You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2008.
I know Spring only officially began a few days ago, but I’m not talking about forgoing warm weather spending! Here’s your expert arsenal to keep your Spring/Summer purchases au courant for Fall.
Heard of Isabella Fiore? Well, Jerome Chouinard-Rousseau, formerly the brand’s footwear design director, has started his own line of shoes! In an interview with the World Shoe Association trade magazine, he predicts that ankle boots are going to continue to be a key trend for Fall ’08, along with the reptile prints and color blocking we’re seeing for Spring right now. That’s good news for any shopper being hit even a little by the country’s economic situation right now; I love when trendy purchases don’t fade quickly!
 |
 |
 |
Perfect pastel color blocking by Via Spiga, the trompe l’oeil gladiator pieces on these booties by Anna Sui let you pretend you’re wearing sandals!, and these reptile embossed booties by Steve Madden are hot enough to keep in my closet until September (although you might be able to pull these off in the spring with the right pair of pants).
Fashion Institute of Technology professor Sara Petitt echoes that short boots will continue to be a big trend, even suggesting they’ll soon take over the place long held by tall boots in the fashion world. She suggests that oxfords and contrasting heels will match well with tailored Fall fashions that almost demand a well-played, statement-making shoe.
 |
 |
 |
Preppy-dorky-cool oxfords by Rafe (I saw shoes almost identical to the style of these in a recent Nylon magazine fashion spread), fun orange rubber, pointy-toe flats by Sigerson Morrison, and Chie Mihara peep toes with a contrasting heel. Don’t worry, this isn’t out of left field- you’ll see more about orange below!
For Fall colors, the go-to guy is Tod Schulman, president of Pantone (pretty much the global authority on color). He forecasts white in high use with yellow, pink and gray undertones. And, Nathalie Fausty, consultant for PromoStyl, an international trend research office, adds orange and a deep wine color to the mix. She tells WSAToday magazine, “Warm orange is perfect for footwear. It won’t be seen all over the shoe, but rather as piping or detail. Orange for me is the introduction of neon again, the counter-reaction to the green movement.”
 |
 |
 |
Above are some yellow-white ankle-strap, snake embossed heels by Botkier (wear now as is and with tights for Fall), pink-white platforms by Jill Stuart (a classy day to night shoe – these would look amazing with a crisp gray blazer), and glossy gray-white heels by Naturalizer (will match easily with both full spring skirts and skinny jeans when temperatures fall again).
I couldn’t leave without putting some wine-colored shoes in here! These are almost straight for fall though, I can’t really see any shoe in this color working too well for spring, but my props to you if you try. Let me know your ideas or how you pulled it off if you do!
 |
 |
 |
Nina brocade heels with an amazing design on the heel that looks like it was carved out, suede loafer pumps by Coach in a deep plum color, and if you want to combine color blocking, reptile prints and an aubergine color, these Gracious Me pumps are a great way to do it.
Perhaps you’re aware already that Carlos Santana lent his name to a line of pretty rockin’ women’s shoes. What you may not know is that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their shoes is donated to the Milagro Foundation (milagro is spanish for miracle) which was founded in part by the guitar legend himself. Milagro has been providing grants since 1998 to organizations around the world who work with at-risk, underrepresented and disadvantaged children in the arts, education and health. Not a bad excuse to buy some shoes!
I love the mirrored heel on the black sandals below and the asymmetrical rhinestone swoosh down the front (I admit I bought myself a pair in the champagne color… but it was for charity!!). And the dark teal platforms are trendy-tastic with a sexy snake embossed trim (skins are in for spring, but save the endangered slithery guys and go faux! Random FYI- If you’re in California it’s actually illegal to have python anything shipped to you). I love these shoes in the black and gray color too, but I really had to post the blue picture to give you a good example of the brand as a whole; bold, unexpected color is key to the Carlos Santana style. Last, have you ever seen anything like these metallic red wedges? I am completely digging the half d’orsay sides.
 |
 |
 |
Another key player for good causes is Kenneth Cole. He uses advertising for his huge brand of clothing, shoes, handbags, etc., as an opportunity to say something useful and important, not solely for sales (although it works on me). In his book, Footnotes (a portion of the sales of which also go to benefit AIDS research) he says, ”Advertising, I believe, is an opportunity to introduce your point of view… With humor I try to fuse, for example, global concerns with fashion realities, without trivializing either, and without being confrontational.” In addition to AIDS research, they also support groups like: Help USA, The Sundance Institute, Rock The Vote and Riverkeeper (determined to protect the Hudson River and watershed of NYC!).
