A Fun Guide to Fall/Winter Baby Shoes!

August 18, 2010 in BABY SHOES | Tags: autumn baby boots, baby, baby booties, baby boots, baby legwaremers, baby shoes, baby uggs, baby winter shoes, infant boots, infant shoes, legwarmers, prewalker shoes, shoes, shopping | 2 comments

Unlike summer babies who can get by with bare feet, winter babies will need some type of foot protection if you plan on leaving the house with them. Sure there are lots of footed onesie outfits, but they’re usually little more than a thin layer of cotton and they can be slippery if your baby already likes to practice standing or walking. Ok, that’s the logical reason to shop for fall and winter baby footwear. The real reason (for me, at least) is because these booties are seriously adorable!

Luckily you can find tons of soft sole shoes for infants with faux fur, fleece or shearling to keep little toes toasty. Babies love to kick, so try booties with velcro straps, ties, or internal elastic that help keep the shoes from ending up abandoned on a sidewalk… unless you want to use that as a convenient excuse to buy more baby shoes And remember to check size charts for each brand you’re trying, just like in adult shoes, not all size 1′s or “newborn” shoes are the same size.

Now your baby will probably only wear these booties for a few months tops. And since your child won’t really be walking in them (and their spit up probably won’t reach that far, although some babies are more talented than others), these shoes will likely still be in near perfect condition by the time you can’t use them anymore. No, I’m not trying to talk you out of the buying, geez! Instead, and especially if you’re short on money, for all the reasons above, baby shoes are a great thing to buy used.

Try searching on eBay, Craigslist, at local consignment stores or even garage sales. Chances are 1 in 3 that you’ll be able to find some great, not-too-used baby shoes near you for under $5. Just be sure to return the favor to the world when your baby outgrows their pairs (I always think it’s best to keep the karma scales up, even if you don’t believe in it).

Here’s one other great idea: If you received some baby shoes as gifts and the weather decided to make those into not-quite-warm-enough wear, you may want to try pairing the shoes with baby legwarmers! Pull the end of the legwarmer over the heel of the shoe to protect little ankles as well as a boot would – since new babies aren’t walking on the shoes, you won’t have to worry about the legwarmers getting ruined either. Plus many legwarmers last from birth to toddlerhood so it’s a great option to get a little extra mileage out of the stuff you already own.

The Best Crib Shoes for Summer Babies

July 21, 2010 in BABY SHOES | Tags: converse, shoes, booties, socks, baby, baby socks, baby shoes, crib shoes, pre-walker, toddler, infant, infant shoes, soft soles, baby sandals, newborn shoes, newborn, baby sneakers, Robeez, Pedoodles, Pediped, See Kai Run, kids, kids shoes, Trumpette, Baby Loopies, Mud Pie, Jazzy Toes | 1 comment

Hello again! As you may be able to tell from the not-so-subtle shoe collection featured here, I have a good reason for not updating in so long… I had a baby! (Her picture is at the bottom of this post, since all new moms get a free bragging pass )

So I know it’s been almost a year since I updated, but I seriously felt like I was two steps from death until my 3rd trimester and just when I finally felt like a real person again, there was just so much to do to get ready for her and not enough time. Of course, after she was born, life was nothing but insanity for a while. But we’re all getting a little more sleep now and our family is finally getting a bit of a workable routine back in place, albeit modified. So I’m back to blogging! And in honor of new babies everywhere, I wanted to start out with a post about baby shoes.

I didn’t know this until I began researching it, but here are actually a few different types of baby shoes: crib shoes or soft-soles, pre-walker or crawling shoes, first steps shoes, and toddler shoes. Crib shoes have super soft, flexible soles and are simply meant to keep little feet warm, clean and stylish. I admit they seem kind of silly and unnecessary for summer babies who would probably be fine barefoot, but I still have a few pairs in the closet for my daughter – they’re just way too cute! (And when hasn’t fashion been a little silly?)

