I recently purchased these Skechers Tone-Ups Ninjafield shoes in silver because I’m trying to up my game, so to speak, in the exercise department.  I’ve been watching the rapidly growing fitness footwear market for quite some time now with plenty of interest, but also a healthy dose of skeptism.  It seems like every shoe company around that has anything to do with athletic or comfort shoes - i.e. Skechers, New Balance, Reebok, Earth and more - now offers lines of footwear that tout bold claims like weight loss, muscle toning and tightning, calorie burning and more just by wearing them regularly.  And though these shoes often receive positive reviews, it never seems all that clear if they actually cause weight loss or if they really change the shape of your legs over time.  But, I do want to believe that a pair of shoes could be my magic bullet (ha), although the price points have kept me at bay until now.  I just don’t want to shell out the big bucks for shoes that would normally cost much less without all of the promises, i.e. $50-$60 for flip flops and $100+ for tennis shoes that might be half as much without the marketing hype.  However, I must admit, it’s not too much to pay if they actually work, so when I found the Skechers Tone-Ups Ninjafield at Famous Footwear marked down to $29.99 (originally $54.99) and they had a coupon for another 20% off that reduced them to $23.99, it was a no-brainer for me to try them out.  At that price, you can’t lose.

So far, I’ve been super-happy with my purchase.  I think they’re cute for a casual shoe and they felt great from the moment I tried them on.  They have a cushy midsole that I can only describe as like walking on a mattress (in a good way).  The marketing booklet I received with my order says that the midsole is made of a double layer of high-tech polymer with varying thickness from heel to toe and the gradual variation causes three distinct areas of compression: a firm toe area for maximum control, a stabilizing middle and a softer heel strike that causes more effort with each step.

I’ve been wearing them regularly around the house and for doing things like running errands for a couple of weeks now.  I can definitely say that these shoes are very comfortable.  I went out for one of those long power-shopping trips recently and I typically feel plenty of tension and fatigue in my feet at the end of the day (more or less depending on my shoes) but I felt absolutely none of that when wearing the Tone-Ups.  I definitely give them a thumbs up for that. 

As far as toning and weight loss goes, it’s hard to say.  Obviously it takes time to see any dramatic differences, but I do feel like I’m standing a bit straighter and a couple of times I felt some muscle activation in my calves that I didn’t notice with other shoes.  All in all, I am feeling stronger, but I’m also doing other types of exercise, so I can’t give full credit to the shoes at this point.  However, I do like them enough that I’m considering buying another pair.  I’ll give it some more time and keep you guys updated if I see additional results.

If you’d like to try out your own pair of Skechers Tone-Ups for less, you can still get the Skechers Tone-Ups Ninjafield in silver for $29.99 at Famous Footwear with $4.50 for shipping.  Apply coupon code DTWB291 until 6/30/10 to get 20% off your order.  Or, get them at 6pm for $20 with $6.95 extra for shipping (Update: Sold out at 6pm).  Here are some more low prices I found:

Skechers Tone-Ups Strength Train in hot pink and white for $20 at 6pm (Update: Now $14.95).

Skechers Tone-Ups Hotness in bronze for $35 at 6pm.

Skechers Tone-Ups Glamgirl in black, red or navy for $49 at Shoes.com.  Apply coupon code VISA for 20% off, which reduces them to $39.20 with free shipping.  Or, go to FinishLine to get them in black for $29.98 with about $7.99 for shipping.

Skechers Tone-Ups Candy Bar in silver or bronze for $29.99 at Famous Footwear.  Apply the code mentioned above for 20% off, which makes them $23.99.

**Note: Please excuse my slowdown in posting over the past week or so.  I’ve been having some internet issues, including several bouts of no internet service at all (lovely) that prevented me from updating the site as regularly as I normally do.  Luckily, I had a technician out today and it appears to be fixed (fingers crossed), so I should be good to go.**

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Cheap Chick is back in business today, this time searching for shoes that are perfect for both the active summer lifestyle and the good ol’ wallet.  She scoured her favorite bargain shoe store, 6pm, for the latest in good-looking casual shoes that are priced under $25 for those who need to satisfy their shoe shopping cravings for less.  We’ll see flip flops and flats, but there’s a couple heels thrown in for good measure - because that’s how Cheap Chick rolls.  Here’s what she found:

These Simple Glider shoes have an MSRP of $100 and they feature a leather upper and full grain leather lining and topsole, plus environmentally-friendly recycled materials used in the midsole and outsole.  They look pretty comfy too.  Get this pair for just $19.95 in black or brown.

