Firebird Festival

Looking for something to do this weekend?  One of my favorite local festivals is going on: the Phoenixville Firebird Festival!  What’s not to love about a day of dance, music, art, and parades, followed by the burning of a three-story wooden bird in honor of the town’s name?  As one of my friends would say, that’s just awesomesauce.

In honor of the awesomeness, I give you shoes that sparkle and swirl like flames in the night!

The Arden by Promiscuous has so much going on—the rhinestones, of course, but also the curving shape of the upper, and the unusual heel.  See it on the back shoe in the picture, the cutout?  The bottom zigs all the way back in to meet the ball of the foot.  It’s nuts.  It’s got a six-inch heel and 1.75-inch platform, and is available in black or red from Zappos for $81.

I love the upper on the Sublime by Two Lips—it really evokes the feeling of the phoenix’s wings, doesn’t it?  It’s studded with gunmetal rhinestones on the upper and on the 4.25-inch heel, and a zipper up the back lets you in.  Available in black or red; your choice for $63 from 6pm.

The Fern by Nina has a glitter fabric d’Orsay upper, slender 3.25-inch heel, peep toe, and an air of simple elegance.  Also available in black, bronze, grape (which is KICKIN’, by the way), navy, and pewter—your choice from Shoes.com for $79.

The Beccalyn by Enzo Angiolini are fabulous for so many reasons.  One, the rhinestones all over the 1.5-inch platform.  Two, the rhinestones all over the 4.5-inch heel.  Three, the swirly shape of the rhinestones up the back, like sparks swirling up from the phoenix aflame.  And four, THERE ARE RHINESTONES ON THE SOLE.  Rhinestones on the sole!!  I’m in love.  If you agree, pick up a pair in red, dark pink, or dark purple for $120 from 6pm.

Come on down to Phoenixville for the Firebird Festival!  Activities begin at 3:30 PM and continue on until the burning of the bird at 8:00 PM.  There will be flamenco, belly dancing, puppets, storytelling... something for everybody.  Come on down!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: Biggest sale of the year (up to 60% off); free shipping over $50
Bakers: Holiday sale (up to 50% off); free no-minimum shipping
Bloomingdale's: "A Great Sale" (save 20-30%)
Lord & Taylor: 25% off all shoes with code FRIENDS
Macy's: Save 20-50% off select styles, plus an extra 15% off and free shipping with code EXTRA
Nine West: Free shipping on all orders

Olé!

In case the new season of Dancing with the Stars has you in a dancing mood (go Urkel and Kym!), do I have good news for you—we’re smack dab in the middle of the first Philadelphia Flamenco Festival!  The two-week festival includes performances, movie nights, classes... and you still have a whole week to enjoy it!

If you’re planning on dancing, you’ll need the right footwear—official flamenco dancing shoes!  Something like these:

I love the cutout and the little laces... adorable.  The blue is unexpected for a flamenco shoe, but it comes in a ton of colors (black, red, white, green, fuchsia, yellow...).  Why all the color choices?  They make them for you!  You can pick suede or leather, or three different shapes of heels ranging from four to seven centimeters (1.5 to almost three-inches), and with or without taps (or “nails”) at the heel and toe.  They’re about $205 from Flamencista, but since they’re handmade for you, you’ll have to wait awhile for them—about six or seven weeks.

These would be done quicker:

Only two weeks for these—and what’s not to love about a double-strap Mary Jane?  The Tablao comes in all the same colors with all the same customizable options, but more quickly and for $185.  Find them at Flamencista.

The shoes of Flamencista not your style?  Try these:

These are so authentic, the website is entirely in Spanish.  (Which is bad, since the only Spanish I know is off Mexican food menus!  Thank goodness for Google Translate.)  There must be 30 color and fabric options, 12 heel options... as well as a number of different shoes to choose from.  The Aurora (shown) will run you $211 from Gallardo Dance—you’ll need about 3-4 weeks for these, but hey, they’re coming from Madrid!

If you’re not dancing, just be fabulous in a pair of these:

WANT!  The Kenley Lace by Promiscuous is a ruffled lace peep-toe with an ankle strap, 4.5-inch heel, and three-quarter-inch platform.  I love the red, but it also comes in black, beige, or a really killer blue.  Find them on Zappos for $69.

Interested in attending the Flamenco Festival?  There are classes tonight and tomorrow and performances this weekend.  Check out the full schedule here, and get your dance on!

Spring ahead!

Anyone else notice that there’s been more daylight in the afternoons lately?  Well, we’re about to get even more!  Daylight savings begins at 2:00 AM Sunday morning (set your clocks, people!)—we lose an hour of sleep, but we get an hour more daylight in the evenings.  Yay!  In the spirit, here are some shoes that are like wearing spring sunshine on your feet:

The Zarahi by Promiscuous is so bright and lovely!  A stretch fabric upper with a floral accent and touches of patent leather (the 4.5-inch heel, the toebed, a strap around the foot holding on the flower).  It has a one-inch platform and pulls right on!  Also available in black, black/red/zebra, royal blue, tan/cheetah, and turquoise—all equally beautiful.  Pick yours on Zappos for $65.

The Galiza by Nina is a beautiful lemon color, and all strappy—across the toe, a T up the front, around the ankle, a loop around the heel, and the one holding the net flowers.  A four-inch heel and half-inch platform complete the look, and if you don’t like the yellow it comes in red, purple, navy, ivory, and black as well.  The other colors are all $70, but the yellows are only $50!  Yours from Endless.

