Month: June 2010

Make Art

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

I have a quick peek at some enticing boxes the other day and I was finally able to take the good shots that I wanted so I could really showcase these shoes for you. If you have “Liked” the Shoe Daydreams page on Facebook or follow along on Twitter, then you may already have a good idea of what the reveal will be.

What I have are two very different styles – the Camilla Skovgaard London S10012 pump and the Marc by Marc Jacobs “Love” Mouse ballerina flat – but they both appeal strongly to me.

Camilla Skovgaard makes some damn sexy shoes. She has a very defined presence with her strong and sexy shoes. I recognized this with the Chastity sandals I bought from her line last year and this season has been even better. One thing I’ve found with her designs is that they look even more amazing on.

These pumps, I have to say, are gorgeous to look at but are perfection on. They have the perfect round toe, the heel shape is amazing, they are high but have a very cushy internal platform and are supported by the amazing saw-tooth rubber sole.

Love!

They also come in a wonderful porange-y coral and an elegant sandy taupe. I so so soooo wish they came in sky blue as well. How amazing would that be?

I needed a simple black pump but then knew I could just get a plain pump. The shape of these are classic but the sole gives them that extra edge.
The second pair, the Marc Jacobs mouse flats are just the opposite. White, bright, sweet and flat, these iconic shoes have been reborn in a ton of different ways from a fuzzy leopard print to trompe l’oeil to encrusted with rhinestones.
But I am head over (no) heels for the white patent version I now posess. I’ve been in love with these whimsical shoes for ages and kept them in the back of my mind, mostly because they came out so long ago and I didn’t like the newer versions. But then I stumbled across these on Amazon in my size!
They may possibly be the last pair in white anywhere because I’ve been searching for them online and can’t seem to find them anywhere (they are still available in red, blue and black on Amazon, however).

Yes, these could be deemed too sweet or too silly but I think they are s’wonderful.

I love the details: the rhinestone eyes, the delicate ears and nose and the stitched on curly tail.

I know I’m waxing lyrical about them but feel as though I’ve acquired a piece of art. Like the Koons Balloon Dog, I value these as a bookmark in the design evolution of the designer.

I have four other pairs of shoes by Marc Jacobs that are now many years old and they are each wonderful but very different from his aethetic today. And their details spoke to me just as certain paintings and architecture do. My shoes are functional items and I wear them but, in many ways, they are also part of a very curated collection.

And this brings me to something I want to say, and will elaborate on in a future post – to some of the shoes companies, designers, buyers and stores: Make art or go home.
From sexy heels to whimsical flats, don’t waste our time with less than your best. I value your work but resources and time and money are scarce. We should only be seeing the best of the best from what you create (and stop going the easy route with the knock-offs, okay. There is a way to do good design at all price points).

Designers, even if you have to bow to the economics of the real world and the demands of the company owners, the buyers and the stores with most of your line, keep a glimmer of art there. Maybe a deal can be made and only one is made available. Maybe you can only make a few of them, but I know they will be wanted and treasured.

I know I may not be able to get all of them or afford them, but I’ll be behind you 100% and rooting you on!

Keds Century – Killing me through Time

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

I can not believe that I did not know about this until just yesterday. I feel so out of the loop and now I’m totally depressed.

Keds may possibly be one of my favorite shoes for all time. If I had to limit myself to one shoe, say on a desert island, or that I would have to wear for the rest of my life, it would be a pair of Keds Classic Champions in white canvas.

I’ve been wearing white Keds for as far back as I can remember and I can’t imagine a time I haven’t had at least one pair in my closet.

But because they are so classic and eternal to me I don’t check in all the time to see what new things they have going on. And now I feel I’ve missed out because they are doing this amazing limited edition countdown of styles influenced by the decades of the 20th Century.

The 1910’s Take Flight designs are so cool with an Amelia Earhart vibe. I wish I’d nabbed the white ones but the dark olive style is still available.


For the 1920’s there’s the Dapper and the Deville – menswear wingtip and Art Deco design.

1930’s Throwback in natural, pink and black are the classic Keds we love.

Of course as limited editions, these have a limited run and I’m just killing myself over the fact that I was not able to get a pair of the amazing Dappers. I need need need these. Somehow I have to track a pair down.

Now I will be checking back eagerly to see the evolution over the remaining decades.

Can it get any better than these? I can’t wait to find out.

