Oscar Night

Get your ballots out—it’s time for the Oscars!  Everyone agrees the acting awards are probably all sewn up, but the big award of the night is for best picture.  There are eight worthy films to choose from… like Birdman:

Inspired by the black wings of Birdman, here is the Ginnie by Badgley Mischka.  Glossy black feathers adorn the top of the peep toe.  Also available in white satin and violet leather; the black runs you $60 on Amazon.

Or Boyhood:

The Converse All Star Ox: a classic childhood shoe, perfect for watching a little boy grow up.  Available in six other options if you don’t like the blue—some with sequins, but all black, white, or gray.  Boring.  Your choice for $50 from Eastbay.

Or The Imitation Game:

The Vivacious Vibes by Chelsea Crew is a little like what Joan Clarke might have worn while working at Bletchley Park, no?  A two-tone upper in chamoisee, wingtip detailing, and T-straps round out the vintage look.  It also features a leather lining and three-inch heel, and can be found at ModCloth for $70.

Me?  I’m rooting for The Grand Budapest Hotel.  I think it’s the most perfect thing Wes Anderson has ever done, and this is coming from someone who thinks even fake Wes Anderson films are perfect.  (Please, Wes, make The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders.  Take my money.)

The pink and green and vintage feel (and general overall frilliness) of the Abigail’s Party is very reminiscent of the film’s signature dessert, Mendl’s Courtesan au Chocolat.  A 3.75-inch heel, pink fabric, floral lace… adorable.  Find them at Irregular Choice for $155.

Whoever you’re rooting for, we’re in for a good show (of fashion, if nothing else!).

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: VIP rewards event: members get 15% off
Bakers: All clearance half off
Call it Spring: Half off all sale boots
Lord & Taylor: 20% off with code FASHION
Payless: Anniversary sale-- up to 30% off

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

New Year's Eve

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve.  Here in Pennsylvania we looove to drop things, but in other countries the traditions are very different!  For instance, in rural Quebec, people ice fish and drink with their friends.

I think if I caught this I might throw it back.  The Pinky Perky is definitely a fish, and it has some really lovely details (the embroidered scales, the silver fins, the refreshing blue) but I have to admit, the face is kind of freaking me out a little.  The vamp is faux suede and the heel is about 3.5 inches; find them at Irregular Choice for $135.

In Germany, a tiny marzipan pig is consumed for good luck.

These little piggies are as sweet as marzipan, aren’t they?  Look at their little faces—their itty bitty noses, their tiny ears, their wee little eyes…gaa!  Too cute.  Plus the combo of three (or is it four?) different pinks is quite nice.  Yours for $32 from Etsy seller iwearbanana.

In the Philippines, many opt to wear new, bright, or colorful clothes with circular patterns (like polka dots) in the belief that circles attract money and fortune.

Bright?  Check.  Dots?  Check.  You’ll be good in the Champion Glitter Dot by Keds!  Yes, each of those white polka dots is rimmed with a thin line of silver glitter.  Matching pink laces complete the look.  Also available in black and gray, but the pink really wins the day here.  Yours for $50 from Zappos.

Happy New Year, wherever you're celebrating!

Birds of Paradise

We’re in the final week of Birds of Paradise: Amazing Avian Evolution at the Academy of Natural Sciences.  These are not your mama’s sparrows and robins—these are birds-of-paradise, native to New Guinea, and some of the most extraordinary birds on the face of the earth.

Nothing can compare to those feathery beauties—though these feathery shoes come close!

Like a flamingo!  The Amazon Feathered Sandal by Paul Andrew has a vamp of fuchsia suede, two ankle straps with delicate gold buckles, and two rows of pink feathers.  The heel is 4.25 inches high.  Don’t you love?  On super sale at Barneys Warehouse for $459.

The Feather Trim Sandal by Apple Bottoms is simple in silhouette, but fun in details!  The purple color is so refreshing, and the feathers on the front and tiny jewels on the buckle are nice touches.  Also available in pink and blue; the purple will run you $11 from Dr. Jay’s.

A tuft of red and black feathers adorns the peep toe of the Tweety by Mojo Moxy.  The body is printed in a feather pattern too: red, nude, and turquoise.  The heel is 5.25 inches high, but the platform is 1.5 inches high, so that helps!  Available in a few other color combos as well; check them out at Aberrant Sole for $43.

The Best of All by Irregular Choice is one giant chunk of a shoe: a solid five-inch heel, and a 1.5-inch hidden platform at the toe.  But look at the glamour on this: the metallic purple outer.  The eighteen peacock feathers.  The enameled peacock.  It’s a little crazy!  Yours for $221 from Heels.com.

Birds of Paradise runs through Labor Day.  Fly on over before they’re gone!

