Clear Shoes

Of all the trends out for spring, I find none more interesting (with more potential for disaster) than clear shoes.  There are so many ways clear shoes can look trashy, or cheap—but really beautiful?  I think I may have been misguided before, because look at what designers are putting out now:

The Tiger Lily by ABS by Allen Schwartz is aqua suede at the heel, aqua lace at the toe, and clear in between!  It’s so ladylike—there’s no mistaking these for stripper heels, for sure.  The four-inch heel is silver, and it also comes in black or a really nice berry color—your choice for $116 from Macy’s.

The Larisa by Penny Loves Kenny sort of reminds me of those watches where you can see the movement—it’s the classic oxford, but you can see inside!  The eyelets on the clear parts are a nice touch, but the punch detailing on the silver and the contrasting laces steal the show.  Also available in all black or a rather clown-shoe-looking yellow/blue/pink combo; find them at 6pm for $63.

SO glamorous!  The Metallic Leather Clear Vamp Pump by Oscar de la Renta is very much like a regular, beautiful dress sandal, what with the gold leather around the back and down the three-inch heel and the beaded rhinestone feature at the peep toe—but the lower part of the vamp is clear!  Love.  Yours for $695 from Bergdorf Goodman.

Sexy secretary, anybody?  The Potion-44 by Qupid is a cap-toe (trend alert!) pump in bright pink (or white, but the pink is cooler), with a 4.5-inch heel, ankle strap, and clear vamp.  Find them at DSW for $40.

There is a lot to love on the Crystal Cap Toe Clear Pump by Lanvin: the black and tan combo, the sturdy 4.75-inch heel and platform, the clear vamp, and the cap toe encrusted in sparkling crystals! Professional, fun, sexy, unexpected, classic… this shoe has it all.  Yours from Neiman Marcus for $1590.

The Ogen by Type Z is such a springy little flat, with yellow at the cap toe, around the foot, and down the back of the heel, and clear everywhere else!  Also available in red, blue, and pink; your choice for $59 on Zappos.

Clear shoes, I have misjudged you.  May the world learn from my mistake!

It's Cookie Time!

Out of the depths of frigid winter comes a ray of hope: Girl Scout Cookies!  Is there anything happier than the first time you see a troop of small girls yelling “GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!” at you in Market East on your way home from work?  If there is, I don’t know it.  And everyone’s got their favorite—you could spend an hour arguing about the merits of Mango Crèmes versus Thank You Berry Munch, but most people go for the classics.  Like Thin Mints:

Black and green: just like the interplay between chocolate and mint!  And even better: Poetic License named it the Sweet Ending, which is so Thin Mint appropriate!  It has a contrast lace outer, tied at the front with a minty green ribbon, and finished with a brown basket-weave 3.25-inch heel.  Also available in gray and eggplant; your choice for between $53 and $98 on Amazon.

Or the coconut and caramel goodness of Caramel deLites:

The Marloww by Madden Girl remind me of the skinny flakes of coconut and the swirly drizzles of chocolate that make this cookie so tasty.  And look at all the gold studs!  Fancy.  They have a half-inch heel and a zipper up the back to let you in.  Also available in black with silver studs or gold fabric with gold studs; take your pick for $40 on Zappos.

Or my new favorite: Lemonades!

The Mexa by Type Z is so yellowy and springy!  And I like how the satin ruffle around the heel is vaguely reminiscent of lemony frosting being poured on the back of a cookie.  (What?  That’s just me?)  The body of the round toe shoe is satin as well, but the 5.25-inch heel and 1.25-inch platform are in shiny yellow patent leather.  Also available in black, champagne, a fiery orange, purple, and a really sweet pink—the colors run between $27 and $49 and can be found at 6pm. 

Whichever is your favorite, go buy some cookies and help the Girl Scouts.  Everyone wins!  Get them before they’re gone!

With this, her fifth tip submitted to Philly Shoe Fairy, Deputy Shoe Fairy Maria Gianfrancisco becomes our very first Lieutenant Shoe Fairy!  Congratulations Maria!  I salute you.

Philly Fringe

September has arrived, and with it the Philly Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe!  Over two weeks of the unusual, the obscure, the absurd, the unexpected, and the oddball, taking place all around the city.  There’s something for everyone, and it’s a great way to experience something new and support local artists!  In honor of the festival, I give you shoes inspired by three shows you might be interested in:

In Barbie Blended: A Pop Rockin' Musical by Theatre Underground, Sophie wants to be a rock star. Her mom wants her to be a beauty queen. Her neighbor wants her to look like Megan Fox. And Barbie wants her to become a woman. A world premiere musical that investigates the consequences of growing up in the caffeinated age of twitter, pop music, and pornography.

