The latest version of the Nike Flight Condor High SI uses a design using colors such as grey, brown and volt on an upper made from countless materials. Nike added neon green and bright yellow, plus brown elephant print and hints of Carolina blue on the top and bottom eyelets. You can pick these up now at FinishLine.
In particular, I would still love to own a pair of these delicious booties:
(Originally $945 at Saks)
But, budgets being what they are, I instead find myself turning to the Pour La Victoire brand to satisfy my lacey-shoe urges.
How are these for a lower-cost alternative?
Pour La Victoire ‘Eden’ $284 $166.25-$193.23 at Zappos.com
I think I actually prefer the lower ’shootie’ height of these inspired-by copies. Plus, if you are looking for a lighter spring color, the tan nubuck is a great spring neutral.
(The tan is also available from Urban Outfitters for a relative steal at $158)
I also love the allover lacework on both the original Valentino and the PLV version. This open design provides plenty of ventilation to keep your tootsies cool on hot summer days. In addition, I think this is a great interpretation of the recent open-toe bootie mini-trend; one that is lovely enough on it’s own that it will last through many years without looking dated as is likely happen with many of the more
Plus, the PLV Eden is available in grey, white (if you can find it), and an absolutely amazing blue suede (this would blend so well with my clothing wardrobe).
(Grey is $292 at Shopbop, Blue is $280 at Piperlime)
Yummy. I could use a blue summer shoe. Maybe I’ll get lucky and this will go on sale in my size, making it an ever better deal…a girl can dream. Decisions, decisions…too bad I can’t get one in each color.
A product of ingenious collaboration between Y-3 and Momo, Adidas released 3 new sets of cutting-edge design at Vogue’s “Fashion’s Night Out” on Sept 10. Following Momo’s iconic and colorful style, the 3 designs feature bright color graphics with color blocks overlapping one another. Only 350 pairs will be sold worldwide. Now available in Asia at Y-3’s flagship store, Shinjuku, for $448. The shoes are scheduled to hit the streets of Europe and U.S. in early October.
Roberto Cavalli L70038 $1494 $1072.80 at Zappos.com
I find these to be an interesting and fresh alternative to the many recent glittered, sequined, pailletted, and otherwise bedazzled shoe options being offered in nearly every price range. They also happen to make me smile because they bring immediately to mind one of my favorite, illustrated, children’s books, “The Rainbow Fish
These Cavalli peep-toes are just as sparkly as the rainbow fish is at the beginning of the story.
Though, I must admit that I actually love the illustrations as much or more than story text; a morality tale centered around the concepts of vanity, sharing, friendship, and inner beauty. Over the course of the story, the rainbow fish eventually passes out most of his scales to those around him - sharing his beauty and gaining friends as he learns humility and the ability to share. There is also a great, tactile, quality to the artwork; foil scales are inset into the watercolor illustrations - adding sparkle and collage interest to each page.
Looking at these shoes, I feel kind of like the rainbow fish at the beginning of the story. They are soooo pretty; you would feel spectacular any time you tried them on. I suppose that even as a grown-up, it’s hard to share certain things that make us feel fabulous and personal all at the same time.
I certainly wouldn’t want to share these if they were a part of my closet. I’m afraid the closest I come to the tale’s selflessness (in regard to shoes) is by periodically donating any non-worn shoes in my closet.
How about you?
Here we have two new colorways of the Nike Blazer High. Both Blazers feature all white leather uppers, with the only differences being the color of swooshes. One is navy and the other is red. The one feature that makes this shoes stand out is the pre yellowed midsole. You can find both pairs at Nike Sportwear retailers now.
(Photo source: www.luxist.com)
Aren’t these just the most romantic shoe? I am so put in mind of Sleeping Beauty; wouldn’t these be perfect for the princess waking from her enchanted sleep?
But, alas, at £830, these beauties were never remotely anything more than a sweet and distant dream for this particular shoeblogger.
Anyway, in the process of searching for a photo of these rose-thorned stilettos to share with you, I encountered not only an affordable (and obviously inspired) style by Leg Avenue, but also a fabulous (and fabulously expensive) rose-themed shoe by Mai Lamore which pre-dates the Vivier sandals by about a year.
