I have a sinking feeling about the shoes of this season, at least as far as posting about them goes.  Because here’s the second week running where a number of the interesting shoes don’t seem to be available on Bluefly anymore.

Take Suede’s fantabulous dress, which rocked the runway and deserved its win (well… wait till I get to the Jerell dress).  Its shoes were similar, but not identical to, these Dolce & Gabbana red satin numbers.

The idea of buying that dress from Bluefly is seriously tempting me.  I love it.

Apparently using the same shoe in black was Korto, whose dress wasn’t as terrible as all that, in my mind.  Not great, but at least tailored and structured and classy looking (unlike Wesley’s mangled mini and Leanne’s overly elaborate number that looked like the secret love child outfit of Peter Pan and a flight attendant).

And, oh look!  Terri used the same ones, too, but in what looks like a navy patent leather.  But the closest that seems to be available is this Modern Vintage Karina sandal.

Here’s another triple play shoe of this episode, used by Daniel, Joe, and Wesley respectively.

But does it appear on Bluefly?  Doesn’t look that way, because the closest comparable I can offer you is the Kenneth Cole Paper Back, which ain’t too close at all.

There were a couple pairs of shiny silver shoes, too.  This closed-toe maryjane from Stella, and this (cuter) sandal with the (cuter) outfit last week’s winner, Kelli, designed.

But, again, the closest Bluefly has to offer is this Dolce & Gabbana strappy sandal.

So, with a final note of trepidation and a hope that this “mystery shoe” situation will soon remedy itself, I will leave you with the outfit that I was the most head over heels in love with.  Jerell’s.

Oh, how this outfit deserved more love from the judges.  Peacock feathers for earrings and trim.  Perfectly matching bracelets.  Look at that collar!  This is young and sophisticated and fresh, and I love love love it.  Sure Suede’s deserved the win (look at how much work he put into that thing, and how beautifully it turned out), but this was the dress I wanted to walk off that runway with.

Of course, shoe-wise, even these seemingly basic black patent mj’s don’t seem to be on Bluefly, because the closest I could find was this pair of Dolce Vita suede and patent Brighton heels.

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You may have seen this on the nets or various morning shoes, pardon me, shows:

I’m not talking about the adorable baby, of course not. I’m talking about the high heels she’s wearing. This bears repeating: The. High. Heels. For. Infants.

You can find all about the “Heelarious” on their website, including the six different styles (hot pink, leopard-print, zebra-print, you get the idea). Sure, the heels are “fake”–they’re collapsible–but one question does come to mind: Why? Does it benefit the child or the adult who will laugh at the child’s expense? Do these “heelarious” shoes HAVE to come in the most non-infant colors and patterns imaginable? And why does a bed-ridden infant need such shoes to begin with? Ooops, I guess I had a few more questions.

Personally, I’m a little, oh, I don’t know. Repulsed? Saddened? Nauseated? If I had a baby daughter, this is NOT what I would have her wear, for the sake of a few amused stares from strangers. High heels usually send the “I’m sexy, look at me” kind of message. Is that really the message we want our toddlers to send? Brrrrrrr!!!!!

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Twenty designers have agreed to re-create Dorothy’s  ruby slips to commemorate the 70th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” next year. The shoes will be auctioned in the Fall of 2009 and the proceeds will benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. From the New York Times, here are some of the sketches:

One of Betsey Johnson’s sketches.

A Jimmy Choo sketch.

Also according to the NYT,  “The Wizard of Oz” is Betsey Johnson’s favorite movie for fashion inspiration: “She once designed a collection that included the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy (played by her daughter, Lulu) leading a rented Toto for the occasion.”

Until they’re auctioned, the shoes will be featured at Saks Fifth Avenue and in Bryant Park in New York during the September fashion shows, and at Art Basel Miami Beach in December and elsewhere next year. Watch out for big names  like Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, and Manolo Blahnik.

Personally, I hope they don’t forget those endearing white socklets she was wearing with the slippers in the movie. Without them, the shoes just don’t look right (i.e., Dorothy-ready)!

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Much like Shoesense, I am sometimes baffled by the exhorbitant prices charged for designer shoes.  Innovative design may count for something, and quality of materials, sure.  But there’s a ceiling.  Or there should be.  And then there are the shoes that break that ceiling with the giant numbers following those currency symbols.

New example?

The Zoe, designed by Christian Werner, a German industrial designer.

Yes, this shoe is handmade.  Yes, it is made of high grade aluminum.  Yes, it is light and airy and a design that (if not really brand new) shows a good deal of innovation and creativity.

But when it’s on, it looks a bit like stripper wear.

And it costs $3,940!

Consider me baffled.

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OK, I’m pretty sure this is not an officially recognized malady.

Luckily for me, the American psychiatric community considers my particular level of obsession within normal bounds for an individual hobby. It’s not harming my marriage or other relationships. It has opened the stage for more than casual teasing when another shoe box arrives on the porch though.

So, it was that feeling of ‘Coming Home’ when I found Shoeblog.com a little more than a year ago - a growing community of folks like me who loved the whole shoe experience.

My personal cycle:

Window shopping - Real World or Online….Stalking a perfect pair….Finding the style in your size….Hunting for it at a bargain & stalking the sales….Ordering….Waiting patiently for the UPS truck to deliver a small brown package….Trying it on for a test run….SUCCESS.

The cycle repeats, occasionally with less success with the anticlimactic return outcome. But it really is the hunt that is a large part of the enjoyment for this gal.

It’s not quite big-game hunting on the Serengeti, but it works for me.

So, when I was recently offered the opportunity to contribute to the Blog portion of this site, it took little persuasion to convince me to give this a go.

Since online sales and bargain hunting are one of my key strengths, expect to see entries from me along the lines of the “Spot the Shoe on Sale “category, among any other tidbits that bubble out of my head.

And if you’re a little bit like me and covet a touch of “Couture Glam” in your shoe collection, Bluefly has this jewelled Miu Miu slide in stock today at about 20% of retail for $440. Just for one lucky Size 10 out there in Shoeland.

Looking forward to a fun time here with you all.

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