As usual, this email is long and will get cut off in email inboxes. I highly recommend reading it in the Substack app or in a web browser.
It’s You’ve Got Mail™ season in NYC (aka the best season), and Per My Last Find is four months old, which is exciting. Because I am who I am, I made a survey for the occasion, as I’m curious what you get from PMLF (thank you in advance for the feedback).
Early results are in, and one theme is that you’re 1) thinking about shoes, 2) thinking about holiday, and 3) enjoying hearing about brands and rabbit holes you haven’t considered yet.
Well, friends, I bring you something at the intersection of all three: vintage Bruno Magli.
Most of-the-moment shoes out there are can be found in vintage Bruno Magli (a high vamp, a slim peep toe, a retro shape with a 3” heel).
Bruno Magli started in 1936 in a basement in Bologna, where siblings Marino, Mario, and Bruno made women’s shoes the way their grandfather taught them. Ironically, the thing most people know about the brand is related to the O.J. Simpson case, where a size 12 Bruno Magli “Lorenzo” left the prints at the scene.
O.J. swore he’d never own a pair (his wording was less polite), and then photos surfaced of him wearing them at a Bills game. Reportedly, sales went up.
This aside, vintage Bruno Magli is underrated. Here’s what I mean:
To be clear, I love all of the brands above and own pieces from each (I’m especially impressed with Jude lately). You can respect what a brand is doing and still find a vintage piece that gets you most of the way there, often for a lot less. Both can be true!
New here? Hi! Three months ago I started PMLF as a running record of what I’m hunting for, how I plan on styling it, and a few other creative pursuits sprinkled in. Between weekly(ish) newsletters, find me on Instagram sharing vintage and the aforementioned hodgepodge.
Now, I am not stamping my approval on all Bruno Magli shoes. There are a lot of ugly ones, and I have scrolled past roughly four hundred of them for you. But the good ones (I prefer the 90s or earlier, ideally 60s/70s) are really, really good: leather soles, made in Italy, and most of what’s in this post is under $75.
Left to right, top to bottom:
Black leather kitten heel pumps (7.5B, $29) The OG to Chanel and Khaite’s high vamp loafers but with a kitten heel
Black slingbacks with gold rosette, (6.5B, $145) These read very Chanel and Miu Miu to me with the floral
Bruno Magli Couture snakeskin pumps (9B, $45) Snakeskin baby! Very similar to these Jamie Hall shoes
Embossed leather croc-print pumps (8.5, $36) If the were my size I would have bought them
Black leather pumps with scalloped vamp (9N, $45) Similar vibes to #1 but with a notch I love
Classic black square-toe pumps (5B, $15) Classic as they come and the toe shape is great
Black leather dress pumps (8B, $80) These feel so similar to the new Jude heels. Perfect heel height and cut.
Leather cap-toe slingback pumps (7, $36) Basically a Chanel slingback
Pointed cap-toe cone heel slingbacks (6.5, $30) The detail of the grosgrain ribbon is too good
80s black leather ankle-strap heels (7; $105) Reminiscent of these Louboutins
Snake peep-toe slingbacks with knot (8, $75) Love a knotted peep toe
1980s black leather and snakeskin peep-toe pumps (6.5B, $50) I almost bought these during my search but showed restraint
I just bought the above fringe sweater that reminds me of this Liberowe sweater that I loved, but is vintage YSL. This is how I imagine styling it. (An aside: these above jeans were recommended by Angela Galvez, and they are now on my wishlist. I am also recently very into everything this brand is doing.)
As you’ll see, Bruno Magli made some shoes in the 90s that were 100p Sex and the City coded.
Left to right, top to bottom:
White leather kitten heel mules (6, $30) These very well should have been on SATC seasons 1-4
1960s silver snakeskin peep-toe slingbacks (9AAA, $155) Silver croc and timeless, in my opinion
Leather crystal-embellished thong sandals (8, $40) Someone fabulous needs to get these and wear them with a fun hem pant.
Leather T-strap sandals (8, $32) Great warm winter vacation dinner shoe (specific, I know)
Black and white woven wedge mules (7.5; $128) Very similar to a Tory Burch shoe from a few seasons ago but better imo
Blush flower slingback sandals (34; $30) Another Carrie shoe
Black, red, and gold slingback sandals (7B, $75) Valentino energy
1990s brown leather wedge sandals (36.5, $85) Classic 90s summer and very wearable
90s Bruno Magli Couture gold square-toe kitten heel sandals (8.5M, $25) Good event shoe to potentially add to your arsenal
And then I thought it would be fun to show you how I would style a pair I think would intimidate a lot of people (you must go look at the listing). The photoshopped flames are incredible, and this is why I love secondhand and vintage shopping.
The trick is to go less rodeo costume, more Ralph Lauren at the ranch in 1985. I actually have a very similar alpaca poncho, which I found at a secondhand store out west. The cords are the ones I tried on in Jackson, and they are still haunting me.
Left to right, top to bottom:
Black suede ankle boots with contrast stitching (4, $64) If you happen to have tiny feet
Suede colorblock riding boots (6, $125) I think these are so fun…I’m thinking with a longer skirt (maybe tartan?!)
Black leather square-toe ankle boots (41, $95) The shape of these remind me of my new (old) Barney’s boots but leather
Vintage flame ankle boots (7.5, $49) You saw the vision above…
Floral embroidered wool mid-calf boots (6.5B, $163) If your style skews y2k these are calling your name
Cognac leather riding boots (8.5AA, $95) Great riding boots. I would bring these on my nonexistent countryside weekend I keep referencing
Leather colorblock knee-high boots (8.5, $120) These are Chloe adjacent and so fun
Leather cowboy boots (36, $149) I had to include these because they feel like that epic pair your cool friend, who inherited them from her mom, is wearing
Black nylon knee-high boots (9, $195) An easy, classic boot you can wear 10 different ways
In terms of sizing, and for true vintage pairs, I target half a size up from my normal, and have pairs that are both B and AA (but I have a narrow foot). The letter after the size is the width: B (sometimes marked M) is standard, N or AA is narrow, and AAA is very narrow, so if you have a regular or wider foot, stick to the B and M pairs.
As always, thank you for being here. I would love to hear what you think about this “Underrated” version of my deep dives. I did one early on about an underrated pairing, but this is the first about a brand.
If you know someone who would enjoy PMLF, please share it with them. And if you head out on a hunt, keep me posted on what you land!
Finders keepers,
SN
P.S. An extra special thank you to my (new) paid subscribers. I was intimidated to turn on paid subscriptions, but here we are, and I really appreciate the support. Below is an additional edit of the vintage Bruno Maglis I’m into, just for you.
