Kooba Footwear Launches for Spring 2010

Kooba, the stylish handbag line known for pretty leathers, hardware and bold bag styles is putting its best foot forward this season by introducing shoes.   For fans of the brand, you’ll be happy to see that the shoe materials, colors, and detailing are similar and a natural extension of the handbag collection.

The Kooba footwear collection falls between $225 and $385. The collection will be available on Kooba.com, Endless.com, Zappos.com and in specialty boutiques nationwide.

Kooba Molly is $329 at Zappos.com

Acne Sapphire, Yes or No?

I have been AWOL because a friend conned me into working on a couple of  projects with her and it has really been a time vaccum.  So, while she was gone for a few minutes, I took a little time to look at some sites for entertainment.  I found these shoes. These shoes are not new, by any means, but they are unusual.  So here’s the question:  Would you wear these shoes with the two removable rusty nail thingies on them?  

They aren’t unusual without them, but it looks gimick-y with them.  I wonder if that back nail would hook up on things and send me skittering to the floor.  They are $1000 at Farfetch.

Uh Oh… Friend is coming.  I have to look busy.

Report Signature: Vandalia Boot

Sometime you see a shoe and are caught, intrigued by some combination of color and shape.

You have no idea if you would wear it.

If you were to buy it, you’re not sure if, or even how you would wear it.

And, you’re not sure if you would care, because it would be yours, which just might be enough.

I have these moments. Some shoes hold more of an aesthetic power over me than ought to be strictly possible.

Like these:

Report Signature ‘Vandalia’ $229-$250 at Endless, Nordstrom, Shoes.com, Revolve Clothing & DNAfootwear

But, I am only getting that particular Ooh La La vibe from the brown, not the black version of these booties;  I do love the look of warm, brown, earthy leathers.

I haven’t purchased these, and doubt that I will.  But it is this visceral, love at first sight, reaction to various shoes – shoes that  I might never even have or make an opportunity to wear -  that leads me to speculate that I could eventually wind up owning my own shoe museum  – all in size 7.5, of course.   This is also the reason my shoe shopping involves the following set of questions:

1. If I love them now, will I love them 3 months, a year, 3 years from now? – And, yes, if there is not an insane discount, I will generally wait at least 3 months to make sure they meet this minimum requirement.
2. While I love them, will they likely get actual wear-time should I add them to my wardrobe?

All budgetary and fit/comfort issues aside, these two required questions really do help me to control what would otherwise devolve into an uncontrolled spending frenzy.

Do you need or have any tricks to keeping to whatever shoe budget or savings goals you have set for yourself?

The Ce Ce Chin ‘Signature’ Collection

Ce Ce Chin is the main creative mind behind 80%20 footwear, a brand I’ve discussed a couple of times this week.  The main 80%20 brand combines casual silhouettes with modern styling that seem perfect for urban gals on the go. These styles are meant to be wardrobe workhorses.

In contrast, the recent (April 2010) launch of the Ce Ce Chin collection website is all about classic influences and old-world elegance – all wrapped up in a fabulous  statement-shoe package. Even better is that it’s all been offered at an accessible, if not exactly inexpensive,  price point.

Originally revealed at the Project Tradeshow, these shoes are stunners.  The heels were inspired by classic glass perfume bottles and the uppers are made of satins, lace overlays,  and soft leathers.

What’s not to love?

80%20 Ce Ce Chin Collection.

More styles are available through boutiques whose locations and contact information are available at the Ce Ce Chin website. But, the gorgeous princess oxfords shown above are available at Karmaloop right now – and they are all on sale for under $130 (0riginal retail was around $175-190).  Shoe deals don’t come much better than this.

Which leads me to a dirty little confession. I buckled and ordered a pair before I finished writing this post. I apparently didn’t trust that a pair in size 7.5 would be left for me once our readers got their eyes on these.

Of course, I might be wrong about that, but why take the chance?

Related Links:

Karmaloop Lookbook.

Daily Candy interview & Sneek Peek.

Moxsie guest blogger (MISS) interview.

MISS Sneek Peek.

Venuszine interview.

Design Glut interview.

Riffin’ interview.

8020NYC: Urban. Casual. Modern. Boho. Chic.

I showed you a pair of 80%20 wedges earlier this week. And, while I am still undecided on how I feel about that pair of shoes, the 80%20 brand deserves a closer look:

The 80%20 goal is clearly stated on their website:

The concept behind 80%20 came from Ce Ce Chin’s observation that we tend to wear our favorite 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. The smallest percent has the greatest impact. The ratio of knowing your life, your style and your aspirations.

80% life, 20% shoes=100% love.

It’s a lovely vision statement, you have to admit.  As for the shoes? The current line reminds me a little bit of Irregular Choice, when that brand actually manages to practice restraint – or even Marc Jacobs from last year’s runway.

Some examples:

80%20 Marlee Tea Party Floral Shoe $52

80%20 Ellorie Open Toe Bootie $69

80%20 Jordan Open Toe Wedge $135

80%20 Molly Open Toe Hidden Wedge (black) $165

80%20 Molly Tea Party Hidden Wedge (Floral) $116

80%20 Sadie Seersucker Cork Wedge $98

While some of these are outside my own particular fashion comfort zone, they are both quirky and unique. The gal who falls in love with these may indeed find herself adding them into her own 80/20 fashion rotation.