Flower Show!

Okay, so it doesn’t exactly feel like spring what with the relentless snow and biting cold, but inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center, it sure looks like it!  Yes, it’s time for the annual horticultural wonder that is the Philadelphia Flower Show.  This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Movies,” with a focus on Disney and Pixar films in particular.  (And they’re not messing around.  A young man dressed as Prince Charming was handing out carnations to the lady commuters in Market East two weeks ago.  More please. J)  Guests will experience the magic as they walk through floral displays highlighting their favorite movies, from Cars to Frozen and Maleficent to the new live-action film Cinderella.

So, of course, I give you shoes inspired by those movies as well!

Know who else was inspired by Maleficent?  Christian Louboutin!  Called the Malangeli, they have a nude mesh vamp detailed in sinister curves.  While they’re long sold out (there were only 96 pairs to start with!), they were once available in black, white, gold, and red.  Keep an eye out on resale sites—you may find a pair someday.

The Larisa by Kate Spade New York are icy blue shoes worthy of Elsa herself.  This pointed toe pump has a leather lining, sole, and insole, and a 3.5-inch heel to finish it off.  Also available in beige and gold metallics, as well as blue stripes and a black and white grid—your choice for $328 from Zappos Couture.

The glass slipper of Cinderella, of course!  This pair of pumps by Gianvito Rossi has a clear PVC vamp capped at the heel and pointed toe with silver foil-printed suede.  It has the clarity you want in a glass slipper, but also the coverage—no wonky toes showing through here!  Yours for $825 from Lane Crawford.

The Flower Show runs through March 8.  Don’t miss it!

Sales this weekend:
Sorry ladies; I'm away right now.  You'll just have to ferret out the sales on your own!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!  I love Valentine’s Day, even though it tends to polarize people.  Granted, I love most holidays.  Any excuse to wear something special, or eat something special, or do something a little out of the ordinary… I’m down.  Just themes in general.  I’m flexible.

So today I give you… HEARTS!  Come on, everyone loves hearts, even if you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day.

The Jacquard Heart Bobs by Sketchers is a navy canvas flat embroidered with itty bitty red hearts.  Isn’t it sweet?  Sweet and simple—and subtle too, in case you don’t want your footwear to scream “IT’S VALENTINE’S DAY AND I AM CELEBRATING BY WEARING THE CUSTOMARY SYMBOL OF THE DAY!”  Find them at Sears for $45.

The Late Night is a little bolder than the first choice, with its bright zigzags, big chunky heel, and glitter.  Glitter!  Glitter at the heel, and more importantly, a big glitter heart!  Tied with a tiny glittery bow!  Aww.  Also, look at the crazy white jagged sole!  Like a shark.  Yours for $165 from Irregular Choice.

This lovely pair of heels from Italina is a little unusual, isn’t it?  With the upside-down rhinestone heart at the front?  And the silver hidden platform in the peep-toe?  I sort of love that they’re not what you’re expecting.  Also available in red; your choice for $38 from Overstock.

The I Heart UGG Boots are so fun!  Bright red and bedecked with a glittery heart at the top of the nine-inch shaft… adorable.  I can’t tell if the details here are navy or black—I’d say black, except that the other version available is blue with red touches.  Either way, they’re too cute!  Find them at Zappos for $130.

The Cora by Christian Louboutin is Valentine’s sexy to the max.  The bright red heart on the pointed toe, of course, but the classic Louboutin red up the heel of this black shoe to match it?  Together, it’s a dynamite package!  That heel is four inches tall, by the way.  Yours for $795 from Neiman Marcus.

So happy Valentine’s Day, deputy shoe fairies!  I heart you!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: 20% off two pairs, 30% off three pairs
Bakers: Take 20% off two pairs of boots, or 30% off three pairs of boots
Lord & Taylor: 20% off with promo code PRESIDENT
Macy's: 15% off with promo code PRES
Nine West: 30% off spring styles
Payless: Anniversary ale, up to 30% off

Something New from Louboutin

It’s not every day that nail polish gets featured in the New York Times.  What could merit coverage in the hallowed Grey Lady?  Polish that’s $50 a bottle.  Polish from Christian Louboutin.

