dappled leaves

I've always loved oxfords and had, for years, been meaning to get a black pair that didn't give too much of a 'school shoe' vibe.

'But isn't this a review about white oxfords?' you ask.

Well, yes, we're getting there. It's just that I cannot seem to write a concise review of anything without going into a detailed story of how I came to purchase the thing in the first place. I did say this was going to be a diary-like blog.

These shoes had been on and off my mind for a couple of years before I finally took the plunge in early February. I first saw them on some blog, touted as Serge Gainsbourg's shoes of choice (see below). I'm the sort of person who likes to look into the history of the things I buy, particularly if they're very expensive like these shoes are, so them having ties to such figures appealed to me. Back then, however, I was still looking for something more structured and sturdy-looking - something hardier that would give a more men's officewear, ready-for-a-meeting-in-a-big-law-firm kind of vibe.




While I'm still attracted to that aesthetic, in the past year I have, for various reasons that I may go into in a future post, come to embrace a softer, more 'feminine' look.

These Repetto Zizis came back on my radar: the soft lines, the rather rounded toes, the unstructured leather that moulds to your feet, even the light, airy white colour all seemed very attractive to me now. I searched around some more and found 1. very little reviews on them, which didn't endear me to purchasing such pricey shoes online before I could see them in real life at all, and 2. lots of pictures of ex-Girl's Generation member Jessica Jung wearing them in airport photos, which did endear me to buying them for myself. This kind of celebrity endorsement really speaks to me, and gave me a lot of ideas about how I could incorporate white oxfords into my closet, which now meant that I needed a pair.

My earlier point still stood - I didn't want to buy online, especially after hearing that Repetto shoes run half a size small for some people but not for others - but I passed a Repetto store near my hotel by chance when I was in Hong Kong and went back the next day for a pair.

Sizing
I'm normally a US size 8, and size 38 or 39 depending on the brand. For this pair though - I had to size up to 40. The shop assistant recommended me to go one full size up, and insisted that size 40 was the correct size after I had put it on. I was undeterred, feeling it was a little roomy, and asked for a size 39.5 to try just to make sure. It was a little too tight, and I'd wasted too much time with trying to stretch those just-that-tiniest-bit-too-tight leather shoes in the past, so I ended up getting size 40 instead and have been happy with my decision.

tl;dr go one size up from your usual size

Quality and Comfort
The leather is pretty much the softest leather I've ever felt on shoes. This means that it's incredibly comfortable but the shape of your foot will show underneath. Before buying, I felt this might be a con, but I now don't really care both because of how comfortable this makes the shoes and how it adds this charming insouciant vibe to a style of shoe that is normally very structured. And guys - it's so soft.

The white leather has so far been quite easy to keep clean - a couple of swipes with a piece of cloth and marks are usually gone. Nonetheless, I've mostly worn them indoors in malls and restaurants and such, so perhaps I am not the best judge for this.

In comparison to other oxfords on the market, this pair initially felt a bit flimsy for the price. I've worn it regularly for a month or so, and I have to say - it feels that way while you're wearing them too. The stitching seems impeccable and it's not as if I'm worried it's going to fall apart while I'm walking in them, but the sole feels cardboard-thin, probably due to the brand's origins in ballet shoes. There is a small heel at the back and that feels very sturdy, but the rest of the sole is the type where you can really feel the ground you're walking on. It's not a big problem for me because I'm usually walking on flat, smooth ground but it is something to take note of, especially if you're going to be walking around on, say, cobblestone. This can probably be alleviated by having a cobbler put some rubber soles on the bottom, which will extend the life of the shoe as well, but so far I've been too lazy to do so.

These shoes also have basically no arch support, but I have very low arches so they're comfortable for me on that front. It's probably not suitable for walking around in all day long, but I've walked in them for 2-3 hour stretches at a time and my feet felt perfectly fine.

Overall
They're a great pair of shoes and I love them, though moreso for the look than the comfort, which is average. The colour was a worry of mine, but I realised they would be quite versatile - they can work with outfits you might normally wear your usual staple white sneakers with, and also with outfits where the aforementioned sneakers would be a little too casual for. They add quite a lot of brightness to my outfits, but in a very understated, nonchalant way. I've had a lot of compliments on them - they really do stand out despite the clean simplicity of the design. It feels like a modern update of a classic staple, and I'm so glad I got them despite my initial reservations.

A side note - I had also decided against Nisolo's Oliver oxfords for the same reason I initially dismissed these Repetto Zizis but, again for most of the same reasons I ended up buying these, I've really come around to them. These black ones might be my next shoe purchase.

I'm living in Southeast Asia so honestly, it's always summer here. But I still want to retain some semblance of living in a four-season climate, if only for the sake of nostalgia. After all, part of why living in such places was so enjoyable for me was the marked change of the season throughout the year, as opposed to feeling like you're living through only three 'seasons' - hot, hotter, and hottest.

