamed, resulting in red bumps or acne.


EXFOLIATING
new skin cells are created in the skin's lowest layer and eventually move up to the surface as the outermost cells die and flake off. this process is called exfoliation. because dead skin cells can make skin look dull, giving your skin a hand with regular exfoliation can help it look brighter, healthier and more youthful – especially since, as we age, the natural process of exfoliation can slow down or become uneven. exfoliation that works into the pores can also help clear out pores clogged with oil, helping with blackheads, whiteheads and acne. there are two types of exfoliation, chemical and mechanical.

CHEM•I•CAL EX•FO•LI•A•TION (ˈkemikəl eksˌfōlēˈā sh ən): for cells to be exfoliated, the glue-like substances holding cells together must be dissolved, though scientists actually aren't totally clear on how this happens naturally in the skin. they have figured out that certain types of acids (alpha- and beta-hydroxy) will help to dissolve those babies though, making it much easier for cells to flake off or be washed away. this process is called chemical exfoliation. in super high concentrations these acids are also what dermatologists use in chemical peels, but they're available in many skin care products at a small fraction of the strength. even with at-home products though, it's super important that you wear sunscreen if you are chemically exfoliating your skin because these products can leave skin up to 50% more sun-sensitive!

beta-hydroxy acids: sacicylic acid is the only BHA and it's derived from aspirin. BHAs are oil-soluble acids that can penetrate the pore and exfoliate dead skin cells built up inside. because of this, they're best for oily and acne-, whitehead- and/or blackhead- prone skin. they're especially good for acne because they also have some anti-bacterial properties. and because they're derived from aspirin, they maintain some anti-inflammatory properties, making them great for those with very inflamed acne and those with very sensitive, easily irritated skin.

alpha-hydroxy acids: AHAs are acids derived from sugarcane (glycolic acid), milk (lactic acid) or fruits (citric and maltic acids). they can't penetrate the pores so they're not good for acne or breakout-prone skin, but since they are a bit stronger than BHAs they're great for wrinkled or sun-damaged skin when breakouts aren't a concern. they also have some humectant properties, making them good for all sorts of dry skin.

ME•CHAN•I•CAL EX•FO•LI•A•TION (məˈkanikəl eksˌfōlēˈā sh ən): this is achieved by scrubbing the skin with something abrasive – either a material like a loofah or brush or with a scrub containing abrasive particles (such as almond shells, sugar or salt crystals or pumice). instead of chemically dissolving the glue-like substances holding cells together, mechanical exfoliation physically wears them away. the result is the same though – cells get released from the matrix and fall away. unfortunately, the abrasive particles in a lot of scrubs on the market are way too large and harsh and just rip up that outer layer of skin, dead and healthy cells alike, causing irritation that may or may not be visible (but that will make skin more susceptible to wrinkles in the future). granulated sugar mixed with your cleanser can make a good, gentle (and cheap!) homemade scrub. shaving also mechanically exfoliates the skin, which might be why, some people speculate, men's skin appears to age more slowly than women's.


SUN DAMAGE & WRINKLES
contrary to popular belief, wrinkles aren't caused by dry skin. but age and sun damage do cause the outer layer of skin to get thinner, making wrinkles (which actually happen in the lower layers of skin) more visible. keeping that thinning outer layer super-hydrated will keep it plumped up and reduce the appearance of fine lines a little bit. dry skin also tends to happen concurrently with wrinkles though because age and sun damage break down skin's intercellular structure, messing with skin's ability to retain moisture. bottom line: dry skin doesn't cause wrinkles, but wrinkled skin is usually dry.

COLL•A•GEN & E•LAS•TIN (ˈkäləjən & iˈlastin): the lower layer is kind of like the scaffolding of skin, and this is where collagen and elastin, proteins of connective tissue, are produced. collagen is what gives skin it's strength and firmness, and elastin gives skin its 'springiness' or elasticity and allows skin to resume its shape after you stretch it. as we age, less collagen is produced and the elastin fibers get all stretched out, just like an old elastic band. this is what causes skin to wrinkle and sag. exfoliating can help stimulate collage and elastin production and keep it humming along nicely because it just generally helps the skin function more effectively.

