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Some shoe news-y tidbits just for you. Have a great memorial day weekend!
Fergie, formerly of the Black Eyed Peas, is teaming with Brown Shoe Co. for her own shoe line coming Spring ’09. In the press release, she says “A woman can wear confidence on her feet with a high stiletto, or slip into weekend comfort with a soft ballet flat,” but judging from the handbags born of her collaboration with Kipling, I’m predicting casual beachy styles (bright colors, canvas) with some rock star inspired styles (patent leather, black, red, hot pink, studs, charms, crystals). But we’ll have to see, samples are going to be displayed at the FFA’s New York trade shows; maybe she’ll wow everyone Gwen Stefani style. Other predictions, anyone?
The New York Times wrote an intersting article yesterday regarding the brand Foley & Corinna as the face of the fashion copying / copyrighting debate. You may be aware of the infamous Forever 21 dress that was almost an exact replica of a much more expensive original by Foley & Corinna. As I’m sure you’ve seen (and maybe even searched for) near-replicas of runway shoes you love (but maybe cannot afford), watching how this plays out will definitely be of interest and may have a huge impact on the more affordable fashion retailers and who knows who else. Read the NY Times article here.
Le Coq Sportif relauched in the US 3 months ago from their first attempt in 2005, and has just announced that they are closing up yet again to focus on the more stable European market. If you’ve never heard of the brand, trust me that this is sad news. I had a love affair with a pair of their chocolate brown sneakers with a light blue rooster logo and matching light blue stitching: They had super flat, almost non-existant soles, like ballet slippers, but they were still sturdy enough that I didn’t feel every sidewalk crack I stepped on. And they had the softest leather I’ve ever felt in a sneaker. The majority of retailers are already sold out and most of the shoes you can find end up being mens (Father’s Day is coming up!), but there are a few for women left on the internet. And there’s always ever-changing eBay.
Beatrix Ong, a former designer for Jimmy Choo, has decided to start her own line of luxury shoes led more by Ong’s travels than by trends. So if you’re looking for a unique pointy-toe stiletto, you probably won’t find a better version than hers. But the best part is, she also supports more than 15 charities.
Since even before Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, black and white have been paired together for a beautiful contrast. Even nature has decided black and white are an excellent mix: penguins, pandas…
okay, I just wanted a cute puppy picture (thanks bigpawsonly.com!). Or, for a more recent picture, Ashlee Simpson’s ivory wedding dress and Pete Wentz’s black nail polish? But, regardless of my fun examples, the truth about the color duo being united in everlasting harmony remains, so why not add some defining black pieces while wearing likely the most white dress of your life?
Actually, I am generally against wearing black to weddings, even if the dress code is black-tie formal (as I get many stern looks from miss manners, I’m sure), but I think shoes are definitely an exception, mostly because there is usually not a lot of black to them (strappy heels are the most common evening shoe) and because most people do not associate black shoes with solemn mourning in the same way as black clothing, at least not in this country. Plus, most of the black evening shoes that you’d pick from to go with your wedding dress are going to have something else to them: rhinestones, beads, crystals, metallics, sequins, lace or glitter (even if it’s just minimally) – which makes the shoes less dreary and a lot more fun! (P.S. If you clicked on the link above to view the uber-gorgeous, uber-expensive sequin example, check out this more affordable (and equally cute) version!).
One more great thing about black shoes, is that you won’t have to worry about trying to find shoes in the exact shade of ecru to match your dress (I’ve read that there are over 200 different versions of white used in wedding dresses – to the chagrin of brides everywhere). Luckily, as my friend Jessica always says, “sparkles match everything!”