Why on earth would a 0.4 ounce bottle of nail polish cost $50?  Well, because it’s Christian Louboutin, first of all, king of the thousand-dollar shoes.  Louboutin would argue that it’s because he was “insisting on colors that mimic the effect of Chinese lacquer, colors that are achieved, he said, by layering as many as 20 coats of paint.”

There is, of course, the iconic Louboutin red:

You gotta admit, it’s sexy!  The shape of the bottle is based on their crazy-high Ballerina Ultima, though this is the only polish color with a black brush.  The nudes come with a sort of rose-gold brush:

The noirs are capped in a sort of gunmetal:

Some polishes have little sparkle flecks in them!  Fun.  The pops are topped in silver:

These are so fun!  Oranges and pinks and purples and blues.  (And chartreuse.  Why is that still a thing?  Can anyone pull off chartreuse?)

So is the polish worth $50 a bottle?  The reviews are mixed, and a lot say the colors don’t quite match what’s shown on the site.  It might be worthwhile to go to your local Sephora and check them out in person.

But the bottle—the bottle.  It is sort of a thing of beauty!  So if you love Louboutin and you love nail polish, I can’t imagine a better way to get your fix than these.

Down to Earth

If very high heels make you nervous, rejoice!  Low heels are all the rage this fall.  They may look a little odd after years of five-inchers, but the new lows aren’t dowdy at all.  Even the big-name designers are getting in on this trend, so you know it’s legit.  Take a look at these by Dolce & Gabbana:

The Fabric Slingback is just two inches high, and is covered in a lovely fabric printed with images of Sicily!  There are even lemons on the insole…darling.  It makes me want to sip limoncello on a balcony somewhere.  If you agree, they can be yours for $850 from DSW.

Or these, by Sergio Rossi:

The A49590 is a spicy little shoe that comes in at 2.75 inches.  (So spicy that the color is called paprika!)  The hammered gold medal around the heel and up the back is so glamorous, and the cutouts at the sides of the vamps sexy it up a bit.  Only available in sizes 6, 7, 9.5, and 10, but because so few sizes are left they’re half off!  Find them at Zappos for $340.

Or these, by Jimmy Choo:

The Anvil Crystal is 2.5 inches tall and is glowing with its own awesomeness.  The heel is a soft gold; the toe is capped with glittering crystals; the vamp is made of something they call “luster-touched leather,” but that I call “Ooooh, shiny!”  Bring them home for $850 from Nordstrom.

Or these by Coach:

The Mandy is an itty-bitty 1.5 inches, but it’s so lovely: the port patent leather just glows, the bow is so professional and feminine, and the gold detailing just sets everything off!  Also available in black, but it’s not as nice as the red.  Yours for $198 from Bloomingdales. 

Even the king of the red heel himself, Christian Louboutin:

The Manovra Spiked Lace Red Sole Slingback clocks in at 2.5 inches, with a body of black lace, capped at the toe with black patent leather, and trimmed with rows of tiny black spikes.  Fierce.  Find them at Neiman Marcus for $945.

So it’s not size that matters after all—it’s style!

A Perfect 10

Fashion is from top to toe.  Would you wear a beautiful outfit and terrible shoes?  Or a terrible bag?  Of course not.  So why not put some thought into your nails?

Let’s start with a manicure:

Love!  This set comes with a nail clipper, nail file, and cuticle pusher and scissors.  But the best part is the faux leather, high heel-shaped case!  Black on the outside, pink on the inside!  I love it.  Yours for $5.85 from Diva Entertains. 

Okay, your nails are in good shape.  Now what to paint?  Maybe a decal:

A black stiletto is a classic look, no matter where it might be!  But in case black’s not your thing, it comes in 22 (count ‘em: 22!) other colors, so the combinations are endless—imagine white heels on black nails, or turquoise on purple, or orange on light pink…  Plus you get 50 of them, so you’ll have five manicures to play with them.  Yours for $5 from Etsy seller Make it Stick Designs.

Want to try your hand at painting?  Here’s something kicky and fun!

Looks a lot like these Converse All-Stars, wouldn’t you say?

Classic!  A canvas upper in your choice of colors, white at the toe, white laces, contrast stitching, and rubber sole—yours for $50.

