Happy Shoe Year!

It’s officially 2015!  Yay!  Time to try something new, right?  How about Pantone’s new color of the year?

Meet Marsala.  Says Pantone, “Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.” 

And shoes too!

The Mandy by Coach is a nice kitten heel pump, with a pointed toe adorned with a two-layer folded bow.  Even that’s topped with gold!  There are so many nice details here… not the least of which is the color.  Also available in black, which is a little more pricey than the burgundy, which clocks in at $116 at Loehmann’s.

The Chuck Taylor Classic by Converse is a classic in a new color: it has the white rubber sole, but the canvas vamp is Marsala.  It’s a way to try out something new in a way you already feel comfortable!  Yours for $50 at Amazon.

The Lario by Wanted is a simple round toe ballet flat, though it has two special features: the faux snake vamp, and the Marsala color.  Elastic around the foot helps keep it on and a little gold button adorns the heel, but otherwise we’re talking sweet and simple.  Find them at Shoes.com for $39.

The Zyla by BCBGeneration is a kid suede pointed toe pump in the proper shade of Marsala.  The heel is 3.5 inches tall, and the ankle strap is adorned with square golden studs.  Ladylike with just a wee bit of an edge!  Find them at Overstock for $47.

Hungry for Marsala?  I hope so!  Enjoy 2015’s flavorful color of the year.

Sales this weekend:

Sorry ladies; I’m still on vacation.  But go out with your new gift cards in hand and see what you can find!

Words of Wisdom

Today’s Ben Franklin’s birthday!  The good Dr. Franklin would have been 308 years old today.  Of course, in Philadelphia it’s very much like Ben himself is still with us (you may even see him on the streets sometimes), but his sage and often tongue-in-cheek advice lives on even without him.

Fish and visitors smell after three days.

Not the fish on the Under the Sea!  (Unless you wear them for three days straight?  Probably not even then.)  These are so fun—almond-toe pumps of blue suede, embellished with sea creatures in metallic fabric.  The four-inch heel is even patterned like light at the bottom of a pool—nice touch.  Yours for $105 from Irregular Choice.

Wine is a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.

The color of the Monika II by Badgley Mischka?  Wine, of course!  This satin pointed toe pump has a very reasonable 2.5-inch heel and is also available in white, but I don’t think we should go against Ben’s wishes. J  Your choice for $80 from 6pm.

Genius without education is like silver in the mine.

The little silver studs on the toe of the Felecia by Report sort of remind me of silver nuggets you’d find in a mine.  But these can stay where they are; don’t go digging them out, education or no!  I also like how it’s glitter on the front and solid metallic on the back.  Find them at Macy’s for $50.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

A penny loafer, of course!  And the Tabitha by Coach has the color and shine of a new penny to boot.  These pointed-toe flats don’t come with pennies pre-loaded in the slots, though, so save two pennies and stash them in there for future use!  Also available in black; your choice for $140 from Zappos.

“Does thou love life?” Franklin once said.  “Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.”  Franklin lived by those words.  On his birthday, do the same!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: If you're a member of VIP Rewards, get an extra 25% off everything!  If not, sign up and get the coupon sent straight to your inbox!
Bloomingdale's: Five day sale-- save 20-65%
Lord & Taylor: Save 20% with code SAVE
Macy's: Super Weekend Sale: save 40-65% on select styles, plus 10% off with code WKND (plus an extra 25% off clearance)
Nine West: End of season sale
Payless: All Champion shoes 30% off
Saks: Free shipping on all orders with code JANFREE

New Year's Eve

It’s New Year’s Eve!  The very last day of 2013.  I hope there’s a party on your schedule for tonight!  Even if there’s not, you have to close the year in party shoes!

YOU JUST DO.  IT’S A RULE.  WEAR THEM WITH PAJAMAS IF YOU MUST.

So!   Let’s get you some party shoes then!

Who says shorter heels can’t be fun?  The Camille by Coach is a pointed toe D’Orsay with suede at the toe and glitter at the heel!  (That’s a 3.25-inch heel, by the way.)  The wine color is so elegant, isn’t it?  Pick up a pair at Bloomingdales for $198.

I love the lines on the E0028 by E! Live From the Red Carpet.  The interplay of the gray and the black, swooping around your foot, leaving cutouts (I especially love the tiny cutouts up by the heel!).  That’s a 4.5-inch heel, by the way, but there’s a three-quarter-inch platform to help out.  Yours for $88 from Macy’s.

Ooh, beads!  The Akira by ABS by Allen Schwartz is a beautiful peacock color, too—unexpected among the blacks and reds of the holiday.  The heel is 4.5 inches, and there’s an inch-high platform underneath the peep toe.  But the bow and the dangling beads—those make this pair special.  Also available in white if you’re going for a snow queen vibe; your choice for $100 from DSW.

Ooh, groovy.  The Madame by Steve Madden has features that, granted, could have gone horribly wrong in the hands of the wrong designer.  But here, the chunky clear heel and shiny gold upper feel more mod than unfortunate 70s throwback.  These would be especially nice with pants, I think!  Also available in black, but they’re not nearly as fun as the gold.  Find them at Zappos for $78.

All set?  Happy New Year!

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!