Pre-walker shoes often have a split sole for flexibility and just a little reinforcement in the heels and toes where crawlers push. They also usually have a slip-resistant coating. First Step shoes usually feature a thicker, but still flexible, full rubber sole and sometimes padded insoles too. But many companies make shoes marketed towards both crawlers and walkers since these milestones can happen within a very short time of one another. Toddler shoes are like miniature versions of adult shoes with sturdy indoor/outdoor soles.

Then we have faux baby shoes (actually socks) which are printed to look like anything from sneakers to ballet slippers. I can’t even tell you how in love I am with these sock shoes below! Especially for babies that aren’t using their feet all that much (and are going to grow out of those adorable crib shoes faster than you can blink an eye) – these are such a great option! And with an average price of $3-$6 a sock (usually sold in sets), you won’t even worry when she figures out how to pull them off every 6 seconds.

And finally, the most adorable excuse for not posting for so long, my new baby Olyla…

Another DIY Idea for Shoe Awesomeness

August 28, 2009 in D.I.Y. | Tags: canvas, converse, crafts, crafty, D.I.Y., do it yourself, fashion, gladiators, sandals, shoes, sneakers, style, TRENDS | 11 comments

Converse are so cheap, so easily manipulated and so durable – you shouldn’t be surprised this second DIY feature brings back the classic Chucks again. This time, we’re cutting and pulling.

Shredded Converse at FreePeople.com

The Converse to the left are featured at Free People for $128. Now, they are super cool, but it looked like a pretty simple operation (heck, I have scissors), so I decided to try it out myself. I also just happened to have an old pair of Converse in my closet which definitely helped (yay for being a pack-rat)!

I’ve numbered the pictures below along with the matching paragraph.

1. Ok, so first I took out the laces from my Converse and started cutting slightly angled slits in the shoes between each eyelet. Then I realized just slits were not enough and you need to cut out rectangles, not just straight lines, in order for some skin to peek through.

Make sure that you do NOT cut through the very back of the shoe at the ankle/heel (you’ll see a reinforced strip of canvas there). If you cut through it, you’ll end up with completely separated shoe pieces just held on by laces. Not the look we’re going for.

2. Cool. The cutting was super easy, thank you canvas. It literally took me about 15 minutes to finish both shoes!! You will notice part way through that there are two layers to your Converse shoes, the outer layer and the lining – don’t worry, they’ll stay connected since they’re attached below the insole and along the back of the high top. Now you have a choice: you can make these shoes super sandal-like or a little more sneaker-like… just decide whether to keep the shoe tongue or not. Free People’s website actually has pictures of both versions depending on the color of the shoe! I decided to remove the tongue even though I was a little nervous about how the laces would feel against my skin. Here’s a pic of the shoes with the tongue in for your reference.

#1 - not just single line cuts

#2 - the cuts are done on one side

#2 - pretty nice with the tongue left in

3. To cut the tongue I re-laced the shoes up so I could see where it’d fall. I pulled the tongue straight up right before the first set of eyelets (the pair nearest the toe) which left a little of my toes covered. Remember, you can always cut more off later, but it’s really hard to put it back. Well, that ended up being too long for me and I was worried about it bunching up as I walked in the shoes (although you could sew the tongue to the first two flaps holding those eyelets if you want to keep the tongue a little longer). As you can see below, I cut the tongue out in a semi-circle leaving a little less than a half an inch of fabric (since it is sewn to those first flaps a little – I didn’t cut through those stitches which is why the line curved into a circle).

#3 - goodbye tongue!

#4 - fray by rubbing the edges with your finger

4. Next you’ll need to fray your shoes as pictured above. This part is also super easy and takes less than 5 minutes. Just hold each strap taught at the eyelet and rub down the cut side with your finger, up and down. You can also try holding each section with one hand and then use your other hand to pinch the cut side while pulling if you want even more intense frayed action. P.S. I noticed that the creamy lining frays a lot easier than the outer canvas does, it’ll pretty much fray on its own just by wearing the shoes, so I personally just pulled a little at the outer canvas only.

