Results tagged “shoes” from Styleblog

The Little House on the Prairie boot is one of the biggest shoe trends for fall. At first, the look was predominantly adopted by pretty brown-haired indie rock girls in flannel shirts and cut off jean shorts, but the trend has evolved into not just mainstream womenswear, but menswear as well. I've seen lace-up boots on the feet of fashionable young men in San Francisco and it's always surprised me that it actually looks good - and not at all feminine on a boy! Super. Can you tell which of these shoes are for the ladies and which of these shoes are for the gents?



Top row, from left to right: Chronicles of Never men's boot and Jeffrey Campbell women's boot.

Bottom row, from left to right: We Who See women's boot and Schmoove men's boot.

So, Doc Martins are actually super cute, and I am really digging the return of these iconic boots. After nearly a decade of being disregarded as passe, the Doc Martin is back and gaining in popularity. FYI, I need to get my hands on a pair of authentic vintage floral Doc Martins.

There are a host of amazing new Doc Martins on their website. Some of my favorites include Marceaux Pascal's monochromatic Doc boots and the "Made in Colour" collection of bright neon boots.

Speaking of Doc Martins, I need to host an early 90s party at my house. Some bad 90s alt rock (STP or PJ anyone?), an assortment of 90s food like Gushers and Dunkaroos, and as much Capri-Sun as you can drink. See you there.

The feet above belong to Miss Victoria Beckham, who wore these Antonio Berardi heel-less ankle boots to a fragrance launch in New York a week ago. Apparently they are extremely easy to walk in. Because of the weight of the shoe, the heaviness of the toe, and the platform under the ball of the foot, the shoe forces your weight forward and then downward, so it's literally impossible to teeter backwards. Apparently they're easier to walk in than actual heels! I've never actually tried a pair on so I can't say for certain if this claim in true, but my feet hurt just by looking at them. I don't know if heel-less shoes will be in my near or far future, despite them being touted as the future of shoes.

Chanel gun heels from Lagerfeld's Cruise 2009 collection. Shoes to die for, shoes to kill for, shoes that murder. When I first heard about these shoes, I thought they were kind of silly, but these feet belong to Leigh Lezark, and on her, they're strangely appropriate. Would you  Chanel guns on your feet? What about Chanel lightbulbs?

Penny loafers are one of my favorite shoe trends for fall. There's something so bookish about them, paired with a wool skirt and a conservative blouse. But for those who aren't so into the psychadelic schoolgirl look, there are many ways to wear penny loafers - more than people realize. Just look at Michael Jackson! Penny loafers have been gracing the feet of young celebrities like Katie Holmes, Alexa Chung, and Kirsten Dunst, and they're gonna be huge in the upcoming season. My favorite variety? Classic, like those to the right. Why mess with a classic? Penny loafers will be for cool chicks what Sperry Topsiders were for the cool dudes - two years ago. Trust.

The shoes at Basso & Brooke's SS 2009 show are insane. If I ever stepped foot into one, I'd probably trip over them within a minute and break my head open on the concrete. Nonetheless, they are stunning.

Raouda Assaf is the name of the designer who created these shoes, and each heel is intricately carved like Japanese ivory. Basso & Brooke were inspired by the art of Japan - particularly printmaking art and origami - in this show, and the inspiration is evident in the result. The shoes remind me of a new wave 'geta' shoe (the high platform wooden shoes worn by Japanese geishas).

I have to say, while I am very drawn to the elaborate details, the luminous prints, and the beautiful styling of the clothes, it's Raouda Assaf's shoes that catch my eye the most. The year before last it was all about platforms, and last year it was all about the stacked heel - will sky high strappy stacked platform heels be the trend for SS 2009? Perhaps it's sadistic of me to say this, but my feet can only hope...

OMG. Wingtips + socks + shorts = my new favorite menswear look for SS 2009. Thank you 3.1 Philip Lim, for the styling in your show. The beautiful shoes paraded in the Lim show were made by Christian Louboutin. Good luck getting your hands on a pair without breaking the bank (though maybe it's worth it - they're fabulous). For a more realitistic take on this look, Rachel Comey makes beautiful lace-ups that are reasonably affordable.

It's gotten so cold in San Francisco so soon. Just as I was busting out my summer sandals, the weather becomes arctic! Luckily, all I need to do is pull on my socks and I can still wear those sandals. The whole "never wear socks with sandals" thing is so twenty-five years ago. Socks and sandals is one of my go-to looks, and to be honest, with many sandals, the ONLY way to wear them and still look fashion forward is to do so with socks. Like if you're sandals are too strappy, too pretty, too metallic, or too "sandal-y" you should consider wearing them with socks before you leave the house. For those who are skeptical of the socks and sandals thing, a good way to ease yourself into the trend is to try knee socks. Once you're comfortable with the knee socks + sandals look, you can wear your open toed shoes with low socks, slouchy socks, lacy socks, pantyhose, and even athletic socks. See? Fashionable, AND practical. This way you can wear your favorite sandals all year round.

