I’m sorry for subjecting you to two hideous shoes in a row, but I saw these Louboutins (?!?!?) on the Net-a-Porter website and was just floored. I mean, seriously, these are horrible. 
And what I really hate is when the “editors” or “stylists” try to convince you that they are AWESOME! Who is fooled enough by this copy to buy these things? – “A sleek evening wear style with fantastic Pop Art detailing.”
Uh, not for $675.
We are in the throes of summer and that is the time for seasonal shoe materials to get their time to shine. Rope, straw, canvas and seersucker get a lot of play but the material that I think is the most unique is cork. It’s light, has a great texture, and, unlike the other materials, can be played up fancy or dressed down and casual. While espadrilles and flip flops say summer casual – cork can be crafted into a shoe that will make a statement at the most stylish event.
Nine West made their attempt at imitating the Louboutin with the Liatris below. As you can see, although the silhouette and shape is very close, the inferior quality of their cork in comparison to the above, makes for a vast difference. The balance is lost.
Well, what’s in mine ain’t much – but what’s in my online shopping carts is alot! Is there some kind of correlation???
Anyway, here’s a rundown on just a few of the delish new shoes that I’m pining after. Maybe we’ll win the lottery and I can “Click to Buy”….
(Marc Jacobs Satin Pump – cutesy and extra girly like a pink icing-ed cupcake)
(Manolo Blahnik Jacquard D’Orsay – the syle of this shoe is great and I love the teal in the pattern)
(Manolo Blahnik Houle 2-tone pump – sex-ay!)
(Louboutin Rougue Gathered Slingbacks – the dimensional aspect of this design is amazing)
(Valentino 2-tone Peep-toe Mary Jane – classy, sexy, different)
(Jimmy Choo Sandie – a really sexy take on a classic t-strap)
So there you go. Sadly just a sampling of shoes I wish I had. All gorgeous. Any “Sugar Daddies” please feel free to send them on to my house. Size 35 or 35.5.
*wink*
Growing up in Florida, I always felt the “no white after Labor day” shoe rule was bit absurd. There was many a Christmas that I was still running around in shorts but now that I’ve moved a bit more north, I understand what led to this creation of this rule – snow, sleet and ice are not kind to white shoes. But it seems a shame to limit the amount of time to admire, purchase and wear beauties in white such as these:
It’s such a tempting time of year because all the summer shoes are going on sale while you can still wear them for several months, but all the awesome Pre-Fall shoes are coming out. And you need to make sure you get the ones you want. Decisions, decisions! Plus, I do love the Fall shoes.
What to do? What to do?
If you wear heels regularly you are bound, sometimes pretty frequently, to get some variation on this question:
How do you wear those heels all day? Aren’t your feet killing you? I could never wear blah, blah-blah, blah, BLAH!
I contend that heels can be comfortable depending on the height, style, maker and where you are going, so that there is a heel for you and you can just stop denying yourself. And they are so pretty that why would you want to?
My friend wrote to ask me:
The only thing I want to know is..How to wear heels when they make your feel hurt.. Lol.. I am wearing all those sketcher biker style shoes and sandals with no heels .. I love my heels, but they all hurt to wear…
Dear Friend – I’m sooo happy to help and spread the heel-lovin’ joy.
First – make sure you don’t have any foot, ankle, knee problem that maybe causing any pain.That done, here is my shoe-sie advice
A simple addition that could help are the gel inserts that go under the ball of your foot. These do provide some cushioning, are inexpensive and can even help your shoe fit better (especially if you are like me and many of your shoes are a bit big).
Next – choose your height wisely. How high are the heels that are bothering you? You don’t have to get 3″- 4″ heels to find some pretty styles.
I know this is going to sound trite but the higher-end brands really do have engineering that makes a difference. I can walk much much more in a pair of Jimmy Choo’s or Manolo Blahniks than in a lower height, less expensive brand because of the workmanship and, frankly, the architecture of the shoe. You put them on and the difference is amazing. Also the double-strap Miu Miu Mary Janes that were just out have an internal platform that was so cushy I couldn’t believe it.
In terms of styles, I would look at a Mary Jane platform because it is classic and it will help hold you in place. An extra bonus is if you get these because Cole Haan is doing a line of shoes with Nike Air cushioning. They are so classic looking – maybe I need a pair too. Hmmm… for research, of course. Wait, where was I?
Oh, yes – I would also look at a chunkier heel rather than a a spindly stiletto. Heels with built-in platforms give you the height but your foot isn’t really going as high as it looks. And find a brand that fits you well. Nine West is one of those brands for me. I have had consistent good luck with their styles. The sizing is right on for me and I can wear their heels all day.
Aerosoles are also a stand-by brand for comfy heels – I just tend to find their styling hit or miss for my tastes. And then there is the fact that you can’t resole them either. Which, if you like your shoes and invest in them, you don’t want them to wear out too fast.
I would stay away from wedges because I tend to find that my ankle goes out in them and you can tumble a little because the sole of the shoe doesn’t bend. Right on the ground
So, I would find a good height and style and then invest in good quality. By taking care of them with proper maintenance, they will last you a long long time, you will actually want to wear them and that is where the true value will be apparent.
Cole Haan Dalya Air Mary Jane
I have a real love for embellished accessories – shoes, purses, gloves, shawls. Whether it is beading or embroidery or unique stitching, these additions can elevate a simple piece to something really fun and special.
I don’t wear flats a lot, but I do try to mix it up so my ankles aren’t stuck in into tip-toe formation. When I do I tend to reach for things like saddle shoes, driving mocs or a newly returned favorite: Cotton Chinese Mary Janes.