5. They’re done (in 20-ish minutes!!), fabulous and free (if you have an old pair of Converse lying around) – but even if you buy some new, Converse retail for about $40, so you’re saving over $80 off the ready-made version (sorry FreePeople, I do love you)!

Try this with high tops or even with low tops, I’d love to see your pictures if you try it! (I’m going to get a better finished product pic but it was all rainy today, so look for it this weekend).

#5 - the finished product!

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock this Weekend!

August 15, 2009 in RANDOM | Tags: all black, ballet flats, boots, cocobelle, cowboy boots, ecote, feathers, fringe, frye, georgina goodman, gladiators, hippies, madison harding, minnetonka, peace, rocket dog, simple, sneakers, suede, tie dye, TOMs, western boots, woodstock | 3 comments

Woodstock, The original Woodstock music festival, happened 40 years ago this weekend, from Aug. 15 to 17, 1969! But that gathering was about a lot more than just some great bands, man – even the famous event poster (below) proclaimed the festival was to be three days of peace (first) and then music – there were political motivations, social and rock & roll history being made, inspiration for the reuse and recycling we see today, and there was definitely some great fashion: peasant blouses, tie-dye, bell bottom jeans, beads, patchwork, vests, maxi dresses, fringe, etc.

The original Woodstock event poster

Interestingly, the town of Bethel (where the festival was actually held), has been so against another Woodstock happening that, according to the Times Herald-Record, the owners of the land “many still consider hallowed ground were spreading chicken manure on that fertile soil to keep the pilgrims and plain curious from visiting.” However, according in 1989, 20,000 people gathered anyway for an impromptu 20th anniversary celebration and this weekend might be even bigger. Visit the Times Herald-Record live coverage!

Anyway, enjoy the fun shoes below and the spirit of the time. And here’s something great to remember whenever you’re getting dressed in the morning that Jimi Hendrix is attributed to have said:

“You have to forget about what other people say, when you’re supposed to die, or when you’re supposed to be loving. You have to forget about all these things. You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like heaven.”

All Black - a little bit arts & craft, a lot bit cool	Ecote - flower power!	Minnetonka - comes with detachable feathers and a beaded tassle
Rocket Dog - perfectly slouchy and lived in from the first wear	Collection Fifty Nine - why yes, I (could have) whipstitched these together myself	Guess - even some hippies wore heels

Come on – Rebel, man! This is Woodstock for the new millennium. Here are some ideas to incorporate that peace and love style into your everyday for the end of the summer and into fall 2009.

Madison Harding - Just a smidge of tassle on a luxe suede bootie

Cocobelle - grab those gladiators before summer's over

Frye - classic style in an unexpected color

TOMS- it doesn't have to be tie-dye to be groovy	Georgina Goodman - the new flower power
Simple - get in the spirit with recycled, eco-friendly materials!

Don’t Let Your Summer Wedding Shoes Spell Disaster! Solutions, Ideas and Fabulous Styles.

August 2, 2009 in WEDDING SHOES | Tags: shoes, nine west, fashion, shopping, sandals, flats, heels, rampage, platforms, bride, Guiseppe Zanotti, wedges, stuart weitzman, louboutin, bridal, thongs, oh deer, LAMB, online, WEDDING SHOES, white shoes, cole haan, gown, summer wedding, pollini, office, colin stuart, garden wedding, beach wedding, beach shoes, bridesmaid shoes, jill stuart, matiko, Alexandra Anouket, solemates, lawn | Leave a comment

Traditionally, the vast majority of couples in the US have their weddings in June, the first month of summer. But this June was super rainy (I think record-breaking) and I’ve noticed more late summer weddings planned for this year and next. But regardless of when exactly it happens, you can bet that at some point in your life you will be invited to a summer wedding, maybe even your own! (I’m realizing now that I actually crashed my own wedding, since I technically never got an invite ) Anyway, I think that’s a good reason to have a blog strictly about Summer wedding shoes! (P.S. if you’re still undecided, see my Winter wedding shoe blog too).

