All Abode: Sea of Shoes

In a suburb of Dallas, an unassuming brick façade belies the glittering splendor of Judy and Jane Aldridge’s residence. Chez Aldridge is a veritable cave of wonders, filled with rarities such as a life-size brass fawn (thanks, eBay) and a gold-and-emerald green daybed. The mother-daughter blogging sensation are keen collectors: Judy runs Atlantis Home, a style-cum-home décor blog, which features posts on vintage jewelry finds, interiors and shopping trips from Tulsa to Tokyo, while Jane is the 18-year-old brain behind Sea of Shoes, on which every outfit posted incorporates exotic and collectible footwear, from Margiela Marfa boots to Yves Saint Laurent cage shoes. Jane started blogging three years ago and attracts thousands of daily visitors to her site, and fans include Kanye West and Karl Lagerfeld (who lent her a Chanel couture gown to wear to the Crillon Ball in Paris last year). Both mother and daughter have an eye for transforming kitsch into glamour, with a home-brewed sense of 70s-tinged style that’s reflected in their personal dress as much as their meticulously appointed living space—nothing was changed for today’s shoot. Their home has just undergone a revamp, with the help of fellow Dallas-based blogger, Samantha Reitmayer Sano, of design site Style/Swoon. One standout, destined for the dining table, is a giant deep-water clam shell, filled with amethyst and dried purple artichokes that Judy found at Antiques Moderne in Dallas. “It's unbelievably heavy—it takes two grown men to lift it!” Judy says. “These old oil towns are the best for thrifting and junking” says Jane, referencing the antique stores they troll in the South. “There are a lot of old ladies’ homes that have sat untouched for years…,” adds Judy. NOWNESS sent photographer Douglas Friedman, known for his revealing portraits of celebrities and their homes (past sitters include Calvin Klein and Donatella Versace), to capture the Dallas duo's world. “Given that people in Texas are a little more over-the-top, we included some Dynasty in our references,” says Judy of the outfits they chose for the shoot.