Shoe Me This

Ugly Shoes: Melissa and Zaha Hadid Jellies

Ah jellies! The memory haunts me still. I remember how they'd stick to my feet and cut off the circulation, making me little feet swell and turn red. Yet for some reason, every elementry school girls wore jellies in the 80's.

According to Shoewawa, a favortie blog of mine, Melissa (Brazilan shoe manufacturer) partnered with Israeli architect Zaha Hadid to create this... contraption.

Of course, I blame youthful stupidity for my early fashion and common sense transgressions. I don't know what to blame Melissa and Hadid's reinvention of jellies. Maybe no one in Brazil was hypnotized by Kmart's Blue Light Specials to buy jellies as children.

I have not yet seen a photo of these shoes on a pair of feet - and I'm glad. If not for a caption telling me that these are shoes, I would have assumed they were a torture device. My colleage, Brooke, sent me a link to a story about Zaha Hadid Jellies and I feared that she actually owned a pair. Luckily, she does not.

Zaha Hadid Jellies go on sale this September for $350... Just in time for Halloween.

Franco Sarto Irony

Franco Sarto's Irony is on my must have list. In fact, I bought a pair online but it was too big so I am sadly returning them. Not only did they look chic but they were surprisingly comfortable.

The color actually has a creamy tone to it which makes it easy to wear in either summer or winter. Irony is also available in patent black.

Franco Sarto's Irony is another example of the vogue t-strap. The heel measures 3 3/4" high. The platfrom is disguised, making this shoe an elegant choice for the office without looking like you are wearing giant stripper heels.

Again, I cannot over stress the comfort level in these shoes. I read many user reviews before purchasing it. One woman claimed she wore them for 10-hours right out of the box and experience no sore feet!

I was very disappointed to return them but I could not see my toes through the peep toe. I'll try a smaller size next time.

If you are looking to buy a pair, the best value I found was at Zappos for my size for $93.00. You can also try Amazon, which had them for under $70.00, but only they only had stock in size 10.

Miley Cryus High-Top Sneakers

A recent photo of Ms. Cyrus that I saw on oceanUp was cute but, of course, I completely focused on her shoes. Sparkling high tops reminded me of the days when I was begging my mother for a pair bright red Converse high tops... Sadly, I never got them before the L.A. Gear crazy hit the nation. I never got L.A. Gear either but, luckily for me, Converse is here to stay and high-tops are back in style thanks to famous teens like Miley.

When I was growing up, I don't recall such a wide variety of high tops. Sparkle is fine, I still want my classic red high tops - after all, casual Friday's were invented to give our feet a break for heel hell!

A visit to the Converse page shows they have indeed kept of with the time and trends. My classic red is only $24.99.

If basic red is too tame and you don't want to look you created your wardrobe based on Flash Dance, you can create your own Converse.

Nike has a similar functionality on their site which allows you to let your creativity run wild by designing your own shoe. However, I did find the Converse page easier to use and there was also more variety for inspiration on their site as well.

Finally, the marketing around the Converse design-your-own is empowering because it focuses on how creativity can make the world a better place.

Look out Christian Siriano. My design is going to be fierce.

Coach for Fall

I have always enjoyed my Coach bags but today I'm thinking about their line of shoes. A new Coach store has FINALLY opened near my house this past Friday. If I had not been busy shopping for Franco Sarto shoes, then I would have made a pilgrimage to my new shrine. Rather than fight with the crowd, here is my current Coach covet found online: Justeen Sandal.

The heel measures 3 1/2" and the sole metallic provides a nice sheen for fall. Justeen is available in a choice of either berry or chestnut. The Coach signature fabric is a classic and will be easy to match with any of the Coach bags or a silk ponytail scarf, also see below..

Miu Miu Rose and Gold Strappy Heel

A post today by the Fashion Police got me thinking about Mui Mui. While the suede platform they reviewed is indeed a crime, Mui Mui is still a fun brand with some fabulous shoes. Rather than talk more about an gaudy closed toe pump, it's summer and I'm looking at elegant strappy heels. This one in particular caught my eye. How I wish I had the budget to wear this to a friend's wedding in a couple of months.

The combination of rose and gold is feminine and bright, plus it would go with a wide variety of items in my wardrobe. The only criticism I have is that the jewels on the heel make are unneeded. It is attractive without the bling.

Anyone interested in contributing funds so I can afford a pair of Miu Miu's, please note that I do accept donations... Just kidding... kinda.

Pedicure Polish: Hot Hues for Summer 2008

Summer is the time of year when pedicures are a necessity rather than a luxury. After all, no one wants to see a fabulous pair of sandals attached to a pair of feet which haven't seen the sun in months, let alone been seen in a salon.

When arriving to the your favorite pedi spa, the first decision you'll make is on the color of choice. I've worn a deep plum hue for ages and now it's time to experiment. For the working office girl, it's much easier to try a daring color on the toes versus the fingers. Yellow and green are both popular colors for summer 2008.

Yellow: According to Bella Sugar, Essie has a great offering if you are too timid to buy a full-sized bottle of yellow polish. They have a set of four mini-bottles for this summer. Colors include: yellow, blue, hot pink and red.

As for me, I once tried yellow on my fingers and it did not look attractive. This summer, I'm sticking to yellow shoes, not yellow toes.

Green is a popular color for teens this year. I'm game to try this shade only on my toe nails. Lime greens, like this one by Claire, can be seen on many teens and are available for under $3.00.

I still like dark colors even during warm weather. I am dying to try deep forest greens. NARS' Zulu was on the cover of a Sephora holiday book season last year. Buying a bottle for $15.00 required a waiting list. To the best of my knowledge, NARS has since discontinued Zulu green.

Gift for a Shoeaholic

Riddle me this: What is a shoe I will never wear yet can be practical nonetheless?

Answer: A shoe door wedge!

Here's a clever gag gift that's perfect for high heel fans -- especially if you don't know her shoe size. This High Heel Door Wedge promises to lend a hand when you need to get your foot in the door. The puns keep coming with this one! Blurry photos from my camera phone are below.

UGHly Shoes: Corso Como Dodie Wedge

I was perusing a few shopping sites over the weekend when I discovered an exceptionally ugly pair of shoes. The Dodie Wedge by Corso Como would be great only if I were dressing up as Wednesday from the Adams Family. Wearing black and white stripped stockings would hopefully distract from the lopsided and sad bow.

Confessions of a Shoe Addict

Apparently, my colleague has a small closet at home.

Beth Wan has multi-tasked her file cabinet for a few years now. Her office collection is mostly comprised of flats, which are critical when you work in San Francisco and may need to walk somewhere when you are wearing Manolo heels. Beth has a basic black pair on top for use anytime of the year. Buried beneath are several brightly colored shoes for the summer.

Sexy Slippers

For as long as I can remember, I wanted a sexy pair for feathered satin slippers with a high heel. I think this fascination for such impractical slippers started with my Barbie dolls... but I digress.

I finally bought a pair a few years ago from Victoria's Secret. The ivory white is a bit too pure for this number. I wanted something edgy and so I purchased a sultry black version. The feathers are lightweight and shed only slightly. The heel is 3.5" -- just enough to be both seductive and painful. Then again, there should be little walking involved if you are wearing these slippers.