So, you may think anything goes when pairing shoes with summer toes, but you’d be wrong! Well, ok, maybe not wrong, but some shoe styles are far superior to others depending on the location of your ceremony:

1. All Outdoor Weddings – If you’re having a summer wedding, its safe to say you’ll probably be having your ceremony outdoors to enjoy the nice, warm weather. First of all, do yourself a favor and avoid cooping your feet up inside hot closed toe pumps (ew, foot sweat!). If temps top 90 where you are, even gladiator style sandals may start to rub and feel not-so-good, so just cross all those shoes off your list now.

Next, even if you opt for a location that can reserve an indoor area in case of rain, remember that you’ll have to have your shoes picked out long before you’ll know Mother Nature’s decision. Any shoe will work indoors, but not every shoe will work outside. So, the main thing to consider when choosing your summer wedding shoes is the ground you’ll be walking on: sand, grassy lawn, packed dirt path (garden), flagstones, loose gravel, etc.

2. Beach Weddings - Trust me when I tell you that you will get sand in your shoes. And I’ve had even those most comfy shoes turn evil at the beach. So now the question is, do you want to have to take your shoes off every 5 seconds to dump them out? Or will you stay strapped into your shoes all day to suffer while a few misplaced grains rub your foot raw? If your answer is “yikes!”, then when trying out shoes, think first about how easy they are to get on and off. Unfastening ankle straps, for example, can require some pretty awkward movements if you’re in, say, a long, straight, low-cut dress. But if your shoes are open to let the sand in and out freely, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about removing them. Here’s a good beach shoe philosophy: don’t fight the sand, go with it.

Also, thin heels are not going to work so well if you plan on walking in sand, so I’d take those out of consideration now too. Even if you could manage the walk, I’m sure you don’t want to have to focus all your attention all day on not falling. If you really have to have a heel, you could try a shoe with a wide sole like a wedge. But honestly, I suggest you embrace the beachy vibe and go for flat sandals! There are lots of dressy options now:

Guiseppe Zanotti - just beautiful, and in buttery soft leather	Rampage - the jeweled flower on the toe is so cute!
Stuart Weitzman - minimalistic glamour with just 2 tiny jewels and a snake chain	Office (UK) - your shoe could be your something blue!
Colin Stuart - perfect for bridesmaids too	Nine West - wear with your wedding gown now and all summer!

3. Lawn or Garden Wedding - Let’s say the weather has been super rainy (not a far stretch of the imagination if you’ve been on the east coast the last few weeks), but just as you’re beginning to panic, the forecaster says it will all end right before your wedding is scheduled, phew! – the clouds part and the sun shines beautifully down just in time. But when you get to the botanical garden you reserved years in advance, you find that all that rain left a lot of mud that couldn’t possibly dry out fast enough! No problem, right? Right! Because you read this blog and you were prepared .

Ok, if mud is a possibility (and it probably will be in any garden or lawn location), thin stiletto heels could sink or get stuck and cause you to fall. But, you can avoid all that trouble by choosing a wide heel like a wedge (I’ve got some great picks for you below). Also, if you hate having your wet toes slide around after coming in contact with dewy grass (it’s one of my silly pet peeves) or if there’s a possibility for loose rocks to get into your shoes, you may also want a platform front style to keep those tootsies out of the danger zone. Last, don’t forget about the possibility of grass or mud stains (especially if you’re trying out your footwear during the rehearsal) – it’s a great impetus to try a metallic or colored shoe!