I used to wear these quite often a few years ago. They are about $4 a pair and as such they are not very sturdy. But they are really cute under a pair of regular or cropped jeans. And what is great is that they have them in a bunch of colors or even fancier ones in red and black with embroidery. I got the black ones above and the turquoise ones below from Pearl River in NYC. 
They have a great website full of clothes, food, stationary and housewares – even these cushy braided straw slippers which are my favorite things to wear around the house in the summer. They are definetly worth checking out.
On the other end of the spectrum from the simple traditional slippers, are the beautifully – almost excessively -embroidered pieces from Perfume River. Their pieces are pricer but when you see the amount of work that goes into them the price will be totally justified. I purchased one of their clutches a few years ago, similar to the one below but with more turquoise versus the coral as shown. This has become my “date night” purse because it is so special and attention-grabbing. But it would be great paired with jeans too.
Traditional designs in new colors and artisan workmanship re-interpereted into modern designs. A few fun ways to incorporate the beauty of global design into your wardrobe and stand out from the everyday.
Take a peek at this display of gorgeous shoes. At first glance you may think you see a hint of different designers in the embellishments or the shape of the heel or the styling of the slingback. They all look quirky and unique and totally in style right now. What you may be surprised to know is that most of these shoes are almost 40 years old.
Joseph La Rose designed from the 1940’s through the 1980’s. Clients included some of fashions greatest icons: Marilyn Monroe, Jacqueline Kennedy, Joan Crawford and Jane Mansfield.
What is great is that many of his shoes are still available. Vintage is huge in fashion today but when it comes to shoes what is available can be kind of sketchy – there is either the “gross” factor or they can be very worn looking. That is where vintage “dead-stock” comes into play. Mr. La Rose didn’t believe that his shoes should ever be sold at a discount. And coupled with his commitment to not selling a shoe to a customer if he didn’t feel there was a good match, when La Rose died a huge warehouse of unworn treasures was discovered. Some of this same collection was auctioned off at Sotheby’s to collectors and designers like Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade and Donna Karan. Today, his collectors include celebrities like Winona Ryder, Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst and Renee Zellweger. All of the shoes in the movie Down with Love were original La Rose shoes. They can be found in costume departments all over the world.
His styles are amazing and if you want truly beautiful shoes with gorgeous details you should check them out. I did purchase two pairs, one of which are these amazing red velvet pumps with the perfect retro heel.
The other pair were an almost olive green pump with a green iridescent scalloped edge. One thing to remember is that vintage shoes run VERY small, so make sure to check your foot measurements against the shoe’s.
I’m telling you this in confidence – don’t take all the good ones in my size. They aren’t making them anymore.
Find La Rose at Circa Sixty Three or at Cherry.
Copy and to learn more read the whole New York Times article here.
I have a pretty small shoe size (a 5 or 5.5) and from an aesthetic stand point I usually like it. But it can be incredibly frustrating when shoes start at a size 6. Sometimes I feel invisible. Don’t these designers know I want to buy their shoes! I mean I have cash just like a person who wears a 7. So paradoxically, this is why I have so many shoes. When I find a pair that I like, and they fit me, I have to buy them. Of course 50% of the time my shoes were the display shoes and have price stickers on the bottom. Which is hot.
So normally finding that a shoe doesn’t come in my size isn’t a big surprise and a minor disappointment. But this is a teeth-gnashing, howling, stomping my feet in frustration, wailing in despair meltdown because these don’t come in my size:
(Manolo Blahnik Druccio – photo courtesy of Style-Spy)
This is just so not fair.
If anyone sees these in a 35, let me know. Please, please, please.
I know I’m being completely trite and predictable by saying that I was inspired by the styling on SITC. But while I liked and admired many of the clothes, shoes and other accessories featured during the six seasons and would eventually own some of the same items, I don’t think I really fell in love until the last episode and this outfit:
This was Carrie in Paris out for the day on her own. And having walked those same streets, I can tell you, there is no friggin’ way I would be risking expensive white heels on those cobblestone streets all day. So, while I know it is completely impractical and that I wouldn’t really wear this in reality, I obsessively think about this outfit. And those white Louboutin cut-out heels make me weep that they will never ever be mine. Sob!
I’m sure many fans could disagree with me, but I state that this was the pinnacle of fashion for the show. It opened the Pandora’s box and I am shaped by it.
I’ve been dredging my memories to see if there were any milestones that I could remember as defining fashion moments when I was growing up. For 9 years, I went to a school where you wore navy, green and white plaid uniforms every day. So the big fashion highlights of the year were my annual pair of saddle shoes or penny loafers (I still love plaid pleated skirts, saddle shoes and Bass Weejuns).
I do remember this one stand out pair of shoes and they were probably the first ones that really made me appreciate the artistry of shoes. They must have been a sign of a somewhat less-than-practical sense of style in development. The shoes were flats (I think I was around 12 or so) but they were red suede with an embossed snakeskin/scale pattern. I’m serious. In trying to think back, I remember having a deep sense of possessiveness about these shoes.
I doubt that I bought them myself but I felt that strong sense of earned ownership about them. I also remember a very Elle Woods/Legally Blond moment wearing them. I was out with my Dad and we got in a fight about something. I was so incensed that I was going to walk home in spite of the fact that I had my new red shoes on! So there! See if I won’t! I think my Dad let me walk a bit but then he tried to use the “you’ll ruin your shoes” line on me. I think I got back in the car eventually, but I was willing to sacrifice red-suede-shoes on principle. I must have been pretty mad.
I can still picture those shoes.
Shoe Daydreams 