I’ve been watching the Christian Siriano for Payless collection for awhile and I, like many others, had to rant on how toned down the shoes ended up being compared to the runway shoes once they were available for sale (you can see those posts here and here).  For example, the first blue shoe pictured above was translated into this:

It’s ok, but not what you would call Christian Siriano “fierce”, right?  So, I was glad to hear on The Cut that Payless did end up releasing the straight-from-the-runway versions of Siriano’s shoes and I had to go check them out for myself.  And guess what?  They are practically sold out already!  They might be completely gone by the time I post this considering there is only one size left in the All Done Up Mary Jane Pump (pictured in the middle).  The limited-edition shoes were priced higher-than-usual for Payless at $79.99 each, but these sold out a whole lot quicker than the toned down pairs.  I have to say, way to go Payless!  Update 3/11/10: It looks like there are a few more sizes left today, but they are still close to selling out.

Now I’m hoping they’ll do the same for the Christian Siriano Fall 2010 collection.  You can see those shoes at Nitrolicious.

Macy’s is having a Weekend Sale right now that marks down the price on hundreds of women’s shoes.  You also get an additional 20% off your order with coupon code VIP20 - which even works on sale and clearance shoes (sweet!).  I’m loving several of the styles they offer, like the Paris Hilton Sashay (pictured above) with studded platform.  It’s on sale for $79.99 (regularly $99) in grey, black or purple and you can get it for $63.99 after code.  Here are some more of my picks from the sale:

Carlos Santana Entrance in bronze or pewter for $89 before code, $71.20 after.

Marc Fisher Hoken in red, black, snake or pewter on sale for $59.99 (regularly $79).  Get them for $47.99 after coupon.

Calvin Klein Dylan for $119 before code, $95.20 after.

Steve Madden Loyyall on sale in black, blue, blush or yellow for $62.30 (regularly $89).  Get them for $49.84 after coupon.

DKNYC Odetta in black or ash for $120 before coupon, $96 after.

The code expires 3/14/10 and some exclusions may apply.

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on March 17, I’ve definitely had green shoes on my mind.  While some people don’t necessarily do anything to celebrate the holiday, I think it’s fun to get in the spirit by wearing something green (plus, you’ll avoid a good pinch by St. Patty’s Day revelers on the prowl for anyone not donning the hue).  There are lots of ways to incorporate green into your wardrobe for the Irish holiday, but let’s face it - it’s a great excuse to wear some fabulous green shoes.  Of course, as an added benefit, you can get plenty of wear from a freshly-picked green pair during spring as well.  Here are some of my favorite green shoes that are sure to bring plenty of luck:

So. cute.  The Harajuku Lovers Avallon for $99.95 with free 2-day shipping at Endless.

Fergie Empower in spinach for $99 at Shoes.com with free shipping.  Apply coupon code MSAVE for 20% off, making them $79.20.  They also come in a lighter shade of green called wheatgrass.

Carlos Santana Glamorous for $55.20 (MSRP $110) at 6pm.

Get a little funky with the Naughty Monkey Knot Sure in green.  The best price is at Amazon for $20-$28 depending on selection, but few sizes are left.  Zappos has them in plenty of sizes for $68.95.

Get even funkier with the Irregular Choice Shimmmy, which will obviously stand out in a major way.  Get these for $120.95 with free 2-day shipping at Endless.

Go for simple and sweet with the Miss Me Monet-5 ankle boot for $39.95 with free shipping from Amazon.

Nine West Beaulah for $83.97 (MSRP $119.95) at 6pm.

The elegant Calvin Klein Daliah for $71 (MSRP $118) at 6pm.

This one strikes me as having a true St. Patty’s Day vibe.  The Carlos Santana Rome for $89 with free shipping at Shoes.com.  Coupon code MSAVE takes them down to $71.20.

Spring-ready: The SM Ven Rosette Wedge in green for $39.95 at DSW.  Take $10 off orders $10 or more with coupon code MARCH10 at checkout (must sign in to use codes), making them $29.95.

Michael Antonio Hagen for $64.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

Seychelles Yin for $46 (MSRP $80) at 6pm.

Now, here’s a few of Cheap Chick’s picks for green shoes under $25.  These are all from 6pm:

Steven by Steve Madden Tummble for $22.35 (MSRP $149).