With a resume like that, you know you can feel good about purchasing Kenneth Cole shoes (doesn’t hurt that they also feel good on your feet!). My picks are these strappy leather boheme wooden heels (imagine with a long, billowy dress), a pair of lime green, snake embossed pumps (with anything! – ok, how about with some of those light colored wide leg jeans?) and I could not resist putting this last pair of black ankle-wrap sandals in for some serious I-wanna-dress-like-the-Olsens gladiator love. Just try not to wear them to Easter dinner with your family – grandma might faint (
love you g-mom).
 |
 |
 |
Lucky Magazine‘s shoe of the month for April 08 are ankle-strap flats. They suggest pairing them with short dresses, shorts and skirts. And I’ll add that the logic here is that an ankle strap cuts the visual line of your leg, making it appear shorter. So you’ll want to show as much leg as possible to make up for it!
The great thing about these shoes is that they automatically elevate the style of your outfit. For example, imagine a white t-shirt with a taupe colored short linen skirt. Think about a girl wearing that outfit with flip flops. Now, think about her wearing that same outfit with the Steve Madden light gold flats below. See what I mean?
 |
 |
Steve Madden gold Exposed peep-toe flats, Kenneth Cole black Tap N Skip leather ballet flats. |
Also, these Sophia Kokosalaki heels below are almost identical to the $600 United Bamboo heels Lucky featured on page 106. Um, yes I will take them at about a 6th of the price, thank you.
 |
Erin go bragh!
St. Patrick’s day is coming up on Monday, so in celebration (or early preparation), I have selected the best green shoes around. Nobody wants to get pinched, right? (Of course, if you do want to get pinched by someone in particular, it’s pretty easy to slip off your shoes under your desk to declare yourself vulnerable or protected at your whim – definitely easier than with a green t-shirt). It’s also particularly handy that a major spring trend right now involves super bright colors. So if you haven’t the slightest desire to wear green for the holiday, do it for fashion!
If you live in an area where March already means Spring and warm weather (I and my fellow New Yorkers envy you) or if you can just run from your car into your nice, heated office building, try out these sandals by Kors by Michael Kors and BC Footwear. The shoes also both have some strappiness to evoke a bit of gladiator trendiness without being obvious.
 |
 |
For the rest of us further from the equator, I suggest these excellent closed-toe rubber flats by Sigerson Morrison (April showers are often preceded by March showers but not as rhyme-y) and slightly warmer boots by 80%20 (hidden 3″ wedge!).
 |
 |
P.S. Happy Pi Day!
When planning a wedding, brides usually decide to hold a bouquet or corsage when walking down the aisle so, of course, they must then decide which flowers will be in it (the groom’s boutonnière applies here too if you’re a hubby-to-be!). Some people choose flowers because they have a specific personal meaning or were always a favorite, but I think the most common deciding factor is whether it’s the right color to go with the invites, decor, bridesmaid’s dresses, etc. You can also consider whether the flower is in season (if you’re trying to save a little money), how fragrant it is or the aura it projects: roses are generally viewed as classic and warm, calla lilies as refined, carnations as cheery and carefree, and so on.
Considering how so much work goes into choosing just a few flowers that you’ll hold for maybe an hour or so tops (and most people throw them to someone else later on), I think you should get a little more out of all that decision making. How about knocking off your shoe deliberations at the same time? Once you know what’ll be in your fabulous bouquet, try turning your flowers into shoes. No silly, this doesn’t require Cinderella’s fairy godmother or glue… check out what I mean below!
 |
 |
Calla Lilies – All the flower retailers I found (who I assume would know best) say that these flowers are associated with beauty. Because of their long, thick stems and slightly opened single petal, the best shoes to match these clean, streamlined flowers are simple, monochromatic heels with maybe just one classy detail (you’d probably want to stay away from sparkly accents unless they’re super minimal). It’s hard to see in the picture (click it for a bigger image) but these Calvin Klein satin pumps have a beautiful mother of pearl mosaic heel.