The Deena by Lulu Townsend is a classic pump with a bow over its peep-toe.   It has a 3.75-inch heel and half-inch hidden platform, and comes in berry, nude, ivory, white, silver, black, and royal blue if you don’t like the canary!  Find them at DSW for $50.

The Marlene Ballet Flat by Merona is a faux suede, round toe ballet flat with non-skid sole and flower feature!  Also available in black, purple, and burgundy; find them at your local Target for $25.

The Honey Love have a butterfly right on them!  A butterfly with rhinestones!  And polka dots!  And patent leather accents!  I’m sold.  If you are too, get yours from Irregular Choice for $60.  (It also comes in black, but it’s not as cute and it’s $40 more.)

Happy almost-spring, and happy sunshine!

Sales this weekend:

Bloomingdale's: $25 off a purchase of $100-$249, $50 off $250-$499, $100 off $500-$999, $250 off $1000 or more
Bus Stop Boutique: Has moved to a new home!  Print this and get 10% off.  Bring a friend and they get 10% off and you get 15% off! 
Lord & Taylor: 15% off regular and sale with savings pass or promo code STYLE (and an extra 10% with a Lord & Taylor card and code STYLEPLUS)
Macy's: 25% off when you buy two or more pairs with code SHOES
 

Christmas

It’s the most sparkly time of the year!

With tinsel and sleigh bells

And garlands and candles and stars shining clear!

It’s the most sparkly time of the year.

It’s the bright, shiniest time of the year!

With sparkles and glitter

How ornaments shimmer and shine without peer!

It’s the bright, shiniest time of the year.

Yay Christmas—it’s almost here!  When I was thinking about how to do a Christmas post, I thought that instead of elf shoes or something I would give you the sparkliest shoes I could find.  (Plus today is my birthday, and you know how much I loooooove glitter!)  How better to be merry on Christmas than in a pair of these?

Oh, they’re like snow!  The Iris by Bouquets has a 3.5-inch heel, round toe, and are covered in sparkling, iridescent glitter.  These are serious snow princess shoes!  Also available in bronze or black glitter; find them at Zappos for $48.

Don’t you just love the red on the Helena by Promiscuous?  So festive, it’s ridiculous.  A 4.5-inch heel, one-inch platform, and ruffle feature at the peep toe make these perfect for any Christmas party.  Also available in black and an interesting lavender and silver combination; pick them up at Zappos for $40.

The Toriie by Madden Girl are party shoes indeed—just look at the glitter on the one-inch platform and five-inch heel!  The rest of the upper is bright pink satin.  Also available in black; find them at Steve Madden for $50.

These back beauties have a leather upper studded with rhinestones and solid black heels.  Just about $80 from Light in the Box.

And the grand finale:

The whole bootie is rhinestones!!  Love!  It’s like wearing ice.  The Sparrkk has a five-inch heel, one-inch platform, and a zipper up the back to let you in.  A pair can be yours for $250 from Steve Madden. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Sales this weekend:

Sorry ladies; the Shoe Fairy is on vacation until the New Year.  Be back then with all the post-holiday deals!

Philly Film Festival

Come one, come all: the 20th annual Philadelphia Film Festival began yesterday! Two weeks of every kind of film under the sun: shorts. Foreign language films. Classics. Documentaries. Grab a friend, get your tickets, and experience something new!

How about something for tonight? The Artist is a French movie filmed in black and white that reinvents the timeless tale of an actor’s rise and fall in film against the backdrop of the golden age of Hollywood. Oh—and it’s a silent film!

  There’s something so 40s-starlet about these! The Vertical Evening Pumps by Caparros is black satin with a four-inch heel, silver strap and toebed, and multicoloured rhinestone feature. Find them at Macy’s for $79.

Feeling more like Shakespeare? This weekend check out Coriolanus, a faithful adaptation of Shakespeare’s tale of rivals, civil unrest and betrayal in ancient Rome (but set in the modern day, and starring Ralph Fiennes!). This is the first time this powerful, historical play highlighting war as an eternal human drama has been brought to the big screen.
The Big Momma is a camo print, kiltie, buckled, charmed, bungeed, fur-lined platform boot. Badass. Pick up a pair from Irregular Choice for $235.

On Saturday or Monday, check out Green: an off-kilter, miniscule take on the erotic thriller. When two New York intellectuals move to the country for a writing project, the fabric of their relationship and reality is torn by a new friend. They’re green, of course! But the Quiana by Promiscuous is also a little off-kilter in its own right: crazy reptile-print stripes and mesh surround the foot over a 4.5-inch heel, with a zipper up the back and a cushy insole. Also available in beige, black, red, purple, and taupe from Zappos for $59.

Winter not coming fast enough to suit you? Race to the Bottom of the Earth is a bold documentary of endurance and survival about Philadelphia-based explorer Todd Carmichaels’ attempt to not only be the first American to solo trek the seven hundred miles across Antarctica to the South Pole, but to set the record for fastest trek at the same time. See it tomorrow or Wednesday, November 2.

Love these! The Jessica10a Strapped Fur Knee High Boots are snow princess boots: white fur, white faux leather, white lacings, and a beautiful stiletto. Yours for $45 from Amazon.

The Philadelphia Film Festival runs until November 3 and tickets seem to be $12. 


Sales this weekend: 
Aerosoles: Up to 35% off all boots
Bakers: All dress shoes and dress boots on sale
Macy’s: Save 20-30% on select styles
Nine West: Free shipping on all orders
Lord & Taylor: 25% off with savings pass or promo code FRIENDS