Twilight of the Gods

I am a sucker for ancient cultures’ predictions about the end of the world.  So I was bummed that I only learned about Ragnarok on Friday!  You know, Ragnarok—the Viking end of the world.  A Viking history center in York (England, not PA) was spreading the story that Ragnarok was going to occur this past Saturday.  It turns out they just made that last part up and there is no date set for Ragnarok, but for awhile there it was cool to think about: the Midgard snake Jormungand rising from the sea…

What an interesting shoe.  The Tabbis by Ivanka Trump has a lot of different pieces to it, but it nicely represents Jormungand’s story: the coils of the snake at the toe; the mottled blues and purples of the seas it’s rising from (in snakeskin, no less!).  The three-inch heel is capped in shining silver, and an ankle strap completes the look.  Yours for $77 from 6pm.

… a wolf devouring the sun…

The Calida by Kiss N Tell is gray and furry like the wolf, and the 5.75-inch heel and 1.75-inch heel will help you reach the sun, certainly!  I think my favorite part is the buckle around the back—but you can’t collar a wolf, baby!  Find them at Rakuten for $30.

… Surtr covering the earth in fire, causing the entire world to burn…

This pair of heels is red hot!  You send in a pair of shoes you want embellished, and you get them back aflame with red and black glitter and silver rhinestones.  Etsy seller Made by Bunny will charge you $120 for the labor and materials.

…and then pretty much all the gods die.  And all the people too.  But I’m kind of glad Ragnarok hasn’t come yet, since I was bummed I didn’t have time to get a valkyre helmet in time for the occasion.  But now I do!  Let’s see… Ragnarok will begin after a three-year winter, they say, and if this winter is any indication, 2017 it is!

Modern Women at PAFA

Hurry over to PAFA before September 1, since that’s the last day of their exhibit Modern Women at PAFA: From Cassatt to O’Keeffe.  It features over 20 artists who paved the way for future generations of women to have careers in art, and it features some gorgeous work.  Like this one by Violet Oakley, who played a prominent role in the artistic life of Philadelphia for almost half a century:

I adore this.  Called June, it was produced as a cover for a 1902 issue of Everybody's Magazine, a monthly periodical targeted at a female audience, published by the New York branch of John Wanamaker's merchandising empire.

Black like the first dress, the blue bow of the second… I’d say the Phallon by Ivanka Trump updates this painting nicely!  The peep toe is satin and the ankle, strap, and 4.5-inch heel are leather.  Also available with a white body/black bow; your choice for $90 from Nordstrom.

This is Coxcomb by Georgia O’Keeffe, an oil painting dating from 1931.  It almost looks like a woman dancing, doesn’t it?

These are party shoes if I’ve ever seen them!  The Cailyn by RSVP is a bright, bold peep toe pump with folding and a big bow at the toe.  The heel is four inches, and it comes in fuchsia (shown), black, blue, ivory, eggplant, red, or silver satin.  Find them at Zappos for $99.

And since plaid is going to be so big for fall:

This is Girl in a Plaid Shawl from sometime between 1880 and 1885 by Susan Macdowell Eakins.  Eakins is a local girl too—the fifth of eight children of a Philadelphia engraver, well known in the artistic community.  She was a student of Thomas Eakins while he was an instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and married him in 1884.

The Nakita by Ros Hommerson makes me wish for falling leaves and pumpkins so badly!  Black and brown plaid, brown suede at the heel and the trim, a little tassel detailed in silver over the round toe…why isn’t it fall yet?!  Also available in black and white check, solid black, and gray flannel; your choice for $50 from 6pm.

I hope you’re inspired by the women (and the shoes), and that you can get to PAFA before Labor Day!

Sales this weekend:

Bloomingdales: Sale through Sunday-- 25-40% off
Bus Stop Boutiue: Annual Summer Warehouse Sale through Sunday!
Lord & Taylor: 15% off regular and sale and 20% off clearance with code BIG
Macy's: 10% off with code TICKET

Philly Fizz

Philadelphia has a lot of firsts: library, fire department, post office, zoo… but don’t forget the soda!  Our own Phillip Syng Physick was the first to use sugared, carbonated soda water as a medical treatment, paving the way for everyone’s moms to give them ginger ales for their upset tummies.  Thank you, Dr. Physick!