Here’s another pair of eco-friendly shoes from Simple, the Simple Undertoe.  These shoes are made of natural materials like organic cotton, bamboo, jute and recycled tires.  They have a MSRP of $75, but are marked down to $19.95 in brown multi or pastel multi stripes or in solid black, natural and brown color options.

Lose the heels, keep the style with the Franco Sarto Journal strappy flat thong sandals, which feature a leather upper.  Choose from black, pink, blue or brown for $20.70 (MSRP $69).

Add some bling-bling to your casual look with the Volatile Partay, which comes in silver, blue, black or brown for $24 (MSRP $59.99).  There’s also a red version for $30.

Here’s another sparkly option, the Skechers Grace Kelly sequined wedge flip flop.  Get it in brown with bronze sequins for $22.20 (MSRP $37).

Get a flip flop from the folks famous for their sheepskin boots.  Ugg may be a love it or hate it kind of brand, but you have to admit these look super-comfy.  The Ugg Tasmina flip flop in mango is offered for $25 (MSRP $50).

If you practically live in the water all summer long, you might like the Terrasoles Beyond flip flop, which has a anti-microbial footbed suited for going from wet to dry and back again.  These come in pink, black or green with black sole for $22.43 (MSRP $39.95) or get a pink pair with white sole for $17.55.

Keep your casual look super-classic with the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Seasonal Ox for $22 (MSRP $44).  I love the sky blue color, but it also comes in dark pink for the same price.  There’s also a light orange version or a white pair with neon pink laces and trim, each for $26.40.

Now for a couple of heels under $25:

Nine West Jai black leather peep toe pump for $23.60 (MSRP $59).

RSVP Hana in red or black satin for $23.46 (MSRP $65).

Shipping adds a flat-rate $6.95 to any size order at 6pm and prices can change at any time.

Have a happy Saturday!

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Piperlime doesn’t offer coupon codes very often, so it’s definitely worth mentioning when they do - particularly when it applies extra savings to shoes that are already reduced in price.  You can get 15% off any sale shoes by using code EXTRA15 at checkout and, as always, shipping is free.  There are hundreds of styles to choose from, but  I like the Steve Madden Tobbi in cognac (pictured above).  It’s on sale for $69.99 (regularly $99) and drops to $59.49 after the discount.  The code expires 6/5/10.

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Sex and the City 2 is finally out today (yay!) and I won’t be braving the theatres on premier day, although I will attempt to check it out this weekend.  In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to round up all of the shoes we’ve seen so far that are either in the movie or associated with it (i.e. premiers, etc).  Since we know the Sex and the City 2 ladies are always extravagent and over-the-top with fashion - the cost of their wardrobe is said to have been around $10 million - I’ve also found lookalike options that are far less expensive.  These are the shoes we’ve seen in the movie photos and info released up until now, some of which I’ve covered in my previous Sex and the City 2 shoes posts, but now you can see them all in one big super-post.  I’m sure the movie itself will provide plenty of additional footwear eye candy, so I’ll add more as I see them.

We’ll start with the gold heels Sarah Jessica Parker wears as Carrie Bradshaw in her white dress, which is one of my favorite looks so far.  I love the gold and white combo and how the simplicity of the dress allows the shoes to really shine.  These appear to be Christian Louboutin Pigalle Strass heels, but they aren’t available for purchase online (the Halston Heritage white dress is available at Neiman Marcus for $325 though).  However, I did find some similarly sparkly shoes that are sold for less:

H by Halston Stella gold glitter pumps for $79.95 exclusively at Bakers Shoes.  These are also available in silver glitter, multi glitter and brown, white or black leather.

Chinese Laundry Ladybug in gold for $79.95 with free 2-day shipping at Endless.

