So…obviously it’s been awhile since I’ve updated the site.  I didn’t intend to stop posting, but the demands of life got pretty intense for me over the holidays: A project at work that required a lot of extra hours and family stuff basically took over.  But, it seems things have calmed down a bit and I really want to get back to something I love: shoes!  And talking about them on this blog!  I plan to get back into the swing of things and I thought answering some shoe questions I recently received would be a good way to start.  You may have noticed the gorgeous Enzo Angiolini Thaddea in purple pictured above - it’s a shoe I loved the first time I saw it, but I also posted it for a more specific reason:  I had a request from Jasmine on Facebook to help find purple / eggplant wedding shoes, preferably with some bling.  These are one of my favorite fancy purple pairs of the moment - I’m loving the feather and gem detail, not to mention the color - and they can be purchased at Lord & Taylor for $129.  Apply coupon code FINAL to get 15% off, making them $109.65 with free shipping (expires 2/7).  They are also available at Nordstrom for $119.95 with free shipping. 

I really like the Enzos, but I also realize that every bride is different in what they envision themselves walking down the aisle in.  Thus, we need options, options, and more options, which works out well because I never mind checking out more pretty purple shoes.  I think the Poetic License Spectacle in purple is a sweet choice.  It has a more classic vibe, but the all-over texture adds extra interest and the bow is bedecked in rhinestones for added bling.  Plus, the heel is just over 3 inches, which is quite moderate compared to many shoes available these days and may translate to additional comfort - avoiding foot pain is an obvious plus on the big day.  The Poetic Licence Spectacle is available at Endless for $60.23, down from $98.  If you spend over $100 on eligible styles, including this pair, you get 20% off through 2/14.

Here are some more dark purple heels I found, in various styles that range from classic to a bit more over-the-top dramatic (or somewhere in-between):

Steve Madden Bitter for $129.95 at Endless.  Get 20% off $100 on this style at checkout through 2/14/12.

RSVP Ramona for $53.40 with free shipping at 6pm.

Badgley Mischka Lissa in purple for $245 with free shipping at Zappos.

RSVP Fleur for $48.30 with free shipping at 6pm.

Bourne Susie for $140.51 with free shipping at Endless.

Paris Hilton Crystal for $99 at Macys.  Apply coupon code RED to get 20% off no minimum and free shipping on $99 or more (expires 2/5/12).

Isola Tate for $66.99 with free shipping at 6pm.

After a nice dose of purple bridal shoes, we’re going to switch gears to something completely different.  I had an email question from Shadae about the shoes above, which were pictured on Tumblr, and where to find them.  I actually recognized them right away because, well, this is the kind of shoe you remember once you lay your eyes on it. 

This is one of Jeffrey Campbell’s latest naughty creations, the heel-less, totally spiked out Jeffrey Campbell Shadow.  It’s definitely packing some serious edge for the fearless fashion lovers among us and can be found in black leather or patent at Karmaloop for $264 (no promo codes apply at this time) or at Solestruck in black leather for $264.95.

On a related note, Solestruck also offers the Jeffrey Campbell Prickly, a mary jane heel-less style in beige or black, for $219.95.

Have a great weekend!

I love Halloween and it’s just around the corner, so it’s definitely time to think about placing an order if you plan to dress up and shop online for your costume and/or accessories.  I don’t dress up in costume every year, but I do occasionally like to go all out and wear a fun getup — my last one was Little Bo Peep with my baby daughter as the sweet little sheep.  So, while browsing around some of the online Halloween stores to check out the latest kids’ costumes, I had to divert over to the women’s Halloween costume shoes to check it out.  One that immediately caught my eye was this pair of teacup heels — too cute!  These shoes have a cup handle on the back of the heel and the back of the shoe actually looks similar to the shape of a cup, despite the open part where the foot goes in, so I think the concept works quite well as a whimsical, unique costume shoe for a Wonderland / Queen of Hearts type of theme.  Perhaps something along these lines, if you’re feeling extra saucy:

You can find the Teacup Shoes for $37.99 and the Queen of Hearts costume for $59.99 at CostumeSuperCenter.com.  Coupon code OCT40 takes 15% off $40 or more (exp. 10/31).  You can also find the shoes at BuyCostumes.com for $39.99 and coupon code TREAT15 takes 15% off through today, 10/6/11.