 |
 |
Sunflowers- Named because they resemble the rays of the sun (no, I’m not just saying that because of the word SUN. The botanical name is Helianthus: helio is Greek for sun and anthos meaning flower). So if you choose a bouquet of these bright yellow mood-lifters, it’s probably because you want your wedding to be more upbeat than solemn, more informal than black-tie (and not just because you want to have a ready snack on hand in case the aisle is really long). So I’d match sunflowers with tall espadrilles like these by Steve Madden. The pale gold satin and long ribbons to wrap around your ankle lend an easy elegance while the woven wedge heel is both Summer-y and comfortable. I think these espadrilles may feel a little more wedding-appropriate too because the color of the heel and the fabric are so similar so watch out for harsh contrasts if you go for this style (for example, the look would be completely different with these shoes if the platform heel was dyed black).
 |
 |
Orchids- Generally associated with love and fertility, orchids come in a variety of sizes, shapes (some with pointed petals, some more rounded) and soft colors. They were also flowers cultivated and collected only by the wealthy in the Victorian era. Orchids, therefore, add a sophisticated, upscale flare to weddings, especially when they’re in a rich color like this purple variety. That’s why it’s great to pair them with gold hued shoes with white diamond-y decorations; other insignias of riches and opulence, darling. P.S. If you’re having a beach wedding, these flowers are also great because they are commonly used in Hawaiian leis.
 |
 |
Tulips- Both the flower and its name originated in the Ottoman Empire, not Holland as commonly believed. The great thing about tulips is that they come in almost every color but are more special than carnations (which also appear in many colors… and in many grocery store get-well-soon bunches). There are also a ton of meanings for different tulip colors: the red ones I chose above usually signify a declaration of love or sincerity (how much more wedding perfect can you get?), yellow for cheerful thoughts or sunshine, variegated tulips for beautiful eyes, and tulips in general represent a perfect love. I think paring such a love-filled flower with pink toned heels is definitely the way to go. These metallic cage-toe heels by J Lo by Jennifer Lopez have just the right amount of shine and height to add some glamour to your wedding ensemble.
 |
 |
 |
Completely Unique- Yes, those are Waterford crystal flowers (designed by Marc Jacobs). As long as you’re okay with not tossing your bouquet at the reception(!), this could be the addition that no one will forget. Because more than one of these flowers held tightly together might cause some breakage, I’m picturing a single stem with a colored ribbon wound around the stem and trailing. Together with these Guess t-strap heels, the look is just edgy enough without going overboard. At first glance, the shoes are in a perfect-for-evening metallic pewter color, but close-up they almost look to me like they are covered in fishnet stockings. And I cannot pass up sharing the most perfect dress to go with these, the picture above is Audrey Hepburn, but imagine the dress in pure white (I’m about to change all my wedding plans right now).
Nylon magazine’s March 08 cover-girl is the always adorable Rachel Bilson. 
If you’ve been reading my blog, you’ve probably already deduced that I’m a little height-challenged. So I admit this makes me have love all the more for fellow shortie Rachel (she’s anywhere from 5’1″ to 5’4″ depending on your source – but since most actresses are 5’6″ or taller, any of those heights still meet the short category).
Knowing this, Nylon‘s stylists, of course, put her only in platforms. The Marc Fisher heels below are almost a dead ringer for the Marni’s she’s wearing on page 169. And I can totally picture her in the polka dot Irregular choice heels. Polka dots, by the way, are also one of Nylon‘s key Spring trends according to their article on graphic patterns: checks, stars, stripes and spots. See the mag’s page 126 for more ideas. (Am I the only one who has a tiny hope in their heart that the heart and star shaped frame sunglasses come back? I’d be completely entertained seeing them on a crowd of faces when walking the streets).
If you’re a tall glamazon, please don’t pull a Nicole-Kidman-with-Tom-Cruise, you definitely can and should still wear the platforms! Just look for a slightly smaller platform like the traffic-stopping patent red version below by Tapeet (imagine with a mini black shift dress or creamy tan wide-leg trousers and a billowy white top- too cute!).
 |
 |
 |
 |
Left to right: Marc Fisher black patent Fedie d’Orsay heels, Tapeet red Cutout Heel Gladiator Sandal, Carlos by Carlos Santana blue and gray Rhapsody platform wedge sandals, Irregular Choice black and white 3137-3D espadrille platform heels.
Showing Some Love