The Most Popular Shoe In The World

How to get your hands on this year's MOST popular shoe!

Customize Your Shoe Collection With Nine West

Introducing the Nine West Pick Your Pump Collection

Trending Today: Glitter

Yup, GLITTER.

To Buy Or Not To Buy: Over The Knee Boots

 
A debate on personal preference and that pesky thing called cost....

Town Shoes Fall Preview

Don't worry you don't have to say goodbye to summer just yet. But looking at whats in store once the temp starts to drop cant hurt.

SPRING Into SUMMER With Espadrilles

I Heart Espadrilles 

Today we are discussing the style that sparked my love of footwear.  

(p.s wow my legs are white)

Ruby Slippers

If you've ever wished you could click the heels of your ruby slippers and end up someplace magical you'll be pleased to know the wonderful wizards of fashion have made it possible this season. 

Trending Today: Cropped Boots

Get your booty in check....OK, its not what you think

The $7,000 Shoe: A Yearning For Exclusive Fashion

Is the exclusivity of our favorite brands affecting our shopping habits more than we know?

To Buy Or Not To Buy

Sick of plaid yet? DON'T ANSWER THAT!

Spectacular Summer Super Sale Showdown

This morning I visited one of my fav online shopping sites,Shopbop, and noticed they were extending their super sale AND adding an additional 25% off for 3 days only. You can shop the sale HERE,and reap the rewards of the 3 day sale by simply entering the code  EXTRA25 at checkout.

Shopbop isn't the only one having a fantastic sale at the moment, oh no. As I have previously mentioned it is that time of year when online retailers are practically GIVING AWAY their goods. So I've rounded up my favorite online shops and decided to share with you some of the best items that are currently on sale at the moment.

Buckle up, it’s about to get crazy… (a bit over dramatic ) I apologize in advance this is a long post, but when you save $400 on a pair of designer shoes you can thank me later, ok?

1. Net-A-Porter: This is where dreamers comes to dream. Checking daily to see if that pair of Gucci pumps or the Proenza clutch they added to their “wish list” has been reduced further. Items come and go so quickly, new items are added daily, and further reductions (up to 70% off) take place constantly, its magical, and the “limited quantities” alerts they provide are quite helpful, while still adding to the thrill of the find.  I have scored some serious items from this sale, in fact, my the first item ever purchased from Net-A-Porter were my pony hair espadrilles by Christian Louboutin; I am wearing them today, four years later, they have served me well at 50% off! :)

Check out my picks from the sale below, and take a look for yourself, I am certain you won’t be able to walk away without creating your own wish list.

If you're into super cute and awesome clutches that are perfect for summer look no further. Usually Anya Hindmarch is out of this world expensive but looky look this is 40% off. Still an investment but a special item to add to any wardrobe. 

This is actually pretty outrageous, an Etro blouse for $225 . Regular price was $750, so ya, enough said.

2. Yoox:  I just recently discovered Yoox, they sell everything under the sun. Including children wear and ART! And their sale, well it’s incredible. Currently most of their spring/summer collection is at 50% off.

My picks are below, and p.s they currently have A LOT of Missoni on sale; A-LOT!

Missoni espadrille sandals for $149. 

J Brand denim for under $110, yes please.

3. Far Fetch:I have always loved Far Fetch, the concept is amazing, they carry fashionable items from boutiques all around the world. So you could be shopping in Italy one minute and the Netherlands two minutes later.  Of course they carry all the staple designer lines such as Wang, Stella, Valentino, Versace etc, etc. Bu they also carry many, many contemporary designers, and tons I am sure you have never heard of but would love to own. It’s a great place to become acquainted with a fantastic new designer.

What I believe to be the perfect accessory to liven up any outfit. They are even better stacked, and at half off you can buy two :) Alexander Mcqueen skull bangle 

4.Nordstrom: Toronto is getting a Nordstrom! Yep, my “happy place”, Yorkdale Shopping Center is building a three-level, 188,000 square foot store which will open in fall 2016.  As a first-to-market, it will be a thrilling experience to shop in Nordstrom in Canada, but why not test the waters early by doing someone online shopping? With up to 50% the current sale is pretty kick ass, But if you have some patience, and wait just two more weeks you can catch their bit ANNIVERSARY sale!