I had a request on Facebook to help find the studded shoes seen on Snooki on a recent episode of Jersey Shore Season 4 in Italy.  Nicole wore these boots when her boyfriend Jianni came for a visit (a very short one, I might add) and I also found out that she rocked them at a Matt Frisbie photo shoot back in March (pictured above).  These are definitely some hot boots but, let me tell you, it was quite difficult to track down the exact style.  It’s never easy when a shoe is featured on a show that films months before it actually airs.  Not to mention, if a shoe is out of stock at most major retailers, it’s even harder to find, unless you just happen to recognize them.  I looked and looked (and looked) and wasn’t having too much luck, but something told me to keep on trying.  After putting my magic fairy shoe wand into major overdrive, I finally found them!  Ahh…the thrill of the hunt:

This is the ZigiNY Jagger bootie in black denim and I found it at both Shoe Salon and Dotz Angels.  These are both local-based shoe stores that also sell online and they appear to have stock of the Jagger for $199.99 and $125, respectively.  I don’t have personal experience with either store, but I wanted to pass on the information to those who are interested.  I also came across a very similar alternative at Amazon:

This is the Michael Antonio Studio Metro boot and it’s available in blue, grey, black or red for $63.60.

Hope this helps Amanda!

Top image from remotecontrol.mtv.com

When I saw this spike studded shoe at LuLu’s, I had to take note, mainly because of the spike and stone detail on the back that is clearly inspired by a style we all know.  Yes, the Sam Edelman Lorissa officially has a knockoff.  But, I do use the term “knockoff” loosely, however, as the Qupid shoe does have quite a few differences, which could be viewed as positive or negative depending on the person.  First, it has a much higher platform, which I know some people wished the Lorissa had a bit more of in order to off-set the height of the heel (although the lack of a high platform has its own merits for a certain kind of look).  Also, rather than having the stones and spikes running all the way down the back of the heel like the Lorissa, the Qupid pair extends this detail down the side of the shoe, on the part facing outward.  While the Lorissa is made of genuine suede, the Qupid version is faux leather, or what they describe as vegan leather.  I do like the lace sole on the Qupid pair – it’s a nice touch:

Then there’s the price.  The Lorissa retails for $199.95 - although sale prices can be had — and the Qupid Brulee retails for $73 at LuLu’s.  If you’ve been wanting to try out the look of spikes, but you don’t want to invest too much in what might be considered a passing trend (but a very fun one to wear, I must say), then this might be a more suitable option.  Of course, it’s probably not the most opportune time to buy a white peep toe, if you follow the no-white-after-Labor-Day mantra (or just because we’re getting into the colder months of the year), but I did notice that there’s a black version of this style, as well as white, at Urbanog.com for $67.90.

For shoes with spikes at an even lower price point, check out the Liliana Angelina in black, brown, red, or tan at Endless for $40.25.  In this case, you have your spikes over the front of a pointy toe pump and round studs along the back.  If you spend over $100 on your order of eligible styles, including this one, you’ll get 20% off for a limited time.

Update: I came across another shoe much like the Sam Edelman Lorissa or the closed-toe Roza, the Wild Pair Carly, available at Bakers in black or tan for $94.99.

Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premiered this week and I know a lot of people, including myself, were really looking forward to it after the popularity of the first season.  The opening episode, which aired Monday night, was definitely hard to watch given the recent tragedy of cast member Taylor Armstrong’s husband, Russell, taking his life after the season filmed.  That whole situation is incredibly sad and Bravo is now re-editing the show, but I’m sure it’ll still be pretty surreal for viewers to watch Taylor knowing what the future holds.  Plus, we have other serious situations, like the bitter ongoing fued between sisters Kim and Kyle, Camille getting some of her personal belongings unceremoniously shipped to her from estranged ex-husband Kelsey Grammer, and the addition of the Brandi Glanville, the scorned ex of actor Eddie Cibrian, in future episodes (judging from the previews, her arrival isn’t going to be sugar and spice and everything nice).  All in all, it’s hard to say where this season will to take us, but I have to say it’s looking a little bit dark so far.  However, there is something that may have lightened the mood, even if just a bit: The pretty shoes they featured worn by Adrienne Maloof and Lisa Vanderpump.  I know there are some people looking for these shoes, so here’s a rundown of some of the styles seen on the premiere, plus some options for getting a similar look for less:

