Shoe Hall of Fame

We all have our holy grails.Yes, I know. Shoes are not necessities (beyond what keeps your feet protected when you leave the house, durr). But if I lived in that fantasy life where money was no object, winning lottery ticket, got a star's salary, all that never-gonna-happen-but-HEY-a-girl-can-dream stuff...these are what I'd own:

Behold the Fendi Chameleon. In silver (which just happens to be one of my favorite shoe colors. Evah. The details, gorgeous, gorgeous details! Not my usual style, but they are some serious eye candy.  From Saks, where sadly these are no longer available. Originally $900 plus. Want to see more?

Loving the heel detail as well. This is the Italian "no stone left unturned" aesthetic that I adore (being, as I have mentioned, a bit obsessed with details myself).

Next up, a double header from Giuseppe Zanotti:

Oh my...I've been on the hunt for the right pair of rhinestone shoes for...well, probably my entire life  :)  and these would have done nicely. As would:

These. I can barely stand it. Sadly, also no longer available anywhere I look. Commence gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair. Or is it rending of garments? Anyway, whatever best signifies deep, deep anguish. They're perfect. PERFECT.

But enough with the tease of the shoes you just can't have because they're all gone. Let me show you some current lovelies that make my spine tingle and my toes curl! And yes, if your budget permits...purchase away. Just don't forget to share so that I may live vicariously through you.  :)

Valentino, of course. I know you've seen this EVERYWHERE, ad nauseum, make it stop, enough already...but to me this is as iconic as the Tom Ford-era Gucci corset shoes - a defining moment in fashion history. Not familiar with the corset shoes? Let me refresh your memory:

Note the the signature bamboo heel. And the way they hug ( or should I say caress! your foot, with their clingy satin straps. Everything about Tom's Gucci reign was hot. And these are scorching. Oh, I would love, love, love to have these in my collection! I'm showing you the black first, but wait...they came in other colors as well:

images via thepurseforum.com


They also came in a much harder to find aqua, which would be my first choice. So far the best (and only; it took me literally hours of interwebs hunting to find these shots - yes, sometimes my life is very lame but I manage despite that) photos I can find of the aqua are these:

image via starstyleinc.com


and these:

image via thepurseforum.com

The were perhaps the first of the "unattainable" shoes that really captured my attention. And they remain, for me, the holiest of holy grails. But I am a pretty soft touch for Gucci. And Tom Ford Gucci is right up there with '70s Gucci for me - truly the best of the best.

Anyhoo, back to the Valentinos - I feel that they are in the same iconic arena as those Gucci corsets. They changed the fashion landscape in a major way, ushering back in pointy toes, and even (gasp!) lower heels. And given the subject of my last post, you know I'm thrilled about that).I know they come in a variety of colors, heel heights, and styles (platforms, cage booties, flat sandals, kitten heels) but I love the above version the most. Feathers? C'mon. Who could resist?

Okay, last pair - currently available and sellling for $2445.00 (yeah, you read it right) at Neiman's:

Oh boy. I am not the biggest fan of French fashion (yeah, so sue me). Chanel...nice, but...Dior...take it or leave it (mostly). Hermes, even...I know, I know, but it just doesn't excite me. Sorry - I love me some Italians. What's that you say? You didn't notice that every shoe posted here (until the Loub) is Italian? I know, I'm subtle like that.  :)   But these particular Louboutins (image via Neiman Marcus) hit me in the gut. I AM a fan of bling, and these are just "all in" for me. Literal hotness, flame design and whatnot.

So, there you have my votes for the shoe hall of fame. And who knows...someday one (or more) of them could be available (eBay, no?) with the cosmic confluence: right place, right size, right price. A girl's got to dream! In the meantime, I leave you with this quote, attributed to Manolo Blahnik:

"About half my designs are controlled fantasy, 15 percent are total madness, and the rest are bread-and-butter designs."

