Shoesday Tuesday- Wedding Shoe Shopping

For some reason, I'm surrounded by brides- and I'm not referring to work. I have a whole mess of friends who are engaged and getting married soon. It's funny how these things happen in groups. Anyway, I'm getting together with at least one of these brides this week to shop for shoes for her wedding. I love shoe shopping 100% of the time. And wedding shoe shopping? Even better. We're going to hit Nordstrom as their shoe department is pretty stellar. I've done a little pre-shopping online and here are some beauties I've found:

Ivanka Trump "Dermani" Sandal, $129.95

I can see this shoe on a bride who has selected a slinky, sexy gown and wants shoes that are equivalent in their sex appeal. 

BP Platinum "Medina" Sandal, $69.95

This shoe is ideal for the modern bride who wants a little bit of funk, but still wants to feel "bridal." The color says, "I'm a wedding shoe." Everything else about it says, "I'm a super fabulous shoe." 

Badgley Mischka "Lyndee" Sandal, $215

Planning a beach wedding, but still want height? A wedge is the way to go and these Badgley Mischkas are wedges done right. The floaty, floral detail at the toe is just a bonus. 

Bourne "Josephine" Pump, $245

For the traditional bride who wants just a touch of sparkle, these peep toe pumps are perfectly classic. They work with everything from a ball gown to a retro-sheath and just about everything in between. 

Of course, not everyone goes for the traditional ivory or white shoe to match the color of the dress. There are many other contrasting choices the modern bride can make to show a touch of her personality and style. 

Enzo Angiolini "Smiles" Platform Pump, $94.95

Can't you see these on the most dazzling of "dancin' queens?" I can! 

Martinez Valero "Zoie" Pump, $63.90

What better way to incorporate your "something blue" than with a fabulous pair of shoes. And don't these remind you of the pair Carrie wore when she married Big? I thought so... 

Dolce & Gabbana Lace Bow Platform Pump, $695

Of course, blue isn't the only color brides may choose to wear. Whether you want to match the color of your bridesmaids' dresses, or just have a fun pop of color peeking out from under your gown, this modern choice will set you apart dramatically from the more traditional bridal shoe choices. 

I honestly have no idea what types of shoes my bride friends are thinking of wearing, but I can guarantee we'll have fun shopping for the perfect pair! 

Leave a comment to tell me what you think of bridal shoes in general, or these choices above, or anything else that comes to mind. And if you want to tweet, like we do every week, don't forget the hashtag #ShoesdayTuesday

Shoesday Tuesday: Spurge v. Steal

Happy Shoesday Tuesday, everyone!

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm sure your bank account is, much like mine, feeling a tad depleted. And so in the spirit of saving money, today's post is all about the spurge vs. steal gimmick. Also known in some circles as the "Look for Less," it's a fabulous trend/price comparison for the savvy shopper. Let's all save a buck while still looking totally fabulous, shall we?

First up, these gorgeous pumps by Fendi- the bow detail at the toe is so sculptural and pretty and as for the color, well, you all know how I feel about a nude shoe. If you don't yet have a fabulous nude shoe, these would make a great choice:

Of course at $685 (available at Nordstrom here), they're a bit on the pricey side, wouldn't you say? Fortunately, there are other great platform pumps out there also in nude and also featuring an interesting sculptural bow detail in front. Like these by Paris Hilton available at Zappos for just $88.95 (here). 

On a completely different note, these work-boot style heels by Dolce & Gabbana are all the rage right now. Unfortunately at $655, they are far from attainable. (At least to me, but you can buy them here at Bloomingdale's if you like.) 

Don't despair, lumberjack ladies, a VERY similar pair of "Ranger Booties" by Ralph Lauren is ALSO available at Bloomies (here) for a fraction of the cost of the D&G's. At $104.30 (sale price, marked down from $149), these are a pretty great substitute: 

Personally, I really love the idea of glittery shoes for a party, especially New Year's. Jimmy Choo knows exactly what I'm talking about with these gorgeous slingbacks available at Nordstrom for about $665 (here).

They sure are pretty, but for a girl on a budget (like me), this festive version from Make Me Chic is a lot more affordable at just $29.68 (here).

I hope this post has inspired you to look for the bargain version of the trend. You really don't have to spend a lot to look great- these shoes are all proof! 

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by my blog- I really appreciate it (and the comments, too, of course)! However, I'd like to ask you to take another moment or two out of your day for me. Please hop on over to Twitter and tell me (in tweet form) about a shoe bargain you know of, or experienced, or hope to find. Please include the hashtag #ShoesdayTuesday or I won't see it. Thanks so much and Happy Shoesday Tuesday, everyone! 