This is Nordstrom's biggest sale of the year, and it begins July 19^th.  Next season's styles will be making their debut, and they will be on sale for a limited time at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale happening July 19th through August 4^th. If this sounds incredible, that’s because it is! I suggest shopping early to avoid missing out on your size and the items you want. 

New fall styles available pre-season and they are on sale! What's not to like?

For now, here are some of the current sale items for you to check out.

These Marc by Marc Jacobs stretch bracelets are so cheap you can buy a bunch and stack em. 

Kate Spade at 30% off is a really enticing deal. Seems like all the spring summer line of accessories is currently on sale. 

6. Shopbop:  as previously mentioned, Shopbop is holding a special 3 day sale extravaganza! Head over and feast your eyes on the goodies, I spent copious amounts of time on their site last night and that was just looking at the SHOES. Sigh….so many sale items, so little time.
 

Shopbop has truck loads of DVF on sale, and this teal clutch with her signature lips is a perfect item to grab before its gone. DVF Snakeskin Clutch 

If you know of any other online retailer that is currently holding a super sale please let me know :)

To Buy Or Not To Buy

I am back, virtually and literally to the blogging world after my second hiatus in less than two months due to vacation. Sorry I am not sorry I took way too many vacations thus far this year. Actually I am sorry, because now I am depressed and forced to face reality for an extended period of time.

What better way to cure my evident lack of enthusiasm for anything real-world related then shoe shopping? I’ll answer that, there is NO better way! Get your shit together ok.

Shoe shopping is better done of course when the SUPER SALES are on, and oh, looky what we have here, the Net a Porter super summer sale!

As advertised on my facebook page yesterday (are you following my page? If not what are you waiting for? Follow my page here ) they started the sale at 50% off and after my extensive research this morning I have concluded there are still many sizes left in so many amazing styles.

It is very easy to lose control in situations such as these, and I have been involved in several super sale impulse purchases in my time. My main concern is buying before they run out of my size, never do thoughts such as  “Do you really need a second pair of patent orange pumps” run through my mind.

See where I’m going with this? If the shoe fits and is cheap does that mean you should have it shipped to you express delivery? Sometimes we are blinded by the sale, and I am currently in this predicament.

For a while I had my heart set on picking up a pair of Miu Miu jeweled flat sandals. I even anticipated the pending sale and hoped for a price point below $400 so that I could indulge in a pair. (Their original price point was $700 let’s get serious that’s just ludicrous) Now the day has come and I am experiencing heart palpitations, mainly because I have noticed another much cheaper retailer also has a cute pair of jeweled flat sandals, coming in at $99.

So take a look below, I will let you decide for yourself do I buy or not buy? 

1. Miu Miu sandals: currently "on sale" via Net-a-Porter. 

Simple, yet totally blinged out, something about these babies gets me excited. Not your everyday sandal (I wouldn't walk the dogs in these) but rather something I would picture myself wearing to a nice dinner, a back yard party, or work on casual Friday with a fun dress. The question is, are they worth it? 

2. Zara sandals: currently not even one sale, this is just the regular amazing price - $99.00 

These are cute right? They sure aren't Miu Miu but they do represent bling factor. If anything I am leaning towards these now because of the fact that they are beige leather not yellow like the Miu Miu's. 

So what are your thoughts? To buy or not to buy? 

To Buy Or Not To Buy?

Today I would like to discuss a moral fashion dilemma some of us have from time to time, whether or not we should drop $700 on a pair of pumps simply because they are crafted by a genius designer and made of fine fabrics? I will admit I may have phrased that in a way that would persuade you to side with going ahead with the purchase, but I just couldn't help myself. 

Please feast your eyes on Exhibit A

These are the Manolo Blahnik BB Fabric Watercolor Pumps. I am not sure what BB stands for but I can only assume "Bloody Brilliant" (if you're British), "Bogus n Bitchin (if you're hip and cool), or perhaps "Bold & Beautiful" (not the soap opera).

I truly believe a pair of silk watercolor pumps are the perfect addition to any wardrobe. The only issue is the price tag, at $645 before tax and shipping these babies are an investment piece no doubt. 