We’ll start out with Lisa Vanderpump’s pink heels, which were shown near the beginning of the episode.  To be honest, I can’t see the shoes well enough to be absolutely certain on what they are, but I did find out that Lisa has shoe design aspirations and it involves something pink: Her Vander “Pump” (yes, she does have a perfect last name for this) is a style she created with designer Ryan Haber:

This glam pair comes in pink or black and it’s made in suede with Swarovski crystal detail.  For those of you that can handle the $902.10 price tag, it’s on preorder at ryanhabercollection.com.  If that’s totally out of your price range, but you’d still like to find a pretty pink pump with decorative detail, here are some alternatives:

The Steve Madden Party-R for $129 with free shipping at Shoes.com.  Coupon code 15OFF takes 15% off (limited time) and drops the total to $109.65.

The Paris Hilton Sarina on sale for $80.75 at Shoes.com with an extra 15% off using the code mentioned above.  Few sizes are left, but you can also get it at Heels.com for $94.99 with free shipping.

Lisa also wore these black pumps with large rhinestones on the top of the shoe and around the ankle strap.  We do see a red sole, indicating that these are likely Louboutins (plus, Lisa is known to be a huge fan of the brand), but I haven’t seen this particular style before — perhaps they were never available online or they might be custom made (or maybe I just totally missed them!).  If you like the look of the oversized rhinstones around the ankle, you might like this more affordable style:

The Nina Garima in black, ivory or silver for $114.95 at Shoebuy.com.  Use coupon code SHOEBUY to get 10% off (limited time) or get a better price in gold or silver at Endless, where they are on sale for $74.74 with free shipping.

On to Adrienne Maloof, who made a big splash last season when she wore sparkly Gianmarco Lorenzi heels.  For the dinner party she hosted on the premiere, this lucky lady got to reach into her highly enviable shoe closet for another amazing pair:

This, of course, is the $1,195 Christian Louboutin Lady Clou Spike (seen at Nordstrom), which now appears to be completely unavailable online.  But, I think this next pair is a super-hot — and totally available – option for less:

The Sam Edelman Lorna with spiked bow for $136 at Karmaloop.  Coupon code 15FALL takes 15% off $75 (exp. 9/30).  In addition to the Aged Metal color pictured, it also comes in nude and leopard.

That’s all for the shoes I spied in the first episode, but I also wanted to note that Adrienne Maloof just launched her shoe line and the collection is currently available for preorder.  You can find Adrienne Maloof by Charles Jourdan shoes at Isaay.com and they are priced from $195 for flats to $295 for crystal-adorned heels.  I definitely noticed some Giuseppe Zanotti inspiration going on; for instance, the Ivy Sandal is very much like the Giuseppe Zanotti E10079.  All of the options are really very pretty, but my personal favorite is the Veronica Platform (pictured above) in turquoise - love that color!

Happy Wednesday!

RH photos from Bravotv.com

It’s Labor Day weekend, so it’s time to take a break from work (woo hoo!), give summer it’s last hurrah (um, wow, already?), and bring on the sales (score!).  Shoe sales for Labor Day are always pretty great because we’re in transition from one season to the next, so there’s definitely some rock-bottom prices on remaining spring and summer styles, but you can also snag a discount on those fresh new fall arrivals you’ve had your eye on.  So, if you’re ready for some shoe shopping, here are some noteworthy sales going on this weekend:

American Eagle is taking 40% off sitewide when you apply coupon code 28678011 at checkout.  That’s definitely a much bigger discount than we normally see from AE and you can even apply it to clearance shoes that are already as low as $9.99 before the coupon.  If you’re thinking ahead to fall, shop the latest women’s shoes, like the AEO Wedge Boot.  It’s $79.50 before the code and $47.70 after.  The coupon expires 9/5/11 and certain brands, like Minnetonka, are excluded.

