Dinosaurs of the Deep

If you know me, you know that I love dinosaurs.  I love them.  They’re endlessly fascinating.  And while the earth-roaming giants are highlights of museums everywhere, the sea-lurking variety is often missing.  No longer!  For a limited time, Adventure Aquarium has a whole display of Dinosaurs of the Deep, with 20 life-sized replicas, ancient fossils, hands-on activities, a 4-D film… and did I mention 20 life-sized replicas?!

The Elasmosaurus is pretty much what we think of when we think of aquatic dinosaurs, like an Apatosaurus of the sea.  It was 46 feet in length and weighed in at over 2.2 tons, making it among the largest plesiosaurs. The weight of its long neck placed the center of gravity behind the front flippers, thus Elasmosaurus could only have raised its head and neck above the water if in shallow water, where it could rest its body on the bottom.  (This makes it an unlikely candidate for the Loch Ness Monster, since the loch is over 400 feet deep.)

The Clear Cut has a long, slender heel (that’s 5.5 inches, people), just like the neck of the Elasmosaurus.  And the shape of the faux suede straps is a little reminiscent of the shape of it as it swims through the water, isn’t it?  Also available in black and a very nice taupe; your choice for $23 from Forever 21.

The Liopleurodon isn’t messing around.  Liopleurodon was the apex predator of the Jurassic seas. Rigid fins, along with large heart and lungs, allowed it to produce sudden bursts of speed when hunting. An ambush hunter, it would use its powerful jaw muscles to drive four-inch teeth into its prey.  Ouch.

The Allison by Sam Edelman is spikes all over, like the teeth of the Liopleurodon.  I also kind of love how the cutouts on the leather upper mimic the stripes and shadows on the Liopleurodon.  You gotta admit, it’s one dangerous looking shoe.  The heel is five inches (just one inch more than a Liopleurodon tooth), and a zipper up the back lets you in.  Also available in nude and a metallic/nude combo; your choice for $250 from Zappos.

What?  What.  Go home, evolution; you’re drunk.  The Dunkleosteus (or what I’ll call the Dunkle, cuz it’s hilarious) is a genus of prehistoric fish that existed during the Late Devonian period, about 380–360 million years ago. Because of its heavy armor, the Dunkle was likely a relatively slow, yet powerful swimmer roughly 33 feet long. One of the earliest jawed fishes, ol’ Dunkie here had two long, bony blades instead of teeth.

Blocky, yet streamlined.  A gaping maw in front .  The Ovid by Tsubo looks more than a little like Dunks, doesn’t it?  It has a leather lining and upper, a latex foam footbed for comfiness, and a 2.5-inch wedge with one-inch platform under the peep-toe.  Also available in beige; your choice for $115 from 6pm.

So head over to Adventure Aquarium and see them before they swim away!

Curse of Tutankhamun

Imagine: you’ve uncovered a great treasure that no one’s seen for thousands of years.  Fame and success follow.  But then, one by one, the members of your team begin to die…

Such was the case after the unearthing of King Tut’s tomb in 1922.  (…or not really.  But it’s fun to think about.)  As Halloween nears, the Penn Museum is using the story as a jumping-off point for its Young Friends Halloween Event, The Curse of Tutankhamun.  This Thursday, head over to UPenn to hear the curator of the Egyptian section discuss the curse and enjoy drinks from a cash bar.

In the “spirit” (ha ha!  Halloween joke!) of the event, here are some shoes inspired by ancient Egyptian footwear.

The Carlisle by Sperry Top-Sider is a bit of a departure from their usual line of boat shoes.  It does have a little gold sailboat on the strap up the front of the foot, though!  And the shiny gold is fit for a pharaoh indeed.  Also available in silver; your choice from Nordstrom for $93.

The Suttle by Steve Madden has a nice touch around the heel, with the basket-weaving.  (Ancient basket-weaving!)  It also has a sizeable buckle—very nice.  Also, it’s on super-sale!  From $60 down to $24, on DSW.  (It’s also available in a blush-and-silver combo, but I’m not sure if I’m into it or not.)

The Change of Pace by Seychelles almost reminds me of the ankh shape.  This is a rose gold, but there’s also a black version, with the little strap clips in gold.  It’s very sleek!  Find them at Zappos for $57.