To celebrate, why not attend the sixth annual Philly Phyzz Phest at the Physick House tomorrow?  Sing happy birthday, play 18^th-century games, and listen to a reading of the Declaration of Independence.  (A little unrelated, perhaps, but this is Philadelphia at the 4^th of July.)  In his honor, summery shoes inspired by our favorite sodas!  First up, the classic cola:

Mmm… kind of looks like licorice, actually!  The Mateo by Life Stride is a braided, strappy one-inch wedge perfect for any summer outfit.  Also available in gold; find them at Macy’s for $40.

Orange soda:

The Peggy by Ivanka Trump is so light and airy, isn’t it?  Shiny, braided tangerine leather topped with a large rhinestone at the toe, and a little half-inch heel.  Beautiful.  Yours for $113 from Zappos.

Root beer, maybe?

The Feather Accent Thong Sandal by Haley Jeans Co. has an intricately cut faux leather upper and a zipper up the back to let you in (though I’m not sure where the feather accent is supposed to be!).  Also available in black or red; find them at your local Target for $27.

Lemon-lime:

The Serafina by Loeffler Randall is a flowery, yellow-green treat, what with the flower on the front!  It also comes in tan if you don’t like it in “acid,” but I think it’s cheery!  Find them at 6pm for $156.

My personal favorite: black cherry.

With rhinestones like the bubbles in soda!  The Tapley is a sparkly, strappy flat made of micro suede and elastic.  If the pink isn’t your thing, it also comes in blue, bone, taupe, and black—find them all at Bakers for between $40 and $60 (the pink is $40!). 

Whatever your favorite, raise a glass to Philly’s Founding Father of Fizz!

Philly Phyzz Fest is from 1-5 PM tomorrow at the Phillip Syng Physick House, at 4^th and Delancy.  Go raise a glass to a Philadelphia First!

Sales this weekend:

Sorry ladies; the Shoe Fairy is on vacation this week.  But my bet is there are a ton of sales around, so hit your favorite store and give it a try!

Fifty Shades of Supper

The latest trilogy book craze?  No, not The Hunger Games; that’s so last year.  I’m talking about Fifty Shades of Gray!  While I haven’t picked it up yet (possible book club pick?), millions of other people have, and even Supper restaurant is getting into the trend with a special dinner tomorrow that is a recreation of the menu served at the Masked Ball in Fifty Shades Darker.  In the spirit, here are some slightly naughty shoes in several shades of gray.

For the boardroom seductress, the Barina by Ivanka Trump: two-tone patent leather, a 4.5-inch heel and three-quarter-inch platform, peep toe, and ankle strap with silver buckle.  Also available in black/white and brown/tan; your choice for $135 from Zappos.

I like the interplay of hard and soft in the Spencer Caged Peep Toe Pump by Badgley Mischka: the luminous, luxurious patterned satin around the four-inch heel; the tied-up, strapped-in feeling around the peep-toe and quarter-inch platform.  Together, the two sides combine to make a beautiful shoe.  It’s also available in black, but the silver is nicer—find them at Endless for $114.

A little lace, a little corseting at the slingback... the Luxe by Caparros is the ladylike way to do sexy.  It has a four-inch heel, half-inch platform, peep toe, and mesh lace upper segmented with silver faux leather.  Also available in black, white, or a nice coppery-gold; find them at DSW for $65.

I. Love. This.  The Wren by Isola is practically marbled, swirling with black and gray and little sparkles like a cloudy night sky.  Round and square studs arch over the 3.5-inch heel.  Also available in shiny black, shiny copper, and black patent leather, but none are anywhere near as spectacular as the Anthracite.  Yours for $155 from Macy’s.

Whatever your...um... tastes, the dinner at Supper sounds delicious.  Tickets are $65, or $100 with matched wine pairings for each of the four courses.  Call (215) 592-8180 to see if there are any spots left!

Back to School

Labor Day is over, and you know what that means: back to school! Ahhh... new backpacks, new books, new pens (can you tell I’m a bit of a nerd?). But don’t forget—new shoes! Let’s get into some school spirit, shall we? College-style! Ready, and:

“T” for Temple, “U” U-ni-versity! Fight, fight, fight! For the Cherry and the White, for the Cherry and the White, we’ll fight, fight, fight!

The Marika by Ivanka Trump have cherry and white written all over them! A half-inch platform, 4.5-inch heel, patent leather... just beautiful. On sale for $112.50 from Zappos.

Fight on, Pennsylvania! Put the ball across that line. Fight you Pennsylvanians! There it goes across this time. Red and blue we’re with you and we’re cheering for your men. So it’s fight, fight, fight Pennsylvania—fight on for Penn!

