So I have been idly watching Carey Mulligan, the  twenty five year old British actress, because she seems to have a great sense of style. (Her stylist is Tiina Laakkonen who has a good artistic eye.)  She seems to like Prada and Lanvin, but has been seen wearing other designers too.   I went back a few months to show you what she has been wearing.  She is a tiny, tiny girl, so she has to watch that her clothes don’t overpower her.  I think she has done that.

August 2009.  At the September Issue Premier in New York wearing watercolor floral  Thakoon dress and  Prada (I think) shoes.

October 2009 wearing a gladiator-ish studded dress from the  Prada Fall 2009  with Prada sandals.  I love the red lips. 

August 2010. At the MOCA 30th Anniversary Gala wearing Prada from the Spring 2010 line,  shoes fron the same collection.  These shoes have that clear Lucite heel. This is probably the most amazing skirt around. 

February 2010 at the BAFTAs  in Vionnet dress, YSL shoes.  This is the second Vionnet dress Carey has worn.  She wore a gorgeous red dress  and nude Vionnet pumps on October 2009 for the premier of An Education in London.  Galligator told us abut this design house a few months ago. 

Apparently Anna Wintour has taken a liking to Carey.  The story Carey tells is that,  ”Anna said I should wear short for the Oscars. I was like, ‘No that is so not what I had in my head when I was six years old!’

For the Oscars, she went long, even with a train. (I guess not everyone does what Ms. Wintour says.)  She wore a Prada dress with Prada sandals.   The dress got mixed reviews.  I think she looked great. 

This is what she wears on her day off.  This photo was taken the day after the Oscars.  Trapeze smock, brown jersey pants and black ballet shoes.  Just the right outfit for Los Angeles.

 It will be fun to what she and Tiina decide for the Costume Institute Gala and Cannes.  It will undoubtably be beautiful.

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There has been an on-going issue about models and their weight and curves.  Runway models have been notoriously thin with absolutely no curves, while the curvier models are banned from runways, Prada’s included.  Incidentally, the age of these models have become younger – because a 14 year old can stay curve-less easier than a 21 year old can.  Anyways, this year Prada used older (21-ish) models this year with a line that celebrated the curves of women.  I for one, am glad to see this happen, however I doubt it is a permanent mind-set. 

  The fabric prints remind me of the fabrics my grandmother used in the late 1940s and 1950s.  There were a couple of dresses that I would LOVE to have in my closet.

How much fun is this dress?

Notice these dresses are made for women who have breastesses.

The shoes did not follow a single trend, but had several silhouettes.  Pointy toe stilettoes, reminiscent of 2000. Chunky heels square toed. Strappy sandals. Not a boot in sight. Not an extreme platform in sight (remember the models falling off their Prada platforms last year). All in wonderful colors, all worn with tweedy stockings.   Let’s have a look.

The following is a nice evening, party shoe.

I realize runway is not real life, so the thick stocking thing doesn’t bother me all that much, but I like the shoes without the stockings so much more.  So elegant.

Ms. Prada knows what she is doing.  I bet in September, 10 of the 18 shows will target women rather than girls.   These dresses are wonderful.  The shoes are wonderful.

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We all love neutral shoes. Black, brown, tan, white…after all, these basics pretty much match everything in your closet.

But, do the true neutrals (notice I am not including red here), really need to fade into the background?  Chanel, with their contrasting cap toes and color-blocked shoes obviously doesn’t believe this is the case. They understand that understated colors are made fabulous by their details. And it looks like other shoe designers are getting in on the action with some show-stopping neutral-toned shoes of their own.

So far, these are my favorites so far for 2010; Neutral in color , perhaps, but not in style or attitude:

Maison Martin Margiela two-tone leather sandals $695 at Net-a-porter.com

Tabitha Simmons Bunty suede wedge pumps $1210 at Net-a-porter.com

Max Kibardian Dragonfly T-strap sandals $650 at Saks.com

Jimmy Choo Embellished ankle wrap sandals $1395 at Saks.com

Alexander McQueen cutout leather ankle boots $995 at Saks.com & Net-a-porter.com

Prada Multi-strap pumps $850 at Saks.com

I love each and every pair of these. They all have such individual personality and character – or is that too much meaning to invest into a simple shoe?

Nonetheless, swoon-worthy they remain, so there.

So, how do you feel about neutrals stepping into the role of statement shoe? Because these are so-called neutral shoes that will not allow you to stand in the background acting as a wallflower.

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I know, I know.  Most of the men-folk who would actually benefit from a not-so-subtle guide to Valentine’s Day gifts for their shoe-loving sweeties are likely preoccupied by today’s big game. And yes, I know many women will be watching, too (the Superbowl, for those truly unaware few out there today).

But, I am making the effort nonetheless. Call it a public service. If the half-time ads are particularly unimpressive, at least you’ll have today’s online shoe-break covered. And, if you can get your sweetie to take a peek and perhaps start thinking shoes rather than roses and chocolate, I call that situation a shoe-diva win.

Luckily, the staff over at YOOX have gone out of their way to find every red, pink, purple, or heart-themed shoe currently offered at the site.

The majority of these, whether the subtle, heart-shaped peep-toe, or the not-so-subtle heart appliques, come to us from the creative mind of Marc Jacobs. However, please notice that both Gucci & Prada have at least one entry into this whole ‘Heart and Sole’ fantasy.

Is a statement shoe announcing “Happy Valentine’s Day” to the world with every flashy step the shoe for you?

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We saw lots and lots of sandals & shoes with multiple straps and cutouts on the 2006 runways. 

Alexander McQueen was criticized for being too mainstream with this collection.  Notice the curved heel still being used, notice also the multiple straps that criss cross the model’s foot is used extensively today.  

Can anyone say gladiator? 

Platforms and more platforms were shown.  I am showing Prada’s because they were the most interesting.  Ralph Lauren had some wedges that were just too heinous to include. 

Prada also showed us lace up, peeptoe boots. 

Dior showed us the shape of many booties to come.  Add an half-inch hidden platform and you have half the ankle boots listed in Zappos and almost all of Alexa Chung’s shoe wardrobe.  

As an aside.  Mark Fast was critisized about using plus size models on his Spring Runway in 2010.  What many forgot was that John Galliano used all sorts of sizes, all sorts of ages, all sorts of everything in his Spring 2006 RTW Show. 

 Here is the first I have seen one of my favorite style.  Several designers have taken this silhouette and tweaked with it, but leave it to Galliano to start it.

I think what happens is when an innovative shape comes out, it takes a couple of years to get into the stores, then it takes me a couple more years to like it, then another year for it to go on sale.  I am just now getting away from slingback, embellished, peeptoe pumps. 

I guess my New Year’s Resolution should be that I will buy newer shoes more often.  That’s the ticket.

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