Liesl, 7N

The Oscars were once again on TV last night. I watch them every year and every year I feel cheated. This year was no exception; once again they left the shoes out of the fashion parade. So, so wrong.

Those fabulous dresses would be nothing without the fabulous shoes holding the fabulous beauties up! Come on, people! give the shoes a little love. They showed Jennifer Hudson's Manolos only because they showed her trying them on in her shopping for Oscar fashion segment. It was a tease and it was not enough and I am pissed about it. I don't care who had what done to their eyes or boobs! Show me the damn shoes! I am the female Cuba Gooding, Jr. bellowing about shoes instead of money.

They didn't even show the Stuart Weitzman Cinderella shoe. Really, that shoe cost $500,000 and they don't even show it? Who are these people? I'm not going to watch next year. Do you believe me?

They should hire Suz and I to comment on the shoes on the red carpet. We would be so fabulous.

Today's favorite shoe:

Stuart Weitzman "Give Me Fever"

Liesl, 7N

Oprah had Colin Cowie on her show the other day and he allowed her cameras into his home to see how and where he lives. I was struck by something he said as he was showing Oprah his kitchen: he always sets a beautiful table, even when he is dining alone. That struck me as a truly elegant way to live your life and it, of course, got me to thinking about how we think of shoes.

Let me backtrack a bit; in 1989 I lived in France for a summer and I spent my weekends in Paris. The thing I thought was so funny about the French was that if you were wearing tennies, especially white ones, you were stared at with disdain. Now, I am all for live and let live but I think the French were on to something. We live in a fast food, comfort driven society now. We have universal remotes that do everything but walk the dog for us so we expect a lot of comfort from the things we put on our bodies. That's fine; but why can't we also have style when we are being comfortable?

There isn't a fashion rule that stipulates that high style must be painful or uncomfortable. On the contrary, fashion is not just about looking good, but feeling good. The challenge seems to be in accepting the easy option rather than looking for comfort in a stylish or pretty product. There is no reason we need to wear tennies for anything other than exercise. (obviously I make exceptions for people who have medical issues) Flip flops? They're made of foam and you get them at Walgreens. What are you thinking, wearing those things anywhere but the pool or beach? The point is, there is no reason not to live as Mr Cowie suggested, with something beautiful always informing your life. Your shoes can be a direct example of this credo; they are your foundation, after all. If you choose your shoes based on comfort try to also introduce some snazz into the mix.

Honey, there is nothing sophisticated about shoes bought at a store named after a compartment built to hold sweaty gym shorts.

Today's favorite shoe:

Manolo Blahnik

Liesl, 7N

When you shop for shoes do you walk around the store or department and pick them out or do you allow the salesperson to show you what they think you might be looking for? As you all know, I enjoy browsing shoes, fondling them, and then walking away from them. Most of the time when I am doing this the salespeople don't approach me. However, when I walk in with the intention of purchasing shoes, they always seem to know and approach me.

I went to Neiman's yesterday to look at shoes. I didn't think I had the intention of buying but I must have since a very nice saleslady named Susan (fate!) approached me and offered to help me look. I told her I was looking for flats in a size 7 narrow. She immediately directed me toward the Ferragamos, a wise move. I love Ferragamos and they do come in narrow sizes. Here's what surprised me: I picked up a pair that I loved and she picked one up that she ostensibly loved for me and I tried them both on. Turns out, she had picked the better shoe. That made me wonder if perhaps we should accept help from people who know shoes and feet when we shop for those very important parts of our lives. And should we do this for all beautiful things? I wonder this, also, because I then went to Nordstrom's to look at jewelry and had the exact same experience: a saleslady convinced me to try on a necklace that I initially thought was too sparkly but turned out to be utterly fabulous. I think this all boils down to the fact that I happened upon two very competent salesladies from the old school of shopping.

Stanley Marcus made his salespeople go through training on how to treat people and how to be a conscientious salesperson. The people who worked in the different departments were supposed to know that particular product well enough to help people shop, not just to check them out when they were finished. This has become a rare thing in shopping now and I think we have suffered for it. When the only people we have to see for fashion advice are distant and unavailable to us personally (people in magazines) how else are we to learn about the products we buy and about what is right for us? Even I, the supreme lover of shoes and veteran shopper, needed help.

When was the last time you found a truly knowledgeable person in a store? Why would they be there when the pay can be so low? I worked in a bookstore 15 years ago and I was amazed to find that most of the people who worked there didn't actually read books. Can you imagine? It was just a job. This is my point (finally): we have lost much of the access to expertise and we have lost much of the pride that comes with that expertise in every day life. It's a shame. If you find a salesperson that really knows their stuff, tell them how much you appreciate them and then tell the rest of us so that we can go appreciate them for ourselves.

Unless they tell you to buy Crocs. Don't tell us about them, we don't want to know.

Today's favorite shoe:

Constanca Basto "Caradoc"

Liesl, 7N

Imagine my surprise as I was browsing salon shoes at Nordstrom.com when I came across this shoe. White pumps? Really? Not just white pumps, but patent leather white pumps?

There are not words strong enough to express my disapproval. White pumps do not look good on anyone. No one has feet that can pull off white pumps. White pumps are wrong. Morally wrong. Philosophically wrong. Fashionistically wrong. More wrong than wrong. Wrong in every way. Wrongest of the wrongest.

I, however, am never wrong.

Today's favorite shoe:

Bruno Frisoni

Liesl, 7N

As I was bending over to pick up my water bottle out of the vending machine at school the other day I noticed the shoes on a student standing next to me. First of all, she had on a short, short skirt and her fat feet were hanging over the back of her flower sandals. Now, I am not a fan of dressing in skintight clothes and short, short skirts and shorts if you do not have the body to support such clothing. But I am fairly live and let live about those things. Muffin tops? yeah, tacky but not the end of the world.