Now take a look at Exhibit B

These are the Alice + Olivia Dina Watercolor Pumps. Available via Shopbop and at a fraction of the price they are also super cute, no? They can produce the exact same look we were going for with the Manolo's and also look slightly more comfortable. Coming in at $295 they are an average priced pump and a great addition to any summer wardrobe. 

So what do you think? Its the age old question, splurge or steal? Let me know what you think, and also if you like my cheapo + expensiveo (yes a word I just made up) comparison and want me to make it a regular on my blog. 

Happy shopping!

Shoe-icide

Shoe-icide
Verb: intentionally sacrificing comfort for fashion and wearing shoes that are known to be uncomfortable.  "She committed Shoe-icide last night by wearing her new suede pumps for longer then 2 hours" 

Synonyms: self-destruction, idiocy, martyrdom, misery, tribulation 

I'm not going to lie to you; the shoes I am wearing today are not my correct size. Cute leopard print suede BCBG flats with a lil black bow I found two years ago on sale (when ISN'T BCBG having a sale?) They were the last pair in stock, a size 7.5, half a size too small for me, but such a good deal I couldn't resist.  Wear them bare feet and I'm rendered useless, unable to walk longer than ten feet because my toes crumple up, but throw on a pair of trouser socks and they are slightly more bearable. But still not acceptable, right now I'm sitting with my shoes off of course, wondering why I subject myself to this cruel and unusual torture all for the sake of fashion???   

This is not an epiphany I came upon this morning while driving barefoot, no, no, I have been stewing on this one for a while.

You see, every time I wear heels it’s the same thing, only ten minutes in my feet begin to swell, one hour in I lose sensation in my toes, three hours in (if I’m still crazy enough to be my wearing heels) my toes feel broken and are so swollen I know that if I take the shoes off now I won’t be able to get them back on to hobble out of wherever I may be. Before any of you expect this to mean that my high heel collection is up for grabs I want to assure you that this is in fact not true. This is simply a realization, but I am unsure of whether or not I will change my habits because of said realization. Although it would be wise to pursue more comfortable, practical shoe options my heels are still my favourite.

In fact, it wouldn't even be fair to place all the blame on high heels; I own more than several pairs of flats that massacre my feet, Tory Burch logo flat I am looking at YOU! I was warned by a good friend not to buy these shoes, she offered me honest advice and said if I knew what was good for me I wouldn't spend $230 on a pair of flats that will make my feet bleed, and what did I do? I didn't take her advice; instead I got myself a bright purple pair and wore them only once. These flats are so uncomfortable that the only time I wore them to the mall on a shopping trip I found myself in Michael Kors buying a new pair of flats just so that I could finish my shopping trip with shoes on, bare foot was my next option, you gotta do what you gotta do right?

Why do we constantly do this to ourselves? Why?!?  Us woman are so intent on making a fashion statement that we squeeze our feet into these unnatural positions, use roll on lotions and potions to get our foot to glide into a tight shoe, add insoles and bunion and blister cushions, all for what? At the end of the day I am constantly nursing my feet back to life, massaging to regain circulation, adding Band-Aid’s to my heels and baby toes, and swearing I will NEVER wear those shoes again…..until next weekend. Seriously, its shoe-icide! 

There seems to be no rhyme or reason when it comes to which shoes massacre my feet and which ones I can literally wear for days in a row. Some of my heels are more comfortable then flats. Its a confusing world out there when you're shoe shopping, there are already so many designers and cute shoes to choose from, throw comfort factor in there and I am lost! 

Some of the questions I ask myself when purchasing a shoe are: Can I wear them on a plane trip longer then 5 hours? Can I walking in them for longer then 2 hours? Can I drive in them? And the always important, can I walk in them at all? 

Usually a heel higher then 5 inches will send me flying face first into the pavement. And looking like a fool, not able to walk in your heels is the worst thing any self respecting woman could do. That's an entire new topic for another blog post though...

Often I have thrown all caution to the wind and ignored my conscious and just gone for the shoes that look obviously uncomfortable  Sometimes certain occasions require a killer pair of heels and bleeding toes and broken toe nails (eww) are just the price I am willing to pay. 


So tell me, because I would really like to know. Where do you stand on this issue? Do you commit shoe-icide often? If not, what do you do to avoid these painful situations? 

