I’m leaving for Seattle later this morning so I’m running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cruelly cut off, and generally getting stressed out of my mind–a sport I’m a champion at, by the way.

And so it struck me that I *GOTS TO* find ways of de-stressing, and then, bam, the second revelation: what better means of de-stressing than beautiful shoes?

“Shoes?” my brain will say. “Shoes? THERE IS NO TIME FOR SHOES!”

Except, there is, especially when they induce you into an adoring stupor and switch gears from “hyperventilating” to “lovingly drooling”:

I loooooove these Chie Mihara simple flats, in all their crackly-silvery-goodness–and of course, the crucial detail, the cherry on the shiny cake, the double-colored nude strap at the back–so simple, so effective in textural and color contrast, so très, très chic! They’re almost $300 at Anthropologie, and I’m almost believing that’s worth the price of de-stressing.

(PS: On second thoughts, perhaps I should apply for a grant to study the effect of beautiful shoes on women’s psyche. Wouldn’t you all volunteer for that??)

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These Dior Django sandals are fit to be in the presence of royalty. Certainly the purple shoes already have the color associated with royalty but they also have a timeless presence as they are gilded in gold straps forming the infinity symbols. For that extra embellishment, the heel is gold plated with a tiny “D” charm.

Eluxury is currently have a spring sale. These beautiful creations are still a pretty penny at$395 but they were originally $660. Most of the sizes are still available too…except for mine (size 37). Whew - I escaped that one.

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Though I love the color orange as it conjures up images of bright, sweet smelling nectarines, orange is not a color that goes well with my slightly yellowish complexion. So what’s a girl to do? Wear orange on the feet of course - it’s far away from my face and I can wear other colored clothing to neutralize the effects it has on my skin tone.

My favorite orange shoes for the spring include the aptly named Daniblack ‘Greet’ sandal. It’s barely there heel will hopefully provide some level of arch support. I can picture myself wearing these to the beach or strolling down the boardwalk in capris.

This ombre sole coupled with the dark orange ornamental decoration are simply jewelry for the feet. It looks rich enough to be worn by someone living in the Hamptons, but it’s doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. The Nine West Rolling sandal is currently selling for $70 AND Endless is having a promotion for $20 off $80 if you can find another Nine West pair of shoes you like.

Ecco has always been a reliable brand for comfortable shoes.  I haven’t always been impressed with the colors since they stick with the basics a lot, so the Ecco Clear Water sandal is a nice departure with a great injection of color.     The insole happens to be cushioned so you can bet they are going to be a nice pillow for your feet.  Currently they are on sale for $120 -$25 (save $25 off select $100 purchases) = $95.

Lastly, while I’m not brave enough to wear these orange Enzo Angiolini Maylie ($93), I can certainly admire that they pack a strong punch of color to your outfit.   And if you are like me and admire the style but can’t wear the color, 6pm has the same shoe in brown, black, and red for $46.

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I love discovering new shoe brands, and so I squealed with glee (well, in my mind, at least) when I stumbled upon Jenny Ocholla Ayayo’s shoes. Born of a Swedish mother and a Kenyan father, Ms. Ayayo is the Swedish Elle’s Best Fashion Accessory Designer award in 2004.

Her shoes are about two things: color and texture. They unfold into voluptuous curves with vibrant spurts of color; their sculpted sensuality almost made my heart skip a beat. The red heels that start the gallery down here are supposedly made of silver salmon skin; and what can I say about the lines on those booties, I nearly want to lick them!

(FYI, the boots are $600, and you can order at sales@ayayoayayo.com).

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Warning: This post contains photos from the upcoming Sex in the City Movie.

Remember how we mentioned that Patricia Field, the costume designer for SATC, really loves Dior’s Extreme shoes? Well, here’s further proof:

Exhibit A: In a (dream?) sequence in the SATC movie, Carrie is pairing her Vivienne Westwood wedding dress with champagne colored Dior Extremes. I’ve seen many styles of shoes on brides, but gladiator platforms would be a first.

Exhibit B: At a SATC premiere, Patricia Field (right) with Vivienne Westwood (left) was also seen in those black Diors.

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