Beautiful Bugs

So they might not be as adorable as frogs, but bugs have their fans.  Some can be downright beautiful, like the Chrysolina fastuosa.  I mean, look at this!  Gorgeous, right?

Actually, I thought I was down with bugs, but I surprisingly kind of want to throw up after looking at a ton of close ups of bugs.  Maybe Bug Fest at the Academy of Natural Sciences isn’t for me this weekend after all.  But you should really check it out, because they have an absolute TON of fun-looking activities.  As for me, maybe I’ll just stick with bugs on shoes…

Now we’re talking.  The Little Ladybug is adorable, with its red and white polka dots, floral trim, and carved glass 1.5-inch heel.  But look there, on the round toe: a tiny red and black ladybug!  Awww.  Yours for $135 from Irregular Choice.

A scorpion, maybe?  The Birthday Scorpio Zodiac Suede Smoking Slipper by Charlotte Olympia is part of a line of zodiac-inspired shoes—and Scorpio, of course, is the scorpion.  The scorpion is in gold with colored enamels, and rhinestones in the star between the bug’s claws.  There’s gold trim around the foot and on the half-inch heel—oh, and the symbol for Scorpio is embroidered on the inside-facing side.  (Gripe: why does Scorpio get this gorgeous teal and Capricorn gets a gross green color?!  Gripe over.)  Find them at Bergdorf Goodman for $695.

Wow… just…wow!  This pump has two butterfly wings off the back of the heel.  And the whole back half of the shoe is in the same beautiful blue and yellow print.  And the pointed toe is purple!  There’s so much to love here.  So much, in fact, that I had trouble picking which one to feature—this one?  The pink and white one?  The orange and pink one?  Trust me, they’re all gorgeous, and you can’t go wrong.  Yours for $31 from MayKool.

Now these bugs I can deal with!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: End of season sale-- up to 70% off
Bakers: Buy one get one half off entire site
Bloomingdales: If you're a Loyallist, earn some serious rewards cards this weekend!
Call it Spring: Extra half off sale shoes and sandals
Lord & Taylor: 15% off regular and sale items and 25% off clearance with savings pass or code AUGUST
Macy's: Extra 15% off shoes with code BTS
Payless: Back to school sale-- up to 40% off

Center City Sips

If it’s summer, it’s time for Center City Sips!  Over 90 restaurants are participating on Wednesdays through the end of August with $5 cocktails, $4 glasses of wine, $3 beers, and half price appetizers.  It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

So why not cozy up at Rosa Blanca for a mojito and some chicken croquettes?  (Trust me, they’re muy delicioso.)

A white rose for Rosa Blanca, no?  The Bonita by Paris Hilton is pretty indeed, with its white satin rose at the peep toe.  The whole body and four-inch heel are white satin too, and the one-inch platform as well.  Yours for $102 at Heels.com.

Prefer Japanese?  Refresh yourself with a watermelon soju martini and some edamame at Fuji Mountain.

This amazing beast is the Bling Sai.  The embroidery is inspired by Japanese design, but it’s embellished to within an inch of its life with fancy stitching and rhinestones.  (Just how I like my things.)  The heel’s about five inches, and the platform is about two and a third inches.  It’s available in an ivory combo as well; your choice for $34 from Irregular Choice.

Or maybe you’re swept up in World Cup fever and want to go Brazilian with a Brazilian rum punch and some filet wrapped in bacon at Chima:

This TOMS lookalike is in the yellow and green of Brazil!  And it has “BRA” along the outside of the back, which now that I write it, looks a little indecent.  But it’s for Brazil, people!  The yellow sole makes it for me—it’s so cheery.  And the little triangle of yellow at the top, too.  Yours for $27 from DX Mall.

Whatever you’re craving, there’s a spot for you this summer.  But don’t let it pass you by!  Too many years I’ve forgotten about this until the end of August.  Don’t let my tragic mistake happen to you.

Philadelphia Science Festival

Happy Science Festival, everyone!  Yes, today starts the Philadelphia Science Festival, two weeks of awesome science everything.  I mean, science is awesome anyway, but have you seen the events planned for this year?  There’s something for everyone.

Like stars?  Tonight is Astronomy Night!  Head to one of twenty-six locations through the city and suburbs (everywhere from Zoar United Methodist Church to the Battleship New Jersey) and peer through telescopes at the stars.

The After My Own Heart by T.U.K. are ablaze with galaxies!  Stars, nebulae, this round-toe pump has them all, in shades of pink, purple, and blue.  The heel is only 2.75 inches tall and very sturdy-looking, so no matter where you’re headed tonight you’ll be good.  Find them at ModCloth for $65 (whole sizes only).

Prefer something a little closer to earth?  Then get up early on Sunday and head to Bartram’s Garden or The Woodlands for a Birding Smackdown.  Which location will come out on top as home to the most kinds of birds?  Help them find out!

