Not the most exciting shoe in the world...

I bought these mary jane pumps from Target a few months ago.


I really like them for work.  The heel is walkable, and they are balanced well enough that they don't kill my toes.  The wide straps don't cut into my feet either.  They are "vegan-friendly," but not cheap-looking.  I've been happy with them.

**Full disclosure: actions you take by clicking on the links may yield commissions for this blog.  Which would be great, but I thought you should be allowed to make an informed decision.**

I bought these on clearance at my local Target store a few weeks ago because I was looking for some gray boots.  I like these, but the lug sole does give them more a casual feel. Of course, they are "vegan-friendly," AKA, fake suede. I don't really care; most of my shoes are cheap as hell. My feet aren't particular.  My recommendation is to check the shelves of your local Target store, especially if you wear a size six, and see if you can find them for half off.  If not, they appear to be available online...


**Full disclosure: actions you take by clicking on the links may yield commissions for this blog.  Which would be great, but I thought you should be allowed to make an informed decision.**

Brown or Black?

Black:


Brown:



I like them both. If only my funds were limitless. 
 
**Full disclosure: actions you take by clicking on the links may yield commissions for this blog.  Which would be great, but I thought you should be allowed to make an informed decision.**

Want List: Christian Louboutin Poseidon Peep Toe Pumps

If I had these, I would wear them everywhere. I would have to, to justify the $1,195 price tag. Are these made of solid silver, Mr. Louboutin?

photo: saks.com

Outfit 3/2/2010- In the Navy, Part II

After much searching (okay, not really) I finally found some navy tights that don't clash with this skirt. Navy has to be one of the most difficult colors in the world. There are so many interpretations of it. For example, I bought some "navy" tights from welovecolors.com, and they were really much brighter than I would consider navy. These are from Walmart, and for $5, are pretty good. What else to say about this outfit? It's pretty boring, though I do like the lavender and navy combo. Unfortunately, the button-up is a little snug, and in my hurry to beat the timer on my camera, I neglected to tug it back into place. I really did iron it before I wore it to work.

The best part is the shoes!

I just bought these navy platform peep-toes a month or so ago. It's hard to find navy shoes that aren't really dowdy. These are a dark navy with a kind of sparkly, snake-print pattern. They are Calvin Klein (not crazy-expensive Calvin Klein, more like the Calvin Klein that made the tee shirts and jeans I coveted as a middle schooler.) Anyway, I luuuurve them. Such a nice shape!

Silver Locket (unseen) Gift from husband

Lavender button-down: Express, $20? (clearance, for sure)

Navy skirt: thrifted, brand is Alia, $4

Navy tights: Walmart, brand is George, $5

Navy shoes: Calvin Klein via endless.com $98 (Unless my mom asks, then they were $50.)

Outfit, February 24, 2010- Browned Down

No natural fibers were harmed in the making of this skirt.

Mens Button Down Shirt- Thrifted, $1
Sad Brown Skirt- Thrifted, probably $1 (I'll buy anything for $1)
Big Brown Belt- Charlotte Russe, $8
Tights- DSW
Brown Boots- Mossimo for Target, $30? (I paid full price. Gasp.)

I had mixed feelings about this ensemble. It's really cold here (it was 6 degrees when I left home) so I had to wear the tights. In order to keep the skirt from climbing up my thighs, I had to wear a slip. The shirt is really long, so I had it tucked in past my butt, over the tights and under the slip. Basically, I felt lumpy all day. I don't know how people layer as much as they do-- it drives me mad.

The skirt really doesn't help. It's made out of that fabric that they make grandpa pants out of, and it's made for someone more hour-glassy than me. In this case, I'm hoping that the extra flare to the hip made my waist look smaller? Right? I've been thinking about learning to sew, and I think this skirt would make a good starter project. It isn't lined, for one thing, and for another, I really don't care if it gets destroyed. Stay tuned- I might just do it.


I bought these boots at Target four years ago, and I still really like them, even though they aren't real leather. They have a really cool Victorian shape to the heel. They also have the narrowest shaft I've come across on a boot! My calves are a pretty ordinary size, and I can barely zip these to the top.

Decisions, Decisions...

Hypothetical decisions, as I am broke. If I were going to buy a pair of sequin Chuck Taylors from 6pm.com, should I get:Black?

Silver?

or Blue?

I'm leaning toward blue, but maybe they would look bad with jeans? Perhaps the black would be more... understated. Ha! Also, Dear 6pm.com, why are these still $52.00 when they came out two years ago? That's less than half off! I pretty much refuse to buy anything unless it's 80% off.

Amish Ryan would hate these. It may be worth $52 just to see the look of horror on his face.

Really Late Tuesday Shoes- The Goodbye

So sometimes, I do have to get rid of shoes. My husband took it into his head to count my shoes yesterday, and the number he came up with was somewhat astonishing. Since I was already planning to get rid of these two pairs, it seemed like a good peace offering. The brown ones on the left are from Payless, and despite their three inch heels and wide square toes, they are horribly uncomfortable. They are in really good shape, so to the thrift store they go. The tan pair were from Target about 4 years ago, and they are just worn-looking. Scuffs and scratches just look worse on fake leather. I'm kinda sad, because I really liked these, but I just bought some camel-color Sam Edelman's to replace them, so in the bin they go! How do you decide how to purge your stuff?