Ensemble du Jour – 6-6-10

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

I don’t have arty rooftops like all you cool NYC people. No, I have a corner of my work building that has a grill, two plastic chairs and a random pallet. Plus mosquitos so I have to run out, grab a snap and run back in before I get eaten alive.

But the dress is cute!

This is my other JCrew romper-ish dress. It’s grey with pink and yellow flowers and I paired it with a JCrew cardigan and the Luella pink and purple heart heels.

The colors are all so cute together. I’m all bows and hearts and flowers.

This outfit is so comfy and perfect for Summer that I wore it to Saks over the weekend but paired it with the Jeffrey Campbell unicorn heels, since the purse I was using has gold hardware.

The two dresses are great for the summer, but it’s been so hot I hate everything else. Summer is my least favorite season. But I can’t wait for Fall!

Urban Outfitters – We say "Fifty Percent*"

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

I am not a fan of Urban Outfitters.

In the beginning I merely felt apathetic about them. I didn’t really shop there but I didn’t actively avoid them either. But now it is becoming an outright dislike, if not hatred, and not just because they are pushing their giant chain into one of my favorite unique towns.

As home of the ironic hipster, pseudo-designers and blatent knock-offs, Urban Outfitters does more harm than good. But I think their true slimy underbelly, typically hidden under a facade of “cool”, sometimes slips out. They show their blatent misogyny, racism and bigotry.

It started when they pulled an “I support Same-Sex Marriage” shirt off the shelves after a week. But here are more recent examples:

First is a simple henley, but with the color options as “white/charcoal” and “Obama/Black”

Then there is the call to “preserve your daughters’ sacred virginity”, which is currently still for sale on the site. (I’m not giving them the benefit of a link out)

Now they have a shirt that mandates “Eat Less”. Their description reads: “Eat less or more or however much you’d like in this seriously soft knit tee cut long and topped with a v-neck.” but not sure that is the real message.

Of course, there are those that will say that these shirts are meant to be funny or, yes, ironic, but are they really? When coupled with the hurtful and hateful politicians supported by the owner, I’m not quite sure.

I know that many many people love this store. But you also have to know that when you buy that shirt or scarf or pants, you are directly supporting and promoting more than just what you are wearing. There are so many individual designers and better options where you can spend your money… and promote a more inclusive way of life.

*”Fifty Percent” is a belief that we subscribe to around here. It is the belief that, even when you are joking, you mean about 50% of what you are actually saying.

An Early Spring

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

Designer have already been busy sketching out their looks for Spring 2011. It’s interesting to see the continuting trends, how what’s hot right now is influencing looks a year away, and what those elements that were everywhere just a month ago look dated in these designs.

Per WWD –

A new level of sophistication rules for spring ’11, as designers add femininity to chunkier silhouettes using painterly prints and exotic details. Architectural constructions also continue to build a following, while contrasting textures liven up the season’s best styles. FN previews 21 key spring looks. Check out the slide show:

Drawing Attention: Spring ’11 Sketches – WWD.com

My favorites are the Nicole Brundage sandals (above), the Via Spiga sandals (slide 5), the Jerome C. Roussau slingbacks (an up-and-coming new designer – slide 7), the Rene Caovilla sandals (will those have crystals on the soles? – slide 12), the DKNY floral applique and lace-up heeled sandals (slide 18), and the Guillaume Hinfray heels with the great hardware (slide 19).

I have a lot of favorites, apparently. And it seems I should start saving up.

What styles and trends are you looking forward to?

SD Review: Tsubo Anush mary janes

Posted on by Shoe Daydreams

I shared a review of the Asmik wedge mary jane from Tsubo last month and am ready to tell you all about eh Anush mary jane heel.

Like the Asmik, the Anush is cute and comfortable. I think of it as the work heel that you can wear when running on your feet all day, compared to the more casual look of the wedge.

The toe box is not tight and the adjustable mary jane strap ensures that even my high arches are not uncomfortable.

The heel has a modern curved shape, sort of a mini-banana heel or talon shape.

While this heel has a very professional look it still has the cushy insole that Tsubo is known for.

I tend to baby my shoes but you can’t always be in control of where and how long you will be walking around and the Tsubo heels give you the flexibility to not have to worry about that. You can still look stylish and professional while being able to walk all day and on all sorts of surface. I love the fact that the sole is grippy without compromising the look.

The Spring/Summer collections are out with styles from casual sneakers and flats to sandals and heels (and some really cute boots), so check them out.