Shoe blog

Fur Flies This Fall

So, as you may have noticed, fur and leather are huge for this fall. You may currently be wrinkling your nose in disgust or you may be jumping for joy, but that’s what you’ll be seeing on the streets.

J. Mendel NYFW SS'11, via nymag.com

Be they pleather, be they faux, or be they real, these animal looks are intense and can be in-your-face and yet sleek and polished at best. These aren’t your granny’s thrift shop leopard prints or fur stoles. While the fur clothes for this fall and spring are more subtle, like the J. Mendel boleros, the shoes get a little chance to scream, “I’M AN ANIMAL!”

You won’t want to miss: photos of crazy, awesome, weirdo furry shoes to rival a yeti, after the jump!

For spring, what I saw at New York Fashion Week included leather shorts. Also for spring, we’re seeing a lot of cute fur toppers, like the little boleros at J. Mendel that were paired with light, filmy dresses that were almost not there (gasp! the illusion or presence of nudity in fashion?).

J. Mendel NYFW SS’11, via nymag.com

So they’ll carry on into the spring, trend-wise, as will fur vests. I don’t love these trends, but some of them are appealing-looking in that they are both outdoorsy and urban, warm and cozy at the same time that they are polished and slick.

My fave of the current crop touts an icicle heel. AN ICICLE HEEL FOLKS! I feel like shoes have become members of Narnia in the past 10 years, sprouting all kinds of strange appendanges and furs and heels and tassles, but icicle heels, oh my! You’ll look like a yeti, but a fashionable one.

Good ole Karl was photographed filming a new commercial for Chanel with different booties with icicle heels, and has just been making a big splash in general, especially with a celebration of the reopening of the Chanel boutique in Soho on the first day of Fashion Week, so you can bet you’ll see this one on the streets, being worn by loyal devotees.

Chanel Fantasy Fur Boots with Icicle Heel, $1,350.00 at Chanel boutiques

Then there’s the Alexander Wang Polina boot, which we’ve written about before but now that the weather’s back to cold, you’ll want to think about investing in. Frankly, if you’re the kind of woman who would wear something like this, you’re devil-may-care, gawkers-be-damned. So don’t worry if it goes out of “style” — just keep on wearing it, I say!

You’ll feel very exotic, like you’re in Siberia with yaks, but you’ll be paying for it. It’s at every luxury vendor, but if you’re going to get it, I suggest small NYC boutique Oak, both because I love Oak’s selection and chill shopping environment and because Barneys, Bergdorf and Saks have enough money already. This is a platform, thank god.

Alexander Wang Polina boot, $924 at Oaknyc.com

On sale at other fave store Seven is the Kirkwood Goat Hair Ankleboot. This wooly mama will keep you warm in haute style, but don’t trip or step in a puddle! Or go near any goats that want to mate, as they might want to mount your shoe!

Kirkwood Goat Hair Ankleboot, $711.75 at SevenNewYork.com