UVA/UVB RA•DI•A•TION (ˌrādēˈā sh ən): skin aging is natural and happens no matter what you do, but research has shown that sun damage accounts for a whopping 90% of symptoms of premature skin aging – that is, totally avoidable skin aging. this is also known as photoaging. UVB radiation from the sun affects the outer layer of skin, causing sunburns and, over time, causing skin to thin more quickly. UVB radiation is worse when sunlight is brightest, so between 10 am and 2 pm and during the summer. UVA radiation is actually a more serious contributor to sun damage, penetrating deeper and causing collagen to break down at a higher rate and doing lots of other stuff that just makes skin work less efficiently. the intensity of UVA rays is pretty constant throughout the day and year. when picking a sunscreen make sure you've got one that is formulated to protect from both UVA and UVB rays!

AGE & BEAUTY

this is pretty fucking amazing.

from last month's Paris Vogue.
(the translations are my own, so bear with me!)


From 10 to 60 Years
1 Girl... 6 Decades. The same girl, the same skin, the same hair. And yet a subtle modulation of colours and attitudes change Eniko [the model]'s age naturally and without retouching from 10 to 60 years. Just how to coach her skin to each decade? Scientific vision and expert approach to multiply her aura of seduction, year after year (< that's how you know it's French!) Photographs: Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Stylist: Carine Roitfeld, Makeup: Lisa Butler, Hair: Marc Lopez


at 10 years: "the spark of youth is intact, cells at the height of their effectiveness, the skin fresh and soft. like a beauty full of promise, to be preserved all your adult life..."


at 20 years: "no to cigarettes, yes to antioxidants"
(this is the closest to Eniko's real age -- I'm pretty sure she's 18 or 19)


at 30 years: "no to botox, yes to pro-collagen care"


at 40 years: "no to peeling, yes to the protection of stem cells"
(what does that mean???)


at 50 years: "no to silicone, yes to care that plumps up your features"
(I think that's what that says...)

I want to be 50!!


at 60 years: "no to lifting, yes to creams that redensify your skin"
from miss at la playa.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR HAIR

garance dore
I go back and forth between thinking that I want to just leave my hair alone and let it do it's thing, and thinking that changing up my hair on a weekly basis is an expression of my independence. (as I type, my hair is fire engine red.) I love to do crazy things with my hair – dying it, straightening it, curling it, pulling it up in crazy 'dos. but I also don't want my head to look or feel like a pile of hay...

taking care of your hair is all about simply (or not so simply) finding that lovely balance between making your hair look the way you want it to right now and minimizing future damage so that it will stay looking (and feeling) good until you cut it off. as you'll see below, most of the things you could ever think of doing to your hair – including just washing it and brushing it – will do some damage to it. but this doesn't mean you have to give up dying, blow drying and going outside (or washing or brushing for that matter). it's all about finding a balance between some damage and too much damage.

SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE!
your hair is primarily made up of tough, water insoluble protein materials called keratin (which is also what your fingernails and toenails are made of). the outside of each hair strand is called the cuticle, which is made up of little layers of protein all stuck together with a glue-like acid. the cuticle is a lot like shingles on a roof. these 'shingles', combined with oils in your hair, work to protect it and keep it strong. on undamaged hair, the layers of the cuticle lie flat, making the general appearance of your hair smooth and shiny. on damaged hair, the cuticle is roughed up a little as the layers have been lifted and buckled, causing hair to look frizzy.

each hair also contains water from the environment and oils from your scalp. oils lubricate hair and create a barrier that both locks in moisture (prevents water from evaporating) and protects hair from damage. how much oil is produced is determined mostly by hormones and genetics, but oil production also lessens with age.

because hair is dead as soon as it grows out of your head, it can't regenerate or fix itself, so once it's damaged, it's damaged -- despite what shampoo commercials might tell you, there is nothing you can do to fix or repair damaged hair except cut if off.

how does hair get damaged?

by pretty much everything:

1. wetting, washing and drying. every time your hair goes from wet to dry you're causing some kind of damage. water makes hair swell up and if you immediately dry it, it quickly contracts, causing the cuticles to lift and buckle. washing your hair with any kind of shampoo also strips some of its natural oils, which protect it from damage.

