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Mad designer styles at prices to rival the high street Written on March 10, 2010, by AbiSilvester.

These wild styles won't be to everybody's tastes, but if you're looking for a designer bargain and don't mind standing out from the crowd, you've come to the right place! The Outnet, that is. They've brought in a whole range of new styles this week, including pieces from Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Galliano, all under the magic £200 mark (which as any shoe-gazer knows, is deep into high street territory these days)

Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2010 Written on March 10, 2010, by r5bales.

Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent featured an odd collection of nun-sense.  The color was black, black and more black.  In The September Issue,  Ms Wintour gave him grief about not having color.  Well, this time he had 5 outfits that were bright colors.  

See what I mean?

Here are the only two outfits that were acceptable – sort of.

Even the shoes were awful.   First up, a clunky wedge platform.

Next, a roushed suede boot. 

The pumps.  OK, I don’t understand that fringie thing at the heel. 

Oh just wait, there is more to come.

Now, why in the world would I want a mohawk on my pumps?

I want to leave you with at least one pair of nice-enough pumps.  I like the curve of the heel to the sole. 

Being a model must suck.   Notice that in all the shoe photos they have had to wear so many ill fitting shoes these past few weeks that their feet have been completely chewed up.  I have read that most don’t get paid much because the agencies take out all sorts of  fees from their paycheck, leaving them with nothing.  I don’t know why anyone would want that job.

Authentic Shops:


Designer Shoes at Zappos.com

Vivre.com

Stella McCartney Fall 2010 Written on March 9, 2010, by r5bales.

Stella McCartney’s styles are typically under my radar.   I think her target age is a bit younger than I am.   Her clothes tend to be too minimalist for me.  Remember,  I am the one who wants to wear sparkly, lacy things, usually purple, but R5Daughter would make fun of me, so I don’t.    Stella’s fall line is VERY work friendly, offering shoes that aren’t extremely high, dresses that are simple but still beautiful, and elegant pants paired with beautiful blouses. 

I like how this sheer blouse doesn’t show a dark bra underneath.  That look is a little tired.

I just want to touch those pants.

She used sheer fabrics but didn’t make the outfits trampy.  This is such a pretty dress.

Now the shoes.

Beautiful kitten heels.

My one concern about this shoe is that the edge of the shoe hits right at the edge of the toe joint.  I am wondering if this would make the shoe want to fall off as you walk, although I don’t see any toe clevage on this model.    It also looks like a toe blister waiting to happen.

Notice, patent leather, pointy toes, pretty colors.  I hope we see alot more of this silhouette.

This was a nice line.  There are those who complained that it was boring, but this line offered several anchor investment pieces that could go to work then out to dinner fairly easily.

Sigerson Morrison: Sandals and Slithery Snakeskin Written on March 9, 2010, by trainingheels.

Sigerson Morrison, whose shoes are great for narrow feet like mine, is having a sale! These shoes are great because they move flawlessly between uptown and downtown. Conveniently, there are Sigerson Morrison shops both uptown and downtown.

Perhaps they’re trying to make way for spring merch, including hot sandals.

I love the antiquey Western buckles on these sandals for $495. Add a supportive heel and you’ve got a repeat homerun for this summer.

Or try the Asymmetrical Thong Buckle Sandals for $425.

Will you wear gladiator sandals again this summer? These look pretty high quality and retail for $210.

Authentic Shops:


Designer Shoes at Zappos.com

Vivre.com

Shoe Review: Tsubo Hepti Bootie Written on March 9, 2010, by kim.

Deckers Outdoor Corporation recently offered me the opportunity to wear and review their new Tsubo Hepti in Dark Chocolate Suede / Terracota. I was a bit leery of liking them at first, but after wearing them awhile, I love them!

They originally sent me a size 7.5 – my normal shoe size. Sometimes I need an 8 if the shoe runs small. Well, I couldn’t even get my foot into the size 7.5, either could my size 7 daughter.  So I returned them asked for a size 8.5. I was disappointed at first that we were still too tight around my midfoot, yet loose around the ankle. But I decided to keep wearing them to give them the benefit of the doubt. Well, the suede stretched and is no longer tight. I’m presuming now that a size 8 would have been perfect for me after stretching.  But I’ll continue to wear thicker stockings.

Every time I’ve wore these with the same color brown socks and dark jeans, and I have gotten a lot of good feedback on the looks of them. I think they would also look cute with cream tights and a long plaid skirt.  Pics of me in them will follow in our next His & Hers shoe edition.

My shoe notes:

• The pleated seams (almost looks like piping) on the heels is a unique trait as I like to be “different”.
• I love the colored traction grippers on the soles, not only for the looks of them, but we have a lot of icy patches here in the Midwest right now!
• The open triangular front factors in a sexy appeal – in fact Tsubo’s website calls it an “oh yes” deep-v.
• Available in Black Suede/Gun Metal, Dark Chocolate/Terracota, and/or Fatigue/Dirty Lime.
• Currently on Sale at Zappos.com for $104 with Free Shipping! Regularly $145.
• I recommend ordering a half-size larger than normal.
• Keep in mind they will stretch if too tight at first.

Founded in 1997 and acquired by Deckers in 1998, Tsubo is a progressive, design-driven company that fuses metropolitan style with ergonomic design, ensuring that you will never sacrifice style for comfortm, or vice versa. Read more on Tsubo.com.

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010 Written on March 9, 2010, by r5bales.

