Let us put a spring in your step: no, really: our ASGI giveaway

It’s no secret that we here at Shoeblog want you to be as comfortable as you are fashionable. And so, we’re proud to announce our next contest, in which we give away a pair of super-comfy and trendy sandals (drumroll, please): the ASGI Gaia wedges (a retail value of about $130):

Why should you be excited about this? I’ll tell you why: these shoes employ a three-part comfort technology called Soleplex®. Soleplex was developed by ASGI founder Pat Hogan and pedorthist David Levy and consists of three parts: the footbed and stabilizer on top, the chassis in the middle, and the polyurethane pods for cushioning at the bottom:

The company assures us that “The molded and anatomically contoured footbed combines with a stabilizing baseto provide the ideal blend of stability and cushioning for long-wearing comfort, creating a shoe that forms to each individual’s foot.”

Of course, you don’t have to take their word for it; you could take mine, though! I’ve had the pleasure to try one of these shoes–the “Joy” Mary Jane to be precise, and I found it to live every bit up to the expectations. I’m on my feet quite a lot–walking my beloved pooch, running errands, getting groceries, you get the idea; hence, I rely on good, sturdy, comfortable footwear to carry me from one place to the other. The “Joy” was a pleasure to wear, so much so that I wiped off the sole and continued to wear it around the house (it’s painful to walk on hardwood floors with my plantar fasciitis). I would recommend a base socklet if you’re going to wear them for a long time, and also, I suspect they tend to run a tad large; other than that, they’ve been some of the most relaxed, easy-to-wear casual shoes I’ve ever tried in my life.

For a chance to win the ASGI Gaia wedges for you or a friend, simply enter a comment to this entry. That’s all! I’m sure all of you can use some comfy neutral sandals (they go with everything, people!) to carry you through the end of the summer. You’ll have until Thursday, August 7th; we’ll announce the winner shortly after. Good luck!

This Week in Shoes

- High heels without the pain. Mark Schwartz, shoe designer turned shoe artist, is interviewed by The Well Heeled Society.

- Things to consider when storing your shoes. Via Ask the Organizer

- It never hurts to reiterate. Beware of shoes that don’t fit. Via CNN Video

- Daniel Craig in heels?  It’s true.  In the upcoming movie, Quantum of Solace,  James Bond wears stacked heels and I’ll bet he’ll still be as sexy as ever.  Via MailOnline

What to wear in the summertime…really?

That’s Bill Cunningham’s sentiment in the New York Times upon capturing shots of women in either ridiculously high heels or in ridiculously multi-buckled gladiators:

Mr. Cunningham is worried about the pain your feet will face the next morning after an afternoon of teetering on such heels, or the utter impracticality of having to fasten the approximately 2,367 buckles on that woman’s sandals in 98 degree weather. I have to say that I share his concerns! Turn the audio when you want to see the slideshow to listen to his commentary!

UPDATE: The link provided by the NYT didn’t initially work, sorry for that. I think I got the right link now.

Focus on the Brand: Shoes for Lovely People

Am I the only gal who’s heard of the shoe brand “Shoes for Lovely People”? The name really says it all.

I purchased my first pair from Endless.com in February of this year. At that time, there were only a few other online retailers I could locate which carried this style, if they carried this brand at all. I am happy to report there are now a number of online retailers carrying “Lovely” styles.

I really like the fact that Shoes for Lovely People are playing with trends at a reasonable price range. It’s nice to see shoes that are current and fun without necessarily being runway knock-offs.

In my case, I was looking for a striped shoe. This “Bonnie” pump won me over completely, how could it not? That heel is just yummy!

(Sale priced $74.22 at Endless.com in Brown or Black)

And, if you are looking for something more colorful, Endless.com also has a nice selection of colorful flats and wedges that I think of as  ‘Happy Summer Shoes’.

There is the “Blair” flat:

($109.95 at Endless in Green Multi or Silver, and $110 at Piperlime in Gold or Silver)

Or the “Stacey Q” wedge:

(Sale priced $79.72 at Endless.com):

Other retailers offering selections of Shoes for Lovely People include Barefoot Tess, Urban Outfitters, Karmaloop, Shoefly, and Piperlime.

Unable to resist, here is one last style, courtesy of Piperlime; the “Tootie“:

(On sale at Piperlime.com for $89.99 in fairly conservative nude or silver – or this festive green multi that is obviously related to the “Blair” shown above.)

That braid-wrapped heel is gorgeous; A simply lovely shoe.

Friday Bridal Shoe History Corner

RSVP Anyssa Bridal Shoe; $75 at Zappos.com

My ongoing hunt for the perfect bridal shoe is, admittedly, egocentric and totally obsessive. To relieve my guilt for putting so much weight on my shoes, I started researching traditions, superstititions, and the symbolism of shoes in weddings to help justify my quest. So after a little hunting, here are a few varied but fun factoids for today’s friday shoe history corner which I was surprised to read.

• Shoes tied to the back of the newlyweds’ car has evolved from the Tudor custom where guests would throw shoes at the newlywed couple. It was considered lucky if they or their carriage were hit. The shoes were later replaced with tin cans because guests were tired of going home with only one shoe and because the noise from the tins was believed to ward off evil. ¹

• The custom of the bride tossing her bouquet over the shoulder was originally performed by throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder. ² - I’m sure modern day wedding guests are delighted that this tradition is no longer upheld. Can you imagine the odors? 

• In Hungary, the groom drinks a toast to his bride out of her wedding slipper.³ – So this is why I need new shoes! I wouldn’t want my fiancee to drink out of dirty old shoes.

• In ancient Egypt, the bride’s father gave the groom her sandal as a symbolic gesture, indicating she now belonged to him and to symbolize the passing of responsibility for the daughter to her new husband.⁴

• In ancient China, brides wore lotus shoes which were decorated with instructions on how to consummate the marriage. ⁴

• In Greek weddings, the names of all the bridesmaids are written on the sole of the shoe.  The names of those rubbed off at the end of the night would eventually get married.  Those whose names were left were, well screwed. ⁵

Sources:

¹ Bed Bath and Beyond: Bridal Facts and Fun Trivia
² Wedding Customs and Superstitions
³ The Information Please Girls’ Almanac: Shoes as Symbols
⁴ Bridal.com.au: Bridal Shoes
⁵ Big Fat Greek Wedding: The Bridal Shoe

There now. I feel my shoe hunting is now (somewhat) more justified.