The sun is out and the temperatures are finally up here on the East coast.  I couldn’t be more pleased, and I’m celebrating by taking my Pocahontas Louboutins out for their very first day on the town.

As a further celebration of good weather and Friday-ness, I offer up some photos of my very favorite pair of shoes from my Japanese jaunt.

These were on a woman who was touring the Kyoto Imperial Palace on one of its rare open-to-the-public days. I took plenty of pictures of the Palace itself, yes, but I couldn’t stop drooling over these beautiful two-tone gold low-heeled maryjanes.  They managed to look uber stylish and decently comfortable at the same time.  And not only is that something I’m always after, but believe me, compared to some of the shoes the Japanese women were wearing (stay tuned for more pictures coming up in the next few days), these were a fantastically practical choice.

If I spoke enough Japanese, I’d have most definitely asked her where she picked these up and then tried desperately to find myself a pair.  But my Japanese is limited to a few expressions of greeting and farewell.  Plus “excuse me” and some numbers and the ever-popular “Do you speak English?”  I don’t think I could combine any of those to get across my extremely curious shoe envy.

What’s Japanese for “shoes” anyway?  That’s something I probably should have looked up before I went over there.

(Of course, if any of you happen to recognize them by some one-in-a-million chance, DO let me know.)

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Pierre Hardy, a designer whose shoes cost well over the $3-400 mark, is designing a reasonably-priced collection for Gap (Shomore has already talked about it here). I strongly urge you to go take a peek (I keep checking for new styles beside the few they have on, can’t wait to see the rest of the collection).

I have to admit, I’m strongly attracted to these Chloe-esque wooden platforms ($98)–very chic and elegant, and pitched at an angle my heel-sensitive feet could probably take:

I’m also entertaining the illusion that these elegant Mary-Jane nude flats (also $98) could actually elongate my legs if worn with the right skirt:

I’ll probably end up getting a pair, as I know myself–a sucker for good and reasonably-priced design!

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These blue metallic mary janes have me listening to Elvis’s Blue Suede Shoes and tapping my toes. Dance around in style with the Matilda for $26.50 during Sketchers 60% off sale.

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They’re here! Well, they’re here for pre-order at the Te Casan website.

Yes, I’m talking about Natalie Portman’s line of vegan shoes.

The first styles from the new line are up on the site, and you can preorder them to your heart’s content (well, up to the 100 pair per style per size limit, that is).

Personally, I’m not blown away by any of them. They’re a bit on the simple side for my taste, but they are indeed classy and dressy and presumably higher quality than a lot of the other vegan lines out there, which are often made with pretty poor materials just because they happen to not come from animals.

Let’s take a look, shall we.

The Pippa mary jane pump ($325) looks particularly snazzy in this silver.

The Pia ballet flat ($185) is cute with its little strap across the toes.

And… well… those are the only two I particularly liked. The rest just seem a tad too basic, although I recognize that may well be the point: to provide vegan shoe lovers an option for classy, basic, well-made shoes. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

I’ll certainly keep my eyes open to see what future styles come down the pike.

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Here’s another excellent example of a once-fuddy-duddy brand that’s been working on a total style revamp without giving up their comfort.  Think Easy Spirit.  Think Aerosoles.  Think Naturalizer.

They’ve been working to make well-fitting, comfortable women’s shoes since 1927, when women’s suffrage had succeeded and was offering women all kinds of opportunities they didn’t have before.  Including (and I do not mock here) fashion ones.  They had a chance at shoes that weren’t torture devices, and the rising hemlines to show those shoes off.

And Naturalizer has been making shoes with that spirit of fashion and comfort ever since.  The style emphasis has recently gone leaps and bounds forward.

Want proof that this ain’t your mama’s walking shoe company anymore?  Just look at the smart and sassy Ami peep-toe wedge ($75).

Love the button, love the gray, love the sleek silhouette.

The Castell (from the Signature collection) will make you blink and rub your eyes and pinch yourself to make sure you’re really looking at something from a comfort shoe brand.  Sexy and divalicious, no?  Plus, it’s currently on sale for only $40!!

 How about the sexy vintage styled Focus t-strap?  Also on sale for $50 right now, this one’s begging for a spin around the salsa dance floor.

 I’m particularly all about the Marc Jacobs-esque Looloo kitten heel, which you can snap up for only $30 on sale.  The navy patent leather and the cut-outs at the heel are stylish and modern, and I love them.

 Any one of these could show up in a high fashion line, and I wouldn’t think twice about its style belonging there.  Nice going, Naturalizer!  Keep em coming!

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