So, for your amusement (and thanks to Polyvore for the searchable fashion engine and set editor that created this collage), I present a small example of shoe evolution in action:
At top center, Mai Lamore’s $27,945 rose shoe has a 14K covered sculptured stiletto - as well as hand-dyed silk rose petals at the heel; these breathtaking shoes were found in a 2007 issue of Elite Traveler.
At the bottom left are the previously mentioned Roger Vivier shoes from the 2008 fall/winter collection; this time shown in a red-and-black color combination (many other colors and combinations were produced).
At bottom right, are the Leg Avenue look-alikes to the Vivier silhouette. The Leg Avenue ‘Sangria’; these will run you $31.62-$58.32 at the Amazon Marketplace. A closed-toe pump version; the Leg Avenue ‘Thorn’ is also available for $38.95 at Shoebuy.com.
So, now I just need to find a little bit of budge in my budget. After all, how much closer am I likely to get than this to the dream shoe I drew back in October of 2008 - months before I ever set eye on any of the styles shown above.
These are probably one of the best looking Nike Air Max 95 i have seen in a while. Nike Sportswear has just released the Air Max 95 in a white mid sole, as a gradient to light grey, dark grey and then black on the upper of the Air Maxes. These are available now at Footaction and Footlocker stores right now.
Let me start out by saying that I like summer as much as anyone. Warm weather and sunshine is nice, but after weeks of high-90’s temperatures, I am looking forward to more moderate fall temperatures. Plus, my recent time in Las Vegas visiting with family may have left me feeling a bit ’summered out’ - at least for a while. Whatever the reason, I was thrilled to discover during this weekend’s window-shopping that shoe and department stores are moving past caged booties, gladiator sandals, and *ick* flip-flops and into fall-friendly closed-toe Maryjanes, ankle boots, and knee-boots.
Yay! Fall has some of the most delicious footwear - particularly if you are a boot-lover like me.
One thing I noticed after visiting several area stores is that grey boots, in particular, are calling to me this season. Perhaps it’s a carry-over from walking through the Bellagio shops where I covetously petted these uber-soft, grey, majorette boots by Fendi that are, sadly, not even remotely in this year’s budget (But *Gasp* - Love ‘em!):
(Fendi boots are $995 at Net-a-porter)
These Fendi lovelies felt soooo dreamy. There really is whole other level of softness that you don’t find in cheaper leathers. (Don’t even get me started about walking through Bottega Veneta and Hermes …. *Sigh*)
Check out this rockin’ kicks for the ladies. Innovative, street-savvy and sleek
the Bold Sister features the new DiamondFLX outsole technology with inbuilt Nike+ widget for those that like to mix training with running.
Available in 2 colorways – blk/lime/pink and blk/white. Made of suede, patent leather and premium leather. The suede upper is accented by a patent leather on front and back area and also on the collar and tongue. Features pink stitches on the premium leather and Nike logo. Offers great midfoot fit, flexible upper and low-profile Nike Zoom cushioning in the heel. Available at the Nike Store for £68.50 (approx $99.96).
Last Monday, after picking me up at the airport, my hubby was kind enough to stop by Nordstrom as a way of killing time before meeting for dinner with the in-laws that evening (Our little town doesn’t get any fancier than Macy’s & TJ Maxx). So, we did the mall walk-through, ending in the Nordie’s shoe department …. Oh, do they have other departments?
Anyway, they were just enough new boots on display to make me both excited and impatient for fall to be here already. And, there was one purple ankle bootie that had hubby again acting the enabler to my shoe habit - All purple suede and a funky-tough zipper trim. “Hey Babe, you don’t really have anything in purple, do you?”. (Really, this is why I can’t take the man shopping with me: I can say no to myself, but he has a bit of a tougher time of it….Of course, I suppose a gal could have worse issues to deal with than a hubby that wants to see her happy.)
And, I have to admit, I don’t have anything in my shoe-closet quite like this:
Steven by Steve Madden ‘Bevan’ $99.90 $168.95
But, I was good and didn’t try them on. After all, we had dinner plans and had the whole next day free before we needed to head back on the 3-hour drive back home.
Um, maybe not so good. Apparently, Nordstrom re-set their entire women’s shoe department overnight and these babies were nowhere to be found in-store come Tuesday.
