Spring has Sprung!

Good news everyone: as of 6:45 tonight, it’s officially SPRING!  We made it!  Sure, it’s cold, and it definitely doesn’t look like spring out there today (screw you, Winter Storm Ultima), but trust me: it’s officially spring.  Hooray!

Until it actually looks like spring out there, here are some shoes full of springy happiness to tide you over:

Ooh… pretty.  The Babbitta is covered in photorealistic flowers: roses, dahlias, carnations.  Bright shades of pink, purple, yellow, and blue are sure to chase away whatever winter blahs remain!  And look at the shiny cap at the base of the four-inch heel—nice touch.  Find them at Guess for $69.

This TOMS-style espadrille is made of organic cotton printed with blooming flowers in pink and violet.  And, also TOMS-like, each purchase is one year of clean water to a person in need.  Look good and do good!  Yours for $40 from A&A.

How sweet is the Iris by Bongo?  Its cheery little bow over the peep toe, all in satin printed with watercolor flowers.  It has a 4.5-inch heel and half-inch platform (making it just a tad easier to walk), and will run you $30 at Sears.

Some flowers bloom at night—maybe like the Jaday by Ted Baker.  They’re almost slipping into the dusk, the printed flowers on this smoking slipper.  A gold stud with Ted Baker’s initials adorns the front, and a half-inch heel completes the look.  Yours for $120 at Zappos.

I’m already feeling better, aren’t you?

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: 20% off casual comfort
Bakers: Entire site 25% off
Macy's: 20% off with code FIVE, plus an extra 25% off when you buy two or more pairs
Payless: Easter sale-- up to 40% off

Spring Trend: Pastels

In addition to python and block heels, another trend hot in stores this season is pastels.  At first I thought, “Pastels?  Boring!”  But then I began seeing shop windows, and was a little unnerved: these pastels are almost assertive in their pastel-ness. Fading wallflowers, they’re not.

The Eowalellan is pastel blue and white, but with a shape more boardroom than Easter.  (And a 4.5-inch block heel to boot!  Combining trends: you’re doing it right.)  Also available in all black and all white, but neither has the personality of this color-blocked pastel blue, which is $50 at Call it Spring.

The Sweettea is a sweet indeed!  This flat is in lavender leather, topped with a bouquet of daisies at the round toe, held on with golden studs.  The insole is cushioned for extra comfort, and there’s a tiny quarter-inch heel.  Also available in all black and a very pretty nude with multicolored flowers; your choice for $79 from Nine West.

The Thaya by Ted Baker is a pastel mint pump trimmed in gold at the pointed toe, at the tip of the four-inch heel, and all up the sole and down the heel.  It’s so refreshing, this color!  But it’s the touches of gold that take it from regular pump to fancy pump. It’s also available in black, nude, and white, if you want to be all boring about it.  Find them at Zappos for $111.

The Easy Does It by Chinese Laundry is a lace flat with another popular feature this season, in addition to the pastel: the pointed toe finished with a straight-across-the-toe cut.  This particular version is in pink lace, but it also comes in black or blue python, white croc, taupe suede, and a sort of tiny black dot print.  Yours for $37 from 6pm.

So give pastels a second look.  They’re not your mama’s pastels anymore!

Philly Wine Week

Drink up—it’s Philly Wine Week!  That’s right—Philly’s more than just beer.  Philly Wine Week’s eight days of events will grab you by the taste buds as you savor the range, diversity, quality and dedication of the world-class, wine-obsessed restaurants and bars in Philadelphia.  There are tastings, pairings, classes… no matter which kind is your favorite, there’s a glass for you.

Start with a red…

These burgundy beauties are the AK7Duvessa by Anne Klein.  A rich red fabric upper is studded with conical rhinestones and trimmed at the heel with patent leather.  It rests on a 1.25-inch wedge and a half-inch platform, and is also available in black—but the black isn’t as luminous as the wine.  Your choice for $25 from 6pm.

…or maybe a white?...

The gold satin of the Culver by Nina is reminiscent of a nice chardonnay, isn’t it?  Or a Riesling?  Maybe a sauvignon… whichever you’re thirsty for, these are your shoes.  Satin fabric twists around the toe, and a two-inch kitten heel completes the look.  Also available in twelve (that’s right, a full dozen) other color choices…take your pick for $79 from Shoes.com.

Perhaps rosé is your favorite:

Ooh, a couple of different shades of rosé in the Hariette by Ted Baker!  There’s a lighter pink on the back and ankle strap, and a darker pink on the pointed toe and the four-inch heel.  There are also touches of metallic gold at the tip of the toe and at the bottom of the heel—very nice.  Also available in yellow; find them at Zappos for $185.

Can’t decide?  Stay home in these cozy slippers and have one of each:

Look at that bunch of grapes!  Adorable.  There’s even a scattering of grapes on the other slipper, over by the wine.  These clog-style slippers have a boiled wool outer and a sock liner that conforms to your foot, all comfy-like.  Yours for $45 from Plow & Hearth.

Philly Wine Week runs through Sunday, so raise your glass to this new event and go out for a drink!

Super Bowl

This NFL isn’t going to let a little thing like a northern winter stop them from holding the Super Bowl this weekend!  Now NFL fans the country over will get a sense of what our Januarys are like.  Every single year.  Cold and bleak.  So very cold.

We have two out of town teams coming in.  The first is the Seattle Seahawks, the only NFL franchise in the Pacific Northwest.  Their colors are college navy…

The Skull Flat by Alexander McQueen is this fall’s hottest silhouette, with a subtle edge: the sequined skull on the front!  Ooh, me likey.  It also comes in black, but the blue is more fun!  Find them at Nordstrom for $645.