However! I draw the line at the shoes. If you are going to wear sandals, even really ugly sandals, don't wear ones that are two sizes too small. Her feet looked like ham hocks hanging off of a lily pad. Yeah, it looked really bad and really silly. The kicker? it was snowing. This young woman violated so many rules when it comes to shoes; I should have tackled her and forced her fat little feet into snow appropriate shoes. Ew, then I would have had to touch her feet. Ew, nevermind.

I should teach a class on shoes, don't you think?

Today's favorite shoe:

Giuseppe Zanotti

Liesl, 7N

Happy one year birthday, shoe blog! One year ago today Suz and I were IMing each other and we had the inspired idea to create this blog. A lot has changed for both of us in the past year but two things remain true: we are ever closer friends and the shoes we love are still fabulous.

Kick up your heels today in celebration of fabulous shoes. Superbowl? Superbowl of shoes, maybe! I think we should all go out and by blog birthday shoes.

Today's favorite shoe:

Manolo Blahnik, were it all began.

Liesl, 7N

Et tu, Oprah? When I see you with your fabulous Louboutins sitting in your studio I think, now there is a woman who appreciates true worth in shoes. I notice her shoes every time I watch her show and I am always happy to see her fabulous shoes.

WHY Oprah! WHY? Why would you showcase Crocs and Croc charms on your show? You know better. I must only assume that Gayle convinced you to do it because she seems to want to give everyone a chance, bless her heart. Remember this, Oprah, best friends don't always have the best taste in shoes.

Oprah, I still love you, girl.

Today's favorite shoe:

Luciano Padovan "3015"

Liesl, 7N

The search for the perfect pair of slippers. Who knew that would be so trying? As I have stated many times before I have tiny, tiny feet. So, most slip on slippers tend to fall off of my feet. I do still wear a pink fluffy pair but I end up shuffling around, which isn't stealthy when you're trying to sneak up on someone or some cat.

I recently found a pair of Isotoner slippers from Kohl's that are doing the trick, but they're hard to get on. I admit that a part of me wants to wear something like this slipper and pretend I am Mae West. But the hard truth is that those slippers don't do much for cold tootsies. Also? they'd be like walking dog and cat toys.

I suppose I will just be happy with my fugly Isotoner slippers and continue to search for the perfect combination of tootsie warming fabulous slippers.

Yes, I am scraping the bottom of the barrel with this topic.

Today's favorite shoe:

Sergio Rossi "Raquel"

Liesl, 7N

I was recently reminded of my all time favorite youtube video. This video is simply perfect. "Those shoes are mine, bitch!" Yeah, I can get down with that.

OK people, and by people I mean designers, let's stop with the fugly shoes already. I was fondling the pretties at Nordstrom's today and ran across this shoe. I think this one may even be worse than the previously described fugliest shoe ever (Vivienne Westwood for Nine West). Honestly, it looks like two shoes you retrieved from the dumpster at the Goodwill and glued together. FUG. Fug for $450, mind you. If I ever saw a woman wearing these shoes I think I would be morally bound to do an intervention.

Dare I say it? I think they may be worse than Crocs. Why? because they are so ridiculously expensive without an actual benefit. When you pay a high price for couture you should expect to be buying something beautiful. What if your personal shopper brought these to you, already charged on your Nordstrom's card? Wouldn't you feel totally ripped off? Now, if they brought you a fabulous pair of Chanel slingbacks you would likely not feel ripped off because they are just perfect. The moral of all of this? Designers sometimes need to stop sniffing the shoe glue.

These Louboutin's would be worth every penny:

Christian Louboutin

Liesl, 7N

Do shoes really ever go out of fashion? I've addressed this before in the timeless post about shoes, but it has taken on new meaning lately when I've posted shoes that people really love and want to buy but can't because they are no longer available. I realize that it would be impractical to make every pretty shoe you've ever designed, but why do they last such a short time?

I have chosen a pair of shoes from Zappos for this week's favorite shoe because I know that if I don't use it, it will disappear. Pretty shoes should be available for longer, I think. It's not like they spoil with time or we'll look back on them with shame in 3 months. Pretty shoes will remain pretty and we all deserve the chance to own the ones we fall in love with.

Expiration dates are for food, not shoes.

Today's favorite shoe:

N.Y.L.A. "Courtney"

Liesl, 7N

This blog entry is dedicated to my friend Tabitha. Tabitha is an incredible inspiration not just to me, but to many. I won't go into detail about her health concerns since that is truly not my story to tell, just rest assured that Tab is an amazing person with some very difficult challenges in her life. Tabitha asked me to showcase some comfortable shoes, so that is what I am doing.

In last month's StrokeSmart magazine there was an article about women who can no longer wear their favorite shoes because of the strokes they've suffered. The article focused on younger women, not your stereotypical stroke survivor. One woman would surround herself with her fabulous shoes from Nordstrom's just to feel like she was still connected to her shoes. I get that.

It's very unfair when something we cannot control takes away our passion; passions like shoes. There are some local craftsmen out there who are trying to make cute shoes for people with things like drop foot or mobility issues, but really? they are more about comfort than fashion. I think those two things could go together if someone with some design sense would design those orthopedic shoes. Come on designers! step up to the plate for people who love shoes but can no longer wear their old fabulous shoes! People with disabilities deserve some little pieces of fabulous, too, damn it!

Tabitha! this one's for you:

Chloe Ballerina Flat (Hey, I never said it would affordable!)

