How Rachel Zoe Is Making It Totally Acceptable to Wear Uggs to Work

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J.Crew Ankle Strap Raffia Platforms

You know we love raffia, but who doesn't?! This pair takes raffia to a whole other level with these discounted, platform raffia heels! J.Crew is my new favorite place to shop for closet essentials because they often do sales and discounts on their items. These $159 platforms are sure to be a summer staple even outside of wedding season!

J.Crew Made In Italy Satin Heels

These Italian-made luxury satin heeled are great if you plan to go with a darker ensemble for any weddings with a black dress. On the website it even says, "This strappy pair is ideal for wedding dance floors and date nights alike." Well you head it straight from J.Crew themselves! Grab these luxurious heels while they're still on sale for 40% off!

Reformation Wade Kitten Heel

I absolutely adore these sweet kitten heels from the one-and-only Reformation! These stain kitten heels with an adorable bow on the front are the perfect option for wedding season that will go with so many dresses. I also like how they're paired with the jeans and sweater above for styling outside of wedding season. You will definitely get a lot of wear out of thees. And because they're a lower kitten heel, they're going to be sooo comfortable and able to wear for hours at a time!

Target Antonette Heels

Looking for shoes that scream spring while also are under $50? Look no further! Target has the best options for finding affordable shoes that are still comfortable and fashionable! I can picture these stunning, floral heels on the dance floor at any wedding styled perfectly with a sweet floral dress to match. Adding to cart ASAP!

Reformation Wilder Slingback

Another raffia pick but this time in my favorite form; slingback! Slingbacks especially when paired with a kitten heel tend to be sooo much more comfortable than a typical heel because they offer more support and less height. Catch these at a wedding or paired with a super cute mini dress on a summer day.

Steve Madden Drew Slingback Heels

Opting for a darker shoe, these velvet and gold heels give me all the YSL vibes at a much cheaper price. Wearing these with a black long, fitted dress would look so sophisticated and up-scale. Steve Madden truly knows how to do shoes well!

Banana Republic Butter Yellow Sandal

Everyone's been talking about the butter yellow trend and what better than butter yellow sandals?! To achieve maximum comfort when it comes to wedding shoes, kitten heels or sandals are the way to go. These scrappy sandals look so luxurious and high fashion; exactly what Banana Republic's specialty is. But at a more achievable price-point!

Reformation Sienna Heeled Sandal

In every summer wardrobe, you need a strappy basic pair of heels like this pair. They do a great job of elongating your legs and flattering your outfit. I promise, you will get sooo much wear out of theses, and they're sure to match any of your wedding guest outfit options.

Jeffrey Campbell Gratis Mule

These vintage-inspired mules are everywhere at the moment! They're currently trending on social media and we understand why! I love that they look like vintage Prada heels that were popular around the late 90's and early 2000's. I think they would make an adorable pairing for a wedding guest outfit.

Larroude Flower Sandal

Larroude is one of my favorite brands because their shoes are always incredibly unique always have a fun twist! I own multiple pairs of shoes from them and they're comfortable meets chic! Style these with a simple outfit and let them have a moment of their own.

How long have the Sambas been around?

The history of the Adidas Sambas can be traced back to 1950's according to their website. On their blog they say, "Contrary to popular belief, the Samba was not initially created for the World Cup or directly inspired by the Brazilian dance form. Instead, it emerged from a football game in 1950s Germany, where its exceptional performance on icy pitches earned it the nickname 'Samba.'" These iterations of the sneaker came with different features to allow for better function, movement, and mobility for the football players (pictured above in the 1972 re-edition).

How long have Gazelles been around?

Whether for street style or street training, Gazelles have been used by so many over the years. While many people think they date back to the 1970's as a training shoe, their history goes back even further to the 1960's. The Adidas websitestates, "However, the Gazelle's history goes back even further. Its predecessor, the "Olympiade" model from the early 1960s, laid the foundation for the Gazelle's success. The oldest known Gazelle, a red 1965 prototype, showcased the shoe's early design elements and set the stage for what was to come."

Not unlike the Sambas, the Gazelles also went through many re-editions before evolving into the beloved streetwear staple that we know of it today. It also went through many international releases in the '80's like France (advertisement pictured above), Japan, and other various countries.

How do you compare Sambas vs Gazelles?

Upon first glance, the shoes really do look quite a lot alike. They both have the same Adidas low-top vibe that we all know and love. Plus, they also share the similarity with the classic Adidas three stripes on the side with zig-zags on all sides of the stripes. But that's about where the buck stops, similarity-wise.

Now, what are the differences? Well you can immediately tell the difference just based on the sole alone. While the Sambas have a rubber gum sole while the Gazelles feature a rubber basic sole. Then, in regards to the rest of the shoe, you can see differences in the tongue — Sambas almost always have a white tongue, not matching the shoe color. The bottoms of the shoes are also different, with a more basic design on the Gazelles and a more complex design on the Sambas.

Unfortunately, we can't tell you how to pick between the two when shopping for new shoes. Our advice? Buy one pair in every very cool color. 😘

Who's collaborated with Adidas for these shoes?

Many people have done collaborations for Gazelles and Sambas alike. We absolutely loved the Harry Styles/Gucci collab (shown above in the metallic gold). Another fan-favorite at the moment is the Wales Bonner collab, featuring cheetah print sambas that shook the world to its core, quickly becoming THE It-Girl shoe for spring 2024. Every cool, fashionable, scandi-style-loving fashionista is wearing them — so much so that I had to snag a pair for myself!

What are the best tips on how to snag the styles while they last?

1. Always sign up for notifications for which style and shoe you want to be notified when it's back in stock and to receive notifications so you get notified as SOON as new collars are released.
2. Sign up for emails and check with smaller retailers like Nordstrom, Net-a-porter, and stores that carry Adidas! Chances are they'll have sizes and styles in stock that are sold out on the Adidas website.