Because I do intend on introducing at least some of these items into my wardrobe over the next month or so, these are all items of clothing that are feasible, hopefully both stylistically as well as practically, for wearing in warm weather.

1. Pinafore
The younger sister of the slip dress, the pinafore gives a very schoolgirl vibe and reminds me a little of my boarding school's winter uniform, but that's exactly why it's so charming. I've been lusting over one for ages - I saw some corduroy pinafores in Oasis back when I was living in London, and managed to put them out of my mind until I met up with a friend who was wearing the emerald green one I wanted and she looked so good. But by that time, they were, of course, sold out.

I've thought about being adventurous and dabbling with colours - sage green, for example, or blush pink, or burgundy - but I think I'll end up adding a black one to my wardrobe. This look from Sézane may or may not have been the deciding factor.



I realise that the whole French-girl-effortless-chic thing does not actually exist and is just a marketing schtick, but damn if I don't buy into it. And really, look at how softly sophisticated, nonchalantly elegant this whole outfit is.

This exact one is no longer in stock, but this one from Olive, although it looks a lot more loose-fitting, should do the trick. I'm still tempted by the sage green one though.

2. Light-coloured oversized blazer
I bought my first grey checked blazer from Zara over two years ago, before the look really took off and started taking over Instagram. Now that I'm living in a hot country, I'm craving something lighter, both in colour and material. Something that will keep the chill of those perpetually-running air conditioners off my body, but will look casual enough and not out of place in the tropical climate outside.

This beige one from Olive looks perfect. I'm in love with the oversized dropped shoulders, and those elbow patches! Heart-eyes all round. I'm drawn to the vintagey style of this trench too, but let's be real - I'm never gonna get to wear that here.

Before someone calls me a shill for Olive, let me just preface (postface?) this by saying I've bought exactly one top from there and I didn't like it. But there's something about that clean, slightly vintage English countryside aesthetic that really draws me in, and that might be enough for me to try my luck there again.

3. High-waisted, menswear-inspired trousers
If this sounds somewhat specific, that's probably because it is. I'm on r/femalefashionadvice quite a lot, and u/coffee_for_dinner (whose style I love!) posts some outfits in WAYWT wearing these incredible trousers with amazing pleats. Turns out they're part of Topshop's 'Mensy' range, and there are some amazing colours and patterns and materials in that range. I've already ordered these beautiful check ones (although they look more like gingham to me), which I'm thinking will go great will a black mockneck sleeveless top and some oxfords.



4. Loose linen trousers
Preferably paperbag style. I've recently bought these wide-legged muted pink trousers from Zara and, not to exaggerate, but they've been a bit life-changing. Prior to last month, the widest-leg I've gone for has been mom jeans. I've seen the rise of culottes over the past couple of years but have never gone for it myself, more comfortable in my skinny jeans and a skinny-bottom silhouette. But these really just look so good, so casual yet sophisticated, and are so easy to wear. I'm now in the market for some linen ones to really get that beachy, flowy summer vibes.

Zara has some new wide-leg ones in, but the length is a bit too long for me and the waist perhaps too sleek. I'm really liking the look of these off-white pinstripe ones from Uniqlo, and also this mustard coloured one. The legs of these boyfriend ones from notPERFECTLINEN are a little more tapered, but that paperbag, high-waisted style is to die for. And that forest green colour? Those pleats at the top? The ethos of the store? This might be the one for me.



5. Raffia bag
This is, as they say, the other Birkin, bag. That exact style is probably a little too inconvenient for everyday, though that's probably the vibe a straw bag is meant to give - you live a life of such luxury and leisure that what would be inconvenient to others mean nothing to you. This one from UO is so so cute, and Sézane has some cute lemon-embroidered ones that are now sold out. This basket one from Zara is adorably quaint and would look just as good on a desk as it would being used as a bag to be honest. Everyone has probably already seen this, but I'm just gonna link this amazing cage bag here. I also saw this envelope-style bag in store and fell in love.

Regardless of all these cute bags online, if I do get this, I'm probably not going to buy it from a major retailer - seeing as I do live in a country that has traditionally made and used these bags, I might drag myself off my laptop, head to a local market, and go pick one up from there instead.

The Céline Trio bag has been something of a revelation. Endlessly functional and beautifully pared-down - it's the epitome of minimal luxury. As a fan of the Phoebe Philo's Céline minimalist aesthetic, I'd been eyeing the Trio for a while, but never pulled the trigger. There were so many lookalikes on the high street, and I'd succumbed to this & Other Stories one, which had me satiated. It made me realise that the slim rectangular design was nice, yes, but it bulged unflatteringly when I stuffed too many things in the two compartments (to be fair, I brought it travelling which meant I had more 'essentials' than usual) and the leather was... eh.

Then I walked past the Céline store at Selfriges, where they had three Trios hanging from a rack. I was drawn to the gorgeous muted grey-blue that reminded me of the sky before rain at first, and then when I went to touch it... you guys. It was the softest leather, so lush - I couldn't stop touching it. When I went home to sleep on it, though, it was the sunny yet slightly mustardy yellow colourway that I couldn't get out of my mind.