Liesl, 7N

Do you make new year's resolutions? I half heartedly do; half way because I never keep them and I try to look at life as a work in progress. I realize the two are not mutually exclusive, but it's a good excuse.

Just because I don't make resolutions, though, does not mean I cannot help everyone else out with their resolutions. I think you all need to resolve to do or not do these things for 2007:

I, state your name, will not wear white pumps. Ever.
I, state your name, will never wear stockings with open toed shoes or sandals.
I, state your name, will not attempt to wear strappy sandals in a snow storm.
I, state your name, will always have a pedicure before wearing open toed shoes of any kind.
I, state your name, will never, under any circumstances, wear shoes made of foam.

And now, repeat this last mantra: I will love my shoes. I will love my shoes so much that I will keep them away from the dogs who like to chew up my shoes. Oh wait, that's mine. OK, try this: I will love my shoes. I will love my shoes so much that I will not do the aforementioned things while wearing my fabulous shoes. I will treat them with respect and dignity and, when I find a pair that needs to be added to my collection, I will gladly buy them. I will also come to Liesl or Suz for shoe advice because they know best.

Here's to another year of fabulous shoes!

Today's favorite shoe:

Nine West "Chitty"

Liesl, 7N

It will shortly be 2007, a time of renewal, of promise, of rebirth and throwing away of the old. What better opportunity is there to renounce the one thing that we could have all done without in 2006? CROCS. It is time, ladies, to say buhbye to the monstrosities of foam.

You've had your fun, you've dressed up your shoes with charms. You've worn the foam ickies everywhere from the opera to the gym. Now, let go. It's ok, you can do it. There is no shame in admitting that you wore them at one time; forgiveness is a beautiful thing. I will forgive you; Suz will forgive you. Throw them away. Now.

Don't you feel better? Yes, I knew you would.

Today's favorite shoe:

Lambertson Truex "Carlota"

Liesl, 7N

"Sex is in the heel."

I just watched the most wonderful movie, Kinky Boots. Yes, it is about shoes. The truly inspired story is set in Northampton, England in an old men's shoe factory that is about to go out of business. Instead of letting that happen the owner decides to find a new niche market to corner. Which niche? why, the fabulous drag queen market, of course! This got me to thinking: can men be fabulous in so called women's shoes?

Honey, if you can wear it, you can work it. If we tell women that no matter what size their feet they will look fabulous in fabulous shoes, why not men? Now, do I think MFP would look fabulous in a pair of Dolce's? No. Why? because he doesn't appreciate them for what they are: little pieces of fabulous. A drag queen, however, would probably appreciate the shoes, love them, and do right by them. It must take a lot of effort to find your true identity in a bit of glam, a bit of chiffon, a bit of leather, and a bit of lace. And what a fabulous identity that is to find! So I say, hell yes! men can be fabulous in fabulous shoes. The right men. The chosen men. The lovely men.

I wonder if this shoe comes in extra large?

Jimmy Choo

Liesl, 7N

Suz and I highlight fabulous shoes in this blog; often shoes that very few people can afford. While we do love these shoes and will continue to highlight them, it is often nice to stop and point out that there are some shoes that are fabulous because of what they do for the world. I would like to highlight just such a shoe company today: Toms Shoes.

For every pair of shoes you buy from Toms Shoes, he gives a pair to a child in need. It's that simple. It's as if you were to go out and buy two pairs of shoes and give one to a child, it is really that direct. I love shoes, this we all know; however, I love the spirit of generosity and giving even more. It seems like such a simple idea: buy one, buy a pair for a child. Why don't more companies do this? Can you imagine? Buy one turkey for your holiday meal, one turkey goes to a family in need.
Buy one toy, a toy goes to a child who does not have toys. It's such a simple, elegant idea. I know it is impractical for most businesses to operate this way and we look to the Blake Mycoskies ("chief shoe giver for Toms") of the world to do it for us; it's just a beautiful dream.

In this holiday season, may you give more than you receive and may you feel the benefit of a light heart, made so by the knowledge that you have eased another's suffering. Happy holidays, everyone!

I'm going to start a campaign to get Christian Louboutin to donate a pair of shoes for every pair bought.... to me.

Today's favorite shoe:

Carlos by Carlos Santana "Reckless"

Liesl, 7N

My friend Jen and I frequently shop together and we always laugh over the fact that we have such completely different taste in fashion and style. I was at her house the other night she happened upon the picture of the Louboutin shoe I featured last post and she told me that she didn't care for it. My first reaction is always shock since I can't understand how anyone could not care for the shoes I love, but then I remembered that it is Jen and we have very different taste. I teased her recently by telling her that I liked a very tacky shoe that cost over $1000. She believed me because she hated it. Well, even she gets it right every now and then.

I actually like the fact that Suz and I have different taste in shoes. It gives life a richer texture when there are such variations in beauty. I don't happen to like Monet but I do love Pollock. And you know what? that's perfectly fine. There is a philosophical school of thought that believes that tastes cannot be disputed. I think that may be taking things too far. If that were the case, then a child's hand print in purple paint would be as worthy of the Met as a color splashed Kandinsky. That is unfair, isn't it? So, the question remains: how do we decide who gets to decide what is good and what is not good?

I have a simple solution: let's do it by love and passion. If you love and admire velvet paintings, you get to decide which ones are good. If you love and admire shoes and your name is either Liesl or Suz, you get to decide which ones are good. When Suz and I disagree we can call it the difference between preferring Picasso to Renoir; they are both masters, both worthy of adoration, but they don't appeal to the same people. That's a good solution. So, are you a Lieslist or a Suzist?

