New Wedgie

My shoe wardrobe took another turn this weekend when I visited Neiman Marcus in Seattle. To be honest though, I was on a mission for these and so I wasn't too surprised when they became mine. But...Chanel. That's a whole new level.

F*ck-Me Pumps

Okay, so it's a crude title. I know this, but it's a saying, right? So let's go with it. Sadly, I don't own a pair of shoes that can fall under this category as I'm far too prudent to spend the kind of cash warranted for shoes that scream at passersby about their inherent sexiness. But let's pretend I can.

Sexy-ass shoes (as seen at John Galliano)
Despite all the drama surrounding John Galliano as of late, there is no denying that the man is ridiculously talented and can make the single most feminine collection during any given fashion week. That aside, the shoes shown for fall-winter were almost bondage-style (locked-up feet are are so hot, right?) I can't buy these, so pictures will suffice. Squeeee!

Girlish Glee

For the last three Christmases, my Grandpa has unknowingly (funded) bought me Comme des Garçons items, the last two both being shoes. Of course, the first pair was my adored patent oxfords (which have since taken a beating thanks to my face-plant onto concrete last month.) This past Christmas' funding went to a pair of ruffled mary janes, as shown on the CdG runway for Fall/Winter 2011.


Yes, people at work have called them 'clown shoes', but I don't expect most people in this town to understand the appeal. And, like mentioned before, they are well-made and comfortable from the start. And flat! So practical I am...right?

Thanks, What Not to Wear

Thanks to the folks at “What Not To Wear”, every 45+ year old woman I talk to believes that all you need to do to look stylish is match your bag and shoes. Thanks a lot, Stacy London and blonde-ish guy.


Unfortunately, this “rule” has been abused. Give them an inch, and they run a mile, as the saying goes. Does the photo above scream ‘style’ to you? (If it does, the next question is whether you are 45+ or not and/or potentially from rural areas. It matters.)


One of the nice things about style and fashion is that generally, there are few rules. Buy clothes that fit you – don’t look at sizes. Buy quality clothes – these are available in all price ranges. Try to wear colours the look good together. Don’t wear mom jeans. Try not to wear only jeans. (I hate jeans.) Also, the cardinal rule should always be upheld – workout pants are not pants.


After going over that, matching bags and shoes doesn’t seem so bad. But unless the bag and shoes in question are black, I think anything else would look kind of silly. See the photos above again if you are unsure about that. Unless you are sporting an outfit like this:


But only in black and white!

Wang

Wang. The Wangster. The Wangman. All these ridiculous nicknames are attributed to Alexander Wang. By me. Which is lame. But anyway.

So as you've guessed by now, most of the time I spend in Japan, I spend inside shops, shopping. Mostly window-shopping though...until I see something remarkable. Shopping at Opening Ceremony (again) in Shibuya, I spotted the most fantastic pair of Alexander Wang shoes. Meet Ines.


Now, no one I talk to seems to like these shoes. I do!! So I tried to buy them. My size was sold out and very expensive in Tokyo.

I tried again a few weeks later at Holt Renfrew here in Vancouver. The very disinterested salesman managed to scrounge me up a size 40 and they were tight. My foot looked like it was swelling inside a tensor bandage. Not the look I was going for. The salesman half-heartedly suggested trying to find a size 41 somewhere else in Canada, checked, and found none. He stared off into space while I decided if I wanted to spend $475 on a tourniquet shoe. I didn't.

Goodbye Ines.

Little Bulldozers

That's what I call these shoes - little bulldozers. I guess that's what they feel like to me. Are you sick of my purchases yet? Well, these are an oldie. I bought these last year during my trip to Florida and have been stomping around in them on and off ever since. These aren't by any means luxury, but they don't require any effort to put on, and I like that. Did you know Adidas had a line called slvr?



Again, I'm all about short boots and dragging my feet in them all winter. I know it's bad, but I even wear these to work sometimes when I don't care if I look sloppy. Not exactly office attire. But I'm just a rebel.

Bootie Call

For fall/winter, I think every lady needs a versatile pair of ankle boots. At least for now, while they are fashionable. I bought a pair over a year ago and despite some wear-and-tear on the stiletto-ish heel, they are as soft and buttery as the day I pulled them from their box. But Pour la Victoire shoes are like that.



And from the picture above, you can see the flash of the gold studded fleur de lis on the sole. And the heel height? Oh-so manageable.



Pour la Victoire shoes are solid-quality shoes at a very reasonable price - I can personally vouch for that. And ankle boots look great with cropped trousers, skirts, tights, leggings, and most things in between. Just make sure you attend to the leather sole if you have one. Any cobbler worth their salt will make these babies as durable as...well, a non-leather sole.

Cult Classic

I’m obsessed. I’ve been obsessed with a lot of things in my day – Brad Renfro, designer denim, perfume, Apollo 13 – but that’s ancient history. My newest obsession is Jeffrey Campbell shoes. I know obsession sounds really extreme and kind of psycho, but I what else can you call it when every idle moment on the Internet is spent on solestruck.com deciding which pair shoes I am going to buy next. This is a daily occurrence and very serious.