The Gucci Group showed Alexander McQueen’s last collection in a private showing with controlled the photography.   They showed 16 outfits  although I am sure there was more to the collection.  The theme was Hells Angels + Prolific Demons, which shows up in the patterns of his fabrics, one dress even has wings on the back.   He used beautiful fabrics and fairly simple design work, a formula that will never disapoint.  Have a look at what was shown.

Here are the gowns.  This is the first shown.  Love the leaves/feathers on the bodice.

This line is lovely.  I always have to see the McQueen collections without the runway theatrics because I am to busy looking at things like armadillo shoes, horn hair looking things, or skull caps with feathers on them.  When I see his dresses on the red carpet,  I see just how nice the dresses are.

There has been some discussion about whether the Gucci Group will continue the McQueen Design House, or not.  It is my opinion that they will have his clothes available, but will probably not invest in another designer to do what Lee did.  The line had been in the black for only two years.  If someone is good enough to carry the Alexander McQueen style and vision, that someone is good enough to have their own name attached to the clothing.

Authentic Shops:


Designer Shoes at Zappos.com

Vivre.com

Holy Grail Shoes from YOOX Written on March 9, 2010, by galligator.

(Image found at reclusland)

Do you have one?

That shoe – the one that got away? That shoe that haunts you since you first saw it and then caused you to obsess over how to make it yours even after it was no longer widely available?

Yeah, I have one too.

Or should I say, had? Because one of my long-term, endlessly-stalked styles finally popped into availability not only while I had a reasonable cash flow for a mini-splurge, but also on final clearance prices.

This shoe has haunted me since I saw it on the runways about 3 1/2 years ago.

Viktor & Rolf Harlequin Deco-heel shoes:

(Photos from Style.com. Viktor & Rolf Spring 2008  RTW)

I never once encountered these in the real world or online during their  initial retail season.

The fact that I have continued to pine for these is an indicator that I have come to rely on over the years;  my non-buyer’s regret’, as it were.  Items that hit me that strongly in the gut are keepers.  They help me in my ongoing quest to reduce my wardrobe to a level that contains only items that I truly love, rather than a closet that is overflowing with styles I rarely wear or don’t love (special exemption exists for hardcore winter gear – simple warmth trumps fashion at times).

Many times, if an item becomes unavailable, I will forget about it or move on to find another style that I actually prefer more than the original one. So, if I am haunted overnight after I walk away from an item, or worse – after it goes out of stock, then I know I’m lost and will stalk retailers and aftermarkets until it is found, even if it takes years to occur (ask me about my sunglasses sometime).

I narrowly missed this pair when they dropped to $170 on YOOX a few weeks ago.  It was 3 days before payday and by the time funds were available, some other lucky, though likely less obsessed, individual scooped them up.

That’s okay though. Because, one payday, and one well-timed tax return, later -  this pair popped up overnight at $138.  Oh yeah, these were meant to be.

And now, these are mine, all mine (insert slightly maniacal laugh here).

They arrived last Thursday. Hubby asked, ‘How much?’. So, I told him, and he replied ‘Not bad.’ End of conversation. Although, it is understood by both of us that these, combined with the dremel tool I picked up this weekend, constitute my birthday gifts -  even though the actual birthday is still 2 months away.

The box was a little scuffed up, but the shoes are new, shiny & perfect (no wonky heel like the picture).

Drumroll…..

Ta Da!

So, do you have a Holy Grail shoe? What is it? Are you still searching, or have you succeeded in obtaining it? What was your hunt like?

ShoeBlog’s Latest Shoe Giveaway:

What the Manolo Is… Written on March 9, 2010, by Manolo the Shoeblogger.

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, time to see what the Manolo is…

Watching…

Listening to…

Reading…

This is the week of Meh. The book, Then We Came to the End. Meh. Yes, it is written entirely in the first person plural, but that does not make up for its meh-ness. It is too contrived by half, and too unfunny by half.

The movie Coco Before Chanel. Meh. Yes, it is all about Coco Chanel, which should furnish the screenwriters with tons of salacious early-20th century fodder. But, instead of the fabulous soap opera, it is turned into the stately costume pageant with the luminous Audrey Tatou. This is the subject which requires the actress who is more earthy and more crazy. And thus in this incarnation it is merely meh.

Thank goodness for Beverly Sills in the Tales of Hoffman.

Rock Mischa Barton’s Alexander McQueen style with the Gabriella Rocha “Nanuck” Written on March 9, 2010, by Stiletto Pumped.

Hey, remember Mischa Barton?

What the hell does she do now that the OC is over? I hated the OC. I always thought, “Why would I watch this 90210 wannabe?” And as if those spineless Hollywood execs were listening to me, they remade 90210, which I hate even more than the OC. This is beside the point, however. I know Mischa started her own line of headbands – does anyone know if it’s still functioning? I’m doubtful, seeing as there’s no excuse for paying $200 for some hippie headband. At any rate, Mischa’s still out and about being photographed by the paps, and here she is in Milan in a pair of studded, peep toe sling-backs by the late Alexander McQueen. I love these shoes to death, but not quite enough to drop $700 on them. However, Gabriella Rocha makes a great knock-off for much less:

While both the Alexander McQueen and the Gabriella Rocha models are available through Shoehunting, the Gabriella Rocha “Nanuck” can be yours for a fraction of the price of the McQueen model. What do you think of Mischa’s studded sandals?

Just Jared

Dries Van Noten pump with green python heel Written on March 9, 2010, by AbiSilvester.

We love a 'mini trend' around here, and I think I might have detected one around green bits on shoes! Only the other week, we observed that green is to shoes as blue is to food, i.e. it doesn't happen very often. But having seen a handful of verdant offerings on the shoe wracks since making that observation, I think that green footwear is on the up.

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