Acne Sapphire, Yes or No?

I have been AWOL because a friend conned me into working on a couple of  projects with her and it has really been a time vaccum.  So, while she was gone for a few minutes, I took a little time to look at some sites for entertainment.  I found these shoes. These shoes are not new, by any means, but they are unusual.  So here’s the question:  Would you wear these shoes with the two removable rusty nail thingies on them?  

They aren’t unusual without them, but it looks gimick-y with them.  I wonder if that back nail would hook up on things and send me skittering to the floor.  They are $1000 at Farfetch.

Uh Oh… Friend is coming.  I have to look busy.

Finding a balance with Irregular Choice

I have heard that Irregular Choice shoes can be very comfortable. But, I have never felt the urge to test whether this is true based on many of the past designs made by the brand.

After all, it’s with good cause that the extremely funky styles offered by Irregular Choice have more than once made their appearance in ‘Ugly shoe’ blog posts across  the interwebs.  Originality is a fantastic quality, particularly in shoe-land where runway copies run rampant most seasons. But,  there is such a thing as too much going on – and Irregular Choice often seems to let its exuberance and excitement take a front seat to good taste.

With any artistic endeavor – from painting to sculpture to wearable fashion and shoes – it helps if we understand that editing is key. Know when to stop and time to put down the pen, paintbrush, or fabric swatch.

Edit, edit, edit.

Finally, I am finding shoes from Irregular Choice that are benefiting from this basic concept. Someone, somewhere in the Irregular Choice hierarchy is learning how to edit;  the ‘less is more’ theory of design.

Have they lost their originality and funkiness?

No.

Have they perhaps mellowed to become to become accessible to a wider audience?

Well, ‘mellowed’ isn’t the right word.  But, there are currently a number of funky-yet-modern styles being offered by Irregular Choice; styles which, thankfully, lack any of the crafters-gone-wild excesses of past styles offered from this brand.

Let’s take a quick peek so that you can decide for yourselves.

Irregular Choice ‘Spit Spot’  boot $340.95 at Endless.com

I love these. They are still funky, but wearable for seasons to come. I know that I would make excuses to wear them.

Okay, less commentary, I promised you more shoes:

Irregular Choice ‘Aslan’ $295 at Irregular Choice

Irregular Choice  ‘Women’s Wicked’ side-laced boot $194.95 at Endless.com

Irregular Choice ‘Atomic Apple’ $190.95 at Endless.com

Irregular Choice ‘Brooklyn Beauty’ $149.95 at Endless.com

Irregular Choice ‘Pap Papps’ $130.95 at Endless.com

Irregular Choice ‘Flick Flack’ $103.96 at Endless.com & Spat Attack $146 at Irregular Choice

(Two more personal  faves; my obsession with mixing stripes and polka dots is evident here.)

Irregular Choice ‘Crystillina’ $125 at Irregular Choice

Irregular Choice ‘Shimmmmy’ $120.95 at Endless.com

Oh, and for those of you who liked Irregular Choice’s over-the-top tendencies of seasons past?  Never fear,  a trip to the Irregular Choice website still has the plenty of the funkiest styles for the more daring shoenistas:

I’ll admit, most of these last styles are too much for my taste. Although the embroidered bootie is quite a thing and I’d be tempted to get the kitty boots just for wearing at Halloween each year.

Related forum discussion thread located here.

Sanuk: The Tube Flop

Yesterday, we peeked at Skecher’s version of the Fitflop.

Today, we are looking at the legwarmer/sock/sandal/boot hybrid from Sanuk.

May I present the tube flop:

Sanuk ‘Tube Flops’ $29.95 in multiple colors at Zappos.com as well as various surf shops.

Wearing socks and sandals used to be an absolute fashion faux pas; now, it’s a chic statement! Introducing the bold, the bright, the anything-but-boring… The Tube Flop from Sanük™! (via product description @ Zappos.com)

My reaction? A somewhat querulous, “Um, okay?!?”

………… I think these have temporarily stunned me at a deep, biological level – consequently shutting down various essential bodily processes.

Then there’s Hubby’s reaction, “Oh, hell no! If I saw somebody wearing these, words would definitely need to be spoken.”

These are either pure genius or the unholy stepchild of all fashion faux pas -  Possibly both; simultaneously.

And why do I suddenly feel like these could – quite successfully – appear on the next Suicide Girls tour?

My brain hurts now.

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Ad Campaigns for Spring 2010

A ton of money goes into ad campaigns as the fashion industry tries to convince us to purchase their product.  The US fashion industry alone spent $144 billion on advertising last year.   Several lines have released some of their ads for Spring and Summer 2010.   Some are great, some are not. Let’s have a look.

Balenciaga

Cesare Paciotti

Jimmy Choo

I am weary of the pouting, leggy girl, wearing nothing more than lingerie, heels and a come hither look, sitting or laying on a sofa/chair, with soft focus.  Virtually every shoe, handbag, fragrance, lingerie, and cosmetic advertisement features at least three of these components.  Snore.

Alexander McQueen’s ad is visually striking.  It took me a while to find the shoes, then the girl.  It’s a great ad, but the only thing I see is snakes.

Humor in ads almost always attracts me, which is why this Giuseppi Zanotti is one of my favorites.  I can’t decide which is cuter, the boy or the shoe.

If the product is not attractive, such as the Alexander McQueen or Balenciaga shoes, then a striking advertisement will make no difference.  I’m not buying it.  With the Paciotti and Choo shoes, the ad is tiresome, but it does let me get a look at the shoes.  The Zanotti ad is able to feature a shoe and not annoy me.  That boy is SO cute.  It does it’s job.  Which ads work for you, which ones don’t?

Update:  Here’s Chanel’s Spring 2010 which was shot by Karl Lagerfield.

Armadillo Shoes Strike Again

The Data Award is a new awards show that recognizes the world’s best dance dj’s and producers.  The first one was held in Los Angeles last week.  Kelis attended the Data Awards wearing a pair of nude armadillo shoes. They were the best part of the outfit.  I would love to get my hands on a pair of those shoes just to see how they are made.

The hair with it’s spikey crown thing and long tail extension, her makeup and face jewelry, the pink pvc catsuit, complete with sweaty cameltoe, the tuxedo jacket, her date’s space disco costume - I don’t get it. 

The outfit is like Bjork’s swan dress.  Heinous, but it got her photo onto virtually every web site around.  (Including this one.) 

I don’t think this is what Alexander McQueen had in mind for these shoes.