As the onslaught of fashion shows continue, it wasn’t just my eyebrows which were raised when I saw how tall the shoe platforms were. Here’s a quick look-see.

The Japanese inspired spring collection over at Basso & Brooke brought an array of colorful prints, the highest of the platforms I’ve seen thus far for spring 2009, and obi belts that I’m dying to own. As if to signify that the heels were as tall as trees, birds and flowers were nesting on the heel.

Gucci’s spring ‘09 collection bought forth buckles, metallic trimming, and bold colors on top of platform heels.

Marni Spring 2009 shoes featured interesting striped knee high socks an array of colorful platform shoes.

D&G Spring 2009 got patriotic in red, white, and blue nautical theme clunky platform wedges.

Bottega Veneta incorporated their classic weave pattern into the platform wedge and heels. Compared to other runways, the platforms looks downright walkable.

And finally, Burberry Prorsum picked up the platform trend in autumn colors and ice-pick like heels.

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Now that the Video Music Awards are over, let’s look at some shoe highlights.

First up, Britney Spears was the apparent darling of the evening; winning 3 awards as well as the approval of fashion critics with this sensational Versace gown and perfectly matching strappy heels. If anyone knows who made these lovely shoes, please let us know.

Jordan Sparks accessorized her flirty Betsey Johnson dress with black Sergio Rossi sandals. ($695 Net-a-porter.com)

I love Miley Cyrus’ whole look. This cute cocktail dress is perfectly matched by what appears to be the Michael Kors ‘Berkley’ gladiator sandal ($128.95 Nordstrom.com).

And what Red Carpet would be complete without a classic pair of Christian Louboutin Stilettos, worn here by Ciara? At a guess, these look to be at least a 120mm heel height. You can come very close to this look with the 110mm Decollette ($575 Net-a-porter.com).

These Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Platforms ($995 Saks.com) worn by Lindsay Lohan are fantastic. Unfortunately they may not be enough to save her in this strangely puckered dress.

I’m not really a fan of Heidi Montag’s off-the-shoulder shift-dress. However, these ankle boots look suspiciously like the Gucci Fall-Winter 2008 Babouska Studded Ankle Boots. A woven version is available online ($1195 Saks.com in black; $1295 pre-order in gold leather at Neimanmarcus.com)

Finally, I don’t hate Tara Conner’s black and white outfit, but it seems almost too conservative for the VMA. However, these Chloe Peep-toe Leather Shoe Boots ($387 Clearance at Net-a-Porter) are one fantastic and trendy set of kicks.

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Stella, I’m sorry to see you go.  You brought some attitude and edge to Project Runway along with a New York accent that won’t quit.

And honestly, I didn’t hate your outfit this week.  OK, so the tailoring wasn’t good, and the vest didn’t come out real sharp, and after being in the bottom two a few times, I get why they sent you home.

But your look was much more creative and cohesive than some of the others.  And it was indeed staying true to your own design vision and making it work for a 1940s internationally-traveling spy by way of Diane von Furstenberg.  Plus, you used those same bronze ankle booties that you’ve used for just about every challenge (see the Olympic challenge outfit for a good view).

I like those booties.  A lot.  And I can never seem to find them on Bluefly, though these Nanette Lepore Bewitching booties in gold come pretty close.

My much-beloved Leanne won her second challenge in a row (immunity be damned!) with this beautiful and beautifully-tailored gown and fun little jacket.

Who knows what shoes she has under there, though.

But, much as I like these two pieces, I don’t think they work well together at all.  And in addition, neither of them (the dress especially) seems particularly Diane von Furstenberg to me.

For that, you’d have to go to Korto’s dress-and-jacket pair.  Both pieces seem to work with each other and individually as DVF styles.  The patent leather peep-toes could be many shoes, but I’ll point to these Prada ones, which are sleek and chic.

Blayne went with a knickerlicious pant and top, much like his Lipstick Jungle outfit, and while I don’t love it (except that jacket, which I covet), I also weirdly don’t hate it.  Do you think he gets extra credit for using shoes by Michael Kors (the Bradford pump)?

Terri gave us this week’s pant-and-jacket combo (and how frightening that she herself can fit into the same size pants as her model) and this week’s wearing of the Patron Shoe of Project Runway 5.8 (yes, I’m coming straight out and declaring it officially): the Gucci Eva wingtip (though this could be the maryjane, too… can’t quite tell).

My boy Jerell went with some nondescript t-straps.  Joe looks like he used a shoe with a Chinese-inspired knot to add one more over-the-top-Shanghai element to his already-over-the-top-Shanghai outfit.  Suede could have buried any sort of wackadoodle shoe under his sack of a dress.