Enzo Angiolini Merryann in gold and silver for $79.95 at Nordstrom.  The stock photo really doesn’t do this pair justice.  Check out the Goldenmeans blog to see just how gorgeous these look on.

We also see Carrie wearing the Christian Louboutin Bridget Strass in SATC2.  These are also unavailable online, but we have a close lookalike from Dollhouse:

The gold version of the Dollhouse Tano is available at Dollhouse.com for $54.  Or, you can opt for the all black Tano, which DSW offers for $49.95.  Get $10 off at DSW with code TAKE10 (must login) until 6/28 and free shipping with code FREESHIP at checkout.  Update: Amazon has the Dollhouse Tano in red/black, gold/black or all black marked down to $41.97 with free shipping.

We see the Christian Louboutin Gino t-strap sandal on Carrie with her bright blue dress.  Again, these are unavailable for sale online and there aren’t too many close lookalikes that I see.  But, these less expensive shoes offer some of the same elements, resulting in a similar look:

Charles by Charles David Racey for $68.77 with free 2-day shipping at Endless.

Betsey Johnson Lavant for $133 at 6pm.

Cri de Coeur Elegance for $100 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

Sarah Jessica Parker looked amazing at the Sex and the City 2 premier in yellow Valentino and dark silver Salvatore Ferragamo double platform heels.  This Steve Madden pair provides a nice alternative:

Steve Madden Caryssa for $89.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.  Get $15 off $80 with coupon code STATMNTI for a limited time (see site for additional codes that apply to larger purchases).

Sarah Jessica changes into a black dress and bold Nicholas Kirkwood shoes for the premier after-party.  These shoes are sold at Browns, but they are currently out of stock with more coming soon (Update: The version without pink piping is available at luisaviaroma.com for $1,242.40).  This is another unique pair that’s hard to find lookalikes for, but these shoes come close:

Michael Antonio Toki in purple or grey for $66.95 with free 2-day shipping at Endless or for $59.90 with free shipping on $75 or more at FlyJane.

Cut-Out Colorblock Peep Toe Heel for $30 at GoJane.

The Brian Atwood Loca in lavender is worn by Carrie with her plaid shirt and cropped jeans.  The Loca was available at Net-a-Porter for $800, but is now sold out (more stock may be coming soon).  Neiman Marcus has the black and antique brass versions available for $800 and Bergdorf has them for $815.  If you’re looking for a more affordable lavender studded heel lookalike for the Loca, try this pair:

The Steve Madden Twilitte is available at Steve Madden for $109.95 and you can get 25% off and free shipping with coupon code FF25 until 5/31/10.  It also comes in black.

Update: Here’s a Brian Atwood Loca knockoff from GoJane.  It’s $29.90 and comes in black, grey or red.

Miley Cyrus makes a cameo in the movie and she’s dressed identical to Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall, even down to their strappy boots.  These are the Dolce Vita Marilyn, available in very limited sizes at Endless, but almost sold out completely everywhere.  Bebe has a practically identical version, the Bebe Jenna, which is also out of stock (with more coming soon it appears).  For less expensive lookalikes, see this post or check out this pair that reminds me of the Marilyn, except in a lighter, more summer-y way:

Guess Blarney for $140 in black or brown at Guess.com.

Kim Cattrall’s character Samantha Jones is seen wearing the $148 Patricia Field Classic Polly shoes in white and gold.  You can find these and more shoes by Patricia Field at Patriciafield.com.

The iconic Manolo Blahnik Something Blue shoes make a cameo in SATC2 as part of the shoes in Carrie’s closet.  You can get the real deal at Bergdorf Goodman for $945 or try these blue satin lookalikes for less:

Martinez Valero Zenith Blue for $154.99 at Sears.

RSVP Zaza for $99 with free shipping at Zappos.

Charlotte wears purple peep toe platforms in the movie and the shoes help Carrie locate her in a crowded Abu Dhabi market.  I’m not sure exactly what kind of shoes these are, but the Paris Hilton Sashay in purple is a pretty alternative that looks quite similar.

You can get these for $69.30 at 6pm.

Charlotte also wears the pink and white Christian Louboutin Very Croise platform sandal (seen at Polyvore).  For more affordable shoes that aren’t exact, but have similar design elements and/or colors, try these:

The Shiekh Catwalk 22 in black and white for $25 at Shiekhshoes.com.  It’s also available in four additional color options.

