Ok, so Aerosoles is the opposite of glam. But after my feet have been tortured by high-heeled sandals all this summer, they could use some comfy. Especially in the form of suede. And here are some really cheap sandals as well that are pretty comfortable, to throw in your bag and change into on late nights when those high heels are killing you this August. Many of them are on sale for $29.99!

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I have been wear-testing the following ‘Very Volatile’ wedges for roughly the last month.

Volatile USA’s ‘Nobu’ ($74.99 @ volatileusa.com; the Nobu is also available at shoes.com, Zappos & Endless)

They are a great spring-summer sandal in one of this season’s more popular colors - turquoise. These also have an appealing organic design that really works with a spring wardrobe; particularly if you are like me and have a lot of cooler tones in your wardrobe.

These sandals are available in whole sizes 6-10 B US sizing (37-41 EU). Sizing was my first challenge. As a size 7.5 medium who prefers a lot of toe room, the choice on whether to try a 7 or 8 is the first challenge I encountered.   So, I actually tried a size 7 in the turquoise, and a size 8 in black suede.

The good news is that both sizes adjust fairly well in that the buckled slingback and suede material allow for a lot of fine-tuning and comfort on the initial fit. However, the size 7 had more than enough space to accommodate my anything-but narrow size 7.5 feet.  And, while sometimes slingbacks feel like the strap is about to slip off your ankle, these stayed secure through multiple wearings.

How comfortable are they? Well, they did have a brief breaking-in period of about 2-3 wearings of 2-5 hours each.  Each wearing was successively more comfortable than the last; there were no blisters thanks to the soft suede and roomy shape, but I did get a bit of a workout re-learning how to walk on a platform wedge; these have an almost 1″ lift under the toe and about a 4″ overall lift at the heel.  The footbed it lightly cushioned, and after several wearings, this padding started to form to the shape of my arch - an absolute necessity if you have a higher arch like I do.  If you are not ‘blessed’ with high arches, you may have little or no break-in period with these.

Here are some pictures of how these bamboo-wrapped wedges actually look on the foot:

(Yes, I need a pedicure - fast!)

The turquoise color really is fabulous!

You can see here that the size 7 in turquoise is definitely roomy enough for those of us who normally wear a 7.5. And, while it looks like my pinky toe is trying to escape, it never has. The straps and cutouts are placed perfectly to avoid that happening on my feet.

You can see in this next picture that the size 8 is super roomy. I would definitely think someone who is an 8-8.5 would have no problem with this size working for them.

(If you feel the need to put on your sunglasses to view these, I understand - I really am quite naturally pale.  My hubby has joked that since I don’t tan, I actually bleach in the sunlight. But, I digress).

If I have piqued your interest at all, you can find many other styles of  ‘Very Volatile’ shoes at volatileusa, zappos, endless, and shoes.com.

I have to admit, that although Volatile shoes are a well-known regional brand in the areas such as the Southeastern United States (A ‘go-to’ for wedges, flip-flops, and animal prints), I was unfamiliar with them before I stumbled across them several months ago.

As a brand, Volatile has competitive pricing, current styling, and reasonable comfort.  This is particularly remarkable in the current climate of ridiculously rising shoe prices. This makes Volatile shoes a nice value, particularly for ladies on a budget.

And, if you can get both comfort and style on a reasonable budget, I’m all for that.

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For those of you who have been Shoeblog readers for awhile, you may recall how I nearly swooned over last year’s Valentino line.

In particular, I would still love to own a pair of these delicious (and sold out) booties:

(Originally $945 at Saks)

But, budgets being what they are, I instead find myself turning to the Pour La Victoire brand to satisfy my lacey-shoe urges.

How are these for a lower-cost alternative?

Pour La Victoire ‘Eden’ $284 $166.25-$193.23 at Zappos.com

I think I actually prefer the lower ’shootie’ height of these inspired-by copies.  Plus, if you are looking for a lighter spring color, the tan nubuck is a great spring neutral.

(The tan is also available from Urban Outfitters for a relative steal at $158)

I also love the allover lacework on both the original Valentino and the PLV version. This open design provides plenty of ventilation to keep your tootsies cool on hot summer days.  In addition, I think this is a great interpretation of the recent open-toe bootie mini-trend; one that is lovely enough on it’s own that it will last through many years without looking dated as is likely happen with many of the more

Plus, the PLV Eden is available in grey, white (if you can find it), and an absolutely amazing blue suede (this would blend so well with my clothing wardrobe).

(Grey is $292 at Shopbop, Blue is $280 at Piperlime)

Yummy. I could use a blue summer shoe. Maybe I’ll get lucky and this will go on sale in my size, making it an ever better deal…a girl can dream. Decisions, decisions…too bad I can’t get one in each color.

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ModCloth
has some of the cutest shoes I’ve seen recently, and they all seem to have a bit of a unique spin, but they’re hard to get, because they sell out quickly. Some of the ones below were available when I looked at them yesterday, but are no longer available! Here’s to hoping they get more supplies in their stockroom, stat!

The buyers have great, funky mod taste, but not every girl could carry off these hipster pieces. If you’ve got a sense of irony and a bit of adventurous style, go for it.

Former drum majorettes need apply for a pair of these beauties. Hopefully they’ll get more in soon! I wouldn’t wear them with a structured military jacket, but instead something soft, like a drapey cream cashmere sweater or a chocolate velvet blazer and little gold earrings.

For the mod go-go girl, the Sly Flourish is $160. I see these witha really hot white mini or minidress.

The sleek city girl will cherish these beauties, which will take her from day to night in all kinds of weather. Please bring them back, ModCloth!

The Prima Donna high heels for $150 will steal your heart and the party.

The Skip a Beat Spectators for $100 would be great to walk around to while listening to The English Beat.

And who says brown leather and black suede clash? Bring them back, please!

Be of the times with these Zeitgeist Zebra Wedges for only $26.24!

Use the code NOW10DEC for 10 percent off your order of $10 or more.

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Winter in the city is not an easy time shoe-wise. Right now, it’s about 35 degrees out. We’ve had the first ice of the season, but the real tragic weather has not even begun. Being chic and warm and still able to walk on New York’s treacherous streets is pretty tough. There are some women who pull this off with seemingly no effort at all. I am always baffled (and impressed) when I see these women. Now, to be clear, I am not talking about the glamour girls, or the ones who look like a single designer threw up all over them, I am talking about the ones that have a strong personal style that is all their own, but is appropriate for the season and city they are in.

This young lady, photographed in Think Coffee, a very popular (and usually crowded) coffee shop in the NYU area, has all that and an awesome pair of boots. Take a look at her cute outfit and rockin’ footwear.

These photos do not do these boots justice. First of all, the grey suede is totally in for the season, but these are a very unique incarnation of this type of boot. The contrasting textures of the leather and the suede give the boot a very edgy vibe and the pinky buttons give the leather wrap strips a very different look. Paired with the lace tights and the cute white coat, she is a total IN.

These Juliana Jabour boots are available at shopbop.com for the slightly painful price of $760.00. No one said looking effortless was, in fact, effortless. They come in a nice beige that is almost as cute as the grey in the photo (but only almost). The beige ones are actually very Narnia Ice Queen to me, but in a good way. There is also a black variety, but I think those are kind of blah.

For those of you who are not familiar with the designer (as I was not), Juliana Jabour started her eponymous label in 2004 with a small, but bright fashion show in her home country of Brazil. She primarily designs whimsical, yet edgy dresses and and accessories. You can check out her website here.

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