Ooh, crocodile!  The Gigi by Sam Edelman is embossed metallic leather in a crocodile print.  How do I know it’s croc, and not alligator?  Crocodiles live in Egypt’s Nile River, of course!  (Alligators only live in the US and China.  Fun fact.)  Also available in silver; find them at Dillard’s for $65.

So walk like an Egyptian over to UPenn this Thursday—just be sure to only leave with a drink, and not a curse!

Fall Trend: Smoking Slippers

Before now, I would have associated smoking slippers with a man in a velvet robe sitting in front of a fireplace, smoking a pipe and reading the newspaper.  When they first started appearing in stores, I wasn't sold.  But it wasn't long before I was!  I am now a full convert to the smoking slipper fad.  And with shoes like these, how can you not be?

WANT!  WANT!  The Crest Embellished Embroidered Smoking Slipper by Miu Miu is sort of what you think of when someone says smoking slipper: velvet, an embroidered crest... but oh, the heel.  The half-inch heel is gold lacquer, embedded with big rhinestones.  I can barely stand the awesomeness.  If you love it too, it can be yours for $650 at Saks.

Speaking of rhinestones:

I love the bright blue of the Jewel Detail Smoking Slippers by Gianni Bini Hugh—and it's positively covered in rhinestones!  From heel to toe it's a veritable sea of blue sparkles.  It also comes in black or a lovely golden if you're not sold on the blue; your choice for $80 from Dillards.

It's a smoking slipper.  It's snakeskin.  It's got dangling black enamel spiky tassel-things.  The Nell flat by Circus by Sam Edelman has it all.  I particularly like the black trip around the foot opening-- I think it sets everything else off so nicely!  Find them at Nordstrom for $80.

And here is even more smoking slipper awesomeness.  The Geneva by Bass is a simple smoking slipper, but the material is anything but simple: it's silver and black lace!  (Or gold and black lace, or a weird black sequin thing.)  There's a plush leather footbed, too, so this is comfy AND fabulous!  Yours for $69 on Zappos.

And if you really can't give up your heels:

The Jada by Tahari has the same signature smoking slipper silhouette (this time in black suede), but on a three-inch heel.  (The shape is really reminding me of the cat shoe by Kobi Levi, to the point of distraction.  Anyone else?)  Yours for $70 from DSW.

So give smoking slippers a try this fall!  (But, er, maybe not the smoking, okay?)

Shoe Fairy on Vacation

Hello deputy shoe fairies!  This week, I’m away on vacation in New Mexico.  I’m going to soak in hot springs, do yoga in the mountains (badly), hike through National Parks, do a half marathon, go to the opera, and basically do my damnedest eat the state out of green chiles. 

Since you can’t come with me, here’s a little southwest spirit to tide you over until I get back!

The White Sand is almost like a little bead waterfall, or a raining bead-cloud—a diamond of white and blue squarely over the brown leather straps.  I’ll bet the beads jingle a little as you walk!  Available in three other combos but none as nice as the brown and blue, if I do say so myself.  Yours for $50 from Nine West (but might actually be less—they were $30 before I left last week).

A classic!  The Thunderbird II by Minnetonka is a white leather moccasin with kiltie fringe at the top of the foot, and a brightly contrasting red and black thunderbird.  So lovely!  Find them for $40 at Nordstrom.

The beading on the Yuri by Sam Edelman sort of reminds me of a stylized Earth: suns, mountains, plains, a river.  The rest of the peep-toe sandal is in brown leather (sort of digging the buckle around the back), and the heel looks to be about four inches tall?  Yours for $85-$170 depending on the size from Amazon.

Ooooh… sexy.  The Shylah is another Nine West number, but in feisty red on a four-inch stacked heel.  Three narrow straps at both the toe and the ankle (plus a thicker one with a silver buckle, but that’s mostly decoration since there’s a zipper up the back to let you in), and a beaded panel in red, green, blue, purple, and white up the front of the foot.  Find them at Lord & Taylor on sale for $50!

So be good and take care of my city until I return next week!

Sales this weekend:

Sorry ladies; the Shoe Fairy is on vacation this week.  You’ll have to seek out the sales on your own!

