Giuseppe Zanotti Quad Zipper Boots

Your monitor is not playing tricks on your eyes.  These Giuseppe Zanotti zipper boots have not one, not two, but four zippers.   Functionality-wise, I’m a big fan of zippers and shoelaces.  They help me ease my way into shoes and since my feet have a tendency to expand and shrink depending on the weather, shoelaces especially are wonderfully adjustable.

Sadly, these zippers appear to have no functional value. The description of the boots reads “simply pull on” but maybe that’s a good thing.  Which zipper would I actually use with so many choices?  Still, these boots are quite rockin’ and I’m already channeling my inner biker babe x 4.

Giuseppe Zanotti’s Zipper Ankle Boots are $975 at NetAPorter

Shoe History Corner: Michael Jackson’s Shoes

In tribute to the late Michael Jackson, I figured a shoe history corner post would be appropriate because Jackson’s work was so legendary and really defined my generation’s music.

I remember growing up to Michael Jackson’s songs in the 80s.  In fact, he was so popular that my grandmother, who lived with us at the time and didn’t speak much english, could even say “Billy Jean” and “Beat It”. One of my favorite MTV videos came from the hit “Smooth Criminal”.  I remember thinking how cool Michael Jackson was when he defied gravity with his dancers in the 45 degree lean.  Here’s a snapshot of this move and the music video.

How did Jackson achieve the lean?  He patented special shoes which gave him the appearance of defying the normal laws of physics:

A system for allowing a shoe wearer to lean forwardly beyond his center of gravity by virtue of wearing a specially designed pair of shoes which will engage with a hitch member movably projectable through a stage surface. The shoes have a specially designed heel slot which can be detachably engaged with the hitch member by simply sliding the shoe wearer’s foot forward, thereby engaging with the hitch member.

Michael Jackson was an artist, singer, writer, dancer, and a few other things.  But I never realized he was also a shoe inventor!

R.I.P. Michael!

Source: Google Patents

Update:  Here’s a live video of “Smooth Criminal”.  You can see that the dancer on the right had a little trouble detaching the shoe from the hitch at the 3:53 mark.

Spring 2010 Menswear Milan

Men’s Spring 2010 Milan fashion week started Saturday.  I have been casually following men’s shoe fashions because our men who come here have largely been ignored.  I wanted them to know that we love them too.  Also, since I have a large foot,  if I am looking for a good pair of trouser flats, I often look in the menswear section. 

What are we seeing on the Milan runway for Spring 2010? 

Jil Sander:  These close ups don’t show it, but this line showed mostly whites and colors that were barely there.  I  love the yellow lace ups.  Would my husband wear them?  At a size 13,  ’fraid not.  Actually, the yellow lace up would probably be the only thing in this line he would wear, if his foot were smaller.

Gucci offered variations on one pair of sneakers.

And variations on a pair of slip ons.

lastly, white driving loafers. 

So what do you think guys?  Is there a pair you love?

Prada Spring 2010

Give me one more post on Menswear and I promise I will have it out of my system.  I just HAD to show you what Prada presented.  It is just so cool. Prada always seems to have the most creative looks – in both men’s and women’s wear.  This line is no different.  They featured leather jackets, sweaters, trousers and shoes that were perforated till they were lightweight and seemingly tissue thin.   It sounds odd, but the effect was unbelieveable.

See what I mean? 

Look at the sweater and vest.  This is just cool.  I realize this is runway, so it will be interesting to see how it translates into Ready To Wear.   Now with the shoes.

The general reaction to this line was that it is for the young.  Not Young-at-Heart.  Young.  Anyways, I just had to show you how creative this Prada line is.  If this is any indication of what will be offered, I can’t wait to see what they have for women’s wear.

More Menswear Spring 2010

OK, I absolutely love Georgio Armani’s styles. Here is what they presented in Milan this week.

This style also had a dark brown and a light brown color combination.  Love it.

Woven Lace ups.

A black option was also shown in the second pair.  These are gorgeous.

Python sneakers.

Blue suede moccasins.  They also showed a pair of black.

These are probably my favorite.

Now, to show a couple of Armani’s Spring 2010 girl shoes.

Do you love the colors in these shoes or what?  A wonderful spring shoe.