How much do you want to bet Jen doesn't like these shoes:


Dolce and Gabbana

Liesl, 7N

I was at Northpark, yet again, yesterday and as I was noticing the shoes women were wearing to shop in, a question occurred to me: should we wear nice shoes to buy nice shoes? The majority of the women you see at Northpark Mall are dressed very well and have on nice shoes that compliment their nice outfits; every 10th woman, however, will be wearing tennies or flip flops or some other "comfortable" shoe. Do we expect to try on fabulous shoes with sweat pants?

I am of two minds on this issue: I want to be comfortable when I am shopping so that I can devote all of my attention to the important and life renewing task at hand: choosing shoes. However, I also want to be dressed well enough to be able to see those shoes in their natural environment, on me looking fabulous, before I take them home. How can this be accomplished in sweats and gym socks? There seems to be some sort of odd mingling of sweat and fashion when you combine tennies with a trip to Better Shoes at Neiman's. Dare we walk among the couture with our feet stuffed into heavy, white socks and sensible running shoes? I think perhaps the Manolos and Choos and Louboutins would shudder just slightly at the sight of their bastard cousins of foam and rubber.

Besides, you don't want the shoe salesman (yes, man) to touch your sweaty socks, do you? You do? Perv!

Today's favorite shoe:


Christian Louboutin

Liesl, 7N

Whenever I update this blog I put the picture of the shoe I featured in my Delphiforums signature. I do that because we don't update on a schedule, just when the fancy strikes, and I like to remind people to check out our fabulous blog with fabulous shoes. I generally get several, "Oh! I must have that shoe!" comments and a few, "Fugly!" comments as well. A few weeks ago when I was featuring the purple Will's Fancy shoe one of my friends told me her son was sure the shoe was a butterfly. This post is dedicated to little Kevin. :)

I think the thought of shoes as naturally beautiful as something like a butterfly is a good one. I can't think of something else in nature that so ably describes a shoe: what starts out as raw, often ugly material turns into something so breathtaking we hesitate to touch it for fear of spoiling its beauty. This is true of butterflies and shoes. To have a butterfly land near you and let you see its beautiful markings feels as special as finding that perfect pair of pumps; it's a bit of luck mixed with a bit of nature and a bit of ingenuity. If you sit still long enough the butterfly may stick around for a bit; if you try on enough shoes you may find that perfect pair. It's all in what you make of it.

When nature and art collide the result is a fabulous pair of shoes.

Today's favorite shoe:

Emporio Armani Suede Butterfly

Liesl, 7N

I would just like to mark this day as a sad day in the McQ household. Robert Altman, pioneering film maker, has died. What Manolo Blahnik did for shoes, Robert Altman did for the character driven film.

We salute your genius, your style and your abiding class, Mr. Altman.

Today's favorite shoe:

Charles David "Surprise"

Liesl, 7N

I had the opportunity to people watch the other day so I, of course, looked at their shoes. There was woman who walked by who really caught my eye; I know that was her plan, to catch the eyes of people around her, but not in the way that it actually happened. She was 60 if she was a day and she was wearing a tight fitting sweater, a short, short miniskirt and platform hooker heels. She also had bleached blond big Texas hair and pounds of make up on. For a moment I thought I was back in L.A. looking at Angelyne. This woman and her outfit got me to thinking about age appropriate fashion, er, shoes.

Aside from the obvious constraints of age and heels, should we ever stop wearing a certain kind of shoe? If you can still wear 4-inch heels when you're in your dotage should you be forced to parade around in sensible flats? I think the answer is no with a caveat: if the word "Candy" is anywhere in the brand or name of the shoe it should not be worn past the age of 15. And that's pushing it. It's not that we expect women to become boring but we also don't expect them to look like they are advertising the latest Tag body spray. People age, things change, gravity will out. Isn't that wonderful?

You cannot step into the same fashion age twice.

Today's favorite shoe:

Kenneth Cole New York, "Boxed In"

Liesl, 7N

I went to Northpark again today. I met my mom at Maggiano's for lunch; it doesn't hurt that the restaurant is right next to Dillard's, which has a fabulous shoe department. What else could we do but browse through the shoes and try some on? A woman remarked on how lucky I am to be able to walk up to the display shoe and try it on. Did you know that retailers usually put out the smallest size they have in the shoes they display? I guess they think the smaller sizes make them look more attractive.

I wanted to go to Dillard's today to try on the new Cole Haan heels. I am a big Oprah Winfrey fan and when she talks about something being good on her show I will invariably check it out on my own. Cole Haan has teamed with Nike to create what they think are comfortable heels. Oprah agrees with them and she asserts that they are, in fact, comfortable. Obviously, I had to try on these heels. I chose a relatively nice looking pair of 4-inch heels and slipped my tootsies into that concoction of leather and padding. The result was not pleasing.

When will shoe designers realize that you can put a mountain of cushioning in a shoe but it doesn't mean diddly squat if you don't also support the foot? Yes, these shoes had more cushioning and were a smidge more comfortable than your regular heels, but they wholly lacked any kind of support. How could that ever be comfortable? Someday Suz and I will have our line of fabulous yet functional shoes. I swear it!

I have a pair of Cole Haan/Nike loafers that the dogs chewed before I ever got to wear them; sensing a pattern there?

Today's favorite shoe:

Isaac Mizrahi "Varana"

Liesl, 7N

My friend Stacy posed a challenge for us to discuss on this blog. Here is the challenge: The shoes in that link are fine Italian, technologically advanced marvels. Can a self professed shoe lover love such a shoe? It is superior to most other hiking shoes out there, the design is based on many years of refinement. The materials represent the latest and the greatest. The comfort factor is extreme. The likelihood they will wear out or fall apart is remote. They are amazing. However they will not flatter you calves, make your feet look dainty or make most men say ooh la la. (My hubby loves the way I look in hiking boots-heh) So here is the question: do "shoe lovers" love all shoes that represent fine craftsmanship and engineering or do they really only love dainty stuff that makes your feet hurt?

