(EDIT: See the end of my post for international availability on the Mint Velvet shoes!)

Pippa, meet Kate. Kate, meet Pippa. Ah, you’re already acquainted? What a coincidence!

I have to say, before this year, I didn’t take much notice of Pippa Middleton’s style. I really like her columns in Waitrose Magazine, and I enjoyed her book, but her fashion never really made its way onto my radar until I picked up a pretty grey necklace from Accessorize I saw her wearing in a Telegraph piece. From there, it wasn’t too long before I fell in love with the Pippa grab bag in shark from Modalu!

I’d been looking for a replacement for my beloved grey tote bag for a while, since the shoulder strap broke. I never thought a grey tote would be so versatile until I picked it up as a (very poor) replikate of Kate’s grey Tod’s bag. So with mine broken, I was open to alternatives, and as soon as I saw the Pippa bag, I fell in love!

It’s a very handsome and practical bag, and it seems impossible to ever completely fill it up! Plus, all those handy compartments and zips makes organising things a breeze. (We’ve all been there, elbow deep in a bag that’s mysteriously swallowed door keys, right?).

Plus, I love the shell motif on the zipper tags too! The Pippa is currently only available in shark (grey) with silver hardware, so I had to go on eBay to find one with gold.

Anyway, onto my other style influence, Kate, most famous as Pippa’s sister – you might have seen her at Pippa’s debut when she was wearing that fabulous bridesmaid dress. Many people don’t realise this, but Kate was actually the bride. I KNOW! Small world, right?! Anyway, Kate’s been pictured wearing her taupe Mint Velvet plimsolls recently on tour Down Under, and as Mint Velvet have announced they are releasing the shoe again at the beginning of May, I thought I’d do a post about them!

As I’ve mentioned before, my shoe size varies from a 6 (39) to a 7 (40), but I most usually take a 7, so this is the size I ordered. They fit a little snugly, and are narrow in the toe, which is worth mentioning if you’re going to order a pair yourself.

They also have a neat Mint Velvet logo at the base of the heel, which I think is how they were ID’d when Kate first wore them!

I wouldn’t call them my comfiest shoe, especially without socks, but I haven’t really broken them in yet. But they are a very smart pair of shoes if you’re looking for something casual that’s still stylish and somewhat dressy. I also think the grey laces are the final touch that really makes the design feel that much more polished!

And of course, they’re the perfect match for my Pippa bag! Thanks, Middleton sisters!

EDIT: Mint Velvet has been inundated with requests for this item since it first appeared last year (originally priced £79). The company has stated on Facebook that they will be releasing the shoes again in stores and online in the first week of May. Excitingly for international customers, who previously couldn’t order from Mint Velvet, the company has also suggested that they will open facilities for international orders soon. However, you will also be able to order directly from House of Fraser, which offers international shipping to the US, amongst other places. (Read the comments thread on Facebook here for my source on this! You can keep updated about the availability of the Mint Velvet taupe plimsolls here on their website. I don’t have a direct link for the item on House of Fraser yet, but the shoes are likely to appear in this section of the site. You can find House of Fraser’s homepage at http://www.houseoffraser.com/)

Find the Mint Velvet taupe plimsolls, now called Bibi, at Mint Velvet here for £89. For international orders, contact Mint Velvet directly at customercare@mintvelvet.co.uk, or you can wait until they are stocked at House of Fraser: http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/.

The Modalu Pippa grab bag is available in a range of colours on their site here. And, here’s a direct link to the bag in shark, my favourite colour! (Pst – I asked Modalu if they were going to bring back the shark with gold hardware and they told me they were not planning to continue production of the shark colour. So, if it’s a shade you like, bear that in mind!)

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