The Oniradien by Shellys London has a bunch of different birds on them, though if you find the toucans on the toes of these in one of the parks, I think you automatically win the contest.  I do love this print; with its bright birds on the black textile upper.  Plus the toe is interesting—it has like a plaque set on top.  So many things to look at… so pick up a pair at ASOS for $85 and look at them all you want!

Feeling arty?  Head on over to the museum at the Chemical Heritage Foundation on May 2 to take part in hands-on science activities while mingling with artists and scientists who, in a series of brief talks, discuss the implications of our changing climate.

Klablammie!  There’s a bolt of lightning right across the front of the Star Gazer—and did you know that for every one degree Celsius of long-term warming, there’s a 10% increase in lightning?  SCIENCE!!!  The shoe is faux suede embroidered with metallic thread, and there’s a cone heel of about an inch to finish it off.  Also available in red with gold—your choice for $119 from Irregular Choice.

So pick your poison during the Science Festival—but, er, be careful, just in case you’re actually making poisons or something.

The Philadelphia Science Festival runs through May 3.  See the full list of events here!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: 15% off all sandals
Bakers: Select shoes: 1 pair for $70, 2 pairs for $120, 3 pairs for $150
Lord & Taylor: 15% off with promo code APRIL
Macy's: Extra 15% off with promo code SPRING
Neiman Marcus: 33% off shoes through tonight only!
Payless: Buy one, get one half off
Saks: 25% off with code FRNFAM

Go Union!

Can you believe it’s already been five seasons that the Philadelphia Union have been playing soccer in Chester?  And they’re already become such a part of the Philly sports landscape—that didn’t take long!  So if you’re one of the Union’s fans, you already know that the season begins tomorrow with an away game against the Columbus Crew, but next Saturday is the first home game against the Montreal Impact!  Get your tickets and be ready with shoes in the club colors: blue and gold.

The Royal Marriage by Irregular Choice is the perfect marriage of blue and gold!  The upper is leather trimmed with sparkling gold around the foot, and the round toe is adorned with a rainbow of blue and gold stripes in different materials.  The 3.5-inch heel is wrapped in gold metal too!  Yours for $102 from Heels.com.

Ooh, preeeeeeeeeetty.  The Delite Me by Luichiny has a sizeable shiny gold wedge (5.25 inches at the heel, and 1.5 inches under the toe) wrapped in faux suede laser-cut roses.  This will be just too perfect for summer, so grab a pair from Overstock for $75.

In case you’re going to one of their Wednesday games straight from work:

Perfect for work, and blue and gold for the game!  The Sonar Heels are faux suede trimmed in gold around the bottom of the foot, and decked out with bold gold chain across the toe.  It says, “It’s okay—I’ve got this.”  And you can get them for $72 from ASOS.

And finally, in homage to the stars on the Union logo:

The Star Stiletto Sandal by Giuseppe Zanotti is so shiny and beautiful!  You’d be the belle of PPL Park in these gorgeous things.  The upper is blue leather bedecked with almost a dozen golden stars, and a zipper up the back lets you in.  Yours for $1727 from Farfetch.

Go Union!  “I’m looking over a four-leaf clover…”

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: 20% off Stitch-N-Turn styles
Bakers: 20% off flats and sandals
Bloomingdales: $25 off a purchase of $100-$250; $50 off $250-$500; $100 off $500-$1000; $250 off $1000+
Lord & Taylor: Save 20% on regular and sale with code SALE or savings pass
Macy's: 25% off two or more pairs of shoes (regular, sale, or clearance!) with code SHOES
Nine West: Friends and Family sale-- 30% off your entire purchase
Payless: 30% off all comfort styles

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

Surrealism at the PMA

So you may have noticed by now that I like art.  (I was an art history minor back in the day, you know!)  But of all the genres out there, I think surrealism may be my favorite.  I love the way it creatively interprets reality, opening our eyes to new ways of looking at the mundane things in our own lives.  I like the way it can express truth without actually showing anything that might even be recognizable, but you can look at it and say, “I completely understand this.”  Or even if you don’t, you have to admire the creativity of these artists, and the way they can see the world.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art certainly admires them, and has put together an exhibit using pieces from its own collection.  The Surrealists: Works from the Collection will highlight the inspired minds and imaginations of the most celebrated Surrealists while offering a wide-ranging view of the movement in general.  Hooray!

Take Birthday by Dorthea Tanning.

You don’t need a birthday cake to see that she’s staring through the infinite doors of her future, and she’s both ready to go but a little apprehensive.  Her outfit is part Renaissance princess and part seaweed—at once refined and natural.  Plus I love the little winged creature.  He looks like the world’s coolest house pet.