I think I have an answer: form and function are not equally important in shoes. We're not trying to convince anyone that 4-inch heels are comfortable or even practical; we're also not trying to convince anyone that comfortable shoes are always unbecoming. However, when it comes to true shoe love, form will always win over function. Does that mean we eschew all functional shoes? No, of course not. However, given the choice between the two for everyday living? A true shoe lover will go for form over function every time. Now, if we are talking about hiking in the outback, yeah, function will win. Big ass snakes don't care if your feet look dainty or cloddish, right?

In the end, the Aristotelean mean will always tip to form for shoe lovers. Which means that we should overshoot toward more and more fabulous shoes just to reach that golden mean. I can get down with that.

Today's favorite shoe:

Will's Fancy "Celeste"

Liesl, 7N

MFP and I met a friend at Northpark again last night. We parked by Macy's so we entered the mall through the store and as we entered the store I inhaled deeply. I couldn't help but think: I love the smell of Macy's in the evening. I do love the way department stores smell, as well as shoe stores. I am most attached to my sense of smell because I tend to really love certain smells. Is it weird that I pick up and smell new shoes?

We met our friend Jen and her very smart son Braden. Braden is the one that yells "NO CROCS!" and tries to run away from them. Braden was allowed to pick out clothes for his build a bear and he went straight for the fabulous shoes; unfortunately, as we were walking around the mall he lost one of the shoes. What were we to do? We looked for it but couldn't find it; we did the only thing smart shoe people can do: we bought another pair. Whew, that was a close one!

Even teddy bears need fabulous shoes.

Today's favorite shoe:

Arche "Grigou"

Liesl, 7N

As Suz, MFP and I were walking down Rush street in Chicago on Monday Suz and I spied something shining in the distance. It looked like an ethereal beacon akin to what was described in Arthurian legend. Was it a grail of some sort? Indeed it was. The glow in the sky, the otherworldly shimmer, the unmistakable pull toward it, it all signified one thing: Nordstrom's shoe department.

We were walking through the rain to have dinner here because we wanted to have "steaks as big as our heads." (Suz) Imagine our delight when we spotted Norstrom's almost right across the street from the restaurant. Imagine our dismay when we realized we did not have time for both our reservation and a quick jaunt into the shoe department. This is how you will now know what magnanimous people we truly are: we opted for food because we knew MFP was hungry. Yes, we should be sainted, clearly. We put the needs of the man ahead of our own needs and we sucked it up for filets and twice baked potatoes. Oh, and wine.

Alas, Suz is back in New York and I am back in Dallas. Our brief idle in Chicago was just that, all too brief. We saw some fabulous shoes and were able to taunt people who love Crocs with some fabulous t-shirts but we were not able to go shopping together. We will live another day, fight another fight, just to be able to someday buy shoes together as god intended.

Chicago is for shoe lovers.

Today's favorite shoe:

Donald J. Pliner "Anu"

Liesl, 7N

Last week Bill O'Reilly called women and their shoe habits "ridiculous." I would like to address this assertion and argue the ridiculousness of his ridiculous statement.

Yes, women have more shoes than men, typically. Yes, women pay more for shoes than men. Yes, we have a wider variety of shoes than men. My question is: so? I would like to point out to Mr. O'Reilly that while he may find the shopping habits of many of the planet's women ridiculous, many of the planet's women find him equally ridiculous. Most of us learn at a relatively early age that if a man needs to bluster and blow to get his point across he probably has a small penis. Are you intimidated by our fabulous shoes because you know they could so effectively kick you in the small penis region, Mr. O'Reilly?

Look at it this way: Will shoes ever tell you they want to run a falafel all over your body? No. Will shoes ever lie about their party affiliation? No. Will shoes ever turn red in the face and do a good rendition of "Satan trying to speak to us from the other side through Bill O'Reilly"? No.

You don't get it, Mr. O'Reilly? Yeah, we know.

Today's Favorite Shoe:

Oscar de la Renta

Liesl, 7N

There is a crispness in the air that can mean only one thing: it's time to break out the boots! I was walking through Dillards the other day in my favorite boots on the first cool day in Dallas this fall. (the weather has gone back to hot, unfortunately) As I was passing the new fall sweaters a saleslady commented on my fabulous boots and told me she was so excited to be able to wear boots again. She said that her two favorite kinds of shoes are sandals and boots; I commented that those were my two favorite shoes, too. Isn't it fun when you meet a kindred shoe spirit? She somehow knew on first glance that she could talk to me about shoes. Smart lady.

Do you buy a new pair of boots every year? I do. I know this isn't remarkable since I buy new shoes every season, but it seems so much more of an occasion when I buy new boots. Maybe it is because boots are substantial and make us feel like dominatrixes in fabulous footwear. Or, maybe it is just the changing of the season from sun kissed sandals frolicking in the sand to sophisticated boots walking through the fallen leaves. Oh hell, I don't know. Whatever it is, I love buying new fall boots.

Yes, yes, I know... I love buying all new shoes.

Today's favorite shoe:

Kenneth Cole "Milkshake"

Suz 10N

I know, I know, I've been neglecting you all shamefully. I'm a bad person. But I always have shoes on my mind. Having not posted in so long, I've got a lot of thoughts saved up.

