I love that women’s oxfords have been in fashion for the last few seasons. Something about the laces and stitched leather that combine to make a nearly irresistible package that I just can’t wait to try on.

So, when I drove the three hours to the nearest Nordstrom in May during the Half-yearly sale, this shoe, of course, was not included in the sale, became my new obsession:

BCBGirls ‘Corona’.

Available in: Icy Foam/Black, Summer Brown/Canvas, and Black/Black Snake (not pictured). Retailing for $109.95-$112.99 at Nordstrom.com and Heels.com; it is currently $66.45 at Shoebuy.com.

I was specifically attracted to the spectator color styling; my favorite being the ‘Icy Foam’ grey and black combination. This is a lovely alternative to the more traditional black and white spectators and is a great summer alternative to similar closed-toe styles. Unfortunately, this particular color combination is only available in Nordstrom stores and is not available at the Nordstrom online shopping site.  This is a  real obstacle when it is three hours and one gas tank to the nearest brick and mortar location.

So, my online hunt was on.

I actually found a similar shoe by Guess:

The ‘Doozi’.

Available in: Espresso/Ivory or Black at Endless.com ($119.95), Shoes.com ($120), and Zappos.com ($124).

With two mass-retailed brands bringing out such similar styles, should I have been suspicious?

Does it live up to the reputation of Uber-sexy classic styling? Christian Louboutin’s ‘Sometimes’ starting at $860. Already sold out at Net-a-porter, it may still be available in-store at Saks, Louboutin boutiques, and other high-end retailers..

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I know I’ve written about gladiators before, trying to find a pair that was both good looking and relatively inexpensive, because, let’s face, my shoe budget is not on the level of Gwyneth Paltrow or Lindsay Lohan or numerous other stars who’ve been spotted around town in these Giuseppe Zanotti stunners (about $650 at Zappos):

No, I’m more on a Nine West budget here (especially with some recent fashion expenses that I shall leave nameless for now).  Speaking of Nine West! It seems that they have made my perfect gladiator sandal and then they promptly got sold out of it:

Seriously, I can’t find this multicolor version of the Nine West “Jobilyn” for the life of me–although I can find it in about 12 other color combos, most of which are on sale for a little over $50 at Endless. Oh! Le sigh.

But then, the gladiator-shod gods smiled down at me as they made me discover this:

Palladium “Key Largo” sandal, rich in buckles and studs and overall gladiator-y goodness. I can’t decide between the pewter version or the orange version–they’re both very appealing, I must say! And only about $80 at Shoes.com or Endless (shipping included):

I’ll probably go with metallic (metallic is the new neutral, remember?), as I can probably accessorize it better. But I still love the orange! Bonus points: Palladium is a brand known for comfort, and I can already see that, unlike its cousins with ultra-thin, slippery soles, this “Key Largo is seriously padded. Score!

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Here’s leggy goddess Giselle Bundchen trottying about Manhattan in a pair of comfy strappy silvery sandals:

…which sandals, upon further inspection, turn out to be these Tapeet by Vicini numbers, $379 at Zappos:

A chic and comfy choice worthy of a supermodel, for sure!

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Waaay back in February, Rhianna, Camilla Belle, Ali Larter, and Debra Messing were all seen in Gucci’s Sevigny shoe (the shoe was named after the actress Chloe Sevigny).   For me, it’s hard to pick which actress wore the shoes best since I admire all four for being able to pull off the thick ankle strap which tends to shorten the legs.

The Gucci Sevigny is available at Neiman Marcus for $695.

Zappos carries a strikingly similar style by Nine West called the Olavera for $93.

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Not Shoeblog, that’s for sure–and hopefully, not you, dear readers and shoe-lovers. We know you crave a happy, well-adjusted, and well-fitted shoe, appropriate for all your spring needs; we know you don’t want to be either dowdy or so sweet they could send you into a diabetic comma. So here, let’s contemplate a few of the season’s offerings in terms of the floral trend. We’re looking for, say, a sweet-and-sour with a side of hot-and-spicy (as opposed to sweet-on-sweet with a side of bland). Let’s see!

These Maloles “Perry” slingback flats, in a tiny floral print, feature the classic ruched-toe we’ve come to expect from Maloles, and a chunky black ribbon to balance the sweetness with a dark side ($318 at Zappos, or $295 at Plaza Too+S&H).

The saccharine overtones of the antique floral pattern of this “retrofitted flat” is tempered by the cord piping and rope laces with leather tassels ($78 at Anthropologie):

And also at Anthropologie, and also in the non-bank-breaking  bracket, are these  cute ankle-strap flats, with a dark, stormy edge ($68):

These “Tarantella” wedges limit the floral pattern to discreet patches on the vamp and heel, and tops it all with a dark bow ($98 at Anthropologie):

Although I can’t recommend a 4-inch heel to anyone, I still love the pattern on these Pink heels ($78 at Anthropologie):

When it comes to floral shoes with an edge, however, I think these take the cake:

Paul Smith floral oxfords, oh my! $574 at Zappos.

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