But back to the nails!  To make these painted sneakers:

1. Paint the nail in the sneaker color you want.  Let it dry. 
2. Paint the top white, but be sure to paint it straight across your nail and not curved like you would do for a regular French manicure.
3. Paint the holes.  I always use toothpicks dipped in paint for detail work, but you could also use tiny brushes or dotting tools (both available in this cool kit).  Make a white circle, let it dry, and then fill it in with black.  Let it dry.
4. Paint the laces—just connect the dots in a crisscrossing fashion!  Let dry, and seal with topcoat.

Looking for something dressier than sneaks?  You could do a Louboutin manicure.  What is that, you ask?  Well, let’s start with a pair of Louboutins, just for kicks:

Gorg, right?  The Glitter Double Strap Platform Pumps have two ankle straps, a T-strap up the front, a peep toe and half-inch hidden platform, and a 4.25-inch heel.  (Yours for $895 from Saks.)  Are you feeling inspired by the silver glitter on the front, and the signature red on the back?  Adele was, at the Grammys last year.  Take a look at the silver front:

And the red on the underside!

Unexpected and fun.  (And simple!  No tricky paintwork or extra tools involved.)

I hope these have inspired you to get out your paints and try something new.  After all, open-toe shoe season is just around the corner!  

Magic Beyond the Gardens

Tomorrow night, one of the most unique sights in our city will be transformed into a twinkling wonderland of mirrors, full of excellent food and local spirits, good music and good friends.  Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens’ 2012 gala, “Magic Beyond the Gardens,” is going to be a night to remember.  Inspired by the gardens’ mirrored, mosaic walls, here’s a collection of shoes from Etsy that will have you shining the night away!

Maybe a wedge?

This magnificent shoe has round rhinestones all over its platform wedge, and more on the shoe body mixed with intricately placed mirrored pieces.  Look how closely they fit—like some kind of impossible, very sharp jigsaw puzzle.  These are from Etsy seller JSparkle (a local company!) for $300.

Prefer a flat?

Look, mirrored Chuck Taylors!  Who says you need to be in heels to be fabulous?  Each pair of gray Chucks includes over 250 pieces of mirror, and has over 100 crystals on each toe—packed with sparkle!  Find them from Etsy seller All Things Glam for $145.

There’s more to mirrors than silver, of course:

This one’s not for the faint of heart, but it sure reminds you of the Magic Gardens, doesn’t it?  It’s just covered every which way with small purple rhinestones, big purple and silver rhinestones, purple glitter, purple ruffles... if a Mardi Gras float was a person, she’d wear these.  And she’d be fabulous.  These are $175 from Etsy seller Shoes for Queens.

You know what we’re missing?  Spikes.

Sorry for the picture with the words all over it, but... holy spikes, Batman!  If Dorothy landed in some sort of punk rock Oz, maybe, and needed to use her shoes to kick the Wicked Witch instead of melting her with something so plain and boring as water...  *Snaps back into reality.*  These are really something.  And can be yours from Etsy seller Lina Joyce for $238.

There aren’t a lot of mirrored shoes out there that aren’t handmade by someone, but I did stumble upon one pair:

The No Prive Mosaic Slingback Pump by Christian Louboutin is almost like a bowl full of shiny jelly beans, so bright and springy.  It has a five-inch heel (red, of course) and one-inch platform, and is covered all over with reflective paillettes—even up the slingback!  That’s a little tough.  Yours from Neiman Marcus for $1995.

The shoes today were all a little pricy (though super fun to look at)—fortunately, tickets to the “Magic Beyond the Gardens” gala are only $75 each!  (Or $125 a pair.)  That’s a pretty good deal for what is guaranteed to be an extraordinary time.

Sales this weekend:

Bakers: 25% off all pumps and heels

Lord & Taylor: 20% off one pair, 25% off two pairs, 30% off three pairs or more

Macy’s: 20-30% off select styles, plus another 15% off and free shipping with code SAVE

Payless: Buy one, get one half off

The Philadelphia Collection

If it’s fall, it’s time for the Philadelphia Collection.  Starting Thursday, there’s a week of trunk shows, sample sales, happy hours, even a book signing.  (Keep your eyes peeled—there are even ambush makeovers!) 

