Let the sales begin!  That’s right, now that we’ve somewhat recovered from the winter sales, the spring sales are descending upon us.   Amazon is having a super duper shoe sales on designer shoes - with some shoes sellling at an whopping 80% off.

Now, before I show you the incredible prices and selection, let me say that I performed some random comparison shopping for you.  Compared to Zappos and also Endless (owned by Amazon) the prices are by far better on Amazon.  Most likely, this might be because both Zappos and Endless allow free returns, whereas Amazon does not.

Without further ado, here are some of the shoes and brands on sale.

Giuseppe Zanotti Women’s I80021 Pump with Disco Heel; Originally $695; Now $138.

More sale Giuseppe Zanotti shoes can be found here.

Casadei Women’s 1021 Pump; Originally $595, Now $119 or 80% off
More sale Casadei shoes can be found here.

Classy Givenchy Women’s 584761 Pump; Originally $475; Now $95
More sale Givenchy shoes can be found here

Georgina Goodman Women’s Ripley Satin Pump; Originally $809; Now $161
More sale Georgina Goodman shoes can be found here

Anyways, you get my drift.  There are about 28 designer shoe brands that you can choose from.  If you have a particular designer that you prefer, try this shoe link to view the sale by brand.

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Oh My! The Eighties are upon us.

I knew my high school fashions were considering re-surfacing last year when I began catching early glimpses of puffer vests on teenagers around town. Now, with more kids looking like Madonna-as-Material-Girl, Eighties Style is having a serious fashion renaissance.

As evidence, I present Jelly Shoes. A fashion choice in that I actually never indulged in the last time around - having at that point in my teenagedom already have moved into kitten-heeled pumps and the plotting of how to get a pair of sturdy-heeled (cobblestone appropriate) knee-high boots for my 17th birthday.

But I digress. Probably out of an avoidance instinct.

Oh yes, Jellies. Always a style that makes me think of 8-year old girls in pink shirts and floral embroidered jeans; perhaps because they have not gone out of fashion with that age group? I simply wonder how grown ladies pull these off. But hey, if it helps you keep a sense of play in your life, go for it.

So, while these are obviously not a trend that is calling to me, perhaps there is something in here that some of you folks reading will find to your liking. One thing I can tell you, designers this time out have not limited their styles to sparkly pink jelly flats and flip-flops.

We have sandals (including the still-hot gladiator silhouette):

GIvenchy ‘Lace-Up Jelly’ $170 at Saks.com (also in Orange, Olive, Fuchsia and Black at Shopbop.com)

Jimmy Choo ‘Jelly Thong Sandals’ $175 at Saks.com

Kors by Michael Kors ‘Shane Jelly Toe-Ring Sandal’ $72 at Shopbop.com ($69 at Zappos)

See by Chloe ‘Flat Jelly Sandals’ $125 in yellow or black at Saks.com (also at Shopbop in Yellow, Orange, Green, and Violet)

Ballet Flats:

Cesare Paciotti ‘Ballerina 20000′ in Red, Purple, White, and Black. $128.09 $189at Zappos.com

Tory Burch ‘Jelly Reva Ballet Flats’ $95 in blue or coral at Saks.com (also available in Pink, Yellow, Brown and Black at Shopbop)

Melissa ‘Ultragirl Peep-Toe Jelly Flats’ $70 in Pink, Blue and Black at Saks.com

Melissa ‘Campana Corallo Jelly Ballet Flats’ $60 at Saks.com

Melissa ‘Campana Corallo Webbed  Jelly Flats’ $80 at Saks.com

Sneakers:

Kenzo Shoes Lace-up Jelly Sneakers in pink, yellow, white, and black. $80 at Shopbop.com

Oxfords (And you thought that this trend was on the way out!):

Mellisa ‘Joy and Alexander Herchcovitch Jelly Oxford’ in Gold or Black. $100 at Saks.com

And, of course, Heels:

Melissa ‘Jelly Peep-Toe T-Strap Wedge’ $100 at Saks.com.

Oh, and in case you are wincing just a little bit at the not-so-humble prices being charged for colorful pieces of molded plastic (or is it flubber?) there should be Payless versions soon enough.

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Well, Averyl Oates (buying director for Harvey Nichols) may think the Dries van Noten shoes were all that, but I can’t say as I agree.

This is a designer who’s previously brought us such glorious pattern and texture combinations as the Spring 2009 line and the likewise-stylish Fall 2008 line.

But for Fall 2009, I have to say my high hopes were disappointed.  Pattern, yes.  But monochromatic and not terribly interesting.  Texture, sure, but only with a repeated python print (yawn… I’m not down with all the snake usage) and some rather boring brown leathers and… well… see and judge for yourselves.

Sure, that middle shoe is a beaut, but it’s a little snoreish given that it’s coming from Dries.

All right, as Averyl notes, the python soles is a cool idea.

But that doesn’t save this from being a bland collection from a designer about whom I never expected to use such a word.

I will, however, completely and totally agree with Averyl’s opinion on the Givenchy shoes.  What a fanciful pile of footwear!  Look!

I’m surprised we haven’t already seen Posh out and about in that last pair.

Picking up the Dries van Noten slack, it should be noted, was Emanuel Ungaro, where Esteban Cortazar seemed to take just the right mix of inspiration from the Dries Fall ‘08 line and the Cynthia Steffe Fall ‘09 line I was raving about a few weeks ago.  Who wouldn’t want to hit the town in these fun party shoes?

And finally for today’s fashion week report, I can’t leave without making mention of Costume National, where the Rick Owens blousy boots saw their cousins on parade and these gorgeous and funky MaryJanes clip-clopped down the catwalk to stylishly win my heart.

(images from Elle.com and Style.com)

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It is that time again, yes.  Paris fashion week for the couture labels.  Oo la la.