…action green…

The Evelixa by Nina is the bright action green of the Seahawks!  It’s a classic satin peep toe pump, but there’s a ribbon ruffled across the toe, which gives it just a touch of party.  It has a 3.5-inch heel and a half-inch platform, and is also available in red, navy, white, grape, and black.  The grape is fun!  But take your pick—they’re $54 at 6pm.

…and wolf grey.

The Tonal Fur Wrap Boot by Muk Luks is a boot-like slipper covered in gray fur… wolf indeed!  How cozy would these be just around the house?  Better than sitting outside at the Meadowlands, definitely!  Also available in brown, but I have to say, the brown is kind of ugly.  Stick with the gray.  Yours for $16 from Wal-Mart.

The Seahawks playing the Denver Broncos, whose colors are Broncos orange…

Ooh, I like these.  The Neevo by Ted Baker is a beautiful suede pump with a pointed toe, four-inch heel, and touches of gold everywhere!  See the little band at the bottom of the heel?  At the tippy-tip of the toe?  And the whole sole is gold too!  Also available in two other equally beautiful options (pink and purple)—your choice for $120 from Zappos.

…Broncos navy…

The Nikita by Fergie may have a simple silhouette, but the shiny patent leather and touch of silver metal at the four-inch wedge make it a little unexpected.  It also comes in black with silver, and a really lovely burgundy with gold—find them all at Shoebuy for $57.

…and white.

Okay, I just love these.  The Thora Evening Pumps by Badgley Mischka may look simple, but that flower… that flower!  It’s so sculptural.  It’s like pages in a book.  I am fascinated by this flower.  The heel is 3.25 inches high, and is available in a light pink in addition to the white.  Yours for $195 from Macy’s.

So wear your team colors and let’s hope the people in north Jersey don’t freeze on Sunday!

Sales this weekend:
Aerosoles: Take an extra 20% off boots
Bus Stop Boutique: Winter warehouse sale now through Sunday!  All shoes $25-$100.  Buy 4 pairs and get the 5th free!  Bring your own bag and they'll give you an extra $5 off.
Lord & Taylor: 15% off regular and sale and 20% off clearance with code FINAL
Macy's: Take an extra 15% off with code WKND
Payless: Buy one, get one half off
Steve Madden: Take an extra 35% off clearance with code 

January Spring

What is this?  Have you seen the forecast for this weekend?  It’s going to be 60 degrees!  Not even halfway through January, and it’s going to be 60 degrees.  I hope your plans for the next two days include enjoying this freak heat wave, and in the spirit, I give you a few spring-inspired shoes to get you in the mood!

The Justpretend by Nine West is a cheery pink patent D’Orsay flat (well, almost flat—there’s a three-quarter-inch heel), topped at the peep toe with an ombre flower.  Adorable!  Find them at Zappos for $85.

The Carlina by Ted Baker is a simple peep toe, sure, but look at the print: it’s all flowers and rosebuds and dragonflies and moths!  Perfect.  It’s got a 5.5-inch heel and a 1.25-inch platform, and can be yours for $115 from 6pm.

The Park Lane is like wearing spring on your feet: the bright blue of a sky; flowers popping up all over.  (The net mixed in there is a nice touch, don’t you think?)  The outer is suede, and it has a 2.5-inch stacked heel.  Yours for $119 from Irregular Choice. 

I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it!  The Suede Cutout Bootie by Menbur is so lovely: a suede upper with elaborate cutouts up the front, which is covered in a field of petaled flowers and rosebuds (see then hidden under the open ones?), a tonal three-quarter-inch platform, a 4.75-inch heel, and lacing.  Also available in nude, but it lacks the joy of this corally-red.  Find them at DSW for $150.

Okay, so maybe you won’t be going hiking in these this weekend.  But when the snows come back, you’ll be happy to have these little touches of spring in your closet!

Sales this weekend:
Bakers: 40% off full-price items and an extra 20% off sale items
Bare Feet Shoes: Buy one pair of boots and get one half off with code BOOTS12
Lord & Taylor: 20% off regular, sale, and clearance items with code SALE
Macy’s: The “Big Deal Shoe Sale and Clearance”
Steve Madden: Boot sale (up to 30% off)

4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July, Philadelphia ladies!  Our city is the Birthplace of Independence (you bet I’m capitalizing that!), so if anybody’s gotta look good this week, it has to be us!  Perhaps with a summery flat?

The Onhigh by Nine West is a sweet little round-toe flat, striped in our national colors of red, white, and blue!  Not a fan of the pattern?  It comes in (get this) twenty other choices too!  Find them all on Endless for $69 or less.

Stripetastic!  The Svana by Ted Baker has an upper of blue and white stripes, a five-inch heel, and a red toebed over a one-inch platform.  So nautical and lovely.  Find them at Zappos for $185.

Love these!  Is there anything Irregular Choice can’t do?  Their Aphrodite is so summery and patriotic: a fabric polka dot upper, patent bows edged in red at the toe and heel, a chunky 4.75-inch heel, and a gold snakeskin 1.5-inch platform in a... toe cage?  What is that?  I love it!  Also available in a black/white combination; find them at Amazon for $100.

The Damsel by Jeffrey Campbell is a solid hunk of national pride: stars on top and down the 6.25-inch heel; stripes across the toe and down the 2.5-inch platform.  I like the blue laces!  Find them at Karmaloop for $182.

So this sparkly pair by JSparkle is supposed to be the Puerto Rican flag, but I believe it looks more than American flag-y enough for the Fourth!  It does have a bit of a giant heel and platform, so be careful if you’ll be doing much walking—though it’s more surface area for glittery patriotism, I suppose!  Yours for $250 on USTrendy.

However you’re celebrating, have a fabulously fashionable Fourth!