Shoesday Tuesday: Simple Beauty

I am a huge fan of over-the-top, stand-out things. Clothes, accessories, shoes- you name it. If it's bold a a little out-there, then I love it. But despite my love for all things borderline garish, it all stems from an initial love of simple beauty. Clean lines in neutral colors can stand out for their simple beauty even more than a busy pattern or bold color. And the proof is in the pudding:

Jimmy Choo "Vikki" Platform Pump, Nordstrom, $575

Kate Spade NY "Licorice Too" Pump, Nordstrom, $298

Prada Round-toe Platform Pump, Nordstrom $750

There are so many simple. but beautiful shoes out there, but I think I'm going to spend the day drooling over these. I hope they make you drool as much as I do. Have a great day, everyone! Thanks for reading! 

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! 

Shoesday Tuesday

Since I'm saving so much money making new work-appropriate dresses for myself, I figured I could splurge on shoes to go with them. And then I realized that I bought fabrics that easily coordinate with many different shoes I already own. In order to justify buying new work shoes, I'd have to go back to the fabric store and buy fabric specifically because I don't have shoes that would look good with it. And let's be honest- with the number of shoes in my closet, that might be a difficult task. So instead, I'll just fantasize about what shoes I would buy if 1.) I needed shoes to go with my new dresses AND 2.) Money is no object. Neither of these situations is relevant, so for this post, the sky's the limit!

Miz Mooz Symphony Pump, Nordstrom, $109.95

Poetic Licence Backlash Oxford Pump, Nordstrom, $99.95

Fashion is Art Heel, Modcloth, $102.99

Aliya, Jimmy Choo, $645

Manolo Blahnik Something Blue Satin Pump, Bergdorf Goodman, $945

I've been thinking lately that I need to find the perfect royal blue pump- it's one of a few colors that is lacking in my wardrobe and what a fun way to include it- through a fabulous shoe. Anyway, don't these last Blahniks remind you of the shoes Carrie wore when she married Big? In fact, the more I look at them, the more I think they ARE those shoes. Thoughts?

Well, regardless of their prices and starring moments in blockbuster films, I'd be thrilled to wear ANY of he above shoes with ANY of the new dresses I've made for myself over the last few days. Will that actually happen? According to my current bank account, no, it will not. That's okay, I'll dare to dream for the time being.

Jimmy Choo for H&M

Have all of you heard about the new Jimmy Choo line for H&M? I've been hearing all sorts of buzz about it for weeks, but the line finally comes out next week- November 14th to be exact. So I stopped by the H&M website to get a feel for what's coming. My overall impressions were these:

1.) Overpriced overall
2.) Menswear is too simplistic ($25 for a white t-shirt? I don't think so)
3.) The shopping experience is too difficult (you need a bracelet to buy a bracelet? For real?)

Here's how it works. Right now you can visit the H&M website and view the pieces in the collection. There's ready-to-wear clothing as well as shoes, bags and accessories for both men & women. To find a store selling the pieces you like, first go to the H&M website, click on "Collection Overview." All items have a "Find a store" button. When you click on the button you will see a list of the stores with that item available. On November 14th, you can get in line to that store. The first 160 people will be given a bracelet (which is only necessary for the ladies accessories, shoes and handbags sections). For the first 2 hours, the first 160 people will be allowed to shop in the bracelet-only sections. Apparently anyone can shop in the womens garment and mens collection areas. It all seems a little over the top to me. Apparently when Karl Lagerfeld designed a diffusion line for H&M, it was pretty crazy and I'm sure they're anticipating some craziness for the Jimmy Choo line as well. If I were a huge Jimmy Choo fan, I'd probably be excited.

In viewing the collection, it all seems to be about two or three times the regular prices of garments normally sold at H&M, but when compared to the price of a typical Jimmy Choo garment, the prices seem low. It's all relative, I guess.

So what do you think about this new diffusion line? Is it worth all the hype? Is it worth all the waiting in line trying to be one of the first 160 people to enter the shop? Would you spend almost $200 on a pair of shoes at H&M? Would you rather find a pair real JC's marked down or second hand somewhere else? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.