My brain is not working today

Have you ever sat down to work on something and found that you just couldn't get your brain to be on the same page with your agenda? That's how I feel right now. I want to post a blog (because it really is a daily thing for me that I really enjoy doing) but I just can't seem to get my brain to work right now. I believe there are several reasons for this. First, it's been rather hectic at work the last few days. Second, I'm planning an event for this Sunday that I can't really talk about except to say that I have a lot of work to do. Third, I am going to see SATC2 tonight, so my brain is partially exploding from imagining all the fashions I'm going to see in a couple of hours. Add to that, I have injured my left hand, which is making typing this blog a LOT more difficult. I am a 100 words-per-minute kind of girl- I once worked for a temp agency where they tested your typing for speed and accuracy as if it was the 1950's. One day I tested myself just for fun and for real I scored 100 wpm with 99% accuracy. But enough bragging about that. Today it's more like 30 words per minute with 50% accuracy. You see, the other day I sprained my thumb while pulling a drawer out. It was positioned about 6 feet high and it slipped and came out all the way. My left hand caught it, but at the expense of my thumb. It's been painful ever since, but don't worry I have an appointment to get it checked out. In the meantime, it's wrapped up to the point where it's basically immobile and the other 4 fingers have dramatically diminished range of motion. It looks pathetic. I posted about it on facebook the day it happened and my friend Shawna commented that it's a serious injury that professional basketball players often endure. She even said it is serious enough for them to sit out for weeks with a sprained thumb. At that point in the commenting, I was getting a LOT of sympathy, so I felt I needed to set the record straight. I replied by saying that while my thumb certainly was injured, it couldn't possibly be nearly as bad an injury as a pro basketball player would have. In fact, my biggest hardship thus far was struggling to open a new bag of Chips Ahoy. I really expected that punchline to get at least a few "lol's" but it was like facebook had shut down for the night. Instead of a bunch of laughs, I got a virtual tumbleweed rolling across my computer screen. So do me a favor and leave me a comment telling me you lol'd at my Chips Ahoy quip. I'm fragile and like Tinkerbell (and Rachel Berry), applause keeps me alive. Or in this case, applause AND laughter.

So until my brain starts working again, you're stuck with this lame post. If you are a faithful reader, I'm sorry for letting you down. Until I'm back in the saddle, why don't you check out some archives- a few of my favorite posts in fact:

Inspiration- July 16, 2009
Top Ten for Men- July 21, 2009
Hot Air Balloon Dress- February 15, 2010
From Plain to Pin-up- April 11, 2010
Style Support- August 29, 2009

And finally because I just can't help myself, I'm going to copy Shoe Dazzle's idea and select four shoes- one for each of the SATC ladies- to finish off this completely random, disorganized, out-there post. I hope to be back on my game in a day or two.

Miranda: Fendi Cut-out Slingback, Barney's, $695

Charlotte: Dolce & Gabbana Floral Print Slide, Nordstrom, $495

Samantha- Giuseppe Zanotti Jeweled Back-Zip Sandal, Neiman Marcus, $1,055

Carrie (total cop-out, I know): Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes, Neiman Marcus, $645

Sue me for being unoriginal on that last one. Or applaud me for knowing my SATC inside and out. Either way, those Mary Janes were the obvious choice. Cross your fingers and hope that mu brain turns back on soon! In the meantime, I'm off to see the movie!

Shoesday Tuesday- Wish List

Based on my typical posts, those of you who don't know me personally probably think my taste is a little overdone. While it certainly can be and I sometimes walk out of the house in what Tim Gunn refers to as "a lot of look," I also appreciate the beauty of simple things. Simple, clean lines with a classic or completely new and different approach take my breath away as much if not more than the intricate, complicated designs of other pieces. All of the shoes featured today are beautiful because of their simplicity. Whether traditional in styling, or out-of-the-box, they are all gorgoues. And as this is a "wish list" I have paid no attention to price.

Dolce & Gabbana Cut-out Booties, $230

Chie Mihara Two-tone Mary Jane Pumps, $350

Brian Atwood Side Snap Ankle Boots, $765

Valentino Glamorous Bow Pumps, $695

So there you have it- four beautiful, but simple and elegant shoes. Can you guess which ones are my favorite? The Valentino's of course! What about you? If money was no object, which pair would you buy? Leave a comment and tell me!

Diffusion Confusion

A diffision line is a term for a ready-to-wear line of clothing produced by a typically high end designer. It's a line designed to reach the masses and the items therein are significantly less expensive than their runway counterparts. Isaac Mizrahi led the way with discount department store diffusion lines with his line designed for Target. Lots of designers have followed in his footsteps including Vera Wang who has designed a line for Kohls and Alexander McQueen who also designed for Target.

The list of designers with diffusion lines could go on for days- Marc by March Jacobs, D&G by Dolce & Gabbana, and Emporio by Armani to name a few- but you should be aware of the differences in these diffusion lines. No, my friend, not all diffusion lines are created equal, and therefore it is understandable that you might have some diffusion confusion. I hope I can clear some of that confusion up for you.

The easiest way to break it down is to divide the diffusion lines into two types- the first is the type that is still handled by the designer. Marc by Marc Jacobs is a good example of this. The second is the type that is handled by design teams who work with the chain or department store where the product will be sold. Isaac Mizrahi's line for Target is an example of this type of diffusion line.