Nobody ever said the man was a fool  :)

Oh, Stella!

Anyone know the iconic scene from A Streetcar Named Desire? Marlon Brando, oozing hotness, stands on the street at the bottom of a staircase and yells out "Stella!" "Hey, Stella!" at the top of his lungs. Stella (Vivien Leigh) slowly makes her way down the staircase to him. They embrace, and the rest is cinematic history.

Brando might not have shouted out to these pumps, but they definitely would have turned his head. The Behold the Badgley Mischka Stella:

Trust me - they are even more beautiful in person. The lace, the beaded details, the elegance - these *might* just end my search for black lace shoes. A semi-reasonable $225 at Zappos, Nordstrom, or Piperlime.

And if you don't like the "natural" color, they are also available in a peacock-tail blue, your standard black, or white (which would be perfect bridal shoes!).

My husband gave me a Nordstrom gift card for my birthday, and guess which ones I brought home??




Oh yeah. These are going to be a most excellent addition to my shoe wardrobe.  :)

The Ones That Got Away

This is a repost from my other site. Original post date 8/12/11.


Certain shoes just don't make it into my closet, either because I found out about them too late, when no more were left in my size, or they just don't fit my budget. The (mostly) unglamorous life of a jeweler with a home studio doesn't dictate $700 shoes. I know, poor moi. But I always love a good design and a classic glammy shoe, even if I don't get to wear it. So here are a few choices that I am unlikely to ever own:

Oscar de la Renta, $745 @Nordstrom. I have been searching for the perfect lace pointy-toe pump for years. And this is it...however. $800 for something I might, at best, be able to wear twice a year? I guess you know why I am still searching.  :)

 I cannot imagine the universe in which I would wear these. Especially in this color. It doesn't include walking around Roswell in them, that's for sure. Target run? Starbucks? Publix? Yeah, I'm just not seeing it. But they are like a work of art (though I do confess to not understanding the idea of an open toe ankle boot, not in the slightest). And this gorgeousness is on SALE:  $567, down from $1260. It's not really helping. Someone please buy them so I can live vicariously through you:  Alexander McQueen bootie

I saved this image as "crazy" because they kind of are. It seems to be a mix of diamante and patent leather, in a crazy cutout platform semi-boot style that laces up the front, yet still requires a zipper in the back to put it on. Huh? But somehow, it's kind of working for me. I think it's the shiny parts. I never really met a bit of bling I didn't like. From the Solestruck site, which claims as its motto " to rid the world of ugly shoes, one pair at a time" or some such  Let me just say, that I actually find a fair number of very ugly shoes there. But to each their own...they've almost redeemed themselves with this example of shoe porn.

Have a great weekend! 

Too Much is Not Enough

This is a repost from my other blog. Original post date 8/5/11.

Since I am still recovering from jaw surgery, I am not making as much new jewelry right now. So I thought I would focus a little on my second -- I mean, third love (after Mr B and the jewelry): shoes. If I gave up jewelry designing for any reason, I'd probably want to design shoes. And since I don't design them, I do my best to participate in rampant comsumerism (*wink*) and collect them. My day job doesn't usually involve opportunities to put on some fancy heels, and when I'm at a festival, I'm on hot asphalt or grass for 10+ hours, so that doesn't work either. But I cherish any opportunity to indulge my collection. :)

Here's one of my favorite pairs:

Beverly Feldman embroidered beauties. In a classic pointy toe pump. So much fun! Usually I wear them with a classic LBD or a very simple outfit because these babies are always the star of any outing. I found them several years ago at a DSW for well under retail (usually $200+). And they are THE most comfortable pumps I own.

Beverly Feldman's motto is "Too much is not enough" and if you've seen some of her other shoes, that is certainly true. Not always, I think, in a good way, but these shoes, at least, walk the right side of that line.  :)

Detail shots:

and for those of you who wear a size 10, there is currently a pair available on eBay:  Feldman Shoes