Nicholas Kirkwood designs some of the most architecturally beautiful and SEXY shoes I've ever seen in my life. This man understands what it takes to make a woman feel sexy, and it starts with a five inch heel. Nicholas Kirkwood came out of no where in Spring 2008 and I am so excited for Fashion Week to begin so that I can see more of what genius designs he has to offer. Can you imagine slipping your foot into one of these creations? Talk about shoe HEAVEN.
     

I read an interesting article in The New Yorker yesterday - "Sole Sisters" by Patricia Marx - where she lists more types of shoes (the article is literally six magazine pages long) than I've ever seen in one article before, in my entire life. She talks about Roger Vivier kitten heels, Dolce & Gabbana gladiator sandals, Tod's loafers, Masai Barefoot Technology sandals, Cole Haan tortoise-patterned patent leather OT Air Pumps, d'Orsay pumps at Dusica Dusica, Taryn Rose chocolate-colored ankle boots with a padded foot bed, a whole slew of Louboutins, John Fluevog's upturned booties, R. Crumb capitalist oxfords, Sigerson Morrison desert boots, trompe l'oeil patched shoes at Berluti, ribboned heels from Irregular Choice, Guiseppe Zanotti silver stiletto sandals, Jimmy Choo lizzie pierced-toe pumps, millions of dollars worth of Blahnik strappy sandals, Mobius shoes by Rem Koolhaas that are formed by a single band of carbon fibre, Belgian Shoes from the Upper East Side Belgian shoe boutique, Swarovski-crystal-studded sneakers by Christian Audigier, and even shoes from Payless -- AMONG MUCH MUCH MORE.

When I think of lace-up boots, I think:

(1) cyberpunk - envision Neo in the Matrix in those metal-rimmed sunglasses, that overly-serious black trench, and those 'fighting' boots. Sadly, the Bay Area has not yet shrugged off the cyberpunk trend. Go to any Burning Man type party and you'll see people dressed like they're in the Matrix for no apparent reason.

(2) goth - think Marilyn Manson in the heyday of his leather-panted, dog-collared, combat booted over-the-top-ness. Goth can be chic if done correctly (Leigh Lezark) but wearing combat boots with grunge clothing tears down the chic factor in my opinion. If I'm wearing a corseted Alexander McQueen gown, you better believe it won't be with combat boots but with spikey, sky-high Louboutins.

(3) military - a primarily hip hop centered fashion trend... remember that awful Destiny's Child video for "Survivor" where they get washed up on the shore of some island and suddenly appear in these combat boot accessorized outfits, dancing on what looks to be Mayan ruins? Yeah.

(4) grunge - perhaps the ONLY acceptable way to wear combat boots in my opinion, grunge brings to mind flannels, Doc Martins, My So-Called Life... such a wealth of 90s nostalgia and anti-fashion, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this fashion movement. Just thinking about it makes me want to dig up my Pearl Jam CDs and write poetry in my Mead notebook with the Marvin the Martian doodles on the cover.

For just one shoe, lace up boots are quite versatile, no? However, most of the variations in which they are worn are unattractive and unappealing.

Combat boots are, however, coming through a reinvention period. They're being transformed, through the mysteries of fashion and taste-making, into a haute accessory. Here are some of my favorite combat boots for Fall 2008.


Ann Demeulemeester triple lace up flat boots. A lot chic, a little scary, and super hip.

 
Alexander McQueen's Victorian lace-up heel boots. I'm getting a witchy vibe from these and I love it. So Salem witch trials, I'd wear these with a long black dress and a scowl.



Marc by Marc Jacobs gray lace up patent leather booties. Subtle, simple, youthful. These plus black tights plus a little baby doll dress and you're channeling Debbie Harry.



Prada lace-up booties. Bronzed leather, cut at the ankle, sculpted heel, enough said.

My stylish friend J was wearing these white Bally's yesterday, and I freaked out over them. With the right outfit, white shoes can look really hip and cool - not remotely orthopedeique as they often have the undeserved reputation of being.
 

These Bally's are available at Zappos for $237. So cute! He was wearing them with black skinny jeans, a black sweater, and a black nautical style peacoat. If I were a boy, I would have worn them exactly the same way.

I am really into these Giuseppe Zanotti mirrored ankle boots. They are gaudy, they are goth, they're so Elvira. They bring new meaning to "silver tranny ferocia." Who's going to give me $995 so I can get them at Net-a-Porter? Any takers?

 

Click at your own peril. This brings a whole new meaning to shoe porn.

Saks is having a shoe sale. Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Marc Jacobs, and Gucci are all seriously marked down, so go take a drooling look over here.

For guys, Common Projects makes a pair:



For girls, Creative Recreation has got you covered:



Do we spot a trend?

For every pair of TOMS shoes sold, the company gives a pair to an impoverished child in a developing country. I love this look for both women and men. It's a great summer shoe, because they are meant to be worn without socks. I tried a pair on and was surprised at how solid and well-built it was, despite looking so sleek and trim. They come in a variety of different versatile colors, and while looking like a combination of a pair of Keds and a pair of espadrilles, they provide an alternative to both. You can get them online at the TOMS site and donate to a good cause, while looking fashionable at the same time.

