I’ve become some sort of a big fat snob regarding shoe brands. When you spend so much time with shoes or writing about shoes or thinking about shoes as I have, it’s inevitable. But rather than crave the high-end luxury brands everybody and their sister are coveting (Louboutin, Blahnik, Zanotti, the usual suspects), my lust wanders off the beaten path. I crave more obscure, though not necessarily cheap brands (in fact, almost never cheap), partly because for me comfort is the true luxury and a pretty good measure of independence in a woman.

These days I’m in love with these Trippen shoes:

Trippen is a German company using the softest leathers and completely devoted to your walking in comfort AND quirky style. These molded rosette Mary Janes fit the bill and are SO me I’m not sure what’s preventing me from snagging them right now. Oh, I know: it’s the price tag ($288 at Ped Shoes)–less friendly to my wallet than the shoes would be to my feet. However, considering how unique and comfy these shoes are, it’s not so bad.

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Isn’t it nice when a shoe hits most of the major trends of the season in one convenient package? In the case of these J. Crew heels, I count four: brogue, peep-toe, patent, color-blocking. And to tell you the truth, I’m liking it. A lot.

I’m having a hard time picking a favorite–I love all the color combos. So what if the nude one reminds us of the Miu Miu pumps Galligator just blogged about? They’re still delicious. The Penelope pumps are $225 at J. Crew.

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For those of you not aware, Nordstrom is starting its Anniversary Sale - Both in stores and online. Begins today, July 18th.  Pre-fall sale prices will reset to full retail amounts on August 4th.

Just for fun, the pre-sales flyer is available here.

Footwear that catches my fancy?

Stuart Weitzman’s “Bouffant” ankle bootie in gray flannel or black patent, along with a poufy Christmas-like bow over the instep:

Sale price $199.90, down from Fall list price of $320.

I’m really loving the gray flannel. It’s 98 Degrees outside & I’m planning for winter already. Oh Dear!

Or, how about a spectator Maryjane with an animal impact?

Try this Kate Spade “Hana” pump in red patent and leopard-printed haircalf. Meow! :

Sale priced at $299.90 with a Fall list price of $478.00.

So, go ahead,  take a look online or after work; there are plenty of  other Fall styles on sale to fit a variety of tastes.

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After packing last night for a weekend of beachy fun, I’m currently sitting here thinking recently about a phenomenon I’ve observed in myself for quite a while.

I feel pretty safe in asserting that anyone reading this blog has has a multitude of moments of coveting a shoe.

The one I’m currently coveting the most?  It’s the pewter Palladium Key Largo gladiator sandal that Shoesense posted about back here (don’t rush to buy them, though, they’re pretty much universally sold out by now).

But that’s not what I’m talking about here.  What I mean is just what the title says; I covet an entire category of shoes.  Yes, it’s true.  I covet those sporty slip-on “casual athletic” shoes that so many companies offer these days for women on the go.

There’s no rhyme or reason to this covetousness.  It’s not a type of shoe I actually wear all that often, and I’ve got two excellent and much-loved pairs of them: my Puma Mostros (mine are actually teal and brown, but they’re several seasons old, and you can find this shoe in just about any funky color combo you could dream of)

and my Tsubo Pingers, which I simply adore, and rarely leave my feet in the summertime.

 Now, like I said, I’m not really a big wearer of this kind of shoe (a bit more girly and funky with my style and less athletic), but every time I see a new offering in this category, I fall for it.  Something about how cute and comfy they all look.  Like I could walk around in them for hours without feeling a twinge.

The newest one to spark my covetous nature is the Teva Makayla.

How cute and fun is that shoe, I ask you?  Asymmetrical and flirty in a no-nonsense kind of way that I love.  I’m even more smitten by the red version.

Cole Haan always has a few of these, with a slightly girlier, more refined look that I think was designed to worm through all the non-purchasing willpower armor I have.  The one I love every season is the Bria, which comes in several variations.  It’s the Bria Ballet that makes me swoon, and in this season’s “vintage silver” color and stitched pattern… well, I’m having to restrain my purchasing fingers from running away with my mouse on me.

And the multi-metallic mary-jane version?  Oh, save me from the gods of impulse shopping!

I have to go.  I will be off, and thank my lucky stars that I didn’t sit here at the computer one minute longer, staring and lusting over shoes I surely don’t need, but want desperately nonetheless.

Happy weekending, Shoeblog readers.

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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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