It wasn’t my favorite collection this time around.  A little on the snoozy side.  Couture is where you can really go for it, you know?  And these… well, mostly not so much with the going for it.

Armani Privé did some variations on this d’Orsay pump.

I’m not terribly impressed.  It’s nice and all, but a little *yawn* for a couture show.

Though, this combo of dress and shoes was a knock-out.

Chanel was also feeling the sparkly appliqué trend.

*thunk*

What?  Oh… sorry… dozed off there.  My head must have hit the desk.

Let’s see… I’m still nodding off over blah beige numbers from Christian Lacroix (left, which makes the models look like they’ve got coral sprouting from their ankles) and Elie Saab (right, which seriously interests me in absolutely zero ways… zero).

Can Givenchy wake me up?

Wow!  No!  In fact, those look disturbingly like hospital-wear or slippers or something.  Something that’s NOT going to make me more alert.

Valentino?  Nope.  Any shoe whose separated-at-birth twin is one of those hideous shell-covered mirrors doesn’t wake me up.  It just makes me want to sleep through the tackiness.

Jean Paul Gaultier perked me up a little bit.  Sure, the structured, mostly-monochromatic thing isn’t necessarily brand new for him, but he did some interesting amendments with more feminine flow and flashes of color, and you know I love me some shoes that come with their own built-in fishnet hosiery.

But, not surprisingly, it was John Galliano who gave me the jolt of caffeine I really needed.  His Dior shoe (it was just the one shoe, really, but in lots of different colors) is fabulously rococo, which only made it that much better to see him bringing in things like Delft tiles and Renaissance portraiture and even a cracked-out Little Bo Peep number.  Love!

I suppose I will just have to sigh and throw my hands up at this season’s couture shoes and hope for better luck next time.

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Have you ever found yourself enamoured of a particular style or trend while simultaneously finding yourself at a loss as to how to make it work within your own wardrobe and personal style?

Alas, that is my predicament with so-called ‘Spats’-styled boots; those boots with an add-on ankle cuff, or more commonly, an extremely extended cuff that falls all the way to the instep to ‘break’ at the top of the instep.  The cuffs on this second style of boot are rather distinct and work just a touch of trompe l’oeil trickery that suggests either an actual removable spatted cuff or an illusory pant-leg that appears to be floating over the boot itself. I am definitely put in mind of the Givenchy ‘Gaiter’ boots from Jitterbugbaby’s (Fall 2008) Paris Runway Roundup post from earlier this year. And, since I have yet to encounter any naming consensus among shoe sites and fashion blog as to a definitive title for this type of boot, I have decided to stick with ‘Spats’ - it has a certain evocative appeal and works for me.

In my case, the first real example of this style that I encountered (outside of old black and white movies) was the now sold-out LAMB ‘Crowther’ which was available last fall.  This was in fact a classic pump with a separate spat attachment. And, while I loved the look and convertibility of the shoe, I could not justify the purchase of this altogether adorable shoe. A year later I am still trying to find reasons that I could wear this and have almost come to turns with the fact that this shoe simply does not work within my personal wardrobe and everyday style. More’s the pity.

If you fancy this particular detachable ‘gaiter’ style, you can also purchase individual ‘Gaiterettes’ from LesFrivolities at Etsy.com. These are spats/gaiters that can easily be added to shoes or ankle boots that you already own. Prices range from $55.00 to $155.00 per handmade pair.

Next is a more casual offering, the LAMB ‘Zeyn Tex’ ($179.95 at Shoebuy.com). While I am not really a fan of this particular boot, it clearly illustrates the idea of the boot incorporating the actual  trouser cuff or pants-leg as an integral part of the boot shaft itself.

What I now present to you is the result of several months of squirreling away these styles one-by-one into their own special favorites folder as I periodically encountered them online.  For your inspection and in no particular order: Spats, spats, and more spats.

Zucca Black Buckle Tall Boots $1422 at Creatures of Comfort

Delman Suede Knee High Boots $595 at Saks.com

Marc Jacobs Nappa Leather Boots in Grey or Black $640$578 at Yoox.com

Botkier ‘Xenia’ $715-$725 at Endless.com and Piperlime.com

Chie Mihara ‘Saigon’ $695$409.99 at Piperlime.com (Size 9/39 only).

Tahskent by Cheyenne ‘Osgood’ $760 at Shopbop.com, on sale for $439.99 at Piperlime.com

Materia Prima by Goffredo Fantini  Style # ‘4M4753′ $484 $228.85 in size 8/38 only.
(This is my size and is right up near the top of my list of most drool-worthy uber-spats.)

Jessica Simpson ‘Mazzey’ Boot $138.00-$140 at Zappos.com, Endless.com, Piperlime.com and Shoemall.com.

London Underground ‘Bit of Romance’ $164.99 at Shoes.com.
Confession time: Whatever the reason, I love this boot truly, madly, deeply.

T.U.K ‘Cara’ $85 $70 at Zappos.com (size 7 only).

Naughty Monkey ‘Belly Up’ $119.95 at Endless.com and $131 at Zappos.com.

These last two ankle boots are also really turning on my positive, feel-good vibes.  I think it has something to do with the split, buttoned cut of the cuff that also conjures to my mind the Alfred Noyes poem ‘The Highwayman’; Such a romantic and dashing image that these boots conjure up in the imagination.

I’m thinking that with the right pair of brown Spats, and a warm wool Kinsale cloak, I might just have the perfect thing to wear during a long, cold winter.  Maybe the key to Spats (at least in my case) is to embrace my anachronistic fashion tendencies and mix some period styles in with my modern wardrobe.

Of course, I still need someone else to guide me on what to wear with the LAMB Zeyn boots. That challenge continues to elude me.

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