Feminine, sexy and incredibly chic, we can’t get enough of lace-up heels for SS15. Our gorgeous Walk Tall Influencer Nadia Bartel shows us how to style three of our lace-up favourites for any occasion. Read on for Nadia’s styling tips for work or play, plus learn where she turns for sartorial inspiration!

Rover Heels
‘There is nothing I love more than wearing a tonal look from head to toe. I am not very girly, so I tend to steer away from pinks or bright colours, with black, grey and white being my favourite colour palette. This season, I love the muted pink tone that is coming through. So these pointed nude strappy heels are the perfect hue to work in with this blush skirt. I have teamed the skirt with a simple grey tee because the cotton contrasts with the dressy skirt making my whole look more wearable, so it is great for a day at the office straight out to a night on the town. These heels would also look just as good with the monochrome colours I love to wear.’

Rozina Heels
‘This black and white outfit plays up with different textures and cuts. I would wear it to the office, an important meeting or to date night with my hubby. Stripes are still big this season, so I love this high-neck silk shirt, because I can dress it up or wear it low key with a pair of jeans. I have been living in these black and white check heels because they can be worn a couple of different ways depending on the look I want to rock. I can wrap the strap up around my leg for a night-time look or securing the strap in one spot around my ankle for a classic look that is perfect for the office.’

Shary Flats
‘For a girl that lives in her heels, I can’t believe how much I love these strappy flats. The only way you will get me in flats is if they have a wow factor, that’s why I love these. These flats are the perfect addition to any weekend look. I wear this look shopping with my girlfriends or out to a casual lunch on the weekend.’

What is your top tip for styling lace-ups heels?
The best thing about lace-up heels is not only do they look amazing with skirts and dresses, it adds another dimension to pants too. I love wearing lace ups with all my simple, minimal outfits to give my look some edge; it is also a great way to introduce a bright colour if you are usually scared to wear bright colours. Red lace ups will be a hot colour this season.

Which is your favourite of the new season lace-up styles, and why?
I love the Rover heels in black or nude. The point means they are beautiful and classic but the strap makes them edgy enough to wear to any occasion. I love that you can play with the positioning of the strap for a different look depending on your mood or what you are wearing.

How would you take this trend from day to night?
This trend can easily be worn during the day with low-key pieces, such as denim and a crisp white tee. At night, there is no better look than your favourite pair of lace ups with a skirt or dress. Lace up points elongate your leg perfectly for a night out on the town.

We love that this style of shoe is sophisticated enough to wear to the office. How can lace up heels or flats be styled for work?
I love wearing my lace ups to those all-important work meetings with a silk shirt and pencil skirt. The key is playing with the strap, making sure it looks sophisticated for the office.

After a day at the office, how would you change your lace-up look for a night out?
I would mix up the lace up style to make the strap go up my leg for an edgier look. It’s all about making the strappy shoes the statement at night. I would also apply a bold lip colour and some cool accessories.

For work, do you prefer a flat or a heel?
I’m definitely a heel over flats girl. So I would pick heels because I feel comfortable in them and a little more confident and professional to tackle the work day. In saying that, there are so many great dressy flats out at the moment, so I think you can definitely get away with either.

What is your favourite part of your job?
I love being able to work in an industry that I am so passionate about and being able to connect with lots of inspirational people on a daily basis. I love being able to help people with all their styling questions, and there is no better feeling than receiving a nice email from a reader.

Where do you look for style inspiration?
I get so inspired by Instagram. I am a little too Instagram obsessed and I love that you can connect with style all over the world. I have to put myself on a limit a day or else I find myself sitting on there for 40 minutes at a time. I also find so much inspiration from my friends or even on the streets of Melbourne, us Melbournians have it going on.

What does your day-to-day look consist of?
I love classic pieces, so you will always find me in blacks, whites and greys, I know that sounds boring, but they key is mixing it up with interesting textures and accessories. I love wearing my tailored blazer or heavy-duty leather jacket during the day, as they are an easy way to change up my casual look. This winter I have been living in head to toe tonal colours, with all grey my favourite look.

Can you take us through a day in the life of Nadia Bartel?
My day is always very different, and things have become a little more hectic as I am 6 months pregnant and I just launched a new online e-commerce store The Con-Nection. I have recently started Pilates (I couldn’t exercise for the first part of my pregnancy) but I am feeling good again, with much more energy so I can get out there. A few times a week I will do Pilates, then I start my work day. Some days I may be taking personal styling sessions with my clients, others involve meeting with fashion agencies and clients, seeing new designer collections to buy for my new store or chatting about ways we can work together on Chronicles of Nadia. A large portion of my job involves me working behind the desk writing content for my two websites or working on my articles for GT magazine (I write a weekly fashion column for the magazine that is inserted in The Geelong Advertiser). I also spend a lot of time shooting new editorials for Chronicles of Nadia and styles for The Con-Nection. I try to block out a couple of days a week for shoots, so I can do it all at once and it doesn’t disturb my other work too much.