The Diane by Report are burgundy and blue suede and patent leather, with a 5-inch heel and 1.75-inch platform. Find them at Macy’s for just under $75.

Fight, fight, fight, fight; fight on, Explorers; fight on for L.S.U. Give ‘em “L,” give ‘em “A,” give ‘em “S-A-L-L-E.” So fight on to victory! I ADORE these! The Caskade by Nina has a navy satin and gold mesh upper, blue jewels at the toe, a shiny gold four-inch heel, T-strap, and leather lining. Also available in black/silver, burgundy/gold, and brown/silver for just under $100; yours from Zappos. My current school!


Fight on for Drexel, we’ve got the stuff we need to win this game. We’re gonna fight on for Drexel; take the Dragon on to fame. Fight on for Drexel, the gold and blue is on another spree. We’re gonna fight, fight, fight, fight for Drexel U, on to victory!

The Knot is made of blue suede (or black or red) with a one-inch platform and 4.5-inch heel. And I sort of love how the swirls are reminiscent of Mario’s undulating shape! (Mario’s the dragon.) Find them at Nine West for $99.

And my alma mater! “V” for Villanova, “V” for Victory, “B” for Blue and “W” for White—for the Blue and the White we will fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight for Villanova, fight for Victory; for we’re out to win the fray, Villanova leads the way, with a capital “V” for Victory!

The Olé by Kate Spade New York have a four-inch braided wedge, grosgrain ribbon around the ankle, and a blue and white rickrack toe. And the zigzags kind of look like V’s! Woo, Villanova! Yours for $225 from Nordstrom.

Oh, and St. Joe’s, I guess. Shake your tail feather. Et cetera.

The Porsha by Rampage has a polka dot upper, cushioned insole, and three-inch heel. Also available in zebra patent, black floral, and pink floral (the dots are cutest, though!) from DSW for under $20!

Philly Beer Week

Philly’s a big beer town—big enough that we give beer its own week! Yes, it is Philly Beer Week once again, with hundreds of events for you to attend through this Sunday. Why not go in shoes that match some of our city’s finest craft beers? First up, Victory’s HopDevil:

“Menacingly delicious, with the powerful, aromatic punch of whole flower American hops backed up by rich, German malts. HopDevil Ale offers a roller coaster ride of flavor, coasting to a smooth finish that satisfies fully.” Mmm, sounds... dangerous.

These shoes bring out the devil in you, don’t they? The Gurdia by Ivanka Trump have a two-tone leather upper with sexy cutouts, leather lining with lightly padded footbed, and 3.5 inch heel. They also come in white and black, nude and black, and all black, but... why? Yours for $120 from Zappos.

Next up, Yards Brewing Company’s Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale:

“Brewed to celebrate Ben’s 300th birthday, Yards Brewing Company has recreated Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale™ to celebrate Franklin’s affinity for fine ales. Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale is based on Franklin’s original recipe, which called for spruce essence and molasses, as barley and hops were not readily available at the time.”

  We have to go for a heel since Ben looooooved the ladies, and I’m sure he wouldn’t want you in anything but stilettos. I chose this copper color for the pennies visitors throw on his grave in Christ Church Burial Ground (and for his saying “A penny saved is a penny earned”), and the snakeskin for his famous “Join or Die” political cartoon. (Yes, yes; I’m a history nerd.) The Oscar heel by JS by Jessica has a four-inch stacked heel, round toe, and rubber sole, and you can find them at DSW for about $60.

Last up, Philadelphia Brewing Company’s Walt Wit:

  “The American poet, Walt Whitman, once portrayed a sunset over Philadelphia as ‘...a broad tumble of clouds, with much golden haze and profusion of beaming shaft and dazzle’. Pour yourself a bottle of Walt Wit Belgian-Style White Ale and see what he was talking about. A pinch of spice and a whisper of citrus lend complexity to this fragrant and satisfying ale.”

  Walt would have no tolerance for outrageously tall shoes—Mr. Leaves of Grass would want you in something simple in which you could go out and explore nature. Let’s make it yellow for the citrus notes in the beer and Philly’s “golden haze,” and hey, it has leaves right on it! The Belle sandal by Jaclyn Smith has a padded footbed, silver buckle, and is made of faux leather. It also comes in green, white, and berry, and you can find them at (get this) Kmart! On sale for $10 through June 11! Outrageous.

And to open your beers, how about this?

They’re flip-flop shaped bottle openers! By Wild Eye Designs, The Papery has these in green (shown), red, gold glitter, silver glitter, zebra print, and cheetah print. Only $10!