Jill Stuart - sweet wedges for a fairy tale wedding	Matiko - nude shoes look great with white dresses
Alexandra Anouket - a delicate shade of summer suede	Nine West - classic and elegant
Oh Deer! - light scalloping offsets the chunky wedge heel	Mark Fisher - these platforms would look amazing with a yellow bouquet

Unfortunately, I’ve found that most wedges are designed as casual shoes (who knows why!), so if you can’t find a pair that work for you, try searching for a chunky heel instead – the wider the base of the heel (where it touches the ground), the less likely it’ll sink in wet soil. But, if you’ve already found your dream shoe and they happen to be a stiletto, don’t worry! SoleMates could be your solution. I got a pair at a wedding expo in NYC last year and they’re pretty fantastic. Basically, the SoleMates High Heeler (in black and clear) slides onto most thin heels to make the base of the heel wider (and as above, that’s key for not sinking). They also don’t damage your heels at all and are totally reusable so, besides maneuvering muddy obstacles, you may find yourself using them all the time to walk fearlessly over sidewalk grates and cracks too.

Christian Louboutin - totally risk worthy	L.A.M.B - muted enough to not steal the spotlight... unless you want them too
Pollini - I did python with my creamy vintage dress last summer	Cole Haan Air - a romantic style for the traditionalists

A Few Words on Color - If you’ve read my other wedding blogs and as you can see from above, I am not a traditionalist that believes you can only wear white shoes with your wedding dress. But, I admit there is something about the crispness of the color white and the heat of summer that just seem to match. Maybe it’s also because summer shoes are less solid, and their openness is both warranted for the heat and breaks up the color.

But, I will say quickly that there are some nice benefits to not going with white shoes. Since many of today’s wedding dresses have colored accents or, at the very least, silver or gold detailing, you can bring some of those colors to your shoes to compliment to your whole outfit. Also, cute metallic shoes (and colorful shoes in general) are much easier to find in a wide variety of styles than plain white shoes are (In my experience, pretty much all “bridal shoes” look the same). And, since most of my picks are not technically “wedding shoes,” the prices are often much lower!

The End! - For one last side note, remember that it’s all the better for you if you’re a last minute shopper (or a super early one), because starting in July and through August, all the summer shoes go on sale! Happy shopping!

- oh and no wisecracks about the blog title, yes, I know shoes can’t spell.

Help The Fresh Air Fund in a Half-Marathon for Charity!

July 16, 2009 in Shoe Charity | Tags: adidas, athletic, athletic shoes, camp, Charity, children, half-marathon, marathon, Michael Kors, new york city, nyc, Pearl Izumi, race, road race, run, running, running shoes, sneakers, summer, volunteer | 1 comment

I have done blogs on running shoes in the past, so I think this may be why The Fresh Air Fund decided to contact me about the New York City Half-Marathon for their charity being held August 16th. But even if I was a totally random pick, I’m glad I know now because it’s a great cause!

The Fresh Air Fund, a non-profit agency since 1877 (!!), organizes free Summer vacations for disadvantaged New York children, 6 to 18 years old. Ok, pause there. What did you do on your Summer vacations when you were in school? (mine were filled with beaches, pools, crafts, disneyland and uninterrupted hours with books). Imagine what it would have been like if you couldn’t have done any of that fun stuff. It seriously makes me a little teary thinking about what a gift this must be for so many kids.

The other awesome detail is that all the kids don’t go to the same place; The Fresh Air Fund lets kids stay with volunteer host families in 13 US states and in Canada. They also have 5 Fresh Air camps in upstate NY too – which is good because not every kid is adventurous enough to live with strangers for 2 weeks.

Last year’s Half-Marathon raised more than $125,000 which went directly to The Fresh Air Fund’s free programs for NYC children and, of course, they hope to earn even more this year. Grab your running shoes and register here, or, if you lean more towards stilettos than sneakers, you can sponsor a runner instead by also using that link!

You can learn more about The Fresh Air Fund and even sign up to volunteer, by visiting their website: http://www.FreshAir.org

for vicarious running through sponsorship

Shoe Recall! – Heels Could Break Off/ Fall Hazard

July 10, 2009 in TRENDS | Tags: charles by charles david, charles david, fashion, hazard, heels, heels breaking, nordstrom, product safety, recall, shoe recall, stilettos, style | Leave a comment

This appears to be a fairly small recall, the shoes in question were sample shoes and only sold in sizes 7 and 9 (so if you bought a different size, don’t worry). There are two item numbers involved, item#SAMPCHSHOE and item #SAMPCDSHOE (those item numbers can be found on your original receipt from Nordstroms), but those two items include various styles and color by the brands Charles David and Charles by Charles David. (The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission did not mention if the items pictured on their website represented some or all of the variations but I’ve copied those pictures for you below).