Converse Chuck Taylor Seasonal Hi in green for $23.29 (MSRP $45).

Zigi NY Gemma for $17.98 (MSRP $44.95).

Schutz 31601002 for $17.40 (MSRP $116).

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone and may the luck o’ the cute green shoes be with you.

I’m so glad its the weekend!  When the end of the week hits, we usually see quite a few shoe sales pop up and this one is no exception.  If you’re looking to get your shoe shopping on for less, try out one of these stores:

6pm: Up to 70% off Calvin Klein shoes, up to 80% off Poetic Licence, up to 80% off Irregular Choice and more shoe sales.  Expires 3/7/10.

Shoebuy: 20% off using coupon code SPRING at checkout 3/6/10 only.  It works on sale items too and shipping is free.

Lord & Taylor: 15% off regularly-priced shoes and sale shoes and 25% off clearance shoes with promo code SPRING at checkout. See the list of exclusions here.  Expires 3/9/10.

Nordstrom is having a shoe clearance with plenty of new markdowns. Expiration is unknown.

ALDO offers womens sale boots at 50% off the original price. Coupon code VIPOFFER gives free shipping at checkout, a $5 value.  If your order is over $50, use coupon code ALDOVIP10 for 10% off, which gives a higher discount.  Expiration is unknown.

Charlotte Russe has a selection of flats and flat sandals for just $12.50 a pair.  Expires 3/10/10.

Planet Shoes is taking an additional 30% off sale shoes. If a shoe has limited sizes, classifying it as an Operation Clean Sweep style, get 40% off instead. Expires 3/15/10.

Now, here’s some shoes news of note:

Walk in Oprah’s shoes, literally, by bidding on one of her designer pairs on eBay as part of Oprah’s Great Closet Cleanout.  Some of the shoes were even worn on the show and all proceeds benefit the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy. Auction ends 3/11/10.

Nicole Richie talks about her new House of Harlow shoe line on WWD Footwear News. Plus, check out their Q&A with Steve Madden.

Famed photographers Annie Leibovitz, Terry Richardson and Mark Seliger shot Britney Spears for the new Candie’s ad campaign.  Sign up to be a Candie’s member to see the behind-the-scenes pics and video featuring the pop princess.  Candie’s shoes can be found exclusively at Kohl’s. 

Have a great weekend!

I think the Betsey Johnson Nina in cream is super-adorable, yet sophisticated, with its contrasting stripes and studded bow.  There was also a very appealing red, black and white version available at one time that appears to be sold out online.  You can get the best price on the cream pair at Heels.com, where it is on sale for $176.99 with free shipping, but few sizes are left.  Shoes.com also has them for $251.99 and coupon code MSAVE takes an additional 20% off, making them $201.59.  While this isn’t an outrageous amount of money, it’s still a big chunk of change for many of us and not always doable on a tight budget.

Enter the Not Rated In LA, which offers similar stripes - just in different colors - and a studded bow.  If given the choice (i.e. free reign to spend as much as I want), I would opt for the Betsey Johnson pair because they look higher in quality overall and I prefer the color scheme, but the Not Rated pair is definitely a cute alternative at a much lower price.  You can get this style in black or yellow at Shoes.com for $50 and the 20% off MSAVE code reduces them to $40 with free shipping.  There’s also a blue/white/red version available at Endless.com for $49.99 with free shipping.

Speaking of Not Rated, I saw this promo photo on Endless and had to find out which shoes were featured here:

And, you guessed it, they are from Not Rated as well (of note, Not Rated shoes are made by the same company as one of my fave brands, Naughty Monkey).  This is the Not Rated Inked:

These pump-boot hybrid shoes clearly look hot with boyfriend jeans and they’re nicely affordable too.  You can get these in black or cream for $60.95 (most sizes) with free shipping at Endless.  However, Shoes.com has them for $60 and the 20% MWAVE code drops them to $48 with free shipping.  They also have the yellow pair, which is now sold out at Endless.  Coupon expiration is unknown.

