Study of Shoes and Stilettos

Chocolate brown suede vintagey pumps with slight pointed-toe, 2.5-inch heel, and bow detail.  These are one of the very few pairs of shoes I own that came from a thrift store, I absolutely love them.  They are so feminine and sweet and perfectly shaped.

Casual Friday + Overnight Snow Storm = leather winter boots.  I have started a massive overhaul of my shoe room, and in the clean-out discovered these black boots.  They only come up to the lower part of my calf, but seeing as how we don’t have 3 feet of snow on the ground (yet) I am totally fine with that.  Rampage black leather boots with 3-inch square heel.  (I know, I know, square, chunky heels aren’t really “in” anymore.  But here’s what, a stiletto heel would last approximately 10 feet on my sidewalk before you landed on your kiester.)

Navy blue suede pumps with 3.5-inch heel and square-ish toe.  These were a hand-me-down from my favorite aunt, they are Italian made and a classic regardless of that Elvis song.  Looking around the Interwebs, I found this navy suede platform pump and  this lovely pointy-toe version from Nine West,   I also really like these brighter royal blue suede pump from ZiGiny.

Elektra snowshoes, gray and chrome with teal accents.  I’m not actually wearing these today, but I wore them on Saturday and thought I’d share.  During the winter the valley in which I live collects pollution like you cannot believe.  The air becomes brownish gray, your eyes hurt and most people develop a “smoker’s cough” after a few days.  Seriously, the toxicity blocks out the sun, it’s like I live on a hostile planet or something.  At any rate, the only thing to do is to head up one of the many canyons to get above all the muck and enjoy the blue sky and clean–if thinner–air.  So on Saturday, that’s exactly what I did.

(Ok, I know there isn’t any blue sky in this pic, but that’s because it was snowing.  You can take me word for it that it was nice, clean, white fluffy snow and not acidic snow.)

Leopard print d’orsay* heels with sequin and lace embellishments, 4-inch heel and a peep-toe, by Steve Madden.  I don’t know if I can explain in how many different ways I love and adore these shoes.  I love the pony-hair animal print (not real pony hair, obviously), I love the sparkly bits, the peep toes…these are easily one of my all-time favorite pairs of shoes.  I wore these lovelies for 15-hours straight, from work straight to a holiday party, and by the end of the night I was still trotting all over the place without any kind of foot pain.  That, my friends, is the mark of a fabulous pair of heels.

*Vocabulary Lesson:

• A d’orsay (door-say) heel is cut away on the middle of the vamp from the toe-box to the heel so that the arch of the foot is exposed.
• The vamp is the center part of the shoe, the part that goes over/around your arch.
• Perhaps a bit more self-explanatory, the toe-box is the area where your toesies live.

Editors Note: Goodness, I never realized how many definitions it takes to explain something like this!  Huzzah for the mini vocabulary lesson!

Hello?  Is this thing on?  I would first like to thank the gaggle of guest posters who filled in for me while I was away.  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!  I would also like to thank pinksuedeshoe for babysitting things here in my absence, best twin ever! (Yes, she’s really my twin.  Don’t freak out.)  I’d like to thank the Academy….wait.  No.  That’s not right.  At any rate, I’m back!  I spent a lovely week lounging in the sun and exploring the Mexican Riviera!  I managed not to take a single picture of my feet, because apparently the combination of tropical sun, absolutely no responsibility and a lot of fresh pico de gallo and delicious burritos will make me completely lose my head.

Espadrille/deck shoe in navy and cream stripe with thin rubber tread by French Sole.  I’m pretty sure these shoes are ambidextrous, or whatever it’s called when there isn’t a right shoe and a left shoe…there are just two shoes.  I have switched them up a half-dozen times and I can’t figure out which one, if either, is supposed to go on my left foot and which on my right.  Whatever, I love them.  They are comfortable and soft and over the course of the last week were well loved and often worn.  I’ll get back to “real life” today and tomorrow; you know, an 8-5 job, tackling the medium-sized mountain threatening to topple across the room, grocery shopping and vacation detox, but for now I’m trying to fend off the icy cold another day by shuffling around the house in these soft, stripey shoes.

CC has been leaving me some lovely comments and while she doesn’t have a blog of her own I think she’s off to a great start in her inagural blog post!  These shoes are adorable–and on sale!–I’m sure you could find a way to incorporate them in your New Year’s Resolutions.  Right?

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Hello Fellow Shoe Lovers,

CC here. Guest blogger reporting for duty. As you can see I won’t be guest blogging on any photography sites anytime soon. Taking pretty pictures is not my strong point which is why I resorted to this picture.

However, wearing pretty shoes is an area in which I excel. Who doesn’t love a pretty, little, pointy, gray, suede, kitten heel? That’s a lot of commas. They show the perfect amount of toe cleavage. Just enough to still be classy. These pretty things visited my dreams for a few weeks after seeing them in the store. One day, in celebration of nothing in particular, I decided to make them my own. To make it that much sweeter, my Target version is much cheaper than the Macy’s. Honestly, this love at first sight has lasted well beyond the honeymoon stage. So happy and so in love.

Buy them here, now on sale for $17.99! Mossimo Veralis Ruffley Flat

Today’s shoes are brought to you from across the pond, Mackenzi is one of my most favorite former students and I was thrilled when she volunteered to fill in for me from her outpost in London.  Miss Kenzi, you have a great start on some amazing style with these beauties!

I have always, always, always wanted to own a pair of red patent leather heels. They are sassy, classy, and seriously hot.  However, I have never found that pair that is just quite right. Then I found these beauties. They are everything I ever wanted in a red shoe; skinny heel, peep toe, shinny, eye popping color, these ladies are the complete package. And the best part? Only $20. I’m in love.

All I want for Christmas is Peace on Earth and really cute shoes.   –Wise Proverb

Shannon is all-together lovely and charming and all those things you look for in a friend who lives in your computer.  Plus, she does awesome things like send me pictures of  shoe ornaments (as in, things that go on a tree).  Clearly, we are meant to be friends.

Howdy from Texas! (No, we don’t always say that, but it’s a good distinguisher from the other substitutes thus far.) What a wonderful opportunity we shoe-lovers have here to share while The Shoeologist is off getting sand in her toes.   In the southern part of Texas, our Christmas weather currently has a high of a nice chilly 78 degrees. Which is why I can still wear my favorite pair of shoes just a few days before Christmas.

This pair of gray suede peep toe slingbacks are from my favorite designers, Elie Tahari. Now, if you are familiar with Tahari, you might be with me and consider her a luxury designer… I shop sale racks only. But, during a quick trip to Marshall’s to look for a dress, I saw these shoes. And it was almost an “angelic” moment, for I could hear a chorus. (Maybe it was the background music, but go with it.) I tried the shoes on and they fit perfectly. They spoke to me and said, “We are coming home with you.” So, of course, they did!

One of my favorite aspects of these shoes is they are probably one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I own! I have worn them to work, and then social functions that evening, and it was only around the 12-hour mark that my feet started questioning my sanity.  Now, I fear these shoes were on such deep discount ($50) because they are no longer available…I cannot find any place on the internet to guide you to these lovely beauties. However, if you are at one of your local discount shopping stores, you never know what type of luxury shoes you can find at not-even-close-to luxury pricing.