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

St. Patrick's Day

Monday is St. Patrick’s Day!  The day that everyone is a wee bit Irish, and drinks green beer, and eats cabbage.  Hooray!

I am actually legit Irish (a full quarter, baby!), so I hereby deem these shoes St. Pat’s appropriate.

The Goulding by Nine West is the perfect, shiny shade of green!  But what struck me when I found them is the cutout on the side.  Usually in a half D’Orsay the cut-out side is on the inside of the foot, but here it’s on the outside!  Unusual.  The heel is 4.5 inches and it’s also available in solid black and a graphic black with white at the toe; your choice for $40 from 6pm.

The Some Nights by Luichiny is so fun!  I love how the green faux suede of the upper stretches onto the cork wedge in these bold lines.  And the wedge is sizable (two inches in the front and five at the heel), so there’s plenty of room to show off the stripes!  Also, I heart the large ankle strap and buckle.  Available in white, black, and brown as well; find them at Zappos for $85.

This green flat is simplicity with attitude.  The pointed toe, the nude trim around the foot, and of course the studs!  It’s the square studs that add that little something special.  Also available in blue, yellow, purple, and nude—take your pick for $20 from Light in the Box.

Yes, St. Pat’s is a work day this year, but the Hannon by Mojo Moxy are both work- and holiday-appropriate!  You guys already know I love Oxford detailing, so it should come as no surprise that I love these.  The upper is made of green and white faux leather, and it features a T-strap and 4.25-inch heel.  Find them at DSW for $35.

St. Pat’s green glitter explosion!  The Viva Bordello by Sin City is a whole lotta pump, not for the faint of heart: a six-inch heel and two-inch platform.  (Who says leprechauns need to be tiny, amirite?... what’s that?  Everyone says that?  Never mind.)  I think my favorite part is the green lacing up the front—it finishes it off so nicely.  Yours for $85 from Heels.com.

Happy St. Pat’s, all! 

Sales this weekend:

Bakers: All dress shoes $20 off today only

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 online with code SALE
Macy's: Extra 15% off with code WKND
Payless: All comfort shoes on sale

Winter Olympics!

Cue the Olympic theme!  Doo, doo, doo doo, doo doo…

I will have you know that I just sat through all four minutes of the Olympics theme song.  I feel the sudden urge to luge, in slow motion, with flags waving.

AAH!  THE OLYMPICS ARE HERE!  I love the Olympics.  I love the world coming together; I love all the random sports (looking at you, biathlon!); I love that Jamaica has a bobsled team this year, in a case of life imitating art imitating life.  (If you consider Cool Runnings art.  Which I do.)

Sorry.  Got a little carried away there.

But tonight is the opening ceremony for the winter Olympics, which ironically is being held in a subtropical city.  That’s right: we’re holding a winter Olympics in a city with palm trees.  It’s like having the winter Olympics in Orlando.  So here are some shoes you might enjoy while enjoying the Olympics in Sochi!

The Vanya by Earthies is a ballet flat in a beautiful orange, blue, green, and white floral print.  This one is fabric, but the other color choices are leather: black, copper, gold, or pewter.  They’re all kind of boring, actually—but not the print!  (Can I also say I enjoy how the name sounds Russian?  Vanya!)  Yours for $160 from Zappos.

Ooh, birds of paradise!  The Cara by Luichiny is a bold platform heel with a tropical-on-black print at the peep-toe.  The two-inch platform and five-inch heel are both covered in shiny patent leather, and the ankle strap too—and that is a statement strap!  Find them at DSW for $50.

The Lucianna is by UGG, believe it or not!  It’s nowhere close to a winter boot, and it’s adorable.  It has a print ankle strap (the toe is the same print), raffia-covered 1.5-inch platform and 4.25-inch wedge, and can I say how much I like the solid purple at the ankle?  Very nice.  Also available in a lovely orange and blue combo; your choice for $86 from 6pm.

Ooh, spring has sprung!  Or it has in the Marlenee by Steve Madden, anyway.  Just look at the beautiful pink and yellow print—I’m also digging the wide ankle strap.  It toughens the look up.  It has a 4.5-inch heel and no platform to speak of so be careful where you go in these, but you can’t deny they’re beautiful.  If you agree, they can be found at Macy’s for $100.

So enjoy the next two weeks, and keep dreaming, Orlando: some day you too could hold a Winter Olympics!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: Take an extra 20% off boots
Bloomingdales: $50 off $200-$299; $100 off $300-$499; $150 off $500+
Bus Stop Boutique: Saturday through Valentine's Day, 15% off when you shop with your sweetheart and post a pic to Instagram with hashtag #busstopboutique
Lord & Taylor: 20% off regular, sale, and clearance with code BIG
Macy's: Extra 10% off with code RED
Payless: Buy one, get one half off
Steve Madden: Extra 35% off all clearance with code BONUS35

Fall Trend: Sssssssnakeskin

So we covered the fur trend for fall. Another animal-kingdom-inspired trend this season: snakeskin! More subtle than other animal prints; just as sophisticated as the classic alligator, but fresher. So! Let’s help you slither in to this trend. We’ll start with a flat:

The Jungle Flat by Mia 2 is the perfect pointy-toed flat in black snakeskin with gold studs and buckle. Great for work but still perfect for a casual weekend outfit—so versatile! Find them for $35; online only from Kmart.

  The Flambeau is a gray and black snakeskin peep-toe slingback with a statement silver buckle. It has a four-inch heel and one-inch platform. Also available in six (six!) other color combos; find them at Nine West for $89.

  The Brit Wedge by Lovely People has a four-inch wedge, back zipper, and all kinds of little detailing. It comes in brown snakeskin with a stacked heel and gold grommets (shown) or a really sleek black snakeskin with a black heel and silver grommets. Yours for $40 from DSW.

For just a hint of snakeskin, try the Vega by Ellen Tracy. It’s black suede, with a patterned patent bow and heel. It’s just so sleek! Yours for $99 from Macy’s.

  I love these—they are serious chunks of snake! The Au Brie by Luichiny have a 4.5-inch heel and a two-inch platform, plus a peep toe, cushioned footbed, and ankle strap. They come in snake or cheetah; find them at Zappos for $90.

Now for something a little fun!

  Pink! Yellow! Crazy knotted straps! The Snake Pumps by Michael Antonio are really kind of awesome. It has a 4.25-inch heel, and a zipper up the back (and elastic knotted straps) to help you keep them on. Yours from Bare Feet Shoes for $45.

This one is actually made of python. I guess I didn’t realize people still did that!

  And a whole lotta python! My goodness. The Genuine Python Boot by Prada have a 4.5-inch heel, has a side zip, and are special order from Nordstrom for $2,700.