Also, if anyone has any recommendations of comfy heels please include in the comments below. I already know that Geox and the basic Michael Kors pump are very good options, but I am always looking for an excuse to buy new shoes so please share! 

Happy Tuesday

Happy Tuesday! Its not often you hear people say that, but I figured I would shine some light on this dreary, rainy day with the introduction of a new pair of shoes and the subsequent cute pattered pants I paired them with.  

I'm not usually one to embrace the 80's revival trends, but the past few season's coloured basic pumps are out of control. I wish I could collect them all, but sadly my husband, closet space, and my credit limit wont allow me to. Pictured above are the pair we picked up in Florence last week, they really are something else, so shiny and actually pretty comfortable. Well, that was a bit of an embellishment, they are very uncomfortable, but not AS bad as some of the other pumps I own. Look at me, always finding a positive spin on life :)  

Surprisingly I have already worn them outside, but only once, lets not get crazy here. I prefer to wear them indoors, example below. And even though the shoes already speak for themselves I paired them with patterned pants, I think they both managed to hold their own, what do you think? 

The Round Up: April 12 2013 A Lesson in Gucci

Today's round up is about shoes, but not just any shoes...Gucci Shoes! Last week at this time I was in Florence falling head over heels (pun totally intended) for Gucci. Florence screams Gucci, be it the amazing flagship, the fact that there are three Gucci stores in the span of two city blocks, or the Gucci Museum complete with gift and coffee shop (the coffee shop has sugar cubes in the shape of the Gucci double GG's, brilliant!), the city embraces the fact that one of the best fashion houses in the world originated there from humble beginnings. 

Of course my version of the Gucci experience in Florence revolves around a pair of shoes, what else would I fall so hard for; knowing my number one obsession?  My husband was actually the one who spotted the "sexy" bright, jewel tone patent shoes in the window of the Gucci store. The rest of the afternoon was spent between the three Gucci locations trying to hunt down a size 8 in the shoe I chose as my 30th birthday gift.  Turns out, turning 30 isn't that bad after all...

For those of you that don't know the history of the brand here is a quick run down, before we get to the good stuff, the good stuff of course being shiny, colourful, designer shoes, duh. 

Gucci originated in Florence, in 1921 with the opening of a leather goods and luggage store. The brand prides itself on the "Made in Italy" standard, today 100% of its leathers goods and ready-to-wear are still produced in Florence, keeping with the company's history and dedication to its Italian employees. 

You are likely to recognize Gucci horsebit, as seen on the three shoe designs below, it has been around since the 1950's and the inception of the brand, originally as part of the hardware on the stitched saddle bags. It was then added to the men's moccasins in the 1960's. Nowadays Gucci still uses the horsebit design on everything from handbags, to shoes and even in its jewellery line. It is one of my personal favourite hardware elements from any Italian designer!

Another distinctive Gucci element is Flora, which is a stunning multicoloured floral pattern originally commissioned for Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966. This is another distinctive feature of the brand which can still be seen today. The pattern includes butterflies, dragonflies and in bloom pink, blue, purple and yellow wild flowers is one of the most recognizable designer patterns out there. The moment I walked into the Gucci flagship store in Florence last week I saw the influence of the flora pattern this season was evident. 

Not only does Gucci still regularly use the Flora pattern for silk scarves and other accessories but they have incorporated it into their shoe line.

The colours from the Flora pattern have been carried over to the shoe line this season and the result is a punchy, bright and cheerful line of shoes that cannot be missed. I tried on every colour, pink, blue, emerald, yellow and burnt orange, finally deciding that I desperately needed a bright pink pair of patent leather shoes in my life, who doesn't? 

And here they are, the pumps I chose, in a bight pink, with a 5 inch heel (1 inch higher then my usual rules allow me to wear, but hey they're Gucci and almost demand for you to be sexy, so I went for sky high and broke my rule) 

Summer Must-have: Espadrilles

I'm going out on a limb here and saying that the first thing we must-have for us to enjoy our summer fashion is...well, summer itself to show its face! Im not a meteorologist but I'm pretty sure this isn't summery weather we are experiencing. 

