Running In Heels

 So I know many of you must think that I  have abandoned my blog and all the shoe loveliness that I bring to you but I am happy to inform you that I have NOT! While it has been far too much time that has elapsed since I last posted, I have not abandoned you or the shoe loveliness that you depend on. I have a legitimate reason for why I have been missing in action: SCHOOL! This "quarter" or what you may know of as a semester has taken over my life and I can't get away from it. Is this an acceptable reason? I sure hope so, but I promise I will try to do better..notice I said TRY and remember that I also mentioned that SCHOOL thing. So until I am lucky enough to escape again...

Lady with Sole 

The Takeover: Espadrille Fever

Spring is officially upon us and the one thing that I'm looking forward to the most is spring time footwear! I have been reading up on what the hottest shoe types will be and one shoe that is guaranteed to be big for spring and especially summer is the espadrille. There are so many colors and styles, there is bound to be an option for everyone. Check out Nine West's salute to one of the major shoes of the season. Enjoy!

Im Officially Obsessed With...

Mary-Kyri. If you are a shoe lover like me, you are always looking at shoes; weather that is as people pass you in crossing or you are out shopping for shoes. I often discover shoe designers I haven’t heard of before or don’t know much about by flipping through magazines or watching shows that discuss what the celebrities are wearing and then doing my own research on them. The designer that I am obsessed with right now is Mary-Kyri. As a shoe lover like myself, you may already know this shoe brand and know how amazing the shoe creations are. If you haven’t heard of this designer, make sure you check out the website, Mary-Kyri.com, they have amazing shoes! If you are already familiar, just take a few minutes and admire the genius of the shoe line below. Enjoy!



Some friends and I were sitting around a table flipping through a magazine while waiting around to start our project and the page was flipped past these amazing blue shoes. I caught just a glimpse of the shoes and had to go back to the page because I had to know who the designer was and where I could get them. I googled the designer when I got home to find that no, I could not get them (way out of my price range) but I could admire and add Mary-Kyri to my list of shoe designers I am obsessed with.

Obsessed with high-heels from a very young age, the passion didn’t waiver as Mary-Kyri got older, it grew stronger. It was during her teenage years that she set her sights on becoming Australia’s own version of Manolo Blahnik. I would say she is well on her way. She has made her mark on only in her home of Australia but also in America, Paris, New Zealand, and many others. They can be found in boutiques alongside other recognizable names such as Jimmy Choo, Guiseppe Zanotti, and Prada.

Create Your Own: From Four Inch Heels to Flats

Everyone knows how much I love shoes, so I was extra excited when a friend of mine called me and told me about Milk and Honey Shoes. Milk and Honey Shoes is a website where you can create your own shoes.  How exciting! Not only is it exciting, it is very addictive when you see just how many options the site has available for you to chose from. Milk and honey is the brain child of two sisters, not unlike myself, who have an obsession with shoes.

 I think that this is a great site not only for people who simply love shoes, but it’s a great site for those who hae an interest in shoe design, in my opinion. The site is great place to play with color combitations and shoe styles.  Another person who should visit and use this site is the woman who can never find the shoes she wants in traditional retail stores. This site allows you to pick your width and heel height, in additon to style and color. If you have wide feet or very narrow feet, its not always easy to find shoes that come in width options. How frustrating is it to find a shoe you like and it not fit because your foot is wider or more narrow than the average woman? Well, if this sounds like a problem you have, Milk and Honey Shoes is the site for you.

While I think this is over all a very good site, there are a few, minor details that I think could be changed to make the site even better. One problem I have with the site is that the heel size doesn’t change as you create your shoe. As you go through the process of buidling your shoe, the features you chose pop up on the shoe prototype. The heel size is one feature that doesn’t change however. I think to get a better idea of exactly what you shoe will look like, I think it would be helpful to see the actual heel height differences. Heel heights range from 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches, depending on your design. During my initial introduction to this site, It bothered me that some options that I might want to see were not available. After reviewing the site more,  I found that if you want something that is not on the site, they will try and make it for you. I have played around on the site and created shoes but I haven’t actually purchased any yet. I am excited to hopefully buy a pair soon. How cool would it be to say I designed the shoes Im wearing? As someone who one day wants to design her own shoes, I think this is great. See the pictures included to see some of my shoe creating from the site.

If you have never heard of Milk and Honey Shoes, check out the site and let me know what you think. Send me pictures of your creations!

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I Spy: Fashion Faux Pas

We have all seen it…a woman in a business suit, stockings and then we pan down to her feet and she is in sneakers…Ay Dios Mio! This is a fashion catastrophe far worse than many others in my book. I understand that for some comfort is far more important than fashion and style, but isn’t there a happy medium between being comfortable and converting all the way to wearing tennis shoes with your business attire? While I live in Charlotte and haven’t witnessed this particular travesty in person, it is more common in larger cities where there is much more walking required. I am sure if I spent some time in uptown Charlotte during the work week, I am sorry to say I would probably witness it.

