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I must say I’m very excited about the news that Manolo Blahnik’s Spring/Summer 08 collection will include some shoes with Marimekko patterns.
While I can’t say I’m much of a fan of Marimekko’s clothing, I think their graphic patterns are great. Fun, fresh, flirty, fantastic. And combine them with Manolo’s shoe designing power… it’s a combo that’s hard to beat.
Manolo Blahnik Crystal and Chain ‘Putzi’ high-heeled sandal, $1050 (yes, one thousand and fifty dollars) at Neiman Marcus, exclusively designed for the retailer’s 100th anniversary. A delicate, dreamy sandal, of course, in shades of black and gray, so very this fall season, with crystal adornments; but also a powerful sandal, whose metallic chains on the vamp straps make a statement, which is, you’d better not mess with this woman! She is here to rock your world!
I’m not even cutting-edge with this one: I think we’re well past the "diamonds are a girl’s best friend" era and well into the "shoes are a woman’s best friend" years. And you know, the mystique of diamonds never held any sort of power on me. Well, sure, I love jewelry in a reasonable, oh-how-pretty way, but I’m not really beholden to it. In a time when top luxury shoes cost probably as much as jewelry, I’d rather show off my shoes then my diamond ring. And if given the choice, I’d definitely take a top-designer brand vs a cheap shoe imitation than a genuine diamond over cheaper jewelry. Too much bling definitely seems too decadent, too much, too ostentatious to me, especially when one piles it on. Shoes–at least you can only wear one pair at the time and they will as surely brand you as a person of taste (and, possibly, means)–or not. Plus, shoes often resemble pieces of jewelry these days.
You don’t need more bling than that when you’ve got these beautiful Manolo Blahnik jacquard slingbacks on your feet.
Why do women like me prefer to show their decadence in footwear rather than bling?
I guess one has to decide on the poison of choice, especially when operating on a limited budget. Standing in beautiful, comfortable, covetable shoes is also extremely empowering. In their most primary function, shoes shield you from the ground you walk on; when that shield takes the form of a work of art, your relationship with the environment seems to take on a new meaning, and you strive to make almost every movement a work of art.
I know I would, shod in those gorgeous, blinding Manolos.
InStyle magazine has published their annual shoe guide for the fall. The magazine tells us what’s shoe styles are hot and shows what clothes to wear with the shoes. For those who subscribe to the magazine, check out pages 207-22 of the August edition for tons of shoe pictures. For the benefit of those that don’t have the magazine (which I highly encourage you to subscribe to) shall we do a brief rundown of the different fall shoe trends? I’ll also do my best to find some visual examples of stars wearing the look too.
Fall Shoe Trend #1: Cap-Toe Heels
This fall we’ll see women’s shoes with cap decorations in patent. They’ll appear on slingbacks, pumps, and mary-janes. InStyle recommends that you use the color of the toe cap to match your clothes.
Examples:
Marc Jacobs Mary Jane Platforms
Fall Shoe Trend #2: Ankle Boots HOT!
The ankle booties will go well with the skinny jeans you bought when you saw them on Kate Moss. Be sure to avoid showing flesh when wearing these boots (i.e. no minis) since the high cut of the shoe can make your legs shorter than they really are. Another way to wear the ankle boot is to pair them with tights which are the same color as the boots, as seen on Gwen Stefani.
Examples:
I really like the four fake buttons on these Franco Sarto Booties, which is currently on sale for $66 during Nordstrom’s Anniversary sale. The buttons give these shoes a victorian vibe.
For a little extra color, why not go for the Steve Madden ankle booties?
These black Christian Louboutin booties are super sexy will go well with many outfits. Good thing too, it’ll help ease the pain of the $750 pricetag.
Fall Shoe Trend #3: Banded Flats
Yup, flats are still in but this time they’re accessoried by a band. The skinnier the pants, the better they will go with the banded flats.
Examples:
I’m currently drolling over these silver Marc Jacob ballerinas. Cute, fun, and ruffly, what’s not to love?
The Palladium Lauren ballet flat is also a cute style and is nicely priced at $37 at Jildor Shoes.
Fall Shoe Trend #4: Tall Cuffed Boots
For me, tall boots are a classic which, with the right material and color, will never go out of style. Wear the boots with skirts but avoid jeans, the cuffs already add extra bulk to the calves.
Example:
This cuffed Just Cavalli zipper boot is easy to slip on and an instant classic for work with the rounded toe.
For a more Bohemian look, consider the Mia Nomad slouchy boot. It has a comfortable 1/2 inch heel, a foldover cuff, and what’s not to like about the stitching and the tassel. It’s available at Amazon for $35 but buy it at Endless for $53 and with their pricematch policy your total price is $33 bucks, plus it ships overnight! While it’s not instant gratification, it sure comes close.
Fall Shoe Trend #5: Oxford Booties HOT!
Shoesense reported on this trend already in a This Week in Shoes update (look for the Wall Street Journal link). The shoes are great for the office since they’re both feminine and masculine and will look nice with skirts.
Example:
Dolce and Gabbana Round Toe Lace Up Bootie at Nordies for $650
Valentino Francesina Bootie at NM for $695
Moschino Bootie at Zappos for $290
Fall Shoe Trend #6: Casual Flat Boot
I’m short (5′3), but if you have long slim legs like Mischa or Sienna, the casual flat boot works well over jeans. Suede and shearling go well for a casual look and metal hardware or chain details on the boot are for dressier styles.
Example:
Gucci Minerva Boot at Saks for $1095.
Frye Slouch at Piperlime for $300.
If you like the Frye Slouch but need something below the $50 price range, try the Naughty Monkey Motor Psyche Boot. It’s $26 at Amazon and shipping is free.
Fall Shoe Trend #8: Black and Gold
Instyle recommends pairing the black and gold evening shoe with a black cocktail dress. They also like the gold trimmed shoes because they enhance the glint on metallic clothes, like this outfit worn by Amanda Bynes.
Example:
Manolo Blahnik Two Tone Patent Pump at NM for $635
Nine West Chardin at their online store for $99
Fall Shoe Trend #8: Satin Evening
According to InStyle magazine, ‘patterned black-tie gowns in a rainbow of colors. Match pinks with browns, plums with blacks, and blues with both’
Example:
For the lady in red, how about these gorgeous Christian Louboutin Satin d-Orsays at NM for $530?
Or take advantage of the platform trend (which oddly isn’t listed in the magazine) with these Marc Jacobs pumps. Do you like the olive-like satin ball?
Fall Shoe Trend #9: Crystal Jewels
Our last Instyle fall shoe trend are the crystal jewelled shoes, which are best worn with the flirty cocktail dress or evening pants.
The Nine West Levant pump ($99) satisfies the satin AND the crystal jewel trend. Gray is usually a boring color, but the jewels give this shoe a little umph.
Or what about these Guiseppe Zanotti silk peep toes($625). Not too shabby right?
Ever wondered what would happen if Manolo Blahnik designed a shoe line for the Army? Here’s your answer - heels with military camouflage prints. You would still look stylish but I doubt you would blend into your surroundings very effectively.
The Manolo Blahnik Bamboo Slides are on sale at Neiman Marcus for $232.
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