 

Of course it’s a pink shoe—we’re talking about Barbie here!  The Glamm by BCBGeneration is pink (or black) suede, with a one-inch platform and four-inch heel—and it covered in pink rhinestones!  Pink rhinestones, people!!  Yours for $118 from Macy’s.

Devotedly, Sincerely Yours is a swingin’ big band portrait of a courageous female starlet of the United Service Organization (USO) who risked her life to entertain American troops overseas during World War II. This compilation of archival texts and songs investigates war as experienced by a "soldier in greasepaint."

Why, hello sailor!  These Sexy Sailor Shoes are bright blue with white stripes around the foot and peep toe.  The finishing touch is the bow and red anchor at the toe!  Available in small, medium, or large (6, 8, or 10) from HalloweenCostumes.com.

Open Air is the festival’s signature event.  Imagine walking along on a balmy evening in late September, and you’re looking up the Ben Franklin Parkway. You speak into your phone and twenty-four robotic searchlights—placed along a half-mile stretch of the Parkway—move to the sound of your voice, interpreting your inflections into motion and transforming the city’s skyline. You stop speaking (or singing or humming or rapping) and the lights continue to move, controlled now by other speakers collaborating with you from up and down the Parkway.

I love how the Marilyn by Type Z looks just like the light beams of Open Air criss-crossing over the Parkway.  It’s made of black suede and faux leather, has a 3.5-inch heel and half-inch platform, and would add just a touch of rock to any outfit.  Also available in pink on red, tan on nude, navy, gray, brown, and black patent; your choice for $79 from Zappos.

Barbie Blended runs tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday in the Gershwin Y Blackbox Theater (tickets are $15).  Devotedly, Sincerely Yours is also tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday at the Off-Broad Street Theater at First Baptist Church (tickets are $18).  Open Air runs from September 20 to October 14 along the Parkway, and it’s free!  There are a ton of other options too—go!  Explore!

Sales this weekend:

Aerosoles: End of summer sale—save up to 65%

Bakers: Take 25% off select styles

Bloomingdale’s: Free returns on orders through 9/19; free shipping on orders over $150; extra savings if you’re a Loyallist!

Call it Spring: Free shipping on all orders over $45

Lord & Taylor: Save 20% off the newest looks (with limited exclusions) with savings pass or promo code NOW

Macy’s: Fall shoe sale: 20-30% off seasonal styles (and sandal clearance, 50-75% off)

Payless: Buy one, get one half off

Steve Madden: 30% off using code BOOT30

Black Friday

Today is shopping’s highest holy day: Black Friday! I’m assuming you’re reading this after an exhilarating morning of shopping. If, however, you’re still looking for a few goodies for yourself, how about one of these black beauties in the spirit of the day? (All prices quoted are full price. I bet you they’re all on sale today.) The Karat by Mia is such a nice little flat: a patent leather toe with a bow, glitter all over the rest, perfect under dress pants or a skirt or with jeans. They also come in silver glitter with black details which is rather striking as well; you can find them for $49 at Macy’s. The Shives is a sweet little pointed-toe patent leather pump with a 3.25-inch heel and a bow at the toe. Also available in red and camel; pick them up at Call it Spring for $40. The Salsa by Badgley Mischka is a beautiful shoe: a satin upper, leather lining and sole, three-inch heel, and an elaborate jewel feature at the peep-toe. You will be the belle of any holiday party in these! Find them at Bloomingdales for $215. How about lace? The Lux by Fioni Night has a four-inch satin heel, platform, lightly padded insole, and slingback to accompany its lace upper. Yours for $30 from Payless.

Speaking of lace: The Aine by Type Z has a suede upper with lace up the side and around the top, as well as a five-inch heel, one-inch platform, lightly padded footbed, partial side zipper, and a shaft that’s 17.5 inches high and 15.5 inches around. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Pick up yours from Zappos for $129. Happy shopping! Play nice with others while you’re out there! Sales this weekend: Sorry ladies; the Shoe Fairy is on vacation this week. But I’m pretty confident that every shoe in the world is on sale today and you will have no problems finding deals without me!