Center City Shoppers, Rejoice!

Good news, Center City fashionistas!  We have two new stores just open that promise to be chock full of good deals: the Century 21 at 8^th and Market, and the Nordstrom Rack at 17^th and Chestnut.  Aah!  We’ve been waiting for so long!  Let there be much rejoicing.

Can’t make into the actual stores yet?  Well, they still have websites.  Here’s a pair of shoes from each store to whet your appetite!

Ooh, sexy.  The Dorado by Carlos Santana is sleek and unusual: blue faux suede over the toes and at the heels, and black faux leather up the front.  The heel is 3.25 inches high, which is positively reasonable—it looks taller than that, somehow.  Yours for $55 (44% off) at Nordstrom Rack.

How gorgeous are the Gyrolynn by Modern Rebel?  The warm brown leather upper.  The shiny studded gold links up the front.  The cork wedge, that’s 4.5 inches at the heel and one inch at the platform.  SO lovely.  Also available in black; your choice for $35 (65% off) from Nordstrom Rack.

These sweet little shoes are the French Leopard Print Loafers by Isaac Mizrahi.  It’s the details that make it for me: the tiny black trim around the foot, and the bow at the toe trimmed in gold.  So pretty!  Yours for $72 (42% off) at Century 21.

Ooh, fun.  The Set in Stone by Chinese Laundry are such a beautiful Bordeaux color, aren’t they?  Not your average fall boot.  The buckle on the top and the layering detail on the shaft are nice touches, and the warm woods of the three-quarter-inch heels are a nice addition.  Yours for $70 (50% off) from Century 21.

What are you waiting for?  Go explore!  It’s a new world out there!

St. Patrick's Day

Raise your glass of green beer: Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day!  Even if you’re only Irish at heart and not by genetics, this is one holiday everyone can get into.  You will, of course, need green shoes if you’re going to do this holiday justice!

The Glamour by Carlos Santana is a wee bit o’ magic: sparkling green and gold glitter, a pointed toe, and 4.5-inch heel.  Also available in multi, purple, or a really beautiful blue; your choice for $69 at Macy’s.

The Santiago Lace by Keen is a classic sneaker with a natural canvas upper in a springy shade of green (or white, or yellow, or navy), laces up the front, and rubber touches—and $5 from every pair of this limited-distribution Santiago style helps to build communities around the world through the HybridLife Hope Program, which creates loans for entrepreneurs in developing countries to start their own businesses, boost their economies, and improve their lives.  Hooray for helping!  And they’re a steal for $17.50 on 6pm.

Adorable!  The Jocasta by Tracy Reese is a sweet little green suede pump with straps all over the round toe—and look at the little bow!  It has a 3.5-inch heel, also comes in black, and can be found at DSW for $110.

So perfect for spring!  The Sweetheart Wedge by American Eagle has a canvas upper in a green and white polka dot print, peep toe with knot detail, slingback, and woven rattan over its four-inch heel and one-inch platform.  Also available in coral polka dot, black polka dot, and solid white; your pick for $25 from Payless.

Normally I don’t go in for the smoking slipper trend, but I really love the Embroidered Smoking Slipper by Miu Miu.  Its grosgrain upper is embroidered with gold thread; its half-inch heel is studded with crystals… what’s not to love?  Also available in blue, pink, black with blue embroidery, or pink-on-pink, but the green is just so rich looking!  Yours for $650 from Neiman Marcus.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all, and Erin go bragh!

Sales this weekend:

Bloomingdales: If you're a Loyallist, save $25 on a purchase of $100-$249; $50 on $250-$499; $100 on $500-$999; $250 on $1000 or more

Call it Spring: Free shipping on orders over $45

Lord & Taylor: Save 20% on regular and sale items with code SALE

Macy's: Take 25% off when you get 2 or more pairs

Nine West: Friends and family sale: 30% off your entire purchase

Steve Madden: 30% off new spring styles

Restaurant Week

I hope you’re hungry—it’s Restaurant Week!  (Or, er, Restaurant Weeks.)  Over a hundred restaurants are offering three (or more) courses dinner for only $35 this week and next—now’s the time to hit up the expensive restaurant you’ve always wanted to try and have money for shoes left over!

Perhaps mussels veloute, Guinness Casserole (mmm....), and the dessert sampler at The Plough and the Stars?