2. heat styling. heat styling breaks down the glue-like acid that holds together the protein layers of the cuticles, making it a whole lot easier for the layers to lift and buckle and leaving hair especially susceptible to damage. heat applied directly to hair also boils off the water inside each hair. it

3. chemical breakage caused by processes like colouring, bleaching, perming or relaxing. these processes all cause the protein layers of the cuticle to lift and buckle.

4. physical breakage. same deal here as with chemical breakage. physical breakage can be caused by teasing your hair, scrubbing your hair too hard when shampooing or towel-drying, over-brushing your hair, or wearing tight ponytails or twists.

5. sun damage. the beauty brains have an excellent post up about sun damage, which is actually the least serious form of hair damage considering all the other crazy crap we do to it!

6. your age, genetics and your hair's natural texture. you've got to work with what you've got, and some hair is just naturally more susceptible to damage. melanin (which gives your hair pigment) also helps protect hair, and because grey/white hairs (and bleached hairs) have little or no melanin, they tend to be a bit frizzier and drier. curly or kinky hair is also more prone to damage because of the way it bends, making it drier and frizzier as well.

3 SIMPLE RULES FOR HEALTHY-LOOKING HAIR

1. wash it less often. once or twice a week should be fine, and try to avoid getting your hair wet more often than that as well (use a shower cap when you shower). use baby powder or a dry shampoo at the roots and comb through to absorb excess oil between washes. when you do wash it, use a simple moisturizing (for dry or treated hair) or clarifying (for all other hair types) shampoo (more on choosing a shampoo) and let it slowly air dry as often as you can.

2. disguise damage with conditioners. you can't fix damaged hair, but you can make it temporarily look and feel healthier. get split ends trimmed regularly and condition when you wash (plain old pure olive oil and coconut oil have been shown to be the best at penetrating hair). leave-in conditioners (best for dry or treated hair) or their lighter synthetic counterparts, silicone-based serums (best for all other hair types) smoothed on to dry hair will slick down those roughed up cuticles and temporarily make them smooth and flat.

3. minimize future damage. the best thing you could do would be to just work with your hair's natural colour and texture... of course, that's can be rather limiting. colouring, perming or relaxing hair will damage it no matter what you do, but you can minimize heat damage while you're styling: leave-in conditioners or silicone serums used before you pull out the blow dryer or straightener can provide an emollient barrier and help protect your hair. also avoid scrubbing, tugging, pulling, and twisting your hair as much as you can. and give thanks that teasing went out with the 80s.

BACHELOR FEMME'S REALLY SIMPLE GUIDE TO JUST-FUCKED HAIR

1. do your hair
2. fuck, with partner(s) or solo
3. leave the house

also good for:
your complexion (who needs blush)
your overall constitution

HOW TO WALK IN HEELS

shoe porn from jak & jil
walking in heels is one of those shows of femme heroics that still always leaves me in awe. running for the subway in stilettos without breaking your legs (or face) or even looking mildly uncomfortable ought to be an olympic sport.

but before you can run, you have to walk. and before you can walk (or run!) in heels, you have to practice. what, you thought having a vagina meant that shit comes naturally? 'fraid not. or maybe you're terrified to put on a pair of heels, or traumatized by the last time you wore heels when you fell flat on your face in front of a roomful of people. ahem.

or maybe you can walk in heels, just not very well. if that's you, you wouldn't be alone. stand back on the sidewalk on the club strip of your city on a saturday night and watch the parade of heeled ladies stomp, clomp and wobble by. look only from the waist up – can you tell which ones are wearing heels? the one's who've got it down, on the other hand, will look effortless, relaxed and comfortable and will glide by.