I bought it a couple of weeks later in France. I've been using it non-stop since I bought it in October, and I'm only giving it a break now so I can make use of the rest of my bag collection. I've been using it long enough that I think I have a pretty good indication of its merits, its faults, how it will hold up, all that jazz.




DESIGN
This small Céline Trio is composed of three separate pouches connected by press studs at the top corner of each pouch. The bag's dimensions are 8.5' x 6' x 2'. The press studs turned me off a little at first because I was worried the bag might be too easy to take apart, but they turned out to be very tight. It's difficult enough to remove the pouches from one another that you don't have to be concerned about one of the pouches spontaneously falling off from the rest of the bag.

The strap is sewn into the edges of the middle pouch and honestly, it seemed a little fragile at first but ended up being surprisingly sturdy. The strap is long enough that you can wear it crossbody, although I personally feel that it looks best worn over-the-shoulder. Still, the versatility is good, especially if you're walking through a busy area or one known for having bag-snatchers.

This might be a bit of a weird quibble, but I also prefer bags that lie flat, like this one - I often put my handbag behind me on a chair or on my lap when I'm eating out, and I hate it when bags jut out, whether at the bottom or due to the hardware, and take up unnecessary space. It's why I haven't gotten much use out of the Céline Trapeze, which I bought about a year before this. Conversely, it's also probably why I carry the Trio around so much.

Because this bag is so minimal in design, I think it's good for both day and night. It's simple enough that it looks good with your daytime clothes, but the clean design means it works with fancier outfits too. Because the pouches are removable, you also have the options of just carrying one pouch around, or removing the front and the back pouches and snapping them together, and then carrying it like that.




FUNCTIONALITY
For most of last year, I had very little to carry around and was living a climate that generally required a light jacket, so the Chanel WOC was my go-to bag as whatever I couldn't fit in the bag could just go into my jacket pockets. However, the Trio came into my life at a time when I started carrying more around and it was the perfect upgrade in size. This bag is like Hermione's handbag - you can fit so much more into this bag than you would ever think. The bag itself is also very light to start off with, so you're never weighted down no matter what you fill it with.

The downside to that, though, lies in the design of the bag. The things you put in there obviously end up at the bottom of the bag, and because of the design, this means the bag will often bulge out at the bottom. It's not quite so noticeable when only the middle pouch is filled out, but when all three are, the seamless, unfussy shape of the bag is somewhat undermined. If this is something that bothers you, you can negate this simply by putting lessening the amount of things in the bag, and limiting the bulkiness of the items you carry around.

This might not be relevant to many, but I also use quite a lot of public transport and something that just makes my life that little bit easier are bags that are accessible. To me, this means bags that have a pouch on the back, like a Chanel WOC, where I can put my travel card in or bags like this Trio that simply has a zipper on the top, making it so much quicker to find my card or ticket. The fact that I don't have to fuss around with annoying buckles during those rush-hour moments and can simply reach into a pocket for my card without having to look is something small that truly makes a difference for me. It's gotten to the point where I do plan what bag I will use around this, and is part of why the Trio has become such a go-to for me.




QUALITY
The Trio is very well-made, as should be expected for the price. The construction is perfect, the stitching is very well-done. The smooth lambskin leather is so, so very soft. This is both a positive and a negative, in my opinion. It was the superior quality of the leather compared to all alternatives, plus the beautiful colour, that made me buy this bag. Nevertheless, this is one of the biggest downsides of the Trio.

I tend to baby my bags when I first get them, but even so, this one got quite a deep scratch in the middle from the zipper of my coat in the first couple of weeks. I intentionally tried to keep it away from the zipper for fear of this very thing happening, but it somehow did anyway. The softness also means that the front pouch tends to show the silhouette of whatever you're carrying inside. It's quite easy for the leather mould to the shape of the item inside if it's sticking out. For this reason, I wouldn't say it's the most durable of bags, and with the creasing and wrinkles that accompany standard usage of this bag, it will look worn-in very quickly.

I also have to say that the back of the bag has been experienced staining from the dye of my pants. This is something I should have expected, but it's quite disappointing nonetheless and has made the back pouch look extremely worn. If I were to buy this again, I can't say I would necessarily choose a darker colour, since it was this yellow that I fell in love with. I will, however, say that if you don't already have your heart set on a colour, definitely go for one of the darker ones.

OVERALL
This is one of my favourite bags, and definitely my current favourite. I might also be a little biased because I have great memories attached to this bag - I bought it on a really great trip, and used it for the first time on a first date with someone I'm still seeing. But it's honestly very useable, which is the primary function of bags. I never have to spend too much effort rearranging things so that it will all fit - they simply do. The design is very versatile and I can carry it in so many ways. It doesn't get in the way, like bigger bags that have to be hand-carried can sometimes can. The colour never fails to brighten up my day. All in all, a lovely, lovely bag.

This colour is no longer available but you can browse the other colours and sizes here.