Moschino Press Print Pumps

It’s Friday and I know you’re just about ready for play. To honor the whimsical spirit of this day, I give you the Moschino Press Print booties and pumps (yep, printed leather, print from an old newspaper fashion/advertising section). Not only amusing and practical, but also providing, mmm, minutes of entertaining reading for whomever happens to be at your feet at the moment. Enjoy!

shoes for the oscars

It’s almost that time. Oscar time, that is.

The 79th Annual Academy Awards are on this Sunday night, and you know there will be fashion statements galore: the good, the bad, and the really ugly.

What unfortunately gets covered up by long dresses too often are THE SHOES!

Who could forget Stuart Weitzman’s opulent creations for the past few years:

2004

2005

Can’t wait to see what he comes up with for this year.

And here’s a shot from the New York Times slideshow of Oscar swag. The goodie bags are scaled back this year (because celebs have to pay taxes on any gifts they receive), but there are places all around LA offering plenty of treats. Like Haven, which is offering shoes by Jour Nuit (retail $300-1,000) like these:

In the meantime, I’ll just have to sit here and fantasize that instead of watching the Oscars on TV at home, I’ll be there all dolled up to the max. Fodder for my fantasy? How about these lovely examples of high-glam evening footwear?

The Christian Louboutin Tenue or Josephine

Or these jeweled numbers by Manolo Blahnik at Neiman Marcus.

Or either of these blinged out Giuseppe Zanotti stunners

And finally, these sun motif sandals by Roberto Cavalli, who’s always good for some over-the-top va va voom style. And if you’re really in the market for some high glam evening shoes, these are currently 49% off at Zappos , and you can pick them up for a still-not-insignificant $511. But only if you wear a size 6, since that’s all they’ve got left.

So if you’re watching the Oscars on Sunday night, keep an eye out for the shoes, and just imagine all the glamorous shoes you won’t see under all those long gowns and their trains.

Let’s Polka, Everybody!

All it takes is just one day of melting temperatures here in the Northeast and I get delirious with dreams of summer and, of course, delicious summer footwear. Let’s get to it, shall we?

I am of the opinion that if you want to mellow a fellow’s heart thoroughly and properly, polka dots on your dainty footwear re the way to go. They’re playful, they’re retro-chic, they’re usually attached to a summer-y material such as canvas, they’re irresistible. Luckily for us, the current designer offering has polka-dots-aplenty, for basically every taste and budget. Let’s review:

Bettye Muller ‘Linley’ pump. Not only does it have polka dots in an appropriate density and elegant color-combo, but it’s a peep-toe d’Orsay with knotted bow on the vamp. And yes, these are all good things! A bit pricey, yes ($374 at Nordstrom) but performing the double feature of being eye-catching and classy at the same time.

Chinese Laundry ‘Landys’ flat. These juicy slingbacks come in a variety of colors (blue, green, and black), but my favorite is this sunny version, which sells for a very reasonable $60.

Sam Edelman ‘Nadia’ espadrille wedge. Now, that’s what I call a polka-dot with an attitude! Sweet, yes, but also sassy, flirtatious, ready to go out and party. Love them! They’re just a buck shy of $100 at Nordstrom.

These Sam Edelman ‘Indigo’ wedges take retro a step above, with their peep-toe, bow-on-vamp, and small-and-smaller polka dot print combo. I can’t imagine putting these on and not being happy! They’re the same price, same place as the above.

And finally, these Joie ‘Rapture’ flats give a modern twist to the polka-dot print with this slightly irregular pattern. Brilliant simplicity! They’re $195 at Nordstrom.

Stella McCartney Floral Print Wedges

I’ve noticed a tendency among designer to use textures and prints in unexpected and delightful combinations. Stella McCartney plays this trend beautifully with these elegant, sensual, and playful at once wedges in canvas black-and-white print and patent trim with button detail. The price is as steep as the vertiginous 4-inch height: $645 at Net-a-Porter.

Wednesday Shoe History Corner

Last Friday I didn’t bring you the usual Shoe History Corner, so I’m going to compensate with this: A chopine, Venetian footwear of choice for courtesans back in the 16-17th centuries.

Better yet, this one you can see in person, along with other rare shoe exhibits, if you happen to be in or around Boston ths fall. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts will present a unique shoe exhibit of historic footwear and examine it in relation with other arts:

For example, a pair of wedges with rococo carved heels from the current MIU MIU collection will be exhibited with 18th-century carved furniture, and a pair of 17th-century shoes will be exhibited with a genre painting by the Dutch artist Eglon van der Neer, in which a man wears a similar style of shoes.

Don’t you want to go? I want to go! I’d better start making plans for September like, right now!