Over at Steve Madden, get 30% off your order when you enter FALL30 at checkout.  This code doesn’t apply to clearance; however, clearance shoes do enjoy an additional 50% off right now (prices reflect discount) and I’m seeing a bunch of really low prices, even many options under $30.  One new style I’m checking out is the Steve Madden Stonned, which is $149.95 before the 30% off coupon and $104.96 after.  The code expires 9/11/11.

Shop the sale shoes at LuLu’s and get another 25% off when you use coupon 25onSALE at checkout.  The Jeffrey Campbell Foxy Fab in taupe floral is marked down from $129 to $87, then it falls to $65.25 after the code.  The coupon expires 9/5/11.

Famous Footwear is having a BOGO sale, where the second pair of shoes purchased is 50% off, and you also get another 20% off when coupon code LABORDAY is applied in-cart.  Of course, the 20% off can be used on one pair if desired, but you can definitely rack up the savings using the BOGO offer in combination with the code, especially since sale items are included in the offer.  For example, the Madden Girl Cleary in red is on sale for $49.99 (originally $54.99) and when you add the Madden Girl Cluelezz leopard colorblock pump, also $49.99, you can get both for $59.99.  Shipping is free on three or more pairs of shoes and the coupon expires 9/10/11.

More shoes on sale for Labor Day:

Macy’s: Extra 25% off clearance shoes (prices reflect discount), plus another 10% off with coupon code FALL through 9/5/11.  The coupon also applies to regular women’s shoes.

Shoes.com: Extra 25% off sale shoes with coupon code 25SALE through 9/6/11.

Lord & Taylor: 25% off clearance shoes and 20% off regular and sale shoes with coupon code LDAY through 9/6/11. 

Last Call by Neiman Marcus: 25% off women’s shoes and more at checkout, plus free shipping on $50 or more via code LABORDAY through 9/6/11.

All of these offers may have exclusions and are subject to change at any time.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend!

End-of-season sales are a mecca for a bargain-hunters like our friend Cheap Chick, who loves to find cute shoes on the cheap.  First, I have to point out that the use of the word ”cheap” on this blog only refers to the price of the shoes (simply defined as under $25) because anything beyond that — looks, quality, etc – is really a matter of personal preference.  However, it does help to find shoes that are not only low in price, but also come from recognizable brand names that are normally much more expensive.  That’s what Cheap Chick found in the Piperlime Final Sale and it’s also when things get really fun, like when you come across something like the Sam Edelman Magdalena (pictured above) with a retail price of $150 marked down to just $19.97 with free shipping in gray or whiskey/black.  That’s an unusually low price for this brand and I’m not seeing this particular style for less than around $80 anywhere else right now (Update 8/20: The price of the whiskey/black version was just increased to $39.95).  Want more?  Here are some additional name brand sandals and heels under $25 at Piperlime:

Seychelles Pickford for $24.97 with free shipping (retail $99).

Steve Madden Glistenn in black and 3 more color options for $24.97 with free shipping (retail $90).

Naughty Monkey Shinner in grey for $24.99 with free shipping (retail $89).  Sizes are getting a bit limited.

Report Ledger for $24.97 with free shipping (retail $90).

DV by Dolce Vita Siren for $24.97 with free shipping (retail $90).

Matiko Blake for $19.97 in black or white (retail $195).

Mia Biscotti in natural or black for $19.97 (retail $59).  The Naughty Monkey Divine in grey is a similar style for the same price (retail $99).

This is merely a sampling — there are tons of options at various price points in Piperlime’s Final Sale.  Note that returns are not allowed for these styles and prices are subject to change.

Update: Many more shoes under $25 can be found in the Steve Madden clearance sale, where prices are currently reduced by an extra 50% through 9/2/11 (the price listed has the discount applied).  There are quite a few priced under $20!