There aren’t any shoe events, though!  What?  Oversight!!  That’s okay; I’ll pick up the slack.  Here’s a selection of designer shoes from upcoming fall collections!

The Cheap and Chic Ankle Bootie by Moschino is not cheap, but it sure is chic!  It’s almost like a boot-within-a-boot, with a ruffled dark brown outer layer and a straight, lighter brown inner layer.  It also has a three-inch heel and a zipper up the back to let you in.  It’s also available in all black; find them at Bloomingdale’s for $595.

Lovely!  The Butterfly-Cutout Pump by Bottega Veneta is a plum suede beauty, with elaborate swirling cutouts up the front.  It has a five-inch heel (nice and solid), one-inch platform, and zipper up the back in case you need a little help getting in.  Love it?  It’s yours for $1050 from Neiman Marcus.

Now how cool is the Short Boot by Alexandre Birman?  It’s a navy suede boot with a 4.5-inch heel and half-inch platform, but the real star is the triangular python cutouts around the top!  (That’s real python, people.)  And look at the little studs sprinkled in there... my goodness.  Yours from Nordstrom for $650.

Flats-lovers, I haven’t forgotten you:

The Pigalove Patent Leather Flat by Christian Louboutin is so ladylike!  But wait—take a look at the toe from this angle:

Love!  Amazing, right?  Now that’s a shape you don’t see too often.  Patent leather, crystals, a pointy toe—this is a classic.  Now where did I leave that extra $1595?  I’m sure Saks takes plastic...

Check out the full list of the Philadelphia Collection’s events here.  Go!  Be fabulous!

Shoes in the News: Shoes Worth Hiding

You must’ve seen it in the news this week: Bryn Mawr’s resident shoe queen Beth Shak is being taken to court by her ex-husband, who claims she hid a million dollars’ worth of shoes from her list of assets when they divorced three years ago.  Read that again: a MILLION DOLLARS’ worth of shoes!  This made not only national news, but international.  Here’s an article from Australia.  Here’s one from Pakistan!

In her honor, I give you a selection of outrageously expensive shoes that would surely have Mr. Shak’s lawyers hunting you down.

The Marlene by Jimmy Choo is just effusively fun—purple suede, a six-inch heel with 1.5-inch platform, straps covered in teal goose feathers, and feathers dotted with tiny rhinestones.  Fun fun fun!!  These beauties can be found on Net-a-Porter for $1995.

The Wave Strappy Wedge Sandal by Alexander McQueen is so smooth: a shapely metallic ombre wedge (5.5 inches!), and undulating straps from your toes to your ankle.  My favorite line in the description?  “For the Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 collection, Sarah Burton drew inspiration from the architecture of Gaudi and diverse oceanic life.”  Must account for the $4630 price tag!  Still can’t resist?  They’re yours from Neiman Marcus.

If Cinderella got her shoes from a jewelry store instead of a fairy godmother!  The Dallifac by Manolo Blahnik have four-inch heels, leather everything, and straps covered in dazzling emerald-cut crystals.  Find them at Nordstrom for $1195.

Beth’s particular favorites?  Louboutins—700 of her pairs!

The Pluminette by Christian Louboutin is part of their 20^th Anniversary Capsule Collection, which features “a capsule collection compiled of favorite pieces from decades past.”  I’m not sure exactly which decade this is supposed to be from, but it’s pompom-tastic!  Crepe satin, ankle strap, 4.5-inch heel with half-inch platform, feather explosions (and red sole, of course)... this is a party shoe for sure.  Find them at Saks for $2450.

I sure hope the former Mrs. Shak wears a pair like these to her court date.  Awesome!

Sales this weekend:

Aerosoles: 15% off any purchase

Bakers: Buy one, get one half off—anything!

Bare Feet Shoes: Buy one, get one half off between now and the 4^th using code JULY4BOGO

Bus Stop Boutique: 20% off summer sandals and shoes until July 3

Lord & Taylor: 20% off with code JULY4 or savings pass

Macy’s: 10% off and free shipping with code FOURTH

Old Navy: $1 flip flop sale tomorrow only!

Payless: Buy one, get one half off