Apparently some handmade heels were attached to those recalled shoes instead of the actual production heels which is the reason for their instability. Luckily, Nordstrom is offering full refunds for the recalled shoes! If you have additional questions or need Nordstrom contact info, please click here. And if your stiletto heels broke but were not a part of this recall, here’s a semi-helpful but funny article about how to not snap your high heels in half.

Shoe Store Spotlight: Swamisz – Swamis and Yoga masters don’t wear them for nothing.

July 2, 2009 in SHOE STORE SPOTLIGHT | Tags: shoes, fashion, shopping, sandals, flats, TRENDS, summer, flip flops, online shopping, rubber, thongs, shoe store, Swamisz, swamis, yoga, online, website, footwear, brand, Australia, AU | 3 comments

You may have already met in my previous blog on crazy new flip-flop styles, but now I’d like to formally introduce you to Swamisz! Founded in 2006 in Australia, Swamisz were previously sold only in the land down under, but they are now shipping all over the world from their fun website to the delight of toes everywhere! Swamisz sandals are unique because of their disconnected toe plug (imagine a mushroom shape) that keeps the shoe on your foot without your having to grip them actively with your toes; your feet can actually relax while walking… and running at traffic lights, going down stairs, etc., things other flip-flops have problems with (yeah, personal experience talking here).

Swamisz are made with natural rubber (a renewable eco-friendly resource, of course) and their sandals are a lot sturdier than your basic rubber flip-flops. Not only are the straps and toe plug made a little thicker, the Swamisz strap is extra reinforced at the bottom, so you don’t have to worry about these plugs pulling out while you’re walking (the fate of so many old flip-flops). All that and they’re seriously comfortable!

The shoe bag! (reverse has brand name & logo)

Note the extra reinforced bottom - love that unique slightly pointed shape too.

My Swamisz (above) arrived in a standard brown shipping box, but inside the box, they were wrapped in a super cute (and hand-stenciled!) cotton shoe bag. A shoe bag coming with shoes that cost less than $300!!? I’m in heaven! (and, yes, a little ridiculously obsessed with shoe bags ). The tag booklet (printed on 100% recycled eco paper) was equally as cute, if not more so, so I have to share part of it below:

“Swamisz (swaa-meez) n. – 1. Designer footwear made with natural rubber and held securely on foot by distinctive toe plug and support strap. 2. Contemporary footwear; an evolution of design modeled on ancient Indian wooden shoes names ‘Paduka.’ Dating back over 5000 years.. ‘Padukas’ are said to be worn by the Gods. 3. Chosen footwear of India’s Swamis; respected, enlightened masters of self-realization* 4. Chosen footwear of those who know that mere ordinary flip-flops are “so passe.”

*wearing Swamisz may not lead to enlightenment…buy hey… at least you’re looking good.”

Now let’s get to the important part, Swamisz retail for $35 plus shipping!!! And you were getting worried, weren’t you ? They currently offers soles in 11 different color for you to choose from, all with a black strap and black toe plug, except for their signature orange version which is solid orange. I chose the not too girly-girly purple color which is dark enough to go with any outfit but still bright enough to be fun; but honestly, it took me hours to decide. You should also note that sizes are in AU (Australian) from 4-12 but their website does give you a nice size conversion chart complete with US, Canada, Euro, UK, Japanese sizes and centimeters to compare your foot to. I’ve found that women wearing US sizes should generally order one size down. If you wear a size 8, you’ll probably want to order a Swamisz size 7. Now get out there and start being a flip-flop free thinker!