OK now, just for fun, head to a drag club and just see if any of the drag queens are stomping or wobbling. probably not.

but if you don't have a drag queen friend to consult, here's a rough guide to walking in heels.

1. buy (or borrow or steal) a pair of heels
ok, you knew that already. not just any old pair of heels though. although you may love those patent leather strappy stiletto stripper shoes, these are not beginner heels, and if you can't stand (let alone walk) in them they might as well stay on the shelf. (dancing and stripping in those things should also be an olympic sport.) some heels are easier to walk in than others, and some heels are way, way easier to walk in than others. here are some high heel baby steps for you:

height: this is both the simplest and the most obvious one: the higher the shoe, the more potentially pain inducing it will be. it's not only about losing your balance though. what you really want to look at is the angle of the slope from toe to heel -- the more intense that angle, the more pressure and weight is going to be put on the ball of your foot. this is why a 5" platform with only a slight slope might be a lot more comfortable than a 3" pump.

type of shoe: boots are way easier to walk in than shoes and are a really good place to start if you've never worn heels before. by the same principle, shoes with an ankle strap are easier to walk in than shoes without one (and they're also always preferable for anything active, like dancing).

type of heel: the skinnier the heel, the more difficult it is. wedges are usually easiest, followed by chunky heels, then standard heels, and finally (gulp) stilettos (which are still uncharted territory for me).

2. put them on and stand up straight
for me, wearing heels is a constant reminder to be conscious of my posture. think about making yourself as tall as possible -- that's what heels are for anyway, right? (well, that and making your legs look fabulous.) throw your shoulders down and back and push out your chest. not in a playboy bunny kinda way (unless that's what you're going for, then by all means), more in a I'm-fabulous-and-confident kind of way. chin up, eyes forward. and you're ready to walk.

3. ok, now walk
heel first, then toe and put one foot in front of the other as if you're trying to walk a straight line. take shorter steps than you would in flats, and go slowly! you're not on a catwalk (unless you are, then by all means.)

4. shake it baby
you know in the winter when the sidewalks are all icy how everyone seems to stomp just a little bit? that's because no one's sure on their feet. the same goes for heels. you probably feel a little off balance, or like you could lose it at any moment, so you unconsciously tense up through the hips, ass and inner thighs. and hence, you stomp. instead, while you're walking, focus on relaxing all over but especially through the thighs and hips. when you do this, you'll notice that you shimmy a little -- sway, strut, shake that ass. don't curb it, that's what the heels are for!

5. practice!



troubleshooting

wobbly ankles: try to relax through the whole leg. if they're still wobbly, try a different shoe, like one with an ankle strap and/or a lower heel, or stick to heeled boots for a while.

blisters, callouses and foot pain: ok, it's going to happen. you knew it would. but that's ok, right? otherwise you'd just be wearing sensible shoes. the first line of defense against is to get the most comfortable heels you can find (there is such a thing) and to get a pair that fits. even then though, especially if you're wearing your heels all day, you may end up in some pain. there are some things you can do. dr. scholls makes these nifty gel pads you can slip in to the toes and heels of your shoes (and they're clear so they won't even show... especially not while you're wearing the shoes). these lessen the impact of your foot when you're walking which is good for every part of you. you can also get products like moleskin to treat blisters and prevent them. also: work in your shoes. wear them around the house (good practice, too) before you say, wear them to a six hour wedding (learned that one the hard way).

slippery soles: put a little bit of double sided tape on the soles of those things to get a bit more grip


they aren't for everyone, but I find that putting on a fabulous pair of heels can instantly transform me into a much more fabulous, confident version of myself. plus they instantly glam up any outfit, do wonders for your legs, and give you at least a few extra inches to work with.

now get out there and strut!