2011 Fall Shoes

Oh, so many gorgeous shoes! If I had any use for fancy shoes, could wear them, and most importantly, could afford them, these are some pairs I'd add to my collection. The Valentino Couture Platform Bow Pump and the two short booties would be the most versatile, I think.

All are available at Bergdorf Goodman.

Left: Valentino Couture Platform Bow Pump $745
Right: Prada T-Strap Sandal $650

Left: Stuart Weitzman Multicolor Suede Bootie $498 $745
Right: Manolo Blahnik Crisscross Snake D'Orsay $785

Left: Manolo Blahnik Hangisi Satin Pump $945
Right: Elie Tahari Colby Cage Platform Sandal $498

Left: Prada Flat Double Buckle Boot $990
Right: Belle by Sigerson Cuffable Shearling Bootie $450

Left: Prada Bi-color Python Mary Jane Boot $2400
Right: Prada Bi-color Suede Angle Strap Boot $1500

Posted by theminx on Opalescentminx.com
Because of recent content theft, I am forced to add this new statement to the end of my posts: If you're reading this post anywhere besides the Opalescent blog, OpalescentMinx.com (also http://minxbeads.blogspot.com) then this content has been stolen. Please do not support this thief!

Weddings and Shoes

Let me tell you a story about my wedding shoes. I had wanted my footwear to be the "something blue" element of my ensemble, and picked out a really cute pair of blue strappy shoes with moderately-high heels. I figured I could wear them on other occasions because they didn't look like wedding shoes. And they were the perfect height for the length of my gown.

Until my gown was altered.

When I fetched it from the bridal shop, the dress had suddenly become another inch or so longer! I wasn't about to spend the extra money to have the skirt hemmed, so I returned my blue shoes and bought a pair with higher heels. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything that fit my budget, was the right height, and were blue.

Maybe my shoes weren't perfect, but my husband is. :)

Anyhoo...one of those Kardashians judged the Wedding Central If the Shoe Fits Contest in which thirty brides-to-be duked it out, searching to find eleven pairs of designer shoes among a sea of shoe-boxes. The winner received a $5,000 check and $5,000 worth of wedding consultations from Wedding Central's celebrity wedding experts.

The carnage.

I coulda bought nicer shoes if I had $5000. My whole wedding didn't cost that much.

Keen Footwear

While this is largely a blog about fashion and beauty, I cannot in all good conscience dismiss comfort. This is why much of my personal wardrobe comes from the pages of an LL Bean or Eddie Bauer catalog, and my shoe collection is comprised largely of Birkenstocks and Keens.

I have plantar fasciitis in both feet, caused by heel spurs. It's a painful condition that causes me to limp and the only thing that truly eases the suffering is a pair of comfortable shoes. For me, those would be Keens, particularly the shoes in the "Waterfront" collection with metatomical EVA footbed. They offer the perfect amount of arch support, are bouncily comfortable, and are machine washable. While not the most beautiful shoe in the world, I love them and have three pairs from that collection. Here's the latest addition to my Keen family:

Keen Waimea H2

Recently I branched away from "Waterfront" and ordered a pair from the "Market St" collection.

Keen Bree Slides

These shoes have a memory foam footbed and nubuck leather straps. And they are conspicuously missing the usual Keen rubber toe guard. I'm trying them for the first time today, so we'll see if I love them as much as the ones with the EVA footbed.

Have you ever tried Keen shoes? What do you think of them?

There's an App for That

Ok, now this appeared in my e-mailbox yesterday morning, and I had to share.


What? You're seriously interested in the app? You can find more info here along with a link to download. Silly me, I just use my phone for making telephone calls. :)

Christian Siriano for Payless

It's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and there are all sorts of fashionable events going on in New York right now. Yesterday, 9/10, Christian Siriano presented a sneak peak of his Spring 2010 collection for Payless ShoeSource.

Lots of groovy/interesting platform shoes coming for Spring. His Fall 2009 collection is currently available and can be found here.

Here's wee Christian himself with model Lea Rannells. The hat's a bit much.

Shoe Design Contest

Entry forms and information are available at www.donaldjpliner.com.

Boots

Although we're smack in the middle of summer, it's never too early to think about boots. For some reason I'm really digging the ones ornamented with straps and buckles. Luckily, there is no shortage of pricey footwear to fulfill my fantasy. I say "fantasy" because there's no way I can get my ample calves into most of these.

Love these Tory Burch Jaden Strappy boots. They look study and maybe even comfortable.

I also love these Ralph Lauren Helena Suede Mid boots...

...and these Manolo Blahnik Studded-Strap boots. Wearing a heel that high is also a fantasy.

Putting aside thoughts of straps and buckles for a moment, I'm also loving these Gucci Janis High Heel boots. The tassel is kinda flirty.

These Kors Michael Kors Lucille Scrunch boots are a good, practical choice for a tall boot.

And on the opposite end of the spectrum, we have this Sigerson Morrison Huarache boot, which not only looks impractical, but also uncomfortable. Eek.

Let's Go Buy Shoes!

see Sarah Palin pictures

Nice Treads!

YSL's Trooper Platform Pump, $695.00 at Neiman Marcus. For walking in the snow, or no? What do you think?

poll by twiigs.com

Christian Louboutin

So I'll never wear Christian Louboutin shoes unless I win a multi-million-dollar lottery or some rich fool gives me a pair. But when I got an e-mail from Neiman Marcus about new Louboutin pre-fall shoes, I had to at least look.