But, all was not lost. While no longer available at the local Nordstrom (I have a feeling The Rack could be seeing these shortly), a quick search at the Nordstrom website had these showing on sale for about $70 off. So, I guess, that’s not such bad news after all.
Now, at $100 these are a much better value than when they were at their original $170-ish pricing. Plus, Madden’s are a great fit on my higher arched feet; they are almost always true to size and ready to wear without my needing to run to the store for arch inserts.
And let’s face it. They’re purple! Maybe it’s time to dust of my Nordstrom’s card.
(Oh, and in case you are interested in these, they are also available in several other color and leather choices at Steve Madden, Zappos, and Endless)
Just released in Asia, Air Jordan’s Fall 2009 release will soon hit the US and European market. More dress sneakers than sporty, these pairs are made for comfort and casual wear despite the biker-boot inspiration. The winged Air Jordan logo is subtly placed across the side to follow its Lifestyle concept. Extra highcut with dual-strap and no laces. Comes in 3 colorways: Ginger/Dark Cinder, Black/Neutral Grey, and Dark Grey/Grand Purple/Shadow Grey. Retailed at $135. Check availability in Nike stores near you.
I’ve been following the inspiring run of unseeded tennis phenom Melanie Oudin at the 2009 US Open. So far, she’s beaten tennis favorites such as Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova and Nadia Petrova - and she’s only 17 years old! I love an underdog and I honestly think this girl might have the determination, fierceness, and fight in her to win. Just look at the concentration and effort written all over this girl’s face!
While watching Oudin play, it’s hard to miss Oudin’s hot pink and yellow tennis shoes. After doing a little research, I found out these sneakers are by Adidas and the colors were hand selected by Oudin herself. Supposedly, these shoes are one of a kind, but the interest level in Oudin is so huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if Adidas decides to mass produce or do a limited edition sale. Sign me up for one, please!
The words “BELIEVE” are inscribed on the shoe. When asked about the inscription, Oudin said her boyfriend and tennis hitting partner (ahhh, teenage love) gave her the idea. Fitting, because I totally ‘BELIEVE’ in Oudin!
And why am I mentioning this now, you might reasonably ask?
It’s because they’ve just done a big makeover of the store and the website and everything. Re-branding themselves (or at least, updating their brand) for a new luxury market. The new face of Liberty opened up today in London with Freida Pinto (from Slumdog Millionaire) doing the opening honors.
Now, perk your ears up, shoe-lovers. Here’s where it gets interesting. Nike is releasing a very limited edition of sneakers in Liberty print fabrics. And if you can’t get into the store to grab yourself a pair, there’s going to be a VERY limited amount sold online starting tomorrow (aka Monday) at 10:00. That’s 10:00am, Greenwich Mean Time, which means if you’re in the USA and want a pair of these, it’s time to set your alarm for sometime in the middle of the night, since that’s 5:00am on the East Coast, and 2:00am on the West Coast.
Tempted?
More tempted now? The ones that are all one pattern are £70, and the patchwork ones are £85. Set your alarms as necessary.
The possibilities for these marvelous shoes must be quite limited, indeed, they are perhaps wearable only with the cream or gold colored gown.
These Terminators are real basic, yet unique. The shoe features a white leather base with patent leather along with metallic emerald green on the swoosh, back heel and ankle panels. Laces, tongue and midsole stitching sport Orange. The rest of the shoe is white. These are available now at select retailers for $110.
When I saw this photo it took me back to my childhood.
These shoes are by Vibram at about $75.00. Time Magazine named them one of the best inventions of 2007. Where have I been?
They offer a classic pump
A smart maryjane
and a stylish bootie.
I saw these in a store that specialized in outdoor gear. I asked for the five finger discount and the sales guy didn’t even change expression. No humour.
I don’t even know where to begin with these. I will let you all have your fun with them.
OK Ladies (and the odd gentleman), who loves Christian Siriano? Let me hear you! Who is fascinated by how his maniacal fashion mind works as he manages to succeed in an industry that often crushes new designers and an economy that crushes everybody else? Me! I am!
I got a chance to talk to Christian at the Fall Release event for Payless at their showroom in Manhattan. I will admit that most of the information in the interview is paraphrased (hey, I had a notebook, not a tape recorder). But these are the facts. The cold, hard facts.
