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Interestingly, I've noticed that in the UK and Ireland, "pump" means "flat" and "court" means closed-toe dress shoe without straps. They don't have a word equivalent to the "dressy heels" US usage of "pump" (Merriam-Webster dates this entry to 1555, so perhaps we've simply clung to an older one), because sandals and peep-toes and MJs aren't courts, and heeled courts and mary janes aren't pumps... etc. So these first two shoes which I desire:
are "jazz pumps" in the UK (L, Office's Jazz Pump) or "jazz flats" in the US (2nd, Penny Loves Kenny's Bossanova). And obviously the name comes because they look just like jazz dancing shoes - flexible flat-soled black leather oxfords with a pointed toe. In the same trend, these two expensive pairs of Jeffrey Campbell shoes (both from modcloth.com): heeled brogues (still vaguely oxfordish) and flat two-tone wingtips. I want them both and can't afford either.
A bit earlier this winter, Sugar's Graphic Boot (L) was just about all I could think about. I fell hard for that bright printed canvas motorcycle boot/sneaker hybrid look - casual and cute and best of all, colourful! But the interest waned a little, and then I saw these wrinkly button ankle boots by Blowfish (R, from delias.com), which combine that idea with some other trends for a supremely cute effect. Goodbye, Sugar. Hello, Blowfish.
These bright spring flats aren't pumps in the US because they're flat; the silver ones (by ellos.fi) are either peep-toe slingbacks or sandals depending whether you look at the positive or negative space, as it were. The canvas ones (Skechers Cali Knockouts Caballero - man, these guys name their shoes like crazy rockstars name their kids. Or like pompous nobility name their kids) are definitely just peep-toe flats, I'd say.
Finally, two pairs of lightweight cotton mary janes. MJ flats seem to be experiencing a surge, riding in as expected as variants of the tremendous ballet flat wave. Rocket Dog's playful Shuffle (L, from shuh.com - possibly only available in Europe?) is all floral, which is seasonally appropriate and currently trendy, but Sugar's Fortune Cookie (R) is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the classic black Chinese cotton MJ, which I think is actually even cuter.
are "jazz pumps" in the UK (L, Office's Jazz Pump) or "jazz flats" in the US (2nd, Penny Loves Kenny's Bossanova). And obviously the name comes because they look just like jazz dancing shoes - flexible flat-soled black leather oxfords with a pointed toe. In the same trend, these two expensive pairs of Jeffrey Campbell shoes (both from modcloth.com): heeled brogues (still vaguely oxfordish) and flat two-tone wingtips. I want them both and can't afford either.
A bit earlier this winter, Sugar's Graphic Boot (L) was just about all I could think about. I fell hard for that bright printed canvas motorcycle boot/sneaker hybrid look - casual and cute and best of all, colourful! But the interest waned a little, and then I saw these wrinkly button ankle boots by Blowfish (R, from delias.com), which combine that idea with some other trends for a supremely cute effect. Goodbye, Sugar. Hello, Blowfish.
These bright spring flats aren't pumps in the US because they're flat; the silver ones (by ellos.fi) are either peep-toe slingbacks or sandals depending whether you look at the positive or negative space, as it were. The canvas ones (Skechers Cali Knockouts Caballero - man, these guys name their shoes like crazy rockstars name their kids. Or like pompous nobility name their kids) are definitely just peep-toe flats, I'd say.
Finally, two pairs of lightweight cotton mary janes. MJ flats seem to be experiencing a surge, riding in as expected as variants of the tremendous ballet flat wave. Rocket Dog's playful Shuffle (L, from shuh.com - possibly only available in Europe?) is all floral, which is seasonally appropriate and currently trendy, but Sugar's Fortune Cookie (R) is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the classic black Chinese cotton MJ, which I think is actually even cuter.