I had to bring out the sale spotlight again after my mom alerted me to the Last Chance Designer Sale going on at Amazon and, as usual, mom knows best - this is definitely a whopper of a sale (thanks ma!).  During this sale, you can get steep discounts of up to 85% on select designer shoes, including styles from Georgina Goodman, Casadei, Bally, Ruthie Davis and more.  These are shoes that normally cost hundreds of dollars and virtually all of them are marked down to under $150 (and some well under), plus you get free shipping.  Size selection for many styles is limited, as is the norm for this kind of “last chance” sale, but I managed to find a few pairs that have decent availability and a steep discount.  Let’s check them out:

Donna Karan Sequined Peep Toe Pump in black or grey for $114.60 (list price $764.95)

Georgina Goodman Felicity in red or black for $108 (list price $720)

Sui Generis Saphire in solid black or red diamond for $101.85 (list price $679.95)

Georgina Goodman Fia in grey for $120 (list price $800)

Georgina Goodman Cher in dark brown for $110.25 (list price $735)

See all of the shoes in the sale for more.  For best results, select your size on this page to narrow it down to available options.  Sale expiration is unknown.

Dillards is having a really good shoe sale right now.  So good, in fact, that I had to break out our trusty sale spotlight to highlight some of the best deals.  They’ve taken an additional 40% off all permanently reduced sale items, which includes a selection of almost 350 women’s shoes (the sale price reflects the extra discount).  So, let’s take a look at some of the best shoe shopping bargains they have going on:

Michael Michael Kors Camden in black for $54 (originally $150)

Dolce Vita Celtic in platinum for $50.70 (originally $169)

Calvin Klein Prive in zebra for $41.99 (originally $108).  Of note, Amazon has the same shoe for a slightly higher price of $43.18, but free shipping is included.

Steve Madden Korset in black for $59.99 (originally $149)

Steve Madden Tayla in black for $41.99 (originally $99)

Beverly Feldman Chaos in leopard for $107.64 (originally $299)

J.Renee Makensy in platinum or pewter for $34.20 (originally $95)

BCBGeneration Border in black or rasberry for $33 (originally $110)

Vince Camuto Minnie in black for $89.99 (originally $198)

As far as I can tell, these prices can’t be touched at any other store right now.  The sale ends 2/27/10.

I know a lot of people have been interested in the dramatic red feathered heels that Kim Zolciak from The Real Housewives of Atlanta wore last season to castmate Kandi’s birthday party.  It’s been quite awhile since we saw her wear them on the Bravo show, but I’ve found that people are still looking for them, even to this day. I mentioned before that I thought they were Christian Louboutin, but wasn’t able to pinpoint the exact style. However, I’ve since found out that they are the Christian Louboutin Anemone Plume (seen here at Miss Lovely) and it doesn’t appear they were ever sold online.  In fact, it was hard to find a picture of the red version - I found the image above on the Superhero blog - and I’m guessing they are no longer available.  But, I came across this feathered shoe by Nina today, which I think is a viable alternative:

Sure, they aren’t red and they aren’t Louboutin, but the look of the Nina Xtina is quite similar and offers plenty of plumage at a fraction of the cost.  You can get these at Macy’s for $99.95 and they are also having a nice little sale right now that takes 50% off your second pair of shoes when you buy one.  If you don’t see your size or don’t plan to buy a second pair, get them for the same price at Zappos with free shipping included. 

Zappos also offers the white and ivory versions, which are particularly perfect for brides searching for a bridal feather shoe.

If only the Anemone will do, try contacting a Christian Louboutin boutique for more info on its availability.

Cheap Chick is doing the happy dance because it’s Saturday and we’re finally having a beautiful warm day - a welcome break from the dreary, cold, icy weather that’s been prevalent here lately.  What else makes Cheap Chick happy?  Cute shoes on the cheap, of course.  So, before this little birdie goes outside to do…well, what chicks normally do (flitting around, chirping, pecking for bugs, etc.), she thought she’d round up some of the best brand name shoes for $25 or less.  All of these are offered by 6pm:

Dolce Vita 5125-51 in brown or black for $25 (MSRP $125).  Sizes are getting really limited, so snatch this awesome deal up quick if your size is available.

J.Renee Blaze in white or brown for $21.99 (MSRP $109.95).  Love the bead detail on these.

Hale Bob Cara in black for $19.80 (MSRP $99).

Enzo Angiolini Caitria in black for $17.80 (MSRP $89).