Nonetheless, since returning from my trip I have been wearing a new pair of flat espadrilles non stop. They are gold with beige stitching and come from Winners, which means they were amazingly affordable (they were also a gift from my mom, awww) but mainly they are easily the most comfortable shoes I own. I really wish I had them two weeks ago when I was doing all that walking in Italy.

My new love for these lil espadrilles lead me on an internet search for more of its kind. When you type "Espadrill..." into Google "Espadrilles Chanel" is the number one search. No kidding, last summer the Chanel espadrille was wildly popular, even with its crazy price tag. 

So I went on a hunt for other, just as cute designer espadrilles. So, without further adieu, here they are. P.S  from net-a-porter & shopbop. 

From top left, clockwise: Valentino, Louboutin, Tory Burch, Stella, Mar by Marc, Marais. Ferragamo

I should mention that I also found THIS pair, totally affordable and just as cute  

Shoe Trends: the barely there sandal

Strappy barely there sandals,  the 'game changer' of SS 13. 

Ola, its been a total of 7 days since I last mentioned shoes so I figured there had to be someone out there who was craving a lil shoe collage courtesy of yours truly. 

Last night I was hanging out on my couch with two sleeping dogs and one video game playing husband and I of course ended up on Pinterest, a few moments later before I even knew what I was doing I had pinned at least 5 pairs of sandals. Every pin had something in common though. What was it they had in common? Well, I'm happy you asked. They were all barely there, strappy sandals,  majority of them being in neutral tones or gold. So I hit up my usual on line shopping destination Net- A -Porter to take a look at their selection of strappy sandals, and they did not disappoint. 

Its true, all of these below are in the break your bank price range, but they were too gorgeous to ignore. So think of this as your dream shoe collage. Plus, I happen to know that there are a few ways to get these babies on sale if you just hold out a few months...but more on that this weekend. 

For now just bask in the glory that is these gorgeous works of art and perhaps even save your pennies. Out of all of them the McQueen two tone pair are the ones I've got my eye on. 

Sandals all from net-a-porter

Shop more barely there sandals...
 

Jimmy Choo Sandals · Michael Kors Sandals · See by Chloe Sandals

Please share with me your thoughts on the strappy sandal, and more importantly, what do you plan to pair them with? Have you spotted any that you think I'd like? Let me know, send me the link or shopping information :) 

Blue Suede Shoes

Shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes

Its hump day, and it also happens to be really gloomy in Toronto today, day light savings time is this weekend and I'm not seeing any signs of spring here! I'm loosing hope, but that hasnt stopped me from continuing my quest to build my spring wardrobe. This morning I got an email from My Theresa with a picture of some gorgeous colourful suede pumps paired with acid wash jeans. Now THAT is a great pick me up. I decided to research further and went on a hunt for colourful suede pumps. There was pink and orange and even white (amaaaaaazing) but the real stand out colour was blue. I came across not one, not two, not three, but like, forty pairs of blue suede pumps. I kid you not! 

So, I'm throwing this out there; blue suede is this spring's IT shoe. When it comes to coloured shoes the blue suede pump is the one to add to your wardrobe. 

A few weeks ago I got my hands on a perfect pair which I have become obsessed with even thought I have yet to wear them outside of the house. So I thought I would provide everyone with a list of my fav blue suede shoes, currently out there on the inter-web, just waiting to be added to your cart. 

The List
1.  "The" simple blue suede pump. Get yourself a pair with the following attributes and you are good-to-go! Pointy toe, at least a 4.5 inch heel, in either a bright cobalt blue or a soft baby blueGuess by Marciano Suede Pump

2. Next up, if you already have the basic blue and want to add another pair to your spring wardrobe (an idea which I support whole heartedly) then try the embellished suede pump.My Theresa Isabel Marant Suede Star Pump

3. Why not get a pair with a platform if that suits your taste. I personally don't ever wear platforms because I opt to not come in at a towering 6 ft tall with my shoes on, but I love the look. My Theresa Christian Louboutin Platform Suede Pumps

4. Why not try the trend in a sandal?  If you're not into the whole 80's revival and don't enjoy pointy pumps then at least try blue suede in a more strappy, less intimidating version. These Gianvito Rossi's are pretty sweet

5. Super affordable. Seriously why would you turn down a pair of shoes under $100? These are on sale at Aldo right now. So, gooooo, run, get in your car, drive to the mall and get them.