Did all the excitement of the Met Costume Institute Gala get you psyched up for superheroic feats of derring-do?

Looking forward to all the superhero movies coming out this summer? (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Dark Knight).

Then maybe you should shell out the $675 and snap up a pair of these Marc Jacobs gold metallic booties to dash around town rescuing those in need of help.

Or, for less money ($120) and a more literal interpretation of the superhero, try these Ubiq Batman sneakers. They’ll probably be easier to run in than the Marc Jacobs, too.

Or, if running isn’t really part of your plan (if, say, you’d rather fly or teleport wherever you need to go), you could do it in these YSL star-studded Stella sandals.

Well, you could do it in the black or gold version.

For $595.

Maybe we should all just wish for the superpower of the never-empyting wallet.

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I’m a sucker for a good boot.  And so apparently was one Mrs. Henry Ford who owned these oh-so-stylish sporting boots that date from around 1890.

These were some of the first shoes made specifically to facilitate women’s participation in athletic activity.  They’ve got a good sturdy heel, are plenty adjustable with laces and buckles, and they have scored soles to provide some extra traction.

Mrs. Ford would have been sporting in style, if you ask me.

If you’re interested, by the way, these shoes are for sale for $1,400 at Karen Augusta Antique Lace & Fashion.

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I was browsing the shoe stores these days and was dazed with the possibilities and styles, and it got me thinking: what if I had to rebuild my shoe wardrobe from scratch? What if I had nothing, absolutely nothing to wear, and I would be forced to order shoes from one place and one place only to save me from this disgrace? (In this fantasy of mine, I don’t have shoes but I have plenty of money left to buy whatever I want. Ahem. Work with me here.). So I decided to create this little mind experiment and rebuild my wardrobe from scratch using one shoe store at a time. I need to cover my bases–I need dress shoes, warm-weather shoes, casual shoes, dog-walking shoes, career shoes, evening shoes, sensible shoes. Right? Right.

The first obvious place is, of course, Zappos. Here’s what I would pick up there, for starters, for the spring-summer season:

1. A. Testoni Giancarla red patent loafers, $376.

2. Michael Kors Palm Springs yellow patent flats, $400.  

3. Sigerson Morrison gold kitten-heeled sandals, $443.

4. Sergio Rossi Origami kitten heel pumps, $500.

5. Helle Comfort Ollie wedge, $160.

6. Ecco Performance Yarrah, $104.

7. Marc Jacobs color-block flat sandals, $353.

8. Delman Crest-V bejeweled velvet flat, $354.

9. Kate Spade Juliette open-toe slingbacks, $274.

10. Cole Haan Air Gabi boat shoe, $158.

11. Taryn Rose Daelyn gunmetal metallic wedges, $495.

 12. Christian Lacroix bejeweled kitten heels, $717.

13. Adidas by Stella McCartney sport flats, $100.

14. Tapeet by Vicini silver and gold flats, $400.

15. Dolce & Gabbana floral canvas flats, $330.

16. Juicy Coutoure Lillian espadrilles, $230.

17. Giuseppe Zanotti Mirror Lilia open-toe flats, $454.

18. Paul Green ‘Soul’ in leopard, $237 (although, shame on you, Zappos: the same shoe is half off at Piperlime! I guess it would be a good time to call them on it and get that 10% off the lowest price you can find on the Internet, right?)

19. Paul Smith Laney floral espadrille, $178.

Mmmmm….I’m drunk with shoes right now… I think I’m going to lie down, or I’ll buy all of them right now! Wait, I won’t: the grand total for this “starter” wardrobe is (drum roll): $6263. Over six thousand dollars. I probably went all crazy in the Couture section of Zappos, but I couldn’t help myself!

Later this week I’ll explore more eye-candy at other stores, and what it would take to get a “starter” spring-summer shoe wardrobe there. Stay tuned!

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I love Frida Kahlo as much as the next (wo)man, but I’m not sure that’s what she would have wanted:

That’s right, Converse has released a line of Frida Chuck Taylors, adorned with the iconic images of the late painter, to be sold in Mexico.  So far it appears that the models will not be sold elsewhere (bummer). I do admit, however, that it is rather ironic that a woman of such strong socialist convictions become so intensely commercialized (you can apparently buy Frida tequila, alongside your Chucks, not to mention a variety of other commercial goods sold through the Frida Kahlo corporation). Look for Frida clothing and jewelry soon in a store near you.

(Via Statesman.com.)

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“The fashion world is having another fling with Scottish tartan,” announces The New York Times, and who am I to disagree? After all, who doesn’t want a little Scott in one’s step? The love of tartan seems to grow proportionally with the advance of cold weather, when the image of comfort becomes associated with plaid flannel pajamas, a hot cup of tea, and bunny slippers. But if that’s too homey for you, may I suggest below a few ways for you to romance the plaid, fit for just about any taste and any budget?

Volatile Bitsy Tartan Mary Janes, $25 at Amazon (about $31 at Endless):

Tartan boots with a coquettish heel, £126 at ScotlandShop.net:

Beautiful tartan pumps from Bettye Muller, $216 at Amazon.com:

Sugar “The Fergie” navy tartan pointy-toe flats, $35 at Amazon.com or $39-$5=$34 at Endless with free shipping and return

Barbour Tartan rubber boots, $85 at Orvis (remember that Barbour is a classic brand of English sporting goods, one proudly worn by the Queen herself):

Chinese Laundry “Cryssa” kitten heels, $54 at Amazon.com:

Paul Smith “Princess Mary” Tartan shoes, $249 at Zappos:

Sperry Top-Sider Pelican slip-on, $52 at Zappos:

So please, tartan away, ma lads, tartan away!

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