One thing that bothered me all summer is the construction of closed toe shoes. Pumps in particular. Now, I know, many of you don't wear pumps in the summer. You like your perfectly polished tootsies to be free. I understand. But sometimes, the toes can't be showing. That's when I pull out the pumps. I have a pair of red 3" heels that I love. I also have a pair of black round toe 2.5" pumps that I like a lot. In both cases, I find it disconcerting to put them on, and realize as I walk down the halls of my office that I squeak. Loudly. SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK. People can hear me coming. Do you know where that sound is coming from? Not the leather of the shoes. Not the sole. It comes from my polished toenails rubbing against the inside top of the shoe as I walk. This is a dilemma! Polished and groomed toes are most important, but so is gliding silently down the hall. What to do? I have come upon a solution. I line the tops of my pumps with moleskin. Voila! (or walla as I've seen some unfortunates spell it) Problem solved. I can once again glide gracefully through my day.

Speaking of my day, the recent end of one is something worth sharing. Early last week, I was walking up Park Avenue on my way to the E train at 53rd & Madison. Of course, I was checking people out. As my eyes shot back and forth, looking for something interesting to see, they stopped short upon spying a Manolo bag. Oh, to be that woman, walking down the street with a pair of the holiest of holies slung over her shoulder! What is she wearing? You expect her to look as fabulous as the shoes in her bag. Er, well, no. She was tall, willowly, and had no ass. She did, however, have a crack as wide as the Grand Canyon. How do I know? Because she was wearing a pair of chartreuse raw silk pants, and they were being sucked into it. And what wasn't being sucked into a national park was hanging awkwardly off her hips. It was the strangest thing I've seen. I can't recall what else she was wearing because I was so morbidly fascinated by her atomic wedgie.

I followed her down the street, reaching for my cell phone. This was important. I had to make the call. Not 911, although her wedgie could be construed as a medical emergency. I called the proper authorities. Liesl. Who had the nerve to be unavailable.

The only conclusion I can draw from this experience that there were no Manolos in that bag. She had the bag, but was probably carrying leftovers from her lunch in it.

Today's shoe:

Manolo Blahnik Satin and Lace Pump

Liesl, 7N

One of my former students came running up to me today outside of class to tell me that he had seen someone wearing a pair of Crocs and had thought of me. He told me it made him laugh to see someone so misguided. I asked my current students if they knew about Crocs and when I described them they all exclaimed in horror over those "plastic" shoes. I have such good students.

This whole exchange with my students got me to thinking about the power of influence. If I am able to influence my students enough to get them to not wear Crocs, what could we all do? Imagine! If you, you reading this blog, were to convince just one person not to wear Crocs we could rid the world of their plasticky badness within, oh... a year? Yes, I think that's possible.

I challenge you, shoe loves everywhere, take this pledge:

I, (your name), do solemnly pledge to convince at least one person to stop wearing or never to wear the plastic monstrosities known as Crocs. I will show people who wear these "shoes" the error of their ways and help them to see the wisdom of wearing pretty shoes. This, I do pledge for the remainder of my days of reason.

Nova seculorum ordo!

Today's favorite shoe:

Bettye Muller

Liesl, 7N

Here's a question: should our shoes match our hair color? I was thinking about this the other day when I realized that I do not have any pink shoes. I have black, green, blue, beige, and red but no pink. I have red hair and I don't like the way red and pink look together so I wonder if I have unconsciously shied away from pink shoes that would clash with my hair.

I have been looking at wigs lately and had decided on getting a pink wig. Do you think I should get a pair of fabulous pink shoes to match? I think so. Actually, I think I might need several different shades of pink to go with the varying shades of the wig. No! this is not just an excuse to get new shoes.

OK, maybe it is.

Today's favorite shoe:

Christian Louboutin

Liesl, 7N

I have a shoe conundrum. I have written about the fact that I believe it is tacky to have matching purses and shoes; where do we draw the line, though? Here's the problem: I was wearing this sandal yesterday with a black skirt and black top. When I was choosing my jewelry I decided on a leather and silver bracelet and a white shell and silver necklace. With me so far? good. The question is, if you have bling on your shoes, should it match your jewelry?

I hate yellow gold and silver together; I think it looks cheap for some reason. I do make an exception for my ever present, never take it off, medical ID bracelet. But, that isn't jewelry. Anyway, the shoes I was wearing have brown jewel tones that absolutely did not match my leather and silver jewelry; should it have? I honestly do not know.

I suppose the real question is: are shoes separate from the rest of your outfit? No, not really. But they do provide an avenue to bring in something unexpected to your look. Unless that unexpected thing is in the form of Crocs or white pumps. That's a bad unexpected instead of a dash of fabulous. In the end, I think my jewelry should have been of the same kind as the bling on my shoes. Live and learn, right?

I think I may need to experiment with this idea some more. Oh! that means I need new shoes. Dang!

Today's favorite shoe:

Vigotti "Dixie"

Liesl, 7N

I had a very bad experience the other day and I am afraid I am scarred for life. I have waited to blog about it because I was hoping I could get some perspective on it and be able to write about it with little emotion. That perspective has not come and I am still shaking from the experience. Please, read no further if you have delicate sensibilities.

I went to Nordstroms with my mom; she wanted to buy me a pair of shoes but I could not find anything I wanted. Oh sure, there were some fabulous shoes that I liked quite a bit, but none of those fit and the ones that did fit were not the ones I wanted. I have been searching for a shoe support group in the area but have come up empty; what else can I do to get over this trauma? Someone suggested valium and I think that's a good option but I don't have any. Someone else suggested an ascetic retreat but that person was clearly insane; you can't do yoga in a loincloth and Manolos. Someone else suggested that I voluntarily commit myself for a few days "rest," but have you seen the shoes they make the patients wear when they are "resting?" Nuh uh, not for me. I was at a loss; what was I to do?