Fabulous Shoe Night

We all know shoe shopping is fun—but what if it could support a good cause?  That is the mission of Fabulous Shoe Night.  They organize shopping trips to local stores, and your entry fee not only gets you noshes, it helps support area charities too.  For instance, the cocktail party on Wednesday at Azie in Media benefits the Family Support Line. 

Wednesday not good for you (and prefer a party with shopping)?  There’s one on Thursday at the Bloomingdale’s in King of Prussia!  This one benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Society.  So many shoes to choose from... maybe these?

Fabulous shoe night indeed!  The Moxie by Aqua is pink kid suede at the toe and on the 1.25-inch platform, and silver glitter at the ankle and on the five-inch heel.  I want these so badly—lucky for me, they’re on sale!  $77 instead of $110, and they also come in black suede if you don’t like the pink.

These are on sale at Bloomie’s too:

Man, Sam Edelman knows spikes, doesn’t he?  The Scarlet has a leather upper (white at the toe and on the T-strap, black around the ankle), beautiful spikes around the back of the heel, and a super-sexy five-inch stiletto.  Also available in all black; yours for $140 instead of $200!

There’s also one next Thursday at Sorella Boutique in Media, with the proceeds going to Lovely You, which helps women with cancer find fabulous wigs and other headwear.  Maybe you’ll want to pick up a pair of shoes by Orion London, one of the brands they carry:

The Patchwork Sequin Pump is just that: a round-toe flat with patches of blue, purple, and silver sequins.  Also available in a gold combo; yours for about $32.

Maybe a sandal, just in time for spring!

Isn’t the Cross-Strap Sandal cheery?  It’s like wearing sunbeams on your feet!  Also available in a fun turquoise and classic black; your choice for about $40.

So grab some girlfriends and shop for a good cause.  (As if we need an excuse to buy shoes!)

Spike Heels

I come across a lot of shoes in my life, but not many make my jaw drop. These did: Oh. My. Goodness. The Cactus by Ruthie Davis has a leather upper (yellow and bright pink), 1.5-inch platform, and five-inch heel—covered in spikes! Look at those! My co-workers always joke that my stilettos could hurt people, but I think this pair really could. If you like these (and are a size 7.5) they can be yours for around $1,200 from Bloomingdale’s, but they got me thinking—are spiky shoes a thing now? Are there some other spiky options out there for you if bright yellow doesn’t match your wardrobe?

  The Lorissa by Sam Edelman has a small half-inch platform under its almond-shaped peep toe and a 4.5-inch heel covered in shiny silver spikes. The upper is either leather or canvas, depending on the color (they come in white, nude, black, gray python, leopard canvas, and denim). Get yours on Zappos for $140-$200 depending on the color.

How about a flat? I love the softness of the pink and the bow mixed with the spikes—perfect for the rock star ballerinas out there! The Beatrix by Sam Edelman has a leather upper in either pink or black, and can be yours for about $130 from Nordstrom.

How about something a little softer—like suede? Mmmm. The Angelina by Liliana has a pointy toe covered in spikes: gold spikes on the tan; silver spikes on the black and red. Under $27! Yours from Urbanog.

Want something a little more subtle? Got you covered!

  The Melter by Steve Madden is a simple black leather flat covered in low studs—perfect for under jeans! You get the rocker look and you don’t have to kill yourself. Yay! Yours for $130.

And for the glamour girls: The Lorna by Sam Edelman is an open-sided pump made of metallic leather on a 4.75-inch heel, and on the peep toe, a bow covered in gold spikes! Fabulous. It also comes in beige leather with silver spikes—there’s something ladylike and tough about them at the same time, like you’re a movie star that moonlights as a knife fighter. Find them at Nordstrom for $175.

I saved the best for last. They’re part art, part weapon, all beautiful, and totally impractical:

  These must weigh a ton: rhinestones, pearls, pieces of mirror... oh, and the fierce spikes off the back. Regardless, the Cinderella Gone Bad are pretty awesome! These would be fantastic if you moonlight as a rockstar—imagine how they’d look from stage! And PS, they come in purple too, without the spikes. Available from Etsy seller Everlastinglifashion in any size for $425.

Whether bold or subtle, there are spikes that you can wear. Rock on!