I recently found out that one of my sisters is reading our blog when she recently asked me via e-mail  “How are those fuzzy boots working out?“.  Now that she is following our site, she has also started campaigning to convert me over to Clarks, which is her absolute favorite shoe brand.  Apparently, it took me moving to a different state to find out that she loves looking at and trying on cute, sexy, or funky shoes almost as much as I do.

In this recent message, subject line: ‘My New Shoes’, she shares with me her brief summer sandal search. The siren-call that she was hoping to answer was for one of these two pairs of Frye sandals.

Frye ‘Dara’ T-strap $192 at Zappos

Frye ‘Grace’ Sandal $227.95 at Nordstrom

Unfortunately, she laments that “she couldn’t walk in them”.  And, since the primary purpose of shoes is to protect our feet in the everyday action of walking, this was an obvious deal-breaker.

So, where did she turn instead? Surprisingly, not to her fave brand Clarks, but to this shoe by Pikolinos:

Pikolinos ‘Romana’ mule $144.95 at Nordstrom

This is a unique little slip-on shoe that manages to be comfy and funky while still retaining a solid feminine flare. I love the attention to detail on these; they are also a wonderful way to get a boho-styled shoe that won’t be on the feet of everybody else around.

Now, the ‘Romana’ is definitely more Sis’s style than mine. But, it is refreshingly different and eclectic. So, after receiving her e-mail, I just had to go peeking around online to see what other styles Pikolinos might offer.

Here are a few that caught my eye:

This one is a wonderfully quirky interpretation of the still-dominant gladiator sandal style.

Pikolinos ‘Formentera gladiator sandal’ $174.95 at Nordstrom

And, if gladiators are not your thing, the Formentera is available in a simple slide variation as well:

Pikolinos ‘Formentera’ sandal $149.95 at Nordstrom

Another  Pikolinos shoe that I love is this charming Maryjane.

Pikolinos ‘Genebra’ Maryjane pump $81.90 $164.95 at Nordstrom

Now, I am undeniably a fan of Maryjane styles, so I was somewhat biased at the outset. But the leather on this is so yummy and I love the overall quilted effect of the stitching as well. This is one fantastic shoe with wonderfully whimsical artistic appeal.

On an unrelated note, I challenge you to say the title of this article three times fast.

4 Comments »

Hello warmer weather!

As we move into another spring season, certain classic footwear trends have re-emerged as if on an annual schedule. In this case, the trend is of rope-like espadrilles and cork-soled sandals. These continue to be casual warm-weather favorites.

This spring and summer it will be tough to go wrong style-wise if your sandals include a cork sole; or perhaps rafia, bamboo, or jute details. Natural textures, warm tan and brown colors, and an earthy, Boho vibe are making a huge appearance in stores this spring.

First up - Prada’s Rafia, Cork, and Bamboo Wedges:

Prada Raffia Wedge Sandals $650 at Saks.com

Prada Bamboo Wedge Platforms $695 at Saks.com

Prada Wedge Platform Cutout Sandals $750 at Saks.com

I’m not finding myself to be much of a fan of the rafia, and I can take or leave the whole cork thing, but the bamboo is pretty intriguing.

Volatile Shoes also has a few bamboo-wrapped offerings in their spring line-up (with more of a reedy effect): Read the rest of this entry »

6 Comments »

Biker chic has rocked the streets for ages, on kids from punk to prom queen flirting with the wrong side of the tracks. A few seasons ago, grommets, studs, zippers and buckles started making major comebacks. Last season, leather jackets were huge, coinciding with a revival of industrial culture and rise of steampunk couture. Now, you need the shoes to match not jackets, but tiered lace and ruffle dresses, those sexy/scary bondage tape-dresses, and zipper dresses for spring. Good news is, leather biker shoes are available in spades. They’re especially cute, of course, in boots and booties, but make a hot transition into sandals for spring as well.

One warning though, is to be careful with just how much industriality and bikerism you blend into one outfit. You don’t want to look like you’ve been dressed from head to toe by Project Runway’s Stella… or maybe you do. But a little goes a long way, and shoes are the perfect place to concentrate this trend.

Here are my biker faves, starting with Steve Madden’s Ginn, on sale for $169.95:

Gucci’s Babouska shoe comes in variations of boot, sandal and flat. You can purchase the boot here for $448.

Louboutin’s Ariella has been making a humongous splash, and for good reason. Chanel Iman and Rihanna have been seen sporting the higher over-the-knee version, which seems to be difficult to procure for mere mortals.

And for not just looking tough but also being tough, who can forget the original Harleys and Fryes?

Harley’s Simone is $124 on Zappos.

Frye’s Harness Two Rings, meanwhile, is $235.80 on Zappos.