I finally figured it out: Neimans.

Today's favorite shoe:

Gucci Flat

Liesl, 7N

I went to Northpark Mall last night. This is the mall I grew up going to and it remains my favorite mall in all the world. Yes, I've been to the Mall of America. Anyway, there are many shoe stores at Northpark and there is a Nine West just down from the Lush store, the place I was headed. As I was walking by, slowly to peruse the shoes in the window, I stopped and saw this boot. I stood outside of the store with my mouth agape staring at that boot. One of the saleswomen came out and said, "fabulous isn't it?" I shouted "NO!" and jumped back. Have you ever been so full of emotion that you start talking in that high pitched voice that only rare breeds of iguanas can hear? And of course, when you speak like that you also have to speak so fast that your words run together. Well, that was me, last night, in the middle of Northpark Mall. HOWCANYOUSELLSOMETHINGSOUGLY! MAKEITSTOP! MAKEITSTOP! MAKEITSTOP!

And then? I ran away. Literally. I ran away from the ugliest shoe on the planet. My friend found me huddled on a bench muttering to myself. My friend wisely led me to Neimans where my nose led me right to the shoe section where I was able to spend some time with my true friends, Manolo, Choo and Louboutin. They calmed me right down.

I think some retail therapy is in order, don't you?

Today's favorite shoe:

Constanca Basto "Lombarda"

Liesl, 7N

I was shoe shopping a couple of days ago and found some very cute purple Cole Haan loafers. As I was checking out the lady behind the counter told me they had the perfect purse to match the shoes. I think I rather forcefully said NO! that's OK. She was a bit taken aback and just checked me out. Why did I have such a strong reaction? because accessories should.not.match. Ever.

Children wear things that match and it is considered cute. When grown ups try matchies it looks ridiculous. This holds true for purses and shoes. It is an old myth that your purse should match your shoes. Why? A well put together outfit will look good with complimenting colors and textures but too much matching just makes us look like we're trying to win the Lil' Miss Matchy state fair pageant. Wrong, so, so wrong.

My mother drags me to the Texas state fair every year so I know about state fair pageants. Pity me.

Today's favorite shoe:

Vigotti R1948

Liesl, 7N

People don't "dress" anymore. As I was waiting for my in laws to arrive at the airport the other day I looked around at the shoes of the travelers around me; I saw flip flops and tennies and not much else. I remember when I was a kid and we traveled by plane we would dress for it, as if we were dressing to go to church. I don't know why people used to do this and I think it is a little bit sad that we don't do it anymore.

I understand the need for comfort on a plane, absolutely. However, I miss the days when people always tried to look their best no matter what they were doing. When you saw women out of the house in a house dress you thought they were not right in the head. Men wouldn't think of wearing baseball caps outside of working in the fields, much less to restaurants. Flip flops were for the beach and tennies were for sports, never shoes you would wear for everyday activities.

We've lost some of our gentility in the U.S. (I can't speak for other countries since I haven't traveled internationally in years) We've allowed the caricature of the sloppy American to become our national identity. Again, I fully understand the need for comfort and am just as guilty of these things as everyone else. But, I hope this is a trend that somewhat reverses itself and we all start to "dress" again. I miss it.

Let's blame it all on Crocs.

Toady's favorite shoe:

Dior

Welcome, visitors from Boston.com!
Suz, 10N

There has been a rather amusing thread over at boston.com about crocs. People are very passionate about these fugly blocks. The croc lovers were up in arms that anyone dared criticize them. Defensive much? One person went so far as to say the thread was making her ill. If only people would be as passionate about things that really mattered as they are about their crappy $35 pieces of rubber.

Like how wonderful Nordstrom's customer service is, for instance.

I bought a pair of shoes the other day online that I've been eyeing for months. They were on sale for $45, marked down from $89. A bargain, I thought! I went back online to take another look at them and saw they had been marked down again to $26. What to do? What any smart shopper does. I emailed customer service and asked for a refund of the difference. And, within 24 hours, I received a reply, and a credit to my account.

The only fault I find with Nordstrom is that they sell Crocs. That is deeply distressing. My haven for shoe fashion sells those things. They are encouraging America's further slide into a void of stylessness.

What's a girl to do? I'm considering buying stock in Crocs. I can hate them all I want, but if fools want to buy them, I may as well make money off their idiocy. Better yet, all of you who like crocs, just paypal me $35 and we can cut out the middleman. More money for me to buy beautiful shoes.

Today's shoe of the day, proving style, function and comofort can meet:

Skechers Bikers 'Propel'

Liesl, 7N

I have discovered a good solution to the Crocs in public problem. Hear me out. I am currently sitting pretty in the hospital so I've been paying attention to the foot wear of the nurses, doctors and therapists. I've noticed that some people wear the little surgical booties we've all seen on shows like ER over their shoes even when they are not in surgery. So, my solution is this: if you MUST wear Crocs outside of your garden or outside of the hospital, why not wear the little surgical booties over them?

Everyone wins in this scenario; we don't have to see those awful shoes and you can protect them from dirt and germs. Hey! maybe they'll last longer! Don't you want your little pieces of hideous to last longer? I think this is an inspired solution.

Hey, I will even volunteer right now to send some of those booties to the first 5 people who email us at shoegirlz123@gmail.com. I'm nice like that.

Today's favorite shoe:

Sergio Rossi Murano

I love presies!

Suz, 10N

Especially the ones I buy myself. The ones that involve heels. The ones I bought because my buddy Liesl gave me a GC to Zappos. The ones I bought to congratulate myself on living another year.