Steven Lalo in black leather and four other color choices for $25 (MSRP $125).  It looks like some of the color options are sold out.

Exchange by Charles David Acrobat in burgundy, black or brown for $15.40 (MSRP $77).

Via Spiga Taunt in brown, white or black for $19.80 (MSRP $99).

Jeffrey Campbell Anne in red, black or purple for $18.60 (MSRP $93).

Matiko Jane studded flat in black or off-white for $18 (MSRP $90).

Chinese Laundry Suzana in tan, brown or black for $14.72 (MSRP $73.60).

Schutz 34901002 in black or tan for $17.94 (MSRP $89.70).

Two Lips Lori in black, bronze, brown or white for $15.18 (MSRP $75.90).

Shipping adds a flat $6.95 to your order.  Please note that availability and prices can change at any time.

Bloomingdales is taking an extra 30% off select women’s shoes during their Come Smile With Us sale.  As a result, there are some pretty impressive discounts to be had on brands like Dolce Vita, Tory Burch, Elizabeth and James, Via Spiga and more.  The Dolce Vita Trinity in zebra or leopard is reduced from $215 to $105 and I haven’t seen them for less than $150 at other stores.  The sale ends 2/21/10.  Update: This sale is over, but Lord & Taylor currently has the Dolce Vita Trinity in zebra or leopard on sale for $109.99.

Need more shoe sales this weekend?  Try these out for size:

Extra 25% off clearance shoes at Macy’s.  The discount is already applied to the product price.

Extra 20% off any order, including shoes, at Kohl’s using coupon code YOURGIFT until 2/21/10.

Extra $10 off $25 at Alloy using coupon code ALBGIFT, which can be used on regularly-priced shoes or clearance shoes until 2/28/10.

Extra 20% off at Famous Footwear using coupon code mclaire until 3/9/10.  It even applies to sale items.

Gwen Stefani showed off her new collection of L.A.M.B. shoes and clothing for fall 2010 this past week at New York Fashion Week.  I’ve always been a fan of Gwen and I think L.A.M.B. is a great example of a celebrity fashion line done right - in stark contrast to the reasons I thought Dina Lohan’s shoe line wasn’t a very good idea.  Super-talented Gwen is an icon for her music and her unique, rocker style, with her shoes being as original as she is.  She also seems like a generally cool person and appears to be a very hands-on mom to her two sons (who are about the same age as my daughters, so I understand just how hectic that can be!).  I must say the boots for this fall look amazing.  I saw her on E! News the other day talking about the new collection and she pointed out the mint green and brown boots (far right in the picture above).  She described these as “delicious” and like a “mint chocolate cookie” and even pretended to take a bite out of them:

Of course, we’ll have to wait until fall to see these in stores and L.A.M.B. shoes tend to be quite expensive for many of us.  I’m sure the boots will be in the $400+ range.  In the meantime, I’ve found some L.A.M.B. shoes on sale that are available now and relatively easier to fit in the budget:

L.A.M.B. Portman for $234.90 at Endless (MSRP $474).  For a limited time, get another 25% off automatically during checkout, making them $176.17.

L.A.M.B. Raja in black or grey for $130 at Amazon with free shipping (MSRP $325).

L.A.M.B. Rio in black or grey for $130 with free shipping at Amazon (MSRP $325).

L.A.M.B. Rhett in red, black, brown or grey for $172.50 at 6pm (MSRP $355).

L.A.M.B. Randi in black or grey/blue for $166.75 at 6pm (MSRP $349).  The nude/black version is $180.  Endless has a better price of $169.90 for the black version and $159.90 for grey/blue with an extra 25% off at checkout, but sizes are very limited.

Of course, you can always opt for Gwen Stefani’s lower-priced line of shoes, Harajuku Lovers.  Almost all of these hot shoes are regularly priced at under $100 or you can get a great sale price on select styles at clearance sites like 6pm.

If you want to get a glimpse into the life of one of the designers behind Harajuku Lovers and Betsey Johnson, be sure to check out Celine at The Shoe Girl’s Blog.  It’s a very cool blog from someone who has the ultimate shoe lover’s dream job!