While I like to be comfortable, I cannot bring myself to participate in this fashion faux pas in the name of comfort. Call me shallow and superficial but if I have to choose between being fashionable and wearing my tennis shoes with my skirt or slacks for the sake of being comfortable, I’m going ride with fashionable on this one. I know that not everyone agrees with my style over practicality mentality, but I do have a suggestion for those who lean more toward practicality; why not aim for comfort and style? Perfect Example....

Michelle Obama does comfort and style with ease.

With a pencil skirt and button up/sweater combination

 

With a business suit

Investing in a quality pair of flats can give you the comfort of not having to walk around in your heels but it also gives you a little more style and cohesiveness to your look than the mixed match look of business from head to ankle and gym class from ankle to foot. Another option could be opting for a heel that is lower than your normal heel, such as a kitten heel. You could always do what my friend Chelsea Long, author of the Off with your Jorts blog does, never leave home without your “purse flats.” Purse flats are the name she has given to the pair of flats she carries around in her purse and has ready when she needs to relieve herself from her heels. Everyone’s opinion on just how important style and fashion is in the grand scheme of things will always differ and some will never see it as important in their life but for me, it does hold a degree of importance and I think that with a little effort fashion and comfort can co-exist and not have to be independent of each another. Do you think comfort and fashion can co-exist, or do you think you have to choose one or the other?

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Flatform: The New Fashion for Summer

We know what happens when two celebrities get together; we join their names together to make a new name. Well what happens when two shoe types are joined into one? The same thing of course! I give you the FLATFORM…

the joining of a ballet flat and a platform. With the 70’s inspired movement all the rage, the flatform fits in quite nicely and look to be a big style statement for the spring. Style.com reported that many flatforms were seen making their way down the runways of many big name designers Spring 2011 shows including Derek Lam and Prada.

The nice thing about this shoe trend is that everyone can benefit from this trend. Why do people love flats? They love them because they are comfortable and they don’t have to worry about their feet hurting in high heels. And why do people love heels? Well the height of course! Vertically challenged people, like me, love the extra inches heels deliver. Well the flatform is like the best of both worlds. The flat loving people still have their flat shoes and don’t have to teeter on a stiletto heel and those who love the extra height can get it while enjoying the comfort of a flat shoe.

While I am still on the fence regarding my personal feelings about the flatform, I must admit they do provide comfort while still providing extra height and they do provide a certain level of versatility; wear them with everything from skinny jeans to day dresses and skirts. They give you a casual, more effortless look. Still not a fan of the lovechild of the ballet flat and the platform? It seems the jury is still out with many on this one, we will just have to wait and see how many flatforms we see out and about this spring. Not to worry though, the traditional wedge is still an option for you if you are not feeling the flatform but like the idea of combining height and comfort. The wedge is an option and it is getting some love this spring as well.


The wedge was the originator of providing you with both the height of a heel and the comfort of a flat bottom. There is just as much versatility with the wedge options this spring as there are flatform options. So whether you chose to try the new flatform or stick with the traditional wedge, you will have great options for spring!

I'm Officially Obsessed With...

Louboutin. Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with shoes; they have some type of cryptic power over me. I can’t say no to a cute pair; I see them and then automatically in my head I see where I’m wearing them and how incredible they are going to look on my feet..I’m going to look so good in them! Ok, sorry I had a moment, back to my specific obsession. Even those who know nothing about designer shoes, knows Christian Louboutin. The signature red bottom sole has become almost a brand of its own. Anyone who loves shoes dreams of the day they can afford to own at least one real pair of Lou-Bous. Everything Louboutin does is big; starting with the look book he uses to introduce his new collection each season.

It is always exciting to see how fun and well thought out the look book always is. His use of fantasy and dream like environments as a backdrop to his shoes create artistic imagery unlike anything I’ve ever seen done by a shoe designer. The artistry of the look book creates the excitement for the new season’s collection. The look book is so amazing, it is often possible to get so caught up in the world of the look book itself, you forget, the shoe is the star of the photographs. The spring/summer look book does not disappoint. With bold, bright coloring, even the look book is right on trend for what the upcoming seasons will be all about; bright, fluorescent color. The look book is just the beginning of my obsession for Louboutin. His shoes are always extra tall and extra fun. With what looks like no less than four inches in addition to the inset platform built into each shoe, his shoes are a work of art. We can always count on Louboutin to never play it safe and to always give us shoes that you won’t see anywhere else. Check out the spring/summer look book and then check out my favorites from the actual collection. Enjoy!



Louboutin teamed up with photographer Khuong Nguyen for this look book. This is not the first time they have collaborated on one of Louboutin's look books and I doubt it will be the last.



this collection has not even officially been introduced to the world yet and already I have seen this one worn in a spread in a fashion magazine. I have a feeling, this will be a standout from this collection, well done Louboutin!

What better way to make a statement than with an electric blue suede bootie. The possiblities for how you can work this shoe into your wardrobe are endless.