From October 12, 2008 through December 26, 2008, Target will be offering a line of handbags by Anya Hindmarch and shoes by Sigerson Morrison. Diffusion lines are the only things that keep me alive, and I have a feeling these will be amazing collections. Target is so on top of their shit.

Sigerson Morrison is the brainchild of Kari Sigerson and Miranda Morrison, and they make beautiful shoes, particularly their flats. Their flats are girly, elegant, and have the effect of making everyone's feet look daintier and smaller than they actually are. I am really really praying that a nice red ballet flat makes its way into their Target collection, just in time for Christmas.

These flats are $469 at Zappos Couture. They're lovely, but tres tres expensive. I can't wait until Sigerson Morrison's trademark craftsmanship goes for $30 at Target.


Anya Hindmarch makes gorgeous bags - and everyone remembers the "I'm not a Plastic Bag" phenomenon that took off last year. Her beautiful calfskin leather mirror bag is $1,195.

 

Gladiator sandals are everywhere. They are absolutely hideous and fabulous at the same time. This trend has been around for a while - Chanel came out with a pair of knee high gladiator (below) sandals two years ago - but the look hasn't really taken off with until now.

I saw this on the Facehunter today, and couldn't help noticing those shoes. Everything about her outfit is chic, from the cute black beret, those white beatnik sunglasses, to the minimalist black blazer + white oversized shirt + gray skinny jeans combination. But what is going on below the ankle? Green Docs? Are Doc Martins coming back in style?

I've been wondering about Docs for a while, since the 90s are coming back in an epic way. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for those days of My So-Called Life, and something about these green shoes scream "Rayanne" to me.

Would you wear Doc Martins?What about plastic berets and a perm? Would you wear a scrunchie?

Personally, I think Docs will be back in two years. Right now it's still in early adopter phase, but trust me, they'll be back.

Just look at these Ann Demeulemeester boots, which look just like Doc Martins.

They're selling for $945 at Saks Fifth Avenue. Docs, on the other hand, retail for about $100.

Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field is a woman who is not afraid to go over the top. She's about as subtle as a Donatella Versace impersonating drag queen. I mean, just look at her work on SATC and The Devil Wears Prada - over the top is this lady's M.O. Love her or hate her, she definitely makes an impression.

Patricia has just come out with a line of shoes for Payless. At $25-$35 a pop, these shoes are entirely affordable. I always like to see designer's diffusion lines, my favorite being Isaac Mizrahi for Target (LOVE) and my least favorite being Tara Subkoff for Bebe (though I enjoyed what she did with Easy Spirit). My opinion on Partricia Field for Payless? I'll be blunt. I hate them. They are nineties and not even in the ironic way - nineties in the 'did you go to the rave last night' and 'check out my new belly button ring' way. I don't know what went wrong.


I don't know what's less appealing, that baby blue metallic round toed pump, or those scary red acrylic nails.

 

Oh Patricia...you are so crazy.

 
AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL!!!!!!! Who told the 55-year-old manicurist from Orlando to bring her shoes to this event?


This is all that is bad about Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson rolled into the form of a shoe.

Patricia. Snap out of it. We know you have the magic touch when it comes to fashion... why did you make these shoes?

Both Converses and PF Flyers share a similar aesthetic of low, canvas-based shoe with a reinforced toe, and both brands became popular with the sponsership of a basketball player -- with PF Flyers, it was the 1956 Bob Cousy All-American and with Converse, it was the 1917 Chuck Taylor All-Stars.

So, historically, in every sense PF Flyers made a name for themselves by copying Converse. But is it sacrilege to say that, these days, I prefer PF Flyers? First of all, PF stands for "Posture Foundation," and PF Flyers use a wedge insert that moves weight to the outside of the shoe, which was patented in 1933 and was one of the first shoes that reduced leg strain. I think it's sexy to care about your posture. And check out PF Flyer's Pintail shoes and I dare you to say that's not the cutest women's sneaker you've ever seen.

Please don't tell me strappy sandals with flowers on them are coming back in style. According to Style.com, suede rosette strappy sandals are the perfect gift for mom. I don't know if I want my mom looking like she buys her shoes from the new Paris Hilton shoe line, so I got her a gift certificate to Border's instead.

I love strappy sandals -- don't get me wrong. But the strappy sandals I love are distinctively flower-free, and platform and stacked-heel like Ann Demeulemeester's Lace Up Platform Sandal (pictured at right - from the Saks website) or Yves Saint Lauren'ts Tribute Platform Sandals. Is it really stylish or elegant to wear a huge fake flower on your foot? That just screams bridesmaid nightmare to me. But if flowers are your thing, then you don't need to spend $575 on the Ralph Lauren's. Instead, get these for $20 at Target and glue one of these IKEA fake flowers on it, then - voila - you're all set.