15 Comments »

It may be a madhouse, but Shoe Mania in Union Square in New York was a goldmine when I visited it last week. To be found were Via Spiga, Steve Madden, Frye, Michael Kors and others galore. All sales final. 50 percent crazy sale, indeed!

5 Comments »

Hi!
I need help! Every year I see tons of awesome calf- and knee-high boots. It seems like each Fall and Winter they come out with new styles…and colors! BUT I have to admire them from afar. I was born a beautiful full-figured woman :)….unfortunately, with BIG calfs! I can’t fit ANY of the boots I find! And the ones I do find are that suede material.

Do you know where I can find some MODERATELY-priced  leather calf- and knee-length boots? HELP!!

Crystal

Apologies to Crystal if it seems like we took awhile to respond on this plea; this is a tough and ongoing challenge for many women and keeping this article informative without going off on tangents has proven to be trickier than expected.

The complaint that boots are not made for gals with sturdy calves is, unfortunately, not news to anyone who has ever been in that same (and very unenviable) shopping position. So, of course, I find Crystal’s frustration to be completely understandable. And, there are many ladies out there who adore taller boots, but have less-than-dainty calves. At 14 inches around, my calves ride the fashion tightrope on whether a given boot will fit and zip.  If you are ambitious, there are even many products for you to attempt to self-stretch your own shoes, should the urge strike you.

Of course, the first requirement for successful stretching is that the boot upper be made of leather.  This is doubly important; Leather is very durable making it easier to get good wear and your money’s worth from your purchase and,  real leather is stretchable when given to a competent cobbler/boot repair shop. When all else fails, purchase and all-leather boot & have your boots stretched. The process will only lighten your pocketbook by $20-$30 and the result is often a perfectly fitted boot.

Now, if you are new to our site, you may have missed an older shoeblog article that focused on  Duo Boots.  Duo boots come in a number of different calf sizes and can even accommodate ladies with the opposite problem of narrow calves since they are sold by calf-size. Of course, at prices starting at UK 120/US $250 depending on the exchange rate, they may not quite fit into the category of ‘Moderately-priced’ to the average consumer. Lately, with shoe prices on the rise, these are definitely nowhere near as spendy as many current mid-to-high end designers that are now charging upwards of $500-$2500 for current-season leather boots; it may be a worthwhile investment for those harder-to-fit folks to spend the $250+ for a long-lasting, well-fitted boot.

Next, as he is the master of most things shoe-related, it is no surprise that ‘The Manolo’ has also struggled with a solution to the wide-calf dilemma. Among his recommendations of boot brands with roomier calf-allowances are: J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, and Church’s boots. More useful, perhaps are actually the comments responding to his article which recommend both Eddie Bauer as well as the (new to me) website www.widewidths.com (self-proclaimed as ‘Your Site for Fashionable Wide-calf boots’).

Finally, no hunt would be complete without a quick search over at Zappos.com to see what options are available on ‘Wide-calf’ site search. OK, that’s 50+ pages of results in varying styles and prices; Among them, a large selection of RSVP boots priced under $200. Of course, many ‘wide-calf’ boots only fit up to about 15 inches around in calf circumference, so some of these results will only be helpful for borderline ladies like myself;  so it’s always good to check the individual shoe stats (Thank you Zappos for such great descriptions).

Well, when my eyes alight on the phrase ‘Extra Wide Calf’, that sounds pretty promising. Way to go, Type Z.

Type Z Catie Extra Wide Calf $190 at Zappos.com (17″ circumference)

Also promising, selections from Ros Hommerson, a brand known for offering a huge variety of widths from extra-narrow to wide on all of their shoe and boot styles.

Ros Hommerson Chanel Boot (Wide - 16.25″ circumference) or Inlet Boot (Extra Wide - 18″ circumference) $198.

A few other options include widening a boot search to include boot-cut Western Styles as well as Lace-up boots and adjustable Granny styles.

Some options in this category are:

Dan Post Snowflake Ostrich $309.

Frye Veronica Slouch Black Patent $332 (15″ circumference).

Frye Page Buckles $382 (15.5 circumference).

Mark Nason Iris $574.95 $310 (14″ circumference). My own experience with Mark Nason is that the lacing give more width allowance than the base measurement indicates).

Etienne Aigner Kraft $ 148.95 $97 (14″ circumference).

Shoes for Lovely People Anthia $216 (14.5″ circumference plus added stretch gore panels).

This information is merely a starting point for those on the hunt for a more accommodating boot shaft, and some styles will work for some ladies and not others (But I have found that to be true of all shoes). Like any shoe hunt, it takes time and patience to find the right item at the right value. Hopefully I have provided some tools to help you along the way.

12 Comments »