But the best shoes by far this week were with Kenley’s dress.  Look how cute those little floral sandals are.  I mean, the girl may drive me nuts with her whining and her vocal tone, but she does make a damn good dress, and she does pick some damn good shoes to go with it.  Sadly, though they seem Nanette Lepore-ish with the girly chic thing going on, I don’t seem to see them on Bluefly.

Ah well.  Better shoe-finding luck next time, I suppose.

[ETA: Sorry, dear readers.  This post seems to have been partially eaten at some point during the day.  It’s back up now.]

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Hello again, Shoeblog readers.  The silence on the jitterbugbaby front has come to an end.  I’ve been away from the computer (or high-speed internet at all… horrors!), but now I’m back.  And though one of the Project Runway episodes (7) I missed involved shoes that were rather more specialized than Bluefly has to offer—I don’t see a category on their website for drag queen shoes—this past week’s offered plenty to drool over in the clothing and shoes front.

I shall start with my two faves, which were, not surprisingly, Leanne and Jerell.

Jerell’s futuristic space-age outfit was drama-rama, but in a way that I love.  And it was quite well paired with the Charles Nolan Tara boots that we’ve seen before.

And Leanne’s outfit (a deserved winner, if you ask me) went just perfectly with these Theory peep-toe booties.

Our good old Gucci Eva wingtips got a trip down the catwalk with Kenley’s vintage-inspired outfit (though, by god, she was whiny about having to switch models).

And Korto’s seatbelt swingcoat made good-if-basic use of the Stuart Weitzman Expumps that showed up on Keith’s Brooke Shields Lipstick Jungle dress.

Suede made yet another variation on his go-to shape.  So, as far as I’m concerned, he needs to do two things: 1. Stop making drop-waisted dresses with poufy skirts and 2. Stop referring to himself in the third person.  Sorry… three things.  3.  Stop using the word “wackadoodle.”However, this dress is cute (as are most of his designs) and the Stuart Weitzman Navigator boots are a perfect (and, dare I say it? comfy) footwear choice.

Good shoe choices this week, designers.  And good outfits, too, which might be more important in their eyes, but we know what we love around these parts.

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So, the challenge was to design an outfit for the female athletes from the USA to wear for the opening ceremonies of the summer Olympics.  Cool challenge, right?  Olympics start this week.  We’ll get to see what Ralph Lauren cooked up for the actual ceremony tomorrow night.

And I have to say (with a few exceptions), thank god those women don’t have to wear what was proposed for them on tv last night!

Seriously, can you imagine hundreds of athletic, muscular, strong women coming out into the international scene in this?  I know I’ve loved on Jerell before, but this is just flat out hideous.  And misses the challenge by a mile!  The Charles by Charles David Skip shoes are pretty adorable, though (and on sale for only $60!)

Or, what about Daniel’s cocktail dress?  It’s the Olympics, for chrissake!  As Michael Kors said, a woman wearing this would have to be coming from the Republic of Cocktail Land.  Though, the Stuart Weitzman Spring Fling platforms are kind of cute, in a basic summery way.

Keith’s outfit wasn’t a total travesty, but has nothing to do with an athlete’s body and isn’t particularly American, apart from the color scheme (which misses the mark, too, in my book).  He did use the Gucci Eva oxfords, which I suspect are going to end up as the Patron Shoe of Project Runway 5.

As far as the good, there were really only two that I thought deserved a win.  And neither of them won.  One was Joe’s skort outfit, which says USA in a cute and athletic way, without relying on one particular era or style other than… well… sporty.  Plus, I ADORE his zipper color combining (in case you missed it, he bought red zippers and blue zippers and mixed them so each zip had one red side and one blue).  Couldn’t find his exact shoes, but the Stuart Weitzman Linda isn’t too far off.

And finally, much like last week, I thought Leanne deserved much higher kudos for her effort. Because this is sporty and flattering as well as representing a nice, clean vision of USA sportswear.  Fashion and athleticism (and patriotism, too) at once.  The shoes are adorable, too, and though I couldn’t find these exact ankle strap sandals, this Giuseppe Zanotti red and white slingback would do in a pinch.

One note, though.  I know this was a runway show and all, but there are plenty of cute shoes on Bluefly that (if they were available to the designers) would have been much more appropriate sporty footwear choices.  To wit, the Kate Spade Hayley ($32!!) in either red canvas or the oh-so-American denim

or the Stuart Weitzman Freshy (what an adorable name).

We’ll see how the real thing stacks up tomorrow night.

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