Let me say that I am kind of practical when it comes to shoes (emphasis on kind of.) I can’t fathom spending the big dollars on crazy-high heels and so my Gucci shoes are runners and my Prada shoes are ballet flats. Get the picture? No Louboutins here (not yet, anyway.) But these…these are another story. They are a mid-price-range shoe with an unbelievable amount of comfort despite their height. I traipsed around Tokyo for nearly two weeks in the 99 TIE, whose heel clocks in at nearly 4”. My next purchase? The Clinic – a 5” behemoth.

99 TIE:





The Clinic:





Seriously…I think there might be a cult starting for this brand alone. Fans are rabid!

That Thong Tha-Thong-Thong-Thong

And here is my first purchase with none of the passion that usually accompanies one of such magnitude. It’s no secret I’m a crazy fanatic for Alexander McQueen and most everything that marches out under the brand. But I bought these sandals last year and I just can’t get excited about wearing them. You see, I was at work one day and was about to rush off to a meeting and these were in my cart…and my credit card information was already in the system and so…well, you can guess the rest.

My foot just feels so naked.







I’m sad. They are just so hard on my feet!

Made in Japan

In 2009 (aka forever ago), I bought that pair of Gucci sneakers which are now collecting dust in my shoe rack. Seriously, I’m choked that it’s such a shame. Since I don’t wear jeans, I don’t usually wear sneakers either. Ugh, enough about those. This post is about my most-cherished shoe that I bought less than a month after the Guccis and, to this day, adore the most of all my shoes.

If you know me at all, you know that one of my two favourite brands is the ubiquitous Comme des Garçons. And their shoes are a dream. They never require breaking-in and they will be eternally fashionable. I hope.







I would sleep with these on my pillow if it wasn’t so unsanitary.

I'm Gonna Be Sneaky

....hi. We haven't met for a long time, have we? Well, I certainly have blog fodder for this. As long as I can stay disciplined long enough. Let's start here.

In October, I was in Italy and I became possessed. Possessed, of course, with the tunnel vision that I needed to own a pair of Gucci shoes. When in Rome (literally!), buy expensive things, right? Or something like that. I felt there was a real gap in my wardrobe for some nice sneakers, so I hunted them out. And now I love them to bits.

Rocking Horse

It's about time I dedicated a post to the shoe that, in an instant, reminds me of Japan. Meet the Rocking Horse shoes designed by Ms. Vivienne Westwood.



I first saw these shoes while enamored with a little manga/movie entitled "Nana". These shoes are iconic and somewhat symbolic of "true punk" style over there in Harajuku. Truly coveted, these shoes are not cheap, with several smaller shops selling used pairs at stable, inflated prices.

Candy-Coated

I probably don't understand this because I'm not fashion-guru-ish enough, but I've heard that Christian Louboutin shoes are uncomfortable, tight, and completely impractical (that's a given). That's all fine and dandy and I frankly don't care about any of that, but what's the point of the pain if you can't even tell they cost you a pretty penny? What's that? It's not the commoners you want to impress...its the ones who know it is CL. Okay, I get it.

These Go Well With a Side of Ruffle-y Socks

I've been tromping around in my new Loeffler Randall shoes shown in
this post and I must say I am impressed! The shoes are gorgeous, comfortable, and best of all, Italian. I might just toss my whole lot of shoes and re-buy only Italian shoes...it would at least give me something else to do. Please borrow me your credit cards.

Meet My New Girlfriend

I've been searching high and low for a decent pair of sandals, but frankly, I'd given up hope of finding my ideal pair, now that we are halfway through summer. Yesterday while shopping at Holt Renfrew, the sandals found me. Because it took so long, everything has now hit the sales racks and I couldn't be more pleased - everyone, I'd like you to meet Chloé.

Kickin' It in Sky-Highs

Oi. After much debating at staring at these shoes and nearly buying them previously, today, I caved. Please don't tell anyone I've been shopping again - my friend Rachel will judge me! (Although I am fully aware that posting such information on my blog invites that knowledge of my actions. For shame.) I'll get over it though. My first pair of coveted Loeffler Randall's Italian beauties.

Not Your Average Pump

The brand Lanvin, in my mind, equates with smooth and easy elegance. Attention to meticulous detail. Kind of flawless. Always on the lookout for gorgeous footwear that I can blog about but not wear or afford, these fit the bill perfectly. Ooh la la!

Little Ms. Perfect

I think bows are all the rage now, aren't they? Even if they aren't, I'm still going to rage about them. Also being a fan of the comfort that wedges provide, these shoes are absolutely perfect. I want these on my feet so bad I'm officially dubbing them 'coveted'.

PFW - Part 16

This here is the precise reason why I love fashion. In the most perfect and elegant way to bow out of this seasons' fashion weeks, welcome to the artistic show that is Alexander McQueen. Be afraid.