Part 1: Memories….la la la la
So we all remember the runway versions of Christian Siriano’s soon-to-be-ready-to-footwear. They were…aspirational. Celebrities starting wearing them even before they tripped lightly down the runway at his Fall 2009 show. Needless to say, the question of how those 7-inch stunners would be modified for a population who walks farther than runway–>limo–>premiere–>limo was foremost in my mind. Here’s a reminder of what the runway versions looked like:
Cute, but Ouch!
Part 2: Here comes the love
First of all, let me say that Siriano was the picture of graciousness throughout the Payless event. He chatted with all the journalists who were milling around, smiling and posing for photos. My Payless contact told me that he had come in on a red-eye flight that morning, but you certainly couldn’t tell by looking at him. After exchanging greetings, I dove into the interview.
Twinkletoes: Can you tell me about the inspiration for your Payless collection?
Christian: My inspiration is the diva, Cleopatra, in Egypt. You can see in the colors palette that we have the browns of the sand and the blue of the Nile. The detailing also comes from Egypt; we have inverted pyramid zipper pulls and a blue hieroglyphic-like pattern. Even the curved, conical heel is an inverted pyramid. Also, the snakeskin-like fabric is totally Egypt.
T: Talk to me a little about how your runway shoes are different from the shoes that will be sold at Payless.
CS: The Payless shoes are definitely modified to make them more wearable, but they are very similar. I designed the runway shoes with Payless, so don’t think that the retail shoes will be inferior in any way. The Payless customer wants an everyday shoe, not something they can wear just once. You can see that the retail shoes are dramatic enough with the color and the details. They don’t need to be 7 inches high for drama. They have enough drama on their own.
T: I noticed that on the blue hieroglyphic bootie, the zipper is farther toward the front of the shoe than on most ankle boots. Was there a reason for that design decision?
CS: I was to democratize fashion a little and I love it when people take something and make it their own. With the zipper moved forward like this, the wearer can actually unzip it part way and fold over the top, making a whole different look. On the runway, the shoes actually had a double zipper so that they could be modified even more.
T: How was designing your collection for Payless different from designing your own collection?
CS: Well, first of all, working with Payless was wonderful. They have so many resources so there are a million different options. At the same time, when I design for Payless, the first this I have to think about is making my design wearable, then I add drama. It’s actually the opposite process when I design my own collection. With my line, it’s all about the drama. I want it to be fabulous. If it’s not, then my take is “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. Let’s throw a poncho on her and call it a day.” Wearability comes later. I loved working with Payless though! And there are plans in the works for more collections! I am already working on a Holiday collection and a Resort collection and there will be a Spring collection as well. This is just the beginning.
T: Do you have a deep-rooted love of shoes?
CS: Actually, my sister has over 400 pairs of shoes! And they are dramatic ones, not everyday ones. I remember that when we were little, she would get a new pair of shoes every week, so that there were so many of them in all kinds of colors. She loves shoes. One of the perks of me designing, in general and for Payles is that I can send my shoes to her and my mom. So far, I haven’t heard any complaints from them. So it definitely comes from them.
***
Christian’s shoes for Payless are due out in August and they are very cute. He stayed true to the runway versions for the most part, bringing the heels down a notch and dropping a chain or a spike here and there. There are also even some flats in the collection for the girl on the go. All the shoes will be priced below $50.00, which is true for all the designer collaborations at Payless. Detailed photos won’t be available until late summer, but ladies, get ready to pounce on Payless when those shoes debut. For a sneak peak at the collection check out this photo from Racked.com.
I just want to thank Payless for letting me talk with Christian so I can share his thoughts with all of you. There is more coming from the Payless event. They are a brand that has come a long way in the last several years, becoming more recognizable and more respectable. I will also be posting about their designer collaboration with Alice & Olivia and their eco-friendly line Zoe & Zac as well as some other tidbits. Stay tuned!
New shoes have been released by R2! And they. are. beauties!!
This style is called Kahiwa, and comes in seven scrumptious colors. My favs are the red and beige. /me squeals *beige*!
You can always count on R2 for shoes that are fabulously styled, impeccably crafted, and reasonably priced. Love love LOVE R2!!
