ISHOELOVE

This is why I love NYC and the amazingly talented and creative people in it.  Recently coming out of a subway I spotted this incredible individual in these incredibly interesting kicks.  I couldn’t help but stop him and ask to take his picture.  He agreed and I snapped away.  I love these sneakers for their fabulous “Super Fly” statement.

Oh, the brilliant mind that created the iconic shoe that is the cuffed sandal is one that I’d like to meet with and pick at for a while.  I had spotted this new style while riding on the J train to Brooklyn and I couldn’t stop staring and wondering; are the ugly, are they brilliant, would they look good with jeans….regardless of what I initially thought I couldn’t stop staring..so, I knew if I was intrigued by a pair of sandals this much then they were going to be BIG!!  Little did I know the odd cuffed sandal I couldn’t stop ogling at was about to spark a revolutionary shoe revolution.  With the gladiator sandal reigning break out summer shoe queen of 09′ we have a new princess in town and she’s tough, chic, and irresistibly fantastic!!!  I snagged mine from Urban Outfitters and their by Deena & Ozzy.  I cant tell you how many people walk up to me and tell me how much they love my cool sandals.  I had the LOL’s for a bit after a dude called them ninja sandals, but was flattered by his attempt at a compliment anyway.  My sources say they’re popping up all over the city in various stores, so dont hesitate!!  Go out there and channel your inner bad girl!!

Navid O Nadia has managed to make the wedge sexy and comfortable.  Make that incredibly comfortable. Prior to writing this post I took a couple weeks to traipse through Manhattan and Brooklyn in my lovely new yellow t strap wedges before I reported on comfort level.  I was skeptical I will admit when I took them for a test walk in the store…..Incredibly cute, lovely color, t strap (what i had been searching for) and a bit of a wedge (something that can make or break the comfort factor)…I went with my gut and purchased them on the spot.  Rent money, oh, who needs an apartment when you have a fabulous pair of shoes to buy.  So charming shoes in hand and I was out the door.  I literally could not wait to get them on my feet, the only deterrent for not having them on right away was the miserable monsoon like weather that had hit NYC.  I did however try them on for my favorite make-up artist Miss Veronica Reid and my lovely friend, model Katheryne McGaffigan.  They were an instant hit!!  The ladies enthusiastically approved.  The weeks that followed were absolutely gorgeous weather wise, so I was able to indulge in my recent purchase.  Boy was I surprised!!  It was a if I was walking on a cushy, cloud.  If a cushy cloud could be so sexy.  Pair them with jeans, shorts or a summer dress and you have yourself one versatile, vintage inspired comfortable shoe that is sure to turn heads!!

While gladiator sandals will keep us sexy and fashionable for faboosh nights out on the town, what is a sassy lady to do when she needs to ride her bike over the Williamsburg Bridge or cruise the Bronx Zoo with her man?   We all have those moments where we want to jump and play and not fret over what we’re doing to our favorite shoes.  A wonderful answer to that perplexing shoe conundrum!?  Vans!!  Catering to those that are creative, active and hard on their kicks since 1966 the Vans Company has an awesomely dope colorful array of classic slip ons, lace ups and now the sleek Chukka.  Two tone is the only way to go, try customizing your Vans to suit any mood your in….from Punk Rock Chic to Skater Girl.  This summer the color trends are bursting with purples, neon’s and almost any color of the rainbow and their all hot hot hot!!  Check them out at www.shop.vans.com!!

With the economy in its current state and spring already here, many of us are finding ourselves pining over ridiculously priced summer footwear.  Not to worry, my little chick-a-dees!  The 15 year old in me says “Are you really going to shout out Pay Less?”  However, my frugal fashionista adult self says “Hell to the yes!!”

I am a huge fan of anything gladiator or Romanesque and when I saw that Pay Less offers these sexy summer wears, I couldn’t help but tell all of you!!  They come in four different colors; black, bronze, gold, and silver and are sooo cute.  I compared them to some of the designer gladiator style sandals and
the only real difference is that Pay Less uses animal friendly, manmade materials. So all of you vegan, animal-loving ladies indulge to your heart’s content and your bank accounts delight

Of course, if you’re looking to go the extra green mile, there are a ton of consignment shops that are bound to have a couple of cool pairs of hip sandals in stock.  Keep your eye out ladies, it’s the year of the bargain!

Ok, so I’ve written at length about my weather defying acts of shoe craziness, but I recently rediscovered an old classic.  The Moccasin!!  I have them in three styles; the slip on, the tall lace up boot and the mid rise boot. I have found that not only are they extremely durable in inclimate weather, but they are also beyond sexy.  Match a pair of the tall lace up boots with your fav skinny jeans and a flowie top coupled with a cute cardigan and scarf and you have an incredibly fierce winter ensemble.  As it starts to warm up (fingers crossed!) you can wear the ankle boot or slip ons with summer dresses and shorts or jeans with a tanktop.  They funkify any outfit and make you feel all Pocahontas-esque, which totally equals white hot.

Moore Footsteps

I recently found out about a Show involving shoe sculptures up in Philadelphia.  Darla Jackson is the artist who built the base sculptures for the exhibit: Giant Victorian Boots decorated by different alumnae of Moore College of Art and Design.

