the gladiators

Damn I love a gladiator sandal.

Free People Cypress gladiators

These are the Cypress gladiator sandals from Free People, which carries a bunch of appealing gladiator styles, if you’re on the hunt. This was the year I finally found the knee-high gladiator. No support in the footbed so some kind of supplemental padding is in order, at least for me, but I’m pleased with their badassness overall.

Free People Cypress gladiators

What is it about the gladiator? The ancient Greece connection, for sure. Basically those statues in the MFA? That’s exactly how I want to dress. Actually literally exactly. Sometimes.

Then there’s the encasement of the foot and possibly also leg, which can be pleasantly intricate or, equally pleasantly, simple, all while conforming to the shape of the foot (not masking or disguising the silhouette of the human foot but still enhancing it). The classic natural leather (or, these days, at least made to look natural). This kind of timeless design is invariably versatile, easily holding its own in a much more formal context. I don’t think I care about that, though…I just like them.

Have you seen designs from the brand Ancient Greek Sandals? Fantasy sandals.

[Then, also, Scandal.]

Free People Cypress gladiators

theseventhsphinx

Often I think my profile looks bizarre, I think because I hardly ever see it. Strange how different a face can look when you just shift the angle a little.

theseventhsphinx fotd

Quick face breakdown: Kjaer Weis Desired Glow cream blush (love), Becca shimmering skin perfector in Opal (also love, but I like a lot of other highlighters as well. I love highlighter. I should write a post about that…), Benefit Gimme Brow, Milani blush in Luminoso (a little too shimmery for some purposes but a lovely peachy coral, famously popular in the youtube/bloglands), Charlotte Tilbury Color Chameleon in Amber Haze (so easy to work with, a great eye crayon), MAC Cream in Your Coffee lipstick (a new one, so good! My new favorite neutral, more mauve than I expected it would be from swatches), Koh Gen Do Aqua foundation (so, so good for a natural, light-medium coverage, only detectable where my skin was too dry), Charlotte Tilbury pressed powder. I’m late to the powder party but I believe in the power of powder now. I still don’t always wear it, but I believe.

Oh! And a few individual lashes (Ardell, short bunches), which, at least in person, make a massive difference. Kind of a pain at my bottom-rung lash application experience level, but they make a difference.

Free People Cypress gladiators

From the front, though!

Express hi-rise cutoffs, Madewell belt, Skagen watch, Free People sandals, the wooden earrings I think from a street vendor? Other stuff thrifted. A peasant blouse that isn’t too…forced, is hard to find, but so worth it when you do.

This look is quintessential summer to me: white shirt, jean shorts, great sandals, minimal accessories.

Free People Cypress gladiators, summer essentials

Skagen watch theseventhsphinx

Love how mannish this watch, yet not comically oversized on my in fact not-really-that-small wrist. I am often wearing one Skagen watch or another.

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the beachy nymph

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I was determined to wear a garland before the summer was out.

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This kind of easy, beachy look is a good example of a summer uniform for me: bikini top, loose sleeveless thing over top (if there can be an ancient Athenian garb situation going on, so much the better), trusty gladiators, piles of rings and bracelets, tote-scale bag.

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This is a simple, no makeup makeup look, using a few new favorites and a few old favorites. Bioderma Photoderm, a tinted moisturizer/spf,  is very sheer and natural, a bit like Origins VitaZing in texture. There is a regular (untinted) version that is also really nice, lovely texture. MAC Huggable lipcolor in Love Beam (already sold out it seems, quelle surprise), much blotted, Tarte cheek stain in Blissful, a peachy pink that adds instant freshness to the face (mine is so well used nearly all the text has worn off, and this is the old packaging because these things last forever). Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer, my current favorite highlighter, which is saying a lot given the formidable competition, which competition includes this MAC bronzing powder Nude on Board (also sold out but available here). More on highlighters soon.

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American Apparel drawstring dress, garland from Etsy, Seafolly Neo Tribe bikini (new, really incredibly tiny on the bottom, Brazilian-style, I like. Not looking like it’s going to see a beach this summer, unfortunately), French market basket, Ray Ban aviators.

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