  

The Champion Star by Keds is just like The Plough and the Stars: casual, cool, and chic.  The breathable textile upper is sprinkled with subtle stars, with a lightly padded footbed and rubber sole.  Also available in a blue combo; find them at 6pm for $35.

Maybe four courses at Devil’s Alley?  I’m thinking... pulled pork taquitos, baked potato and bacon soup, Cajun snapper, and Oreo bread pudding.

A little devilish, aren’t they?  The Pizazz Dress Booties by Carlos by Carlos Santana are sleek creations of red suede, trimmed with black piping around the ankle and sitting on a 3.75-inch heel.  Also available in black and a royal blue; your choice for $99 from Macy’s.

You could always curl up in the cream, black, and yellow interior of Meritage and sample their locally-sourced food: local white corn soup with crab, roasted local mushrooms and coconut polenta, and peach cobbler:

Perfect!  The Tangle by J. Renee is a color-blocked pump in yellow, black, and white—it would be so unexpectedly sophisticated with a suit, wouldn’t it?  It has a modest 2.5-inch heel, contrast stitching, and a pointed toe.  Also available in nudes, blue/black/white, and a black combo (all different textures of black! very cool).  Find them at Zappos for $100.

Hungry yet?  Bon appétit!

Restaurant Week runs September 30 through October 12 (though not Saturday, October 6).  And not only can you go for dinner, many restaurants are offering lunch for only $20!  And you still get three courses!  Skip breakfast that day and dig in.

Longwood Lights

We all know that Longwood Gardens is beautiful during the day.  But through September, it’s also beautiful at night, thanks to light installations by Bruce Munro.  Just look at these photos—breathtaking.  Just breathtaking!  Inspired by color in the night, I give you black shoes with just a touch of surprising color:

Does the Sexy Platform Pump by Carlos by Carlos Santana remind anyone else of those scratch art things?  That’s what I think of when I look at them.  But these are even better: it’s glitter!  It has a five-inch heel, 1.5-inch platform, and is also available in a rosy gold color.  Find them at Macy’s for $110.

The Fame by J. Renee is the classic work pump with a twist: black patent leather with bright purple around the foot, down the three-inch heel, and making up a bow on the toe that just can’t contain itself!  Find them at Shoebuy for $56.

The Katie by Report is a classic black peep-toe flat (well, a half-inch heel), but it has a beautiful cluster of jewels at the toe!  Green, blue, purple, pink, orange... all held in a gold setting.  Elastic around the foot helps to keep it on—yours for $55 from Zappos.

The Masqraid is covered in tiny rhinestones, ready to reflect all of Bruce’s light sculptures.  A black upper, vibrant purple on the toebed and 5.25-inch heel, and turquoise on the outer part of the 1.5-inch platform.  You could wear this with so many things... if you agree, pick up a pair at Steve Madden on sale for $99.

The Jessie-1A by Miss Me is a lovely peep-toe wedge standing on a 4.5-inch heel and one-inch wedge wrapped in bright striped fabric!  It’s like the coolest macramé project ever—the art teacher you want to be wears these.  On sale for $39 at 6pm! 

Lights by Bruce Munro runs through September 29.  There are extended evening hours from 6:00-9:00 PM Wednesdays through Sundays.  There are also a ton of special events: wine dinners, lectures, family activities...

Sales this weekend:

Aerosoles: Now through next Sunday, code AS812 donated 15% of your purchase to Autism Speaks

Call it Spring: Half off all sale and clearance sandals

Lord & Taylor: 15% off regular and sale and 25% off clearance with code STYLE

Neiman Marcus: Free shipping with code AUGFS

Steve Madden: Spend $75 and get 20% off and free shipping with code AUGUST20.  Spend $125 and get 25% off and free shipping with code AUGUST25

Main Line Restaurant Week

Who’s hungry?  If you are, do I have good news for you: we’re in the middle of Main Line Restaurant Week!  Through Sunday, find yourself a three-course meal for $20, $30, $40, or $50 (depending on the place), grab a friend, and have a delicious time.

In the $20 category is Saffron Indian Kitchen in Bala Cynwyd.  Enjoy a samosa, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan (mmm, naan), and gulab jamun in a pair of these:

These beautiful green khussa are elaborately beaded with flowers and starbursts, and are a steal for $27.  (Still more than dinner, though!)  Find them (or a wide selection of other beautiful Indian shoes) at 786Shop.