The Kiltie by Beckhams is just about right for Birthday: the gold and purple colors, the snakeskin, the velvet.  Plus it’s a flat (or almost), which will make it much easier to go on her adventures!  Yours for $84 from Irregular Choice.

This is Dog Barking at the Moon by Joan Miró:

It’s almost like the dog is on the moon rather than barking at it, he’s so alone.  But he’s a spunky little guy, and he does have that ladder—maybe he can make it to the moon after all!

I love how the Rosemary by Seychelles has the black of the night sky, the blue of the dog, and the twin lines of the ladder.  The heel is a solid 3.5 inches, and there’s a half-inch platform under the peep toe.  And can I say how I’m digging the touches of gold?  Also available in a sort of brown and yellow combo; your choice for $69 from 6pm.

The exhibit runs through March 2, but it’s over in the Perelman Building, so don’t go to the main museum and get confused!  

May Flowers

The saying goes “April showers bring May flowers,” but we seem to have gotten a whole lotta rain recently, haven’t we?  It’s a little depressing out there.

But we can still have May flowers!  Here’s a bouquet to brighten your Tuesday:

This purple beauty is the Splish Splash.  It’s a faux suede, round-toe Mary Jane with a 3.75-inch heel, and a profusion of flowers on the side!  Look at them all!  Purple, blue, red, yellow… you’ll bring a garden with you wherever you step.  Yours from Irregular Choice for $135.

The Rosey Wedge by Diba is so sharp looking, with its bold red, yellow, and green print.  And with a five-inch wedge and 1.5-inch platform, that’s a big canvas to show it off!  Find them on DSW for $40.

Aww, daisies!  The Jazzin by Rocket Dog is a sneaker with personality: a textile upper patterned with cheery daisies, yellow and black touches on the rubber sole, a stripy tongue, and white laces. Also available in a bunch of other prints; your choice for $45 on Zappos.

The Keku is spring embodied: a raffia wedge (five inches), a bright floral print on the straps and one-inch platform, and a frilly pink flower at the toe!  Also available in a lavender with a black wedge, but the black feels awfully heavy.  Either way, it can be yours for $60 from Nine West.

I hope these will put a spring (ha!) in your step, rain or no!

Seven Shoes (And One Poem) for Mom

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,

The Starla by Loeffler Randall is so beautiful... I can’t think of a more beautiful sandal!  It has a metallic gold leather upper, ties with a string dotted with glimmering stars, and is a little bit of celestial heaven on earth, wouldn’t you say?  It’s quite popular at Nordstrom (for $175), so if you’re not a 5.5, 6.5, 8, 10, or 10.5, you’re on the waiting list!

Hundreds of shells on the shore together,

So maybe these flip flops don’t have hundreds of shells, but there’s probably about 50—and starfish, too!  Since they’re from Café Press you can change the strap color from black to pink, blue, or orange; but any choice is still only $14.50!

Hundreds of birds that go singing by,

The Love Dove is gorgeous in shades of gold, black, and rose, with snakeskin straps (and slingback) and decorated with three beautiful birds.  It is one of those wonky heel-less heels, and is nearly six inches high, so watch out!  (It does have a two-inch platform, so that helps.)  Find them at Irregular Choice for $260.

Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.

Ahhh!  These lambie slippers are so cute!  But the cuteness isn’t the only thing that’s amazing: they are scented with lavender to relax you, AND they are microwavable, to make your toesies toasty warm!  Yours for $30 from BunnySlippers.com.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,

Just like dewdrops on a spring lawn, yes?  These round-toe beauties by Pleaser are just covered in rhinestones of different sizes (down the five-inch heel, too!).  Also available in white, gold, blue, and fuchsia; your choice for $187 on Amazon.  Whole sizes only.

Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,

I sort of love the Buzz-66 by Funtasma: the yellow and black stripes, the patent cap toe, the yellow-trimmed criss-cross straps, and I ADORE the little flower and bee at the 4.5-inch heel!  So cute!  Whole sizes only; yours for $40 from Costumes 4 Less.

Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,

This is the glass slipper of wedges: a sky-blue jelly-type upper bedecked with a kaleidoscope of butterflies.  (Seriously, that’s what a group of butterflies is called.  Or is one of the options, anyway.)  It also comes in a deeper blue, a pink, or an unfortunate brown (brown?!); your choice for $69 from Light in the Box.

But only one mother the wide world over.

(Poem by George Cooper)

Happy Mother’s Day!

Sales this weekend:

Aerosoles: Spring sale

Bakers: 40% off select styles and an extra 20% off already reduced items

Bloomingdales: Select shoes 25-40% off (plus an extra 15% with a Bloomie’s card)

Lord & Taylor: Save 20% off regular and sale items with code EXTRA

Macy’s: 10% off with code GIFT

Nine West: 30% off your entire purchase

Payless: Summer preview sale

Saks: Sneak peek sale up to 30% off