Look at these gorgeous satin passementerie pumps! I remember when passementerie was the big thing some years back - it was on collars, coats, jackets, sleeves, everywhere. I always loved it, but it was a bit "fancy" for my art school lifestyle. Now I don't see it as much, or when I do see it, I can't afford it. These lovely shoes are $1,125.00. Yeah.


These suede passementerie pumps are less-expensive, but still on the crazy side: $895.00. I'm sure some celeb or woman who loves credit card debt will
wear them for me.

A Steal at Michael Kors

I just got back from a Sniffapalooza event in NYC and am exhausted and sore, but I thought I'd share my shopping find with you. While walking in Soho from a perfume shop to our lunch venue, my friend Andrée and I stopped into a Michael Kors store. My eye had landed on a lime green shoulder bag and I had to go inside to see it in person. The lime was fine, but what I really wanted was the violet version on the opposite wall. Meet Beverly. She is $1095.00 and far out of my price range.

This shape, but in the inset light violet color.

Beverly is light weight, and exactly the single shoulder strap/top zip style that I am wanting for summer. Alas, she cannot be mine. Also, she is not the steal.

Meet Reese, my new open-toe flat. She was on a shelf marked "Sale 75% off."

At $27 and change, I couldn't pass her up, especially as 1) she fit beautifully; 2) she's cute as a button. There were other color combinations available, but how could I go wrong with basic black and white?

You're Kidding...

...these can't be Crocs!

But they are! The top style is the new retro-styled Sassari; it comes in nine colors. The bottom pair are Cyprus, in 6 colors. Both have 3" heels and are made of the same plastic material as the regular old ugly Crocs.

I hear Crocs are comfortable, but Dansko clogs are as much fug as I'll wear on my feet. But these I may have to try, although 3" is a little high for everyday wear for me.

Has anyone tried them?

Paris Hilton's Shoe Collection

Last month, Paris Hilton launched her own line of shoes. She's got size 11 feet and wanted to create a line of cute shoes for big-footed folks like herself. And trannies.

Ok, so those are projected images by the wonderful and talented 14.

Here's the real line, with the real (as real as she gets, anyway) Paris. I don't see anything special about her shoes, and you certainly wouldn't catch my delicate size 9s in a pair of them.

Cute dress though.

 

Cute Shoes

I was browsing Zappos for cute shoes to wear in New York (gotta be stylish for Fashion Week, you know!) and stumbled upon these cute flats that went straight into my shopping cart.

"Samurai" comes in several color combinations.

Then I spotted these:

This particular pair of "Kitten" is in wine metallic satin. Darling, no?

Here's the skinny on Rocket Dog, straight from their site:

Maybe you've never heard of Max, a speedy little beach dog who gave his nickname to a sandal company start-up in 1997.

By 1999, the line included fashion athletics, dress shoes, boots and flats, and the result hit a sweet spot with style-hungry trendsetters, birthing a phenomenon in the youth culture scene; one with serious magnitude.

Rocket Dog is now an internationally recognized footwear brand whose style is synonymous with the independent, free-spirited vibe of a new pop culture generation.

From those little black shoes for that little black dress to strappy sandals for that itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini, Rocket Dog knows that footwear staples don't have to be boring. Flirty and fun. Casual and cute. Hip. Edgy. Confident. Rocket Dog girls.

Based in Hayward , California , Rocket Dog was voted the top footwear brand in many countries, won its share of awards but most importantly is constantly emulated by bigger global brands. Rocket Dog is emerging as a top recognized brand throughout the world. The line is sold at leading department and specialty stores worldwide.

More recently, Rocket Dog launched both men's and children's footwear collections to rave reviews. Don't blink, the best is yet to come.

More Cute Shoes! I like that they come in more colors than the basic black and brown, and patterned shoes are so fresh and youthful. But not so youthful that an old fart like me can't wear them. Here are some of my favorites from the line.

"Rattle"

"Karate Chop" - these remind me of the Chinese cotton maryjanes I wore all through high school and into college.

"Embassy"

"Glee Club" - these heels (and the ones below) have a retro style that I love. And they actually look like they might be comfortable.

"Gretal Girl"

"Open Call"

In addition to Zappos, you can get these fab shoes at Solestruck and they even have some on sale! (And they have other cute shoes too - go check them out!)

Spring 2008 Accessories - Shoes

The Spring shoe forecast includes lots of color and whimsy.

The ever-innovative Marc Jacobs has misplaced his heels in these purple-and-green pumps with appliqued detailing on the vamp. They appear difficult to walk in, but probably have far more stability than the usual heel. They should certainly get a lot of attention on the street, "Excuse me, Miss, but did you know your heel is broken? Errr...both of them?"


Straight out of Yellow Submarine, these Prada suede t-straps are simply amazing. They look to be a little high for me, but cut them down 2" and I'd wear them with a short short mini, or wide-legged trousers. (Ok, I wouldn't wear the mini, but in my daydreams I have long skinny legs....)


Not the most versatile color in the world, these lovely yellow Giambattista Valli crepe platform sandals are embellished with Swarovski crystals. Very high, very sexy.


I really love these Dior Blue Angel spectator pumps. They're a modern hommage to a classic style. Dig that groovy heel!


These YSL Sayuri platform sandals wouldn't seem completely out of place worn with Japanese tabi socks. Ok, so maybe they would look a wee bit silly....


Another Japonesque platform wedge by Alessandro Dell'Acqua is more than a bit ridiculous. And my feet are getting blisters just looking at all of those skinny straps.