Shop Adidas Sambas And Gazelles Here!

Adidas Gazelles in Green

This mint green is absolutely perfect for the upcoming summer months and will go with so many different outfit combinations. We love the idea of this paired with a cute sundress and sandals! These will definitely become your go-to sneaker of the year!

Adidas Pink and Green Gazelle

Talking about it-girl sneakers, these are THE sneaker of the season! I've seen these on every it-girl influencer on my Instagram lately. These are sure to keep you on trend and in-style for the spring and summer. Plus, with the platform they'll give you a little extra height too!

Adidas Gazelles in Pink

These pinky-nude sneakers are a great way to do the trend in a more attainable way that can go with any outfit. The beige pink color is subtle and understated but still matching the cool-girl vibe we're trying to achieve this season. Adding these to cart immediately!

Yellow Adidas Sambas

These might be my favorite recent pair of Sambas that I've seen. They're so bright in color while still remaining wearable, which is the perfect combo we're going for this summer. We love how well they'd style with anything from a sundress to a cute pair of denim shorts!

Adidas Samba Black and White

These will have every fashionista on the street complimenting you on your cool sneakers! We adore these black and white shows with their touch of beige and think that these would for sure become your favorite shoe in your closet. These are a classic that will never go out of style!

Adidas Samba in Collegiate Green

Flip the script for summer and take forest green for a ride! This is such a fun shoe and I love the idea of taking normally fall colors into spring and summer for a unique twist. We've seen this happening with burgundy trending right now, and I just know forest green is next. Grab these before they sell out!

Literary References In The Tortured Poets Department

Down Bad — "Did You Take All My Old Clothes, Just To Leave Me Here, Naked And Alone"

While "Down Bad" feels like a reference to aliens, it's also reminding us of the story of Adam and Eve, who were left naked in the Garden of Eden after eating the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The "experiments" Taylor Swift references in the first verse (plus the "Fortnight" music video) are also giving Mary Shelley/Frankenstein!

So Long, London — "You Left Me At The House By The Heath"

Hampstead Heath is a beautiful area of London that reportedly inspired C.S. Lewis to write The Chronicles of Narnia in the late 30s and early 40s. As Narnia's self-proclaimed biggest fan, I'm totally claiming this indirect literary reference, especially since the Pevensies have to stay at the Professor's house when they're evacuated from London.

I Hate It Here — "I Hate It Here So I Will Go To Secret Gardens In My Mind People Need A Key To Get To"

This Taylor Swift song is all about wishing she was somewhere else during an early period of her life, and referencing The Secret Garden makes total sense. In the book, lead character Mary has to access the Secret Garden to discover the hope, joy, and healing she's lost.

thanK you aIMee — "I Pushed Each Boulder Up The Hill"

This seems to be another Greek mythology reference, this time to Sisyphus. He was forced by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill — and then do it again when it rolled back down. Considering this song seems to reference Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and the drama that led to Reputation, it feels like a reference to the feud that rears its head over and over again.

Cassandra — "So They Killed Cassandra First Cause She Feared The Worst And Tried To Tell The Town"

In Greek mythology, Cassandra (whose name means "she who entangles men," FYI) was a beautiful woman, and princess of Troy. The god Apollo falls in love with her, and gives her the power of prophecy — that is, until she rejects him and he turns the gift into a curse where no one believes her anymore.

The Bolter — "She Fell Through The Ice, Then Came Out Alive"

This is another indirect literary reference I'm claiming that totally reminds me of Amy March from Little Women. Amy falls through the ice when the March sisters are all children living in Massachusetts. Fans have historically hated her character, which is tied to the "A curious child, ever reviled // By everyone except her own father" lyric.

Movie References In Taylor Swift's New Album

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys — "I Felt More When We Played Pretend Than With All The Kens"

The internet has claimed Taylor Swift as the real-world version of Barbie, and after last year's blockbuster hit (and Taylor referencing Ken in "Hits Different") we get another nod to our favorite doll. Plus, this song reminds me of Syd from Toy Story destroying his toys, and "he was my best friend down at the sandlot" got me thinking about The Sandlot. So many movie references, so little time!

Guilty As Sin? — "How Can I Be Guilty As Sin?"

Taylor Swift wrote "Carolina" for the book-to-movie adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing. In "Carolina," she sings that Kya's community has "said that I was guilty as sin and sleep in a liar’s bed.”

More Pop Culture References

• The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift mentions poet & writer Dylan Thomas, singer-songwriter & poet Patti Smith, and American singer Charlie Puth, boygenius singer Lucy Dacus, producer Jack Antonoff.
• But Daddy I Love Him — This is a line in both The Little Mermaid and The Notebook.
• Florida!!! — Florence Welch is featured on this song, which mentions a hurricane. Florence + The Machine has a song titled "Hurricane Love."
• Guilty As Sin? — Taylor also references "The Downtown Lights" by The Blue Nile, as well as the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus in The Bible.
• Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me — Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf revolves around a bitter and aging couple who weaponize the youth of their guests against one another.
• loml — "The coward claimed he was a lion" is a reference to The Wizard of Oz, while "Mr. Steal Your Girl" is a Trey Songz track.
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart — This whole song is about Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
• The Alchemy + The Prophecy — In Taylor Swift's TIME interview, she references Harry Potter, which has huge themes around alchemy and prophecies.
• Clara Bow — This song references Clara Bow, Stevie Nicks, and Taylor herself!
• So High School — Taylor Swift Mentions video game Grand Theft Auto, Artistotle, and American Pie. She also mentions games like Kiss Marry Kill, Truth or Dare, and Spin the Bottle