Remember to enter our ASGI giveaway contest–ending Thursday, August 7th! All you have to do is enter a comment to this post in order to win a fabulously comfy, not to mention good-looking pair of Gaia wedge sandals, a $130 retail value:

You still have a couple of days left, so hurry up! Post a comment to this entry now!

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 Rihanna’s August photoshoot for In Style features some awesomely fierce shoe choices. Behold:

First up, some uber-tall Louboutins, the epitome of sexy in deep, sinful red suede and towering stiletto heels (the Declic pump, if I’m not mistaken, $685 at Saks):

Next up, some generously-studded open-heel booties from Gucci’s “Babouska” fall line:

And finally, the tallest and fiercest of them all, these eelskin heels from the Emanuel Ungaro fall collection:

…and here’s a close-up:

I’m pretty much convinced that the only thing  you can really do in those heels is lean against a chair, look sexxxy, and hope you won’t tip over. But hey, that’s the whole point, right?

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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!

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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.

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I’ve become some sort of a big fat snob regarding shoe brands. When you spend so much time with shoes or writing about shoes or thinking about shoes as I have, it’s inevitable. But rather than crave the high-end luxury brands everybody and their sister are coveting (Louboutin, Blahnik, Zanotti, the usual suspects), my lust wanders off the beaten path. I crave more obscure, though not necessarily cheap brands (in fact, almost never cheap), partly because for me comfort is the true luxury and a pretty good measure of independence in a woman.

These days I’m in love with these Trippen shoes:

Trippen is a German company using the softest leathers and completely devoted to your walking in comfort AND quirky style. These molded rosette Mary Janes fit the bill and are SO me I’m not sure what’s preventing me from snagging them right now. Oh, I know: it’s the price tag ($288 at Ped Shoes)–less friendly to my wallet than the shoes would be to my feet. However, considering how unique and comfy these shoes are, it’s not so bad.

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