There's a lot to be said for buying shoes online. Oh sure, you don't get the instant gratification that you get when you go in a store and try on the perfect pair, but since most stores don't carry my size, that's not relevant. Anyway, I enjoy perusing all the shoes available to me. I laugh at the ugly ones and shiver in delight over the pretty ones. I make long wish lists filled with shoes I may never buy, but like to fool myself that I will sometime.

There's that moment of making the decision to buy. Click. Size: 10N. Click. Color: Black. Click. How do you want to pay? Visa. Click. Is the shipping address the same as the billing address? Yes. Click. Complete purchase. Click. Then,the next day, you receive an email telling you your shoes have shipped, and a tracking number so you can follow their progress to your house. I knew my shoes were delivered at 12:55 PM today. All afternoon at work, I thought about them. I thought about them on the train. I also thought about those Jimmy Choos. A girl's gotta have her dreams.

Bruce picked me up at the train station. We get to the house, and he says, "oh your shoes are here". I didn't tell him I knew already. I sped into the house and picked up the box. I grabbed a pair of scissors to cut the tape. Bruce is standing by, saying "don't get excited, if they don't fit, you'll be pissed". I ignored him, and opened up the box inside. My shoes were nestled in the box in individual little cloth bags. So special. I gently lifted one from the box. Bruce starts rolling his eyes and saying "just try them on!" I gave him The Look. I had to explain to him that half the fun of a gift was opening it. And with new shoes, bought online, especially. The anticipation makes me all trembly. I took the shoe out of it's little cloth bag to admire it. This is almost as important as trying them on. How do they feel? What is the structure like? How does the leather feel? Do they live up to how they looked online? They did. They were better.

By this time, Bruce has lost interest and has gone back to playing Madden 2005 on the Xbox. I try the shoe on. It fits like a glove. It's perfect. I try the other one on. It, too, is perfect. I commence prancing around the living room in them. I interrupt Bruce's game to make him look at them. His pronouncement: "hey I like those". Duh. Of course you do, dear. I prance around some more. Then I IM Liesl to tell her how fabulous they are.

I've taken them off, and put them back in their little cloth bags. I can't wait to wear them. I'm already figuring out what to wear them with.

Today's shoe. My present, of course.

Vaneli 'Caylee'

Liesl, 7N

First of all, today is Suz's birthday. Happy birthday, Suz! Send her a birthday greeting at shoegirlz123@gmail.com.

I had another shoe dream last night. Suz and I were fugitives from justice in fabulous shoes. We had helped someone kidnap kids out of an abusive situation and we were on the run from the law. You know how in dreams you often do things literally? Well, we were actually running from the law in this dream... in black strappies. I remember looking down at my feet and thinking my fabulous shoes were surprisingly comfortable for running.

Somehow, we managed to stop running long enough to check out Steven Spielberg's new line of Christmas shoes. It didn't seem odd to either one of us that a Jewish film maker would have a line of Christmas shoes. He had a picture of a Christmas tree in his childhood bedroom that was made to look like the place Santa left from to deliver his toys on the shoe label. The shoes weren't even particularly Christmasy. If I remember correctly, they were mostly boots with faux sheepskin lining. Which I support since I like sheep. Yes, I know I am a hypocrite. Anyway, they weren't cute and they were cheap looking, yet we were admiring them. Oddities so far:
1. Steven Spielberg had a line of shoes.
2. They were Christmas shoes.
3. Santa Claus was small enough to live in a Christmas tree.
4. That tree was in Steven Spielberg's childhood bedroom.
5. We were admiring ugly shoes. That really is the oddest part.

I had a pair of Christmas shoes when I was a teenager. I had tied a pair of patent leather lace ups with red and green ribbons and attached bells to those ribbons. I would make a bad fugitive from justice in shoes like that.

Today's Favorite Shoe:

BCBG Max Azria "Zahida"

Liesl, 7N

I would just like to point out that Zappos is having their huge clearance sale this week. Yes, I've already bought a pair of Pliners and I have my eye on a pair of Bass loafers. They're light green! how could you not love light green loafers? Anyway, I encourage everyone to go to Zappos and spend your paychecks on fabulous shoes. Might I suggest:

Cherry red never looked so fabulous.
Basic black with a bit of a peek a boo.
These are too gorgeous for words.
Strappies are my favorite.
Can't you see this with a gorgeous cocktail dress?
I don't think I can express strongly enough how much I need these.
You can't go wrong with something so beautiful.

You get the picture. I only went through the first 10 pages of the clearance section and I found these gems. I give each of you permission to treat yourself to little pieces of fabulous this week.

Today's Favorite Shoe:

RSVP "Alexis," which happens to be on sale at Zappos this week.

Liesl, 7N

As I was sitting in my doctor's office waiting room today I looked around me at all of the shoes women were wearing. I was struck by one woman in particular; she was in a wheelchair and she had not a tooth in her head. She was quite old and probably quite sick since this was an oncology office but I'll be damned if she didn't have on her satin dancing shoes. It got me to thinking: is there ever a time when we should not wear our fabulous shoes?

I would surmise that this woman felt better about herself and her situation by wearing these shoes, even though she could no longer dance in them. I think that is an incredibly valid reason to have and to wear fabulous shoes. I was wearing my sandals with bling, though I had originally planned to wear sweats and tennies. (don't tell Suz!) As I was rushing out the door it dawned on me that I would feel better about sitting in a doctor's office for however long if I was wearing some fabulous shoes. I think perhaps insurance companies should write a shoe clause into their policies.

Fabulous shoes as a cure for cancer? Hmmmm!

Today's Favorite Shoe:

Stuart Weitzman "Open Fire"