Shoe Girl Crush – Zoe Saldana

It’s been a while since I’ve have a shoe girl crush.  By that, I mean that I’ll go gaga over every pair of shoes a celebrity wears.  Last year, one of my favorite shoe girls was the same as Jitterbugbaby’s,  who wrote a lot about Gwyneth Paltrow shoes.

This year, I think we already have a strong contender for 2009 Shoe Girl Crush.  That person is Zoe Saldana and whoever her shoe stylist may be.  Since she started appearing on red carpets to promote the new Star Trek movie, I have to admit that I’m been scouring the web for images.   The shoes she wears are always so unexpected (i.e. not Louboutin), edgy, and glamorous. Oh yeah, the outfits aren’t bad either but the shoes are the main focal point.  So without further ado, here are some of Zoe’s fabulous footwear.

Shoe Crush #1: Giambattista Valli Spring 2009 heels

Shoe Crush #2: Patent Multi-Strap Heels (I’m not sure who the designer is, but the shoe look like they are either by Phi or Emilio Pucci)

Shoe Crush #3: Alaia Lace Ups

Shoe Crush #4: ‘Wicked’ Pumps by Brian Atwood

Anyways, you get my drift.  For more out of this world shoes, click on some of the thumbnail shots below.

Sources; FashionSpot, Style, RedCarpetFashionAwards, FabSugar

An ode to wedges

I love wedges. They give you height without pain (or, at the very least, they minimize the pain), they provide comfort,  padding, and arch support, and they are often quirky, innovative, whimsical, and plain ol’ fun. I don’t want wedges to go away anytime soon, but unfortunately, if trend spies are to be believed, they are gently phased out of the fashion spotlight and replaced with vertiginous, slightly chunky and/or whimsical heels. The wedges you can still find for the new season are definitely more toned down, stripped of nearly all the bells and whistles that the designers played with a mere 1-2 seasons ago.

Just so you don’t forget the fun to be had with wedges, I’ve reached into the deep underbelly of Yoox sales and pulled out a few quirky models.  Links, in the order of appearance, are below.

Alexander McQueen wedge, $344.

Alaia industrial wedge, $304.

Marc Jacobs architectural wedge, $135.

D&G Art Deco red wedges, $240 at Yoox.

Le Silla wedge with diamante orchid brooch detailing INSIDE the wedge, $168.

Parisi spiderweb wedges, $148.

Azzedine Alaia Sandals

There’s something about these sandals that’s an absolute show stopper. The chunky, criss-cross brown suede upper, the back zipper, the Grecian-meets-Gladiator look (without overdoing it)–I don’t know, it’s a simple, but indescribable chic that makes it hard for me to peel my eyes off them. Plus, c’mon, it’s Azzedine Alaia! Definitely not for everybody, these sandals are not ‘cute’ or ‘pretty’–they’re confident and sophisticated.

Even more attractive is that you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg for them (this brand retails upwards of $500 to start with). These Alaia sandals are currently on sale at Yoox for $218, and today and tomorrow only, you can get them 15% off if you apply the code anniversary@yoox. That’s true for everything at Yoox, too, by the way. (And one more thing, Jitterbugbaby: They’re brown sandals!)

To combat the wallflower in you…

…besides the peacock shoes featured by Jitterbugbaby, may I recommend these definitely not for the faint of heart Azzedine Alaia sandals?

They’re printed genuine snakeskin T-straps with two bold silver buckles and 5-inch wooden heels. I don’t think you could make more of a statement or more than a dramatic entrance than with these fierce heels. Yes, they’re about $1000 or so, but that’s beside the point, n’est ce pas?

Azzedine Alaia is a Tunisian-born and educated fashion designer. He studied sculpture as well as fashion design, and worked for Dior, Guy Laroche and Thierry Mugler before giving his first show in New York City (1982). His designs are remarkable through their sensuality and flair for the dramatic. Recently, I’ve noticed a comeback of his shoes in the fashion boutiques and high-end department stores–and when they look like this, all I can say is, bravo!