While window shopping over at Zappos recently, I was reminded of the rather lackluster footwear choices seen at this years Met Costume Institute Gala. So, while still fresh in my mind, here are some suggestions for footwear that is truly worthy of adorning your own inner super-hero, especially if there is any truth to the whole idea of superhero fashion trends for Fall 2008.

At the top of my list, D-squared2 is simply too perfect with this lightning-bolt heel:

Recently worn by Rihanna, the “Flash 2″ by Dsquared2 are $669 at Zappos.com; It’s the perfect way to indulge your Super side.

If you prefer a more budget-conscious and kitschy option for showing off your Super-hero girl-power, there’s always the campy “Liberty” Go-Go boots offered by Ellie shoes:

Available through Amazon Marketplace shops starting at $42.00.

Now, where do I find a Lasso of Truth?

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Hello Shoe Lovers –

Let me introduce the new kid on the block: Me. You can call me twinkletoes. I am a California transplant to the great shoe-tropolis: Manhattan. My new life has required that I make the transition from my all-stilettos-all-the-time, car-happy past to the these-boots-are-made-for-walking, train-based system of my new home. The mental switch from form over function to a melding of the two has been a tough one for me. My hankering for high heels and my predilection for platforms is not going away easily. However, I’ve come a long way, and my podiatrist thanks me for it. Who knew New York could actually be beneficial to health?

In light of this, I am going to share with you my ideal New York walking shoes. They have all three C’s: cute, classy, and comfortable. They are even completely affordable! If you will direct your peepers below:

Just kidding. I mean I LOVE these, but comfortable they are not. Try walking 20 blocks in these babies. And at $490, these Miu Miu Open-Back Suede Sandals, available on Net-a-Porter will make a pretty big hole in your wallet.

Here are my real New York trekkers:

Et voila! the Matisse Sable. These kitten-heeled honeys have been my tried and true companions for the last two years. Here’s the odd thing: they are almost always available. I have purchased three pairs at different points in time and have never had trouble finding them. Not only that, they come in several different colors (shown here in Ivory). At Zappos.com, they are an affordable $100, with four color options. I’ll tell you a secret though: these puppies are all over the internet and the price varies considerably. I paid $100 for the first pair and about $75 for the last two. The price depends on where you get them and the timeliness of your search. Incredibly comfortable and versatile, they have taken me up and down Broadway time and time again. If the Miu Miu sandals are the alluring bad boy, these are the guy you take home to meet Mom and Dad.

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Project Runway 5.2 is tonight. (Season 5, Episode 2 for the non-PR junkie).

Reading Jitterbugbaby’s Project Runway 5.1, those Dior python shoes looked vaguely familiar to this small-town girl.

Dior Anniversary Python in Green:

(Discounted 40% to $834 off from Bluefly)

Maybe it was the glammed-up L.A.M.B. “Georgina”?

(Available in Grey, White, or Camel from Endless.com, Shoes.com, Zappos and retailing at just shy of $400; It is currently on various sales at Heels.com/$349.99, Shopbop/$197.50, and DJPremium/$266)

No, it was the Guess “Karavi” slingback:

(They are available in black, white, tangerine, pink, green, or espresso at Zappos/$114, Shoes.com/$110, Endless/$109.95, & Heels.com/$108.99 . However, you can steal these for $59.99 at Smartbargains.com).

And there you go. There truly is a shoe for all budgets.

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It seems that I was telepathically hooked into Shoesense’s vibe yesterday. While she was posting about wedges and lamenting that they may be on the way out, I was at my local Macy’s drooling over this shoe on the clearance racks. In fact, I severely fractured my shopping ban grabbing these funky babies:

The Zinc “Cassidy” slingback.  Love, love, loving that tattoo “flash” that wraps around the wedge all combined with that soft suede upper. I am almost tempted to keep these as a display; I can’t stop staring at them.

As far as I could discover, there are only two actual ’Cassidys’  available for purchase online: A Size 7.5 in Red at Endless.com for $88.95 and a Size 6 in Blue at Zappos.com for $93.00.

On a positive note for wedge lovers, Zinc doesn’t appear to be abandoning the wedge style anytime soon.  While I was still haunting the local shoe department, I saw that they have now released the “Cassidy Too” which is based on the above  style. This time, its edge comes not from tattoo art, but from a bold pop-art graffiti style.

Have a look:

Available in a variety of colors from Heels.com ($84.99),  Endless.com ($88.95), Shoes.com ($90.00), and  Zappos.com   ($93.00). 

These are for the person who likes their feet to do the talking.

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I loved the Miu Miu “Pop” brogues that came out last fall. With subtle color-block styling, including topstitching and wingtip styling, it was a wonderfully feminine version of a classic menswear shoe. (See Manolo’s take here):

There are a few isolated sizes & styles available at Net-a-porter and Bluefly- but Bluefly is already selling out some styles even as I am writing this, so these will not be around for long, even at discounted prices that are still around $500.

These were apparently too original to stay original.   I am in true awe at the sheer mass of imitations that have spawned from these fun and elegant originals. 

Be warned, some are quite cute, but others border on a level of “What were they thinking?” that leaves me shaking my head in confusion.

So, in no particular order:

Contestant #1 -  Guess by Marciano “Yerex” $125 at Shoes.com & $129 at Zappos.com (Not too extreme, and I kind of like the slender heel):

Contestant #2 -  Two Lips  “Cotton Club” $79 at Shoes.com and Zappos.com (Not sure I’m really ‘feeling’ the antiqued/brushed metal finish.):

Contestant #3 -  Hale Bob “Imagine” $87.47 - $124.95 at Endless.com, Heels.com & Shoes.com. (I’m okay with the metallic color balance, but the red is just too much for me.)

Contestant #4 - Dollhouse with the “Warhole” and “Rembrandt” styles $69.99 at Heels.com for either style. (Honestly, I do like the blue combo as it has enough differences to make it a nice variation on the original idea.)

Contestant #5 - Bamboo ‘Hanete01′ $34.99 at Cutesyshoes  (I can’t ever see myself wearing this cotton-candy color combo.):

And, no,  I have not forgotten Steve Madden, master style imitator; He has an honorable mention for the “Specs” which have apparently sold out at most online retailers.

So, how do we feel about these?

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