This is an interview with Darla about the project:

I recently found out about a Show involving shoe sculptures up in Philadelphia.  Darla Jackson is the artist who built the base sculptures for the exhibit: Giant Victorian Boots decorated by different alumnae of Moore College of Art and Design.

This is an interview with Darla about the project:

Allene: What shoes are you wearing right now?
Darla Jackson: I am wearing the “Kiss” heels by farylrobin from Busstop Boutique in Philly.

A: Is this your first shoe sculpture project?
DJ: The first piece I ever did involving a shoe was Fashionista from the Delusions of Grandeur Series in 2007, but I used a real shoe in that piece. This commission was the first time I’ve actually sculpted a shoe.

A: Who chose the Victorian Shoe as the template?
DJ: The idea of the Victorian shoe was chosen by the Alumni committee at Moore College, however, they didn’t have an exact one in mind. We discussed the qualities they wanted (something strong, yet feminine, with interesting forms and a lot of surface for the artists to work on) and I started sketching. I would send them 3 sketches and the committee would choose one they liked and ask for any changes they wanted. We went back and forth a few times, and once we had a rough idea of the form, I made a 12″ maquette, so they could see how the sketch translated to a sculpture. Once a few changes were made to that, it was scaled up and I sculpted the 6 foot high Victorian Boot.

Fashionista. Delusions of Grandeur

A: I saw “Fashionista. Delusions of Grandeur” Series 2007.  Can you tell me a little bit more about this piece?  Was it inspired by a specific situation?
DJ: The Delusions of Grandeur Series started out as commentary on how parents pre-plan their kids careers when they’re just babies…you know “Johnny’s going to grow up to be a doctor, lawyer, movie star, etc….” So I started making sculptures of baby animals in funny little situations….a baby rabbit sitting on top of a little black book was titled Playboy… a baby bird on a “gold” bar was titled Cheap… Fashionista was inspired by one of my cats, who is always in, on, or around my shoes, purses, makeup, etc…she’s a bit of a diva, so sculpted her as a kitten sleeping in one of my shoes…an aspiring fashionista…

Press

Darla Jackson

Darla Jackson’s Blog

As the beautiful fall weather turns ice cold how many women find themselves trying to get just one more wear out of their favorite sandals/sexy summertime shoes? I can’t tell you how many times I have braved the cold in little ballet slippers that clearly were in no way appropriate because, well, because my skinny jeans just looked better with them than clunky old boots. Yes, my toes have cursed me and threatened to leave me standing with no support if I didnt put on some cozy socks and weather friendly shoe’s…but, it seems to no avail, I still find myself picking cuteness over comfort. I thought I was the only one…that was until I came across a young woman in one of the classes I model for and found her wearing open toed sandals in the freezing rain. I had contemplated for a whole week whether or not to approach her and ask her why? I was intrigued by this bodacious act…yet, I didnt want to call her out and make her feel awkward, I wanted to let her know I was staring at her with admiration…..but I was apprehensive. I waited and waited, finally I just went up to her and explained that I write for a shoe blog and noticed she unabashedly rocked sandals in freezing temperature’s and I would like to do a piece on her die hard weather resitance. I felt silly, but she was so sweet and explained to me she was a originaly from Canada/Florida and she had a only a couple of pairs of shoe’s that she owned and loved and it didnt matter what the temperature was because she was wearing her $15 sandals from Target no matter what. Hats off girl friend!! Honestly, chicks like that get 4 stars from me. At that moment I realized, screw it we only live once, wear the shoe’s you want and if it means you have chilly toes, so be it. Resist that weather ladies!

No matter where you are, or where you go…. Shoes are a girl’s best friend….

This is one of the first pieces I drew that made me realize how much I love drawing shoes!

I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t utterly adore shoes. The first girl on the block to master the fine art of walking in heels, I was fascinated and enamored with the click, click, click that echoed from below my feet. I felt powerful strutting my stuff down my street in suburban New Jersey. With one click of that high heel, I was in another world, walking down the street in Manhattan, rushing to some important meeting, getting together with my sophisticated friends for a fabulous lunch. I felt invincible. I was, of course, hooked. My mother would send me off to pre school in the usual 80’s get up, LA Gears, wig wams, acid washed denim skirt, shirt with mirrors, scrunched nearly to death at one of the sides by one of those weird shirt holder things. At the end of the day she would come to pick me up and I’d be standing there in my stockings, patent leather clicky shoe’s and a puffy party dress. I had her thinking she actually dressed me in the outfit (I was playing on her being an exhausted single parent), but she quickly started catching on that I was smuggling a change of clothes and shoes in a pocketbook I had taken from her. Later on in life, I would find myself at cheer leading practice, my high heeled boots placed neatly by the side lines. I would wear every pair of school shoes long before the new year started, hiding them in a bag on the way out the door and putting them back in the closet late at night when no one was around to discover my secret addiction. I still have my very first pair of baby shoe’s, they sit amongst my stiletto’s, boot’s and ballet slippers as a reminder of where it all began, my very first love affair.