Shoe Me This

Shoelaces: Prints, Sparkles, etc.

 
New Years brings resolutions. One that most people, including myself, set as a priority is fitness. The bad news in 2009 is that many of us are on a tight budget. Personally, I won't be purchasing new clothes to wear to the gym but that does not mean I don't have anything new to add to my gym clothes bag. Enter shoelaces.

Shoelaces come in a myriad of colors and designs. You'll find cartoons like South Park or Hello Kitty, geometric prints, stripes and more. Some shoelaces even have sparkles... I stay away from these, which are quite effective at bringing on flashbacks of when I was 8 years-old after ballet class.

Looking for ways to lace your shoe lace differently, figure out the perfect lace length or not tie a crooked bow? Ian's Shoelace Site is a great blog to visit.

As for me, I only need shoelaces when I'm working-out and running. As a runner, finding a pair that does not come untied during a race is crucial. I'm still looking a perfect pair so please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Rules for Wearing Leg Warmers

Today I decided to bring back leg warmers. Young celebrities, such as Lindsay Lohan, have been trying to revive the trend for a few years but with no luck on wide-spread appeal. I think this style would come back if more people know how to wear leg warmers without looking like Jane Fonda. Yes, you can wear them to the office. I did. Here's how to do it right... and what to avoid.

Do NOT pull the leg warmers up to your knees.

Leg warmers are not socks. You are supposed to scrunch them. They are not to be confused with long socks. This same Lindsay Lohan photo also lends itself to my next point...

Do NOT wear leg warmers with flip flops or summer shoes.

Leg warmers are supposed to keep your legs warm. It looks clueless to wear them in the summer and flip flops are summer time shoes.

DO wear hosiery with leg warmers.

You can wear sheer or nude pantyhose or match the color to your leg warmers as seen above.

Do NOT wear leg warmers with fishnets, like Britney Spears (above).

 

DO dare to be different.

Try different colors, patters, and materials. You can even try to wear them on your arms, like Hayden Panettiere. I'd normally be weary of wearing leg warmers as arm warmers, but Panettiere matches these with her shirt and looks fantastic!

Ready for more Do's and Don'ts?

DO NOT wear leg warmers over jeans or pants.

DO wear leg warmers with a skirt. Don't wear a micro-mini or you risk looking like a hooker. Try an A-line that ends an inch above the knee. You'll turn some heads and receive many compliments.

DO NOT wear leg warmers with tennis shoes.

DO wear leg warmers with heels.

Halloween Shoes Part 2: Roller Skate Girl

I missed an awesome costume idea earlier this week that centers on the shoes you wear: Roller Skate Girl.

Kimmie Nguyen, colleague and fellow blogger, models this fun costume for Halloween 2008. (You can view Kimmie's blog here.)

Roller skate girl is fun and carefree. Plus it's a great choice for the office because you can pair the skates with jeans and a cute T-shirt. You'll be comfortable and not over exposed, like most costumes for us girls. I'd have to pass this by being that I'm not coordinated enough to stay on my feet but Kimmie did a great job making it look effortless.

Yes, you too can be roller skate girl and wear them any time of the year. I didn't find the bright red-wheeled version Kimmie has but it is easy to find white skates. Target sells these roller skates with pink wheels by Chicago Rink Rollers for $44.99.

For my sexy Halloween shoes post, click here.

Sexy Shoes for Halloween Customes

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I like to pick out my clothes to match my shoes. Halloween is no exception. To that end, here my top female costumes choices for Halloween where shoes are a prime feature to make or break your look.

Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

Whether you want to wear platforms or flats, vamp it up or down, Dorothy is a fun and classic choice for Halloween. I like the naughty Dorothy best. As long as you have bright red shoes, no one will confuse you with Alice in Wonderland. You don't even need the sparkles as long as the shoes are shiny and stand out.

Sexy Pirate Boots

Let out your inner swashbuckler! I love these leather boots from Ellie Shoes. I found them on PinUpGirlClothing.com but they are sold out currently. The ribbon on the side is my favorite part of these shoes. It adds that perfect feminine touch to this period piece. The heels measures 4-inches, giving the sexy height we girls love without needing to add the stripper-like platform. These boots are unique and fabulous.

Fairy/Elf Booties

It's easy to find the wings and dress for a fairy, pixie or elf costume at any Halloween Spirit store but I'm never happy with the shoes. I started to look on Google for "curly toed shoes" and came across an amazing Australian site, Pendragon. While I cannot afford these fashions, I had so much fun looking at their shoes that I want to learn what our conversion rate is for Australia. These are works of art!

Marie Antoinette Period Shoes

This will probably be my costume next year when I have more than 2 days to put something together. Not only is Miss Marie a fashion icon, but the shoes are adorable and something you never get to wear in real life. For the 2006 film, Manolo Blahnik designed all of the shoes for Kirsten Dunst. ShoeIO has all sorts of fun information on Marie Antoinette to fuel your costume-making plans.

Bobby Soxer Saddle Oxford

It's pretty easy to find saddle oxfords online. You can buy them in traditional flats like we all had to wear as little girls, with a new twist to wear to the office as pumps, or as platform costume shoes. I like this pair by BCBGirls. The Kaola Oxford Pump actually has a 1920's flair but you could cross this into other decades for costumes. The brown hue sets this pair apart. You could also wear it after work the Halloween party, which makes it worth the cost.

Postscript: See another Halloween costume here!