Another option from Shiekhshoes, the Shiekh Persia-01.  This is actually a lookalike for another designer pair, but it has the same pink and white combo.  These are $44.97.

Get the same color combo in sandal form with the Guess Knotted platform for $98.95 at Endless.  Get $15 more off using coupon code STATMNTI at checkout for a limited time.

Carrie wears a pair of black and blue booties with her green dress that are from Pierre Hardy.  I couldn’t find these shoes online, but the blog Better In Boots has some more info/pics.  For a less expensive option, try this pair:

Fergie Jolt for $48.98 with free shipping at Amazon.

When Carrie runs into Aiden in the Abu Dhabi market, she wears a Dior t-shirt with a long, full skirt and pink suede sandals.  The pink shoes worn by Sarah Jessica Parker are the Manolo Blahnik Lezza, which are unavailable for sale online but you can see a picture of the black version over at Coolspotters.  For a similar alternative, try these shoes:

Pour La Victoire Bridgette in fuschia for $163.90 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

Dollhouse Esina for $49.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.  This pair is also a lookalike for this Giuseppe Zanotti sandal.

United Nude Cup Goddess for $194.95 at Endless.

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Images from IMBD.com and Peoplestylewatch.com.

You may plan on buying some shoes this weekend, but you can also make your piggy bank happy in the process.  I’ve rounded up some shoe shopping discounts that will put a smile on your face and keep your little piggy nice and full, metaphorically speaking.  Here’s what I found:

Piperlime is having their Sweet Deal Event that takes up to 30% off a selection of women’s shoes.  There are plenty of styles to choose from, but I noticed a good price on the FitFlop Walkstar in red, which is on sale for $28.50 with free shipping (regularly $50).  That’s practically in Cheap Chick territory (i.e. under $25).  The sale ends 5/30/10.

Old Navy has a selection of cheap flip flops for throwing on at the pool or beach (or anywhere else for that matter). Their classic flops are normally $3.50, but for a limited time you can get 2 pairs for $4 or choose from select colors that are $1.49 a pair.  There are also additional styles listed on this page that are 2 for $5.  If you plan to spend at least $75 on your order, get 15% off and free shipping with coupon code ONCAMP15 until 5/23/10.  There’s also a similar deal at American Eagle.  Buy any pair of shorts and get a select pair of flip flops for $1 for a limited time.

6pm is having their latest round of brand-specific shoe sales, including MIA shoes for up to 65% off, I like the cute fringe MIA Hannah pump, which is marked down to $24.68 (MSRP $73).  The sale expires 5/23/10.

Famous Footwear takes an additional 20% off any order, even sale shoes, when you use coupon code USWEEKLY at checkout.  I noticed that their Skechers Tone-Ups, which are similar to the FitFlop, are discounted to a super-low price.  Originally $54.99, the Skechers Cali Tone-Ups are on sale for $29.99 and reduced even further to $23.99 after applying the code.  The coupon expires 5/31/10.

Shoesteal always has great discounts on shoes and you can get an even better price when you apply coupon code SUNSTEAL for another 15% off.  I noticed some heavily discounted L.A.M.B. shoes, like the L.A.M.B. Gypsy for $142.80 (originally $356.99).  After the code, get them for $121.38.  Sizes are limited for most styles, but you can check out all of their L.A.M.B. shoes and choose your size at the top to narrow it down to what’s available for you. The coupon expires 6/30/10.

More shoes coupons & sales:

25% off and free shipping at Shoebuy with code EMAILFRIENDS10 until 5/23/10.

20% off and free shipping at Shoes.com with code VISA until 10/31/10.

Buy 1 pair of shoes, get the 2nd pair for $15 at Charlotte Russe.

15% off regular prices and 20% off sale and clearance with code BIG at Lord & Taylor.

Happy shoe shopping!