So, I have some gorgeous options in black for you below that I’m sure would complement any wedding dress. Starting off, Oh… Deer! covered these black stiletto pumps in sequins so while at first they look fairly basic, then they catch the light and it’s a party! (imagine them sparkling from flickering candles). Second, I’ve chosen these lightly beaded Caparros slingbacks; just by varying the width of the straps, they’ve almost made it look like a bow for the side of your foot (I can do fun and flashy, but the simple minimalist in me favors clean styles when they’re done so right). Last in row one, these heels by Nine West may look like your average rhinestone shoes, but they’re actually trimmed in glinty silver chain! However, the strap over the toes is a wedding-appropriate black lace, so for the bride looking for something slightly edgy, these might just make you and your mother happy (I’m told it is possible 
).
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In the second row, the intricate, vine-like metallic trim on these Max Studio heels seems to me like a pretty and more wearable version of the Miu Miu teacup pumps. Your friends will be dying to know where you got them and won’t believe they didn’t cost as much as your wedding dress. Next up are these luxe gold and black d’Orsay heels by Enzo Angiolini which I have to preface are not going to work with every wedding dress. Silver and crystal sparkles are so close to white they almost don’t count as a separate color and can match most any wedding dress hue – even those leaning towards gold tones. But, with a bright metallic gold color on a black shoe, you are then dealing with 3 different color spectrums which can be more difficult to use. However, there are tons of wedding dresses in pearly-gold hues and just as many with gold threading or bead detail, so in these cases, a gold and black shoe can coordinate nicely. I think these Enzo heels, with the tapered gold bands on the side, have a bit of a retro cool feel.
For my crafty tip-of-the-blog, the very last pair of shoes by Max Studio are adorable, right? They’re also simple to fashion yourself (I call that couture!). First, just get a pair of plain black d’Orsay heels (that means the back and front of the shoe’s upper are not connected & also that they exist! Shoes without a back won’t work for this project). They will also need to have a removable ankle strap (connected by a loop of leather instead of to the sides of the shoe). You might even already have a pair in your closet. Okay? Now throw the ankle strap away! The next step is to get a pretty double face satin ribbon in your color choice (something blue?). Fold it in half, and put the fold under the toe area of the shoe, fold facing the heel. Separate the two pieces of ribbon at the fold, slip the opposite loose ends through and pull tight. Last step: thread one end of the ribbon through the hole for the ankle strap (this will keep your bow from falling down) and tie a bow! If you can easily slip your foot in and out of the shoes with the bow tied, you can sew or hot glue the knot of the bow so it will stay put (satin ribbon is slippery), otherwise, just use a pin.
P.S. If you have any crafty wedding ideas (especially those involving shoes – but we’ll take anything just this once), please feel free to share!
All the comfy of a sneaker with the versatile cuteness of a flat. These are shoes that will elevate your casual weekend outfits, not bring them down to the realm of sweatpants, beat-up Reebok running shoes, and “they’re just like us” supermarket tabloid photos. These shoes are so good, they’re Lucky Magazine‘s shoe of the month for June.
I can see myself pairing almost any of the shoes below with pants or dresses as the mood takes me. They’re also just as easy to slip on at a moment’s notice as any other type of footwear so there’s no excuse to not have a pair on hand. Ok, starting below left, these Report sneaker flats are so adorable I almost want to pin bows to everything. Since they’re in a muted hue though, the shoes are not in girly overkill territory. Next, these Terre Peck flats have sneaker-like lacing detail but the gathering at the toes really sets them apart. And, I was surprised to see these pink flats were by Etienne Aigner. The silver bit detail on the toes is (similar to Gucci’s signature – so you know it’s a good idea) a nice piece of hardware that keeps the pink from being overwhelming.
You already know Puma specializes in performance shoes, so I know these patent platforms in the second row are going to feel great. The platform makes them a tiny bit dressier too than if they were totally flat. But Keds has been my favorite recently for affordable flats in fun prints and these citrus colored ones (second row, center) are no exception. And last, I wanted to include these DKNY flats because with the higher rise at the heel, they’re the rare pair of sneaker flats that you could wear when playing in the park with your dog (who likes to get away from you occasionally to make a break for the exit) and with the cut out detail at the heel and two-tone scheme, you could still keep them on when going to a cafe later that afternoon without looking scruffy in the slightest.
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Showing Some Love