A mass-produced diffusion line is certainly a lucrative way for a discount department store to create a frenzy in their store- H&M had a run on their Karl Lagerfeld diffusion line, but that's a whole other story. The point I'm trying to make is before you plunk down your credit card, take the time to closely examine the garment you are buying. Some diffusion lines are still made with high-quality craftsmanship, while others are poorly tailored, and use cheap materials. To generalize, it is a safe bet that a diffusion line that is handled by the designer themself will be of a higher quality than one that is handled by a team associated with the chain store. Regardless, when considering a piece from a diffusion line, make sure you are buying it for the right reason- because it looks good on you. If you are buying something simply for the label inside it, you are bound to be disatisfied and will be far less likely to wear it. After all, who can see the inside label except you? Think about it.

Remember that when purchasing a piece from a diffusion line, you are buying something that is most likely mass-produced. When purchasing a designer piece, you are getting something that is made with high quality craftsmanship and it is more than likely a unique piece and sometimes even one-of-a-kind. Isn't that why we like buying designer duds? The idea that we can have something no one, or very few others will also have is appealing! When you purchase from a diffusion line, you may have a "designer" item in your closet, but it's likely not a one-of-a kind item. If that's not important to you, then onward! If you get nothing else from this post, remember that in purchasing ANY item of clothing the most important criterion is how that garment looks on you. Designer pieces, thrift shop or garage sale finds, department store items- any of these can be equally fabulous or fatal if they are not flattering on you.

Fancy label or Knock-off?

I recently read the hysterical book Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello and it got me thinking about fancy labels and knock-offs. I admit, my salary doesn't allow for many expensive purchases, but even if it did, I really don't understand the concept of spending thousands of dollars on a single pair of jeans or hundreds on a pair of boxer shorts. And yes, there ARE boxers that expensive. In Tonello's memoir, the boxers in the Hermes store were $295. If you check Hermes' website today, they're $340. No joke. In the book, Tonello recalls his experience buying and re-selling all things Hermes on ebay, starting with scarves and eventually working his way to the mystical Birkin bag.

In my closet I have one real Coach handbag bought significantly reduced at a Coach outlet store and one real Michael Kors bag that was a very generous Christmas gift from a good friend. In addition to those, I own several knock-offs: a Prada, several Chanel, a Dolce & Gabbana and a Louis Vuitton. Buying those bags was actually a lot more fun than buying my Coach despite their "made in China" inside tags. A couple were picked out of a cardboard box down a side street in New York City, others were from the not-so-fabled "back rooms" of Canal Street, also in New York. If you've never bought a knock-off under questionable circumstances, you should try it- it's a lot of fun. There is NO knock-off Birkin back room in existence as far as I know- only the real thing, and I have to wonder why. Because I'll be honest, if I saw one in a cardboard box or in a sketchy backroom, I'd buy one. It would have to be a pretty color, though. In fact, I own a bag that is almost identical in shape and size to a Birkin. If the knock-off wasn't in good shape, and a color and size I liked, I'd pass on it without a second thought. And if money were no object, I'd probably still go for the fake over the real thing simply because I can't fathom the idea of spending thousands (and I'm not talking 3 or 4, more like 30 or 40) on a handbag. I can barely fathom spending $40,000 on a car at this point in my life. Even that seems excessive.

This ebay store currently has three Birkins listed at $80,000! What is it about the Birkin that stirs women up into such a frenzy? I've never seen one in person, only pictures- do they have some mystical quality that inexplicably draws women to them, sort of like a handbag pheromone? I admit they are nice-looking bags, even when they're not made of some brightly tinted crocodile skin, and I'm sure the Hermes "waiting list" only adds to their allure. I suppose to some collectors, they are just another form of artwork and I get that, I really do, but if I was going to drop that kind of cash on artwork, I'm not sure it would be something that doesn't hang on a wall or sit on a pedestal. I agree that great fashion designers ARE artists and their designs SHOULD be compared to famous paintings and sculptures. I don't think that Birkin bags are so spectacularly beautiful that the people who purchase them would place them in the same league as the Mona Lisa or the David. I really do believe they are a coveted status symbol and not a whole lot more.

Hermes silk scarves, on the other hand, are very artistic and unlike the Birkin, there are hundreds of designs to choose from, making them very collectible. However, if I ever stumbled across a genuine Hermes scarf at a bargain price, it's unlikely I would buy it. While I can acknowledge the designs are beautiful, they just aren't my style. Something about the symmetry, or maybe it's the actual designs themselves, but they just don't speak to me. Even with my knock-off handbags that are currently tucked away in my closet, there is one thing I can say about all of them- I like how they look. Not a single one was bought purely because of it's label, but rather because I liked the shape, the "leather," the color, the hardware, the way it functioned. One or more of these qualities was what really led me to the purchase. And yes, it's fun to get the admiring looks as I walk down the street with one of them. My point is that as long as the style of the bag suits you, it doesn't matter whether its label is real or not. You should never buy anything simply for the label, but if you find a designer whose work really works for you and your bank account can handle the purchase, then it's up to you whether or not you think the price is worth it. If it is, buy it and make no apologies. After all, it's art, right?