Hey Acne!

Apparently there is a clothing brand named "Acne." Why they decided to name their (expensive!) clothing and shoe designs after one of nature's most irritating and unattractive skin conditions is beyond me. I'm waiting for the diffusion line, Psoriasis. Sorry, that is not the point of this, I just got caught up in annoyance at the whole we're-so-edgy-ness of the name. Moving on!

I was reading Fashionista.com today, because I am a glutton for punishment, and they did one of their "Adventures in Copyright" posts regarding the lovely footwear specimen above, the Acne Ataconda. Apparently, Jeffrey Campbell has made a shoe that looks (almost) exactly like this highly coveted clodhopper. Horrors! And I mean horrors, that TWO designers would create such an ugly shoe, AND that lots of people would want to buy it. Doesn't it look orthopedic? I had a college professor who had a short leg due to a hip problem, and her left shoe looked a lot like this. Except without the snappy metallic stripe.

Image via Polyvore. God knows where they found it.

Want List: Bakers Shoes "Rory"

This is the "Rory" by Bakers Shoes. I want these. I've wanted these for months. Alas, they are still $50, and even I wouldn't try to wear these to work. :( Must be strong!

Tuesday Shoes- Spring Iridescent Peep Toe Pumps

Okay, this is kind of lazy because I just blogged about these on Friday, but here we go. These are my green/blue/purple iridescent peep toe pumps from Spring*. I bought these in September because they are shiny and remind me of peacocks. I had no idea what I would wear them with, or where I would wear them. (Of course, the salesgirls swore that I could wear them with so many things!) I ended up getting them anyway, (I had a coupon!) and I've actually worn them three times already, usually with gray. These shoes are completely indicative of my raccoon nature. I don't want them for any specific purpose; I want them because they are shiny. Lucky thing my office is used to my crazy taste in footwear.

*That's Aldo's cheaper sister, in case you were wondering. Most of the shoes seem to be synthetic, but I prefer to think of them as "vegan."

Outfit 10/29/2009

Now I see why all the fashion bloggers put their hand on their hip like that- look how shapely my arm looks! Must stand like that all the time. Anyway, I wore this to work on Thursday, and now that I look at the picture, it may have been pushing the envelope a little. The shirt is a little low and of course, the shoes are sparkly. I did have my hair pulled back in a low ponytail, so maybe that helped make it a little more professional. Oh well, no one said anything, and it's actually pretty flattering. I bought the top specifically to wear with these silly shoes, and in real life, it actually matches better. The shoes change color in different lights, and here they look more green.


Oh, and I got a couple of compliments on my hair today, which was funny, considering that it was dirty. I'm trying not to wash it everyday, but if I don't, I have to do something to it so it isn't gross-looking. So I sprayed it with dry shampoo and hot-rollered it. I'm glad it was humid today, because my hair was HUGE when I took the rollers out. (I can't go more than one day without shampooing. Isn't it weird that all the magazines are suddenly advocating going three plus days without washing our hair? I'm wondering if the whole island of Manhattan smells like dirty scalp. Just throwing it out there.)


Teal cowl neck top: Target, Sept. 2009
Gray Skirt: Isaac Mizrahi for Target, 2008
Gray tights: Can't remember, and wish I could because I love them
Iridescent peacock shoes: Spring, Sept. 2009

Pretty!

I just saw these Valentino ruffle heels from F/W 2009 show on shoelust.tumblr.com, and I love them. But oddly, my first thought was, "imagine wearing them to the grocery store- someone would ram your heels for sure!" And then you would have to cut them, because you don't mess with shoes like that.

Maybe Steve Madden will make them?

Jimmy Choo Is a Crocodile!

Okay, I don't know that for sure. But I do know that the Hunter boot people describe these rubber boots thusly:

"The legendary Hunter silhouette with natural rubber construction has been embossed with signature Jimmy Choo crocodile print and branded top bind."
(Italics mine, quote from www.hunter-boot.com)

I thought these were pretty silly when I got the email from Bergdorf Goodman back in May, (not really on top of this one, am I?) but then I read that little quote and laughed pretty much all day. I'm pretty sure that the crocodile can call crocodile print its signature, but I don't think anyone else can get away with that. It's not like they invented it over at Jimmy Choo. These appear to be sold out, but never fear, I'm sure they will partner with Christian Louboutin next year, and then your rubber Morton Salt Girl boots can have red soles! (Estimated retail price: Eleventy billion US dollars.)

Here is the extended URL for the press release: http://www.hunter-boot.com/81/Shop-Online/Special-Edition/Hunter-for-Jimmy-Choo/Hunter-for-Jimmy-Choo.aspx

The image, once again, is courtesy of the Bergdorf Goodman email.

Tuesday Shoes- How Sweet It Is!