As they say, “Swamis and Yoga masters don’t wear them for nothing.”

Even my kitty had to stop mid-scratch to take a look!

Shoes from Elizabeth and James, Marvel Comics and Metallica!?

June 28, 2009 in NEWS IN SHOES | Tags: ac/dc, ankle boots, ashley olsen, booties, captain america, converse, elizabeth and james, fashion, givenchy, gladiators, heels, hi-tops, iron man 2, LAMB, marvel, mary-kate olsen, metallica, olsen, pink floyd, rock, sandals, shoes, sigerson morrison, sneakers, style, the avengers, the grateful dead, the who, thor, TRENDS, via spiga, wedges | 1 comment

Ok, no I’m not talking about some crazy 3-way, but there are shoes being debuted with touches from each of these icons. Elizabeth and James, the contemporary brand of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, has launched it’s first shoe collection; Marvel Comics is partnering with the Brown shoe company to create shoes linked to coming theatrical releases; and Metallica, along with other classic rock bands, is being honored by Converse with special edition Chucks. Yep, I’ve got all the details for you below.

Let me first say that I LOVE the Elizabeth and James clothing line, crazy awesome innovative stuff: cutaway blazers with faux attached vests, plain button up shirts transformed simply and beautifully, ridiculously flattering black pants, etc. But I was surprised by their first shoe collection; it was all so boring and basic! Many of the styles I’ve already seen before from other brands. For example, I’m pretty sure that one of the Olsen girls (or their designer helpers) owned a pair of these Givenchy laced wedge sandals pictured below and thought, hey, we can take elements of great shoes like these and make our own versions. And so from one, two were born: E & J’s ankle wrap wedge heel and their strappy huarache sandal (below in my nice little graphic).

Elizabeth and James ankle wrap wedge heel

Elizabeth and James 2009

Givenchy Spring/Summer 09

More similarities I found: the Elizabeth and James Edge huarache sliver wedges preceding them are only a few slanted straps away from Sigerson Morrison’s eel version below, and their leather button booties are so so basic, I just searched for 5 seconds to find this pair by Via Spiga. *sigh* I mean, they are great shoes and they are slightly different, but that’s just it. They’re only slightly different. The shoe line is almost completely devoid of the exciting new styles I was hoping for from the brand.

Elizabeth and James

Sigerson Morrison

Elizabeth and James

Via Spiga

But, I can say that one shoe did finally stand out, the Jazz pumps below, which remind me of early L.A.M.B. heels but with a tiny bit more sophistication. So I gave them a big picture.

Elizabeth and James Jazz Pumps

Next up, I’ve heard that the Brown shoe company, home to brands like Carlos Santana, Fergie, Via Spiga and Dr. Scholl’s, will be partnering with Marvel Comics in time for the release of Iron Man 2 (yipee!) scheduled for May 2010. As expected they’ll just be shoes for babies and young adults. But… there is a but, they plan on continuing to produce Marvel heroes shoe collaborations for future movies too: Thor coming May 2011, The First Avenger: Captain America in July of the same year, and “The Avengers” in May 2012. So who knows? Maybe some of those will be cool enough to work their way into adult shoe collections like the Wonder Woman flip flops below by Havaianas.

Last, I hope you’re already found out (but I’m listing it anyway since I haven’t written about it yet – and if I’m your only source for shoe news, I can’t let you live without this knowledge) that classic rock bands, such as The Who, The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd are being honored by Converse with special sneakers. New shoes featuring AC/DC and Metallica are already available as part of the Fall 2009 collection. And these specially decorated Chuck Taylor All Stars hi-tops retail for between $50-$80, reasonable enough for you to get one pair to wear and one pair to frame, if you happen to be their number one fan. Check ‘em out at Journeys.com below and Converse.com.

Crazy New Flip-Flop Styles… You’ve Never Seen These Before!