For $30, enjoy the many tastes of Pennsylvania at the Silverspoon Cafe in Wayne: a Chester County first course (like the Kennett Square mushroom and onion tart with Shellbark Hollow Farms chevre), a Lancaster County main course (perhaps braised pork belly, spring onions, and creamy sage grits), and a good ol’ Philadelphia dessert (dibs on the spiced parsnip cake spiked with Philadelphia Brewing Co. Walt Wit and caramel!):

Go silver for Silverspoon—and its name is, in fact, Delicious, by Carlos Santana.  A pointed-toe pump covered in pewter glitter, with a 4.5-inch heel and a half-inch hidden platform... if this doesn’t scream “I’m here for a good time!” I don’t know what does!  Also available in gold glitter; on sale at Macy’s for about $50.

For $40, be all classy at the Capital Grille in King of Prussia.  Start with the clam chowder, dig into the 14 oz bone-in Kona crusted dry-aged sirloin with shallot butter (anyone else just get hungry?), and finish off with flourless chocolate espresso cake.

Love!  The Topshoe is such a classic style (perfect for the Capital Grille), but so bright in the blue and bone!  It has a 4.5-inch heel and a half-inch platform, and is also available in green and pink if you don’t like the blue.  Yours from Nine West for $89.

High roller?  For $50, head over to the new White Dog Cafe in Wayne and enjoy Green Meadow beef carpaccio (with capers, preserved lemon, micro arugula, and salt and vinegar potato chips), fresh mozzarella burrata (with heirloom tomatoes, basil pesto, 15-year aged balsamic, and olive tapenade), Cape May lobster-stuffed raviolis (with Pacific shrimp, English peas, cherry tomatoes, and truffle lobster butter)... oh, and then you have two more courses: maybe the Sweet Stem Farm braised pork shoulder ragu (with cavatelli pasta, fennel sausage, pancetta, and wilted spinach) and the three-piece chef’s tasting dessert.  That borders on the ridiculous... ridiculously awesome, that is!

Good dog!  This wedge is covered in shaggy white velvet, on top of a serious beige wedge and platform.  There’s something whimsical yet dressy about it... and it can be yours for $50 from Light in the Box!

Main Line Restaurant Week runs until Sunday, April 29, and you have 23 restaurants to choose from.  Call a friend and get a move on!

Outdoor Weddings

They are two words that strike fear in the hearts of heel-lovers everywhere: outdoor wedding. For me, that means two things: either my heels will sink into the grass and be ruined, or I’ll have to wear flats. Oh, the horror! (Just kidding, flats lovers. That’s just me.) However, not all outdoor wedding sites are created equal, and all require different shoe styles and levels of formality.

For example, fancy flip flops are totally acceptable for a beach wedding—they’re the classic beach shoe! And what’s more wedding-y than pearls?

  The Versaille sandal by Carlos Santana comes in pewter (shown), black, and a really lovely brown—all your neutral bases are covered. They’re easy to slip on and slip off with an elasticized back, but they’re still secure enough that you won’t lose them in the sand. Go up a half size since they run narrow. You can find them at DSW for about $40.

Now if the wedding is on grass, step it up a little and go for a wedge:

  A wedge distributes your weight along the entire sole of the shoe instead of just one little point, so you won’t sink into the ground. The Bonito wedge by Marc Fisher comes in black or tan patent leather, with a four inch raffia-covered wedge and a one-inch platform. You can find these at Macy’s—and hey, they’re on sale! $63 instead of $79.

However, if the wedding is on cobblestones, wear a wedge at your own risk. Flip flops aren’t a good choice either. (Trust me, I’m very familiar with the damage cobblestones can do to shoes... and ankles!) You’re safest with a flat: Love these! (Yes, I just said I love a flat. Perhaps the Apocalypse is coming after all!) Available in black or silver, these Maeko ballet flats by Merona have a treaded sole, cushioned insole, and sparkly rhinestone feature at the toe. You can pick these up at Target for about $23 (though they weren’t at my Target in Plymouth Meeting, so you might need to get them online).

If you just can’t let go of the heels, there is a way: SoleMates.

  They slip right over your heel to broaden the base and help prevent sinking! They won’t do much on sand, but they’ll be a big help on grass and will keep your heels from being gnawed to death by cobblestones. They come in clear, black, silver, and gold, and in three different widths depending on the width of your heel. If you’re in the city, pick them up at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (yes, that’s right), and if you’re not there are tons of stores out in the burbs. You can also order them online.