Here is the (boring) saga, Dear Reader: I saw these Chinese Laundry "Just Because" suede pumps at DSW at MOA about two weeks ago, but they didn't have my size in taupe. And yea, I was bummed because I really liked them, plus I had a gift card AND a thirty percent off coupon, so they would be, like, almost free. I went home and checked dsw.com, but they were sold out in my size in taupe, and I didn't want the black because the "baroque" embroidery doesn't pop as much. I'm not gonna lie, there was much wringing of the hands and general moping over this situation.

So a week after the original sighting, I was still thinking about them, so I tried the DSW in Burnsville. They didn't have ANY in taupe, only the wretched black ones!* Grr. However, there was one last DSW in my acceptable shopping range. I drove to St. Louis Park on Saturday morning, vowing that this would be my last effort. If they didn't have them, then I would give up and start obsessing about these sort of western/sort of preppy boots that I also like. But lo! The St. Louis Park DSW had the Chinese Laundry Just Because embroidered heels, in taupe, in my size. (Which actually turned out to be a half size down.) Hurrah! Victory! I purchased them immediately, along with a pair of leopard print flats that my husband (Amish Ryan) will loathe. Double victory!!

And THEN, when I wore these yesterday, they turned out to be (relatively) comfortable. Dare I say, triple victory!!!

But I still kinda want those boots...

*The black ones are actually pretty cute, too. Just not as cute as the taupe.
Image courtesy of dsw.com, where these are available for 59.95.

Wouldja?

Actually, I despise the "Wouldja?" game, in which you point at someone on the street or tv, and ask your friend if they would "do" that person. But it came to mind when I was thinking about shoes I can't afford, because I'm always trying to decide:
IF I saved up $1,000.00 to blow on one, single pair of shoes, would I buy something classic/timeless in black or nude? Or would I say the hell with it and buy something crazytown that I could wear maybe once a year? I go back and forth on the issue. The exclusive Christian Louboutin crystal-encrusted slingbacks above are out of the question either way, as they cost $2830.00. Also, when I showed them to my husband, I think he called them clown shoes. Damn, you could buy the clown car for that much money.

Image courtesty of email from Bergdorf Goodman.

Tuesday Shoes x 2

Long time, no blogging. Since I totally slacked the last week or so, here are two pairs of Tuesday shoes. I really, really wanted a pair of cobalt blue heels, so I turned to trusty Amazon, and found these Charles by Charles David Pompadour heels. The color glows and I LOVE the shape of these! Sort of retro, very sexy, and oh-so-difficult to walk in! The pitch is really steep, and so was the price (for me, anyway-- if my husband asks, they were 50 bucks.)
I'm never attracted to a shoe unless it potentially can cause calluses, corns, bunions or strained tendons. Sick, I know. But the soles are GOLD, you guys. Gold.

Anyway, while I was looking for these, Amazon helpfully popped up these boots! I've been on a hunt for The Perfect Boots for three years. My previous pair was purchased in 2000 from Maurices. They were PVC, had just the right level of shine, had round/square toes, a 3/4 inch platform and a chunky heel. The zipper ripped out back in 2006, plus Dimitri chewed on the toe. RIP. These new boots are not exactly those things, but they are leather and they do have round toes. They are Charles by Charles David Liberation* boots. I love them. Mission Accomplished!

*I'm not sure if they are women's "Liberation" or the full model name is "Women's Liberation." I hope it is just Liberation.

Tuesday Shoes

Yes, I own the much derided -- and defended-- Uggs. Except mine are worse, because they are fake Uggs, purchased at Target about 3 years ago. As in, well after they were considered cool on any planet. They are really Fuggs (appropriate, but not very nice), or Tuggs maybe. I'm going with Tuggs. And you know what? I don't have a problem with them, as long as they are worn as cold weather footwear and not paired with mini skirts. They are warm and comfy, and some days, that's all I ask. Come October, I will be defiantly plodding around the Metro area in them again.

Outfit- March 31, 2009

Another outfit that's all about the shoes. Brown pants and lavender button-up are from Express (on clearance!). I'm wearing a thrifted long necklace with fake pearls, which you can't see because it's hanging funny. The shoes are lilac-colored Charles by Charles David "Azalea" pointed toe pumps. They were part of the big Amazon.com shoe purchase I made this fall. Not at all comfortable, but pretty and shiny!

Side note-- I love button-up shirts but they are tough to fit. This one is a little tight, for example. I'm guessing this is pretty common, but it sure is annoying.

Outfit- March 30, 2009 "In the Navy..."

I've been wanting to wear this sweater again before spring, and "luckily," awesome Minnesota weather gave me another chance. This is another piece of clothing I bought specifically to match a pair of shoes, in this case, these pink Chinese Laundry heels. Like 85% of my wardrobe, I bought it on clearance at Target. The pink in the argyle print matches these shoes almost perfectly. The skirt is thrifted and the navy tights are from welovecolors.com. The tights are a different kind of navy than the skirt (oh, the drama) but I managed to get through my day anyway.