June 8, 2009 in TRENDS | Tags: shoes, uggs, vibram, barefoot, fashion, style, sandals, vegan, vegan shoes, steve madden, TRENDS, summer, flip flops, new, nike, ugg, thongs, Swamisz, Keen, Havaianas, Terra Plana, water shoes, vegetarian shoes, eco friendly, ethical fashion, ethical, split toe, monkeys, sugar | 7 comments

I think the title is enough for this blog , so let’s jump right in to the examples and the pictures! My first pick, and I had to give you two angles so you could really see what’s going on this the toes on these shoes, are the eco-friendly and ethical Dopie sandals by Terra Plana. The Dopie was designed with the idea of finding the most minimal footwear possible (the philosophy being that barefoot is best for the body but not always practical). You can actually even wear the shoes without the strap!! There are also TONS of colors, so don’t worry if green isn’t your thing.

In the second row is a pair of sporty flip-flops, the Waimea H2 by Keen. You might need to take a second look at these shoes, they have a sole that turns up and attaches to an extended strap of the upper! I’ve spotted similar soles on running shoes and other shoes but never on flip-flops. I’m sure this sole makes these shoes great for dusty trails and hiking on pebbly paths, heck, even dirty New York sidewalks – and of course, protection against the dreaded stubbed toe! They also have a cute, eco-friendly version with a colorful upper of woven rice paper!

Next, I found a pair of Swamisz, which also come in tons of color combinations. These shoes are finally now available in the US (previously just in Australia), and like so many AU brands that have come before them, Swamisz are sure to be a big hit! They claim that you do not even need to actively grip with your toes to keep these shoes on (often the main reason people don’t like thong sandals); the toe portion is made in such a way to naturally stay on your feet. My pair is on its way, so I’ll give you way more info as soon as I try them out!

I have problems with so many flip-flops because some designers just don’t think about comfort when they’re choosing the material that goes between your toes! I can’t even count how many times a leather seam was positioned wrong and caused me crazy pain. That’s part of the reason why I love the gold Steve Madden flip-flops below; just two pieces of soft, stretch material crossed over the big toe.

But I can tell you that I’ve never had a problem with Havaianas, which have been around forever. This new version with a strap around the ankle is just different enough to really wow people. And the adjustable buckle is rare (and genius!) on a rubber shoe. There’s a great review here about the Havaianas below from Tasha Nita Adams’ (L.A. style expert) experience. And last, I’ve found a wacky pair of daytime thong sandals with a fuzzy insole (oh Uggs, you’ll put shearling on anything). I’m not too sure about taking these to the beach or the pool, but for daily flip-flops, they should be pretty cozy. Next to the Uggs are a pair of foot-hugging monkey thongs that are just plain fun (and float as a bonus)! Sugar brand shoes are always creative.

Last of all, even though they’re not flip-flops, I wanted to include the two shoes below because they are crazy – so we’re still half topical. The very noticeable Vibram FiveFingers shoes below are the only outdoor shoes I know of that don’t clump your toes together in one space with the rest of your foot. The sole of the shoe actually covers the bottom of where each toe sits individually. Vibram claims that separating your toes creates improves balance, overall foot health & posture. These toe-tastic shoes even come in 3 other varieties that work for you in different ways based on the activities you plan on doing in them – such as running, yoga, boating, martial arts, surfing, climbing, travel, etc. Don’t worry if you don’t do any of those activities though (it’s not stopping me anyway), do you only wear sneakers for sporty activities, even if that’s what they’re technically designed for? P.S. FiveFingers are vegan friendly too!

In the same train of thought, I found these split toe Air Rift shoes by totally mainstream brand Nike (shaped like traditional Japanese tabi socks). It’s a little hard to see below (since almost everyone is sold out – I suggest eBay if you want a pair), but if you click on the shoes below, you can get a nice multi-view from Zappos including the bottom of the sole. Nike says the design was “inspired by barefoot runners of Kenya.”

I guess the message is, whether in flip flops or whatever, Neglect your toes no longer!

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Crazy New Flip-Flop Styles… You’ve Never Seen These Before!

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