Classic Black

Our shoes may have an organic look and feel, but they can easily dress up and look sharp.  Here are our Middle English and New Mexican looking ready for just about anything.

Summer Has Arrived in Aurora

I don't know if there's anything more relaxing than a summer night on the lake with a small camp fire and a couple of acoustic instruments making soft music in perfect harmony.  Photo shoots are always fun, but this one was a real treat.  Jordan and Stephanie brought their guitar and mandolin along and the young (and recently married!) couple made sweet music while I snapped away.  Here are a few favorites...

This is summer in Aurora.  Where are your Aurora's taking YOU these days?

Winter Sun

Living in upstate New York requires an open mind and lots of layers.  Summers are hot and muggy, thanks to the beautiful lakes that surround us on all sides, and it's common to see snow on Halloween and then rain on Christmas.  We thaw out around March, but April can sometimes bring a snow that covers everything but the pretty little daffodils.  You just never know...

A few weeks ago, after plenty of snow and cold weather, we were lucky enough to get a 60 degree day on the weekend after Christmas.  It took a little magic, but we pulled together a quick photo shoot and the results are worth sharing.  Can you see the winter sun shining on everything?

Flax + Leather =

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get away with doing something super fun and legitimately calling it work.  These photos document a day I like to think of as "Playing Dress-up with Friends".  Ever since our magazine feature, I've been wanting to put together some photos to highlight one of my favorite local shops, a Flax, linen, etc. consignment shop called Dinosaur Dry Goods.  My friend, Bird, and her husband, Raph have been putting Jackie's clothes and our shoes together with beautiful results for years, so it was a great excuse to get together and get creative for the sake of some fresh photos.  

I'll be sharing more shots from our day together, both on our website and Facebook page, but for now, and in honor of what feels like the end of warm weather in upstate New York, I'll start with the summery stuff.  Jackie's collection of Dinosaur Dry Goods is constantly changing, but if you like what you see, you can check in and see what's new on a regular basis here. 

New Mexican Sandals

When the weather is hot and you're on your feet a lot, there's nothing better than a simple and practical pair of sandals to get you through the day.  Our handmade leather sandals form to your feet and provide a high quality flexible sole for the comfort and support your feet are begging for. 

American Made Award

We are thrilled to be in the running for a Martha Stewart American Made Award.  Voting started yesterday and is ongoing through September 13th.  Each person who registers is given 6 votes per day.  We'd appreciate your support.   View our American Made profile, and please feel free to share!

NorthernGRADE Photos

Dave and Andrea have had a great weekend at NorthernGRADE, the 100% American Made pop-up market in Minneapolis.  Dave has been uploading photos to our Facebook page throughout the weekend.  It looks like an amazing venue and a really inspiring group of vendors.  Take a peek!

Handmade Love: Wolfie and the Sneak Fabric on Spoonflower

This is just to say that I LOVE my handmade and artist designed wolfie and the sneak dress.  Check her fabric designs on Spoonflower.  Renee's designs are funky and fun, and the organic knit has a nice weight and drape.  She sent me this dress just because we were Twitter friends and when she tweeted about sharing some sample garments, I was fast enough to say, "I'll take it!".  Sharing for the sake of sharing always wins points in my book.  Do you use Spoonflower?  I'm no designer, but the creative juices are flowing...

Plain T-shirt Love

This post is for all of you men out there.  Simple staples are always stylish.  Let Jace, of Plain T-shirt (who happens to wear our shoes) show you the way... 

Meet the Neighbors - Petrune

At the Aurora Shoe Company, we passionately support small business and handmade and local goods. As a visitor of our blog, we thought that you might feel the same way. In our Meet the Neighbors series we're featuring businesses and people who reflect our own values and whom we feel lucky to call neighbors and friends.

It's hard to know where to even begin with Petrune.  Their store front on the Ithaca Commons is an eclectic mix of vintage and vintage inspired clothing from every decade.  They carry all things fashionable, from hundred-year-old evening wear to neon shades from the 1980s.  Walking into their shop is such a visual treat.  Garments and accessories are grouped by style and color with well curated vignettes all around the store.  The first floor is dedicated primarily to women's fashion, but there is a solid selection of mens wear on the second floor along with a growing collection of vinyl. 

I stopped by Petrune a couple of weeks ago and had so much fun working with their friendly and stylish staff.   Local folks should stop in and peruse the racks, but long distance friends can find plenty of Petrune goodness at their ever changing Etsy shop. 

After taking a few minutes to photograph the space, I spent some time with models, Angelina and Eleanor to capture a few looks that the Petrune staff pulled together for our shoot.  I like the way that these outfits and our shoes came together and really dig the funky vintage meets classic handmades vibe.

Not content to keep things reasonable, Eleanor and I ventured out onto a rooftop and accidentally found ourselves locked out for a few minutes.  The weather was bearable in jeans and a sweater, but poor Elanor was ridiculously under dressed. 

Can't you just feel the energy in these photos?  She is such a good sport!

I love Petrune and all that they have to offer.  As if the vintage, vintage inspired, and handmades already in the shop weren't enough, I'm thrilled to see that they're coming out with their own gorgeous new line of vintage inspired clothing under the Petrunia label.  You can follow Petrune on Facebook for updates and promotions.  With so many unique items, it's also a great way to see what's new.

Thanks, Ladies, for a fun day and some great photos.  I'll be sure to stop in the next time I'm on the Commons!