Dina Lohan’s shoe line for Love My Shoes, which was tentatively called Shoe-Han and set to debut around Mother’s Day of this year, is officially not going to happen.  Love My Shoes cites “continued economic sluggishness and the prevalent mood of today’s shoppers” as the reason for the deal falling through.  While it’s true that the economy has resulted in people being more particular and careful about what they buy, it’s been said that shoes are selling well despite the recession.  I think it may have more to do with the less-than-positive reaction to the October announcement of the line and the fact that the market is already over-saturated with celebrity fashion.  Dina is known for being Lindsay’s mom, not a true celebrity in her own right with her own solid fan base, and the public perception of her has often been negative - she’s been criticized in part for her mothering skills and hard-partying ways.  While that may or may not be accurate, she’s also not particularly known or admired for her style.  Dina seemed to be aiming for a youthful, trendy kind of look with her shoes, but that market may not respond well to her.  All in all, it seems to be a good decision on Love My Shoes part, but Dina isn’t giving up.  A spokesperson says, “There was a miscommunication over finances, this was too local and we need a larger partner. We are currently exploring other options, and we will have another announcement soon.”  Daughter Lindsay also has plans for her own line of shoes as part of the expansion of her 6126 leggings line.

It’s a big holiday weekend and you know what that means: shoe sales!  If you’re looking for your own shoe savings right now - perhaps for a nice little Valentine’s Day gift to give yourself (why not?) - here’s a list of all of the shoe sales I’ve seen going on for the holiday weekend.  Get your shoe shopping on at these stores:

6pm: All Naughty Monkey shoes are on sale for $14.95 or less until 2/15/10.

American Eagle: Extra 30% off clearance shoes using coupon code 49816637 until 2/14/10 and free shipping on any order until 2/15/10.

Bluefly: Extra 20% off select shoes until 2/15/10.  The discount is reflected in the sale price.

Heels.com: Extra 20% off shoes using coupon code WeHeartHeels until 2/14/10.

Lord & Taylor: 20% off regular, sale and clearance women’s shoes using coupon code PRES until 2/16/10.

Macy’s: Get 25-50% off shoes during their President’s Day Sale and an extra 25% off clearance shoes until 2/15/10.  The discount is reflected in the sale price.

Shoemall: Get 20% off shoes using coupon code IHEARTU until 2/14/10.

Shoes.com: 25% off all sale shoes using coupon code 25SALE until 2/15/10.  For regularly-priced items, use coupon code VISA for 20% off until 6/30/10 (may require Visa payment) or CUPID for 15% off until 2/28/10.

Shoesteal: Select brand-name shoes for $69.99 or less for a limited time, plus another 20% off with coupon code STEAL20 until 2/21/10. 

Torrid: Get an extra 50% off clearance shoes until 2/15/10, including brand names like Dollhouse, Fergie and Jessica Simpson.  The discount is reflected in the product price.

If I see more sales over the weekend, I’ll add them here.

I was shocked to hear on The Cut today that designer Alexander McQueen was found dead, reportedly due to suicide, just days after his mother passed away on February 2.  My heart goes out to his family and friends for their loss and he will certainly be sorely missed in the fashion world.  Some of his most ground-breaking work came in the form of the 10-inch ”alien” shoes shown in his spring 2010 show in Paris:

These were unlike anything anybody had seen before and a prime example of fashion as art.  I think everyone was looking forward to what McQueen would come up with next and it’s so tragic that we’ll never know.

Images from The Cut

We know that the Christian Louboutin Bridget (and the gold version, Bridget Strass) was a super-hot style for much of 2009 and one that I considered the shoe of the year based on the multitude of celebrities seen wearing it and the fact that it will be featured in the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie, which is all but guaranteed to be a hit.  The buzz over the Bridget seems to have died down for now, since it no longer appears to be available for sale anywhere online, so I was starting to think that no one would attempt to make a lookalike for this standout pair.  But, oh yes, they did:

I was checking out Journeys today and saw the Nadara Cosmo, which is a dead ringer for the Christian Louboutin Bridget - even down to the red sole (albeit a darker red).  While the Louboutin Strass was priced at $1,785, the Nadara Cosmo is priced way lower at $49.99.  That’s over $1,700 less (if you could still get the Bridget), so I’m predicting these could sell out pretty quick.

Update: This pair is still available, but it’s on backorder until 4/1/10.