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Anticipation is already high for the Sex and the City sequel and it’s sure to grow to a full-on frenzy the closer we get to the May 27 premiere, a mere week away.  As a SATC fan, I’m certainly counting the days until it’s out and, of course, I’m looking forward to checking out the shoes.  Let’s face it, Sex and the City just wouldn’t be the same without all of the fabulous footwear.  Even though the movie isn’t out yet, we already know we’ll see plenty of Christian Louboutin featured, but I got an email from someone who wanted to find out where to buy the Vivienne Westwood shoes that are a part of the film.  It’s the strappy brown gladiator sandal with multiple buckles that Sarah Jessica Parker wears in one of the official movie posters (pictured above) and it has extra-long straps that hang down from the side.  It’s definitely one of those to-die-for kind of shoes. 

According to Vogue UK, this particular pair was originally made for the Vivienne Westwood spring/summer 2009 Gold Label collection to show on the runway and it was never produced to sell.  But, due to demand generated by the movie – referred to by Vogue as the “Carrie factor” – the label has decided to make them and sell them at select Vivienne Westwood boutiques so that SATC fans have the “opportunity to own a piece of memorabilia featured in the movie.”  But, if you don’t have a boutique near you, you can also pre-order the Sex and the City 2 shoes online at hervia.com, which is the website of UK’s leading retailer of Vivienne Westwood products.  They have the shoes on pre-order for £425 and, if my calculations are correct, that translates to roughly $610 with shipping available worldwide. 

Don’t forget, Vivienne Westwood was the designer of Carrie’s wedding dress in the first Sex and the City movie and the knee-length version Net-a-Porter offered sold out in a matter of hours, so act quick if you must have these limited-edition stunners or they could be gone for good.  The expected ship date is 5/24/10.

Update: Sold out.

SATC2 image from sexandthecitymovie.com

The sixth and final season of MTV’s The Hills is currently underway and, of course, we’ve already experienced enough drama and antics in the first couple episodes to last us well through the end of the show (and far beyond for that matter).  It’s a show that’s always straddled the line between fiction and reality, but this season gives us even more reason to ponder what’s real and what’s not: Drug rumors, uber-extreme plastic surgery, people literally losing their sanity, Ryan Cabrera on yet another reality show - yes, we’ve seen it all. 

Spencer: It boggles the mind

I have to admit I’m a bit sad that it’s almost all over, but maybe it’s time.  Clearly, we’ve come a long way from the innocent, wide-eyed early days of the show when Lauren Conrad was just trying to make her way in the world.  And if Spencer and Heidi really are as crazy and out-there as they seem, they probably don’t need a platform to exhibit it to the world any more than they already have.  Of course, we know they have a history of playing things up for the camera, so Spencer’s super-aggressive, controlling, crystal-toting tendencies and Heidi’s blank, passive tolerance of him (breathe, Spencer, breathe) could be just for attention.  If so, it still indicates a bit of craziness on their part, don’t you think?  I mean, who does that?  I must say, however, that Spencer might just have better acting chops than I would have guessed if it’s fake - those bulging neck veins we see displayed during his many angry rampages are pretty convincing.

The good news is that the girls are getting along relatively well, aside from those pesky drug-use accusations Kristin receives in the first episode after not hanging with the ladies one night in Miami.  Kristen and Audrina, who were prone to bursts of yelling and name-calling last season, are now practically BFFs and even go shoe shopping together in one episode.  I guess it goes to show that time - and shoes - heal all wounds.  Justin Bobby being out of the picture doesn’t hurt either.

Audrina and Kristin try on some noticably cute shoes together at Madison in L.A. and I happened to find some of them.  Since these girls tend to love their high-end luxe designers, I also found some similar shoes that cost a lot less for those of us not on a MTV-star budget.  Let’s check it out:

Kristin Cavallari tries on the YSL Criss-Cross Ankle Strap Sandal, available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $795.  For lower-priced alternatives, try these:

Bebe Stacy for $149 in black or brown at Bebe.com.

Steve Madden Averry in cognac, black, olive or orange for $89.95 on preorder at Steve Madden.  Coupon code FF25 takes 25% off and adds free shipping, which makes them $67.46.  The expiration of the code is unknown.

Audrina tries out Givenchy Open-Toe Ankle Boots, which you can get at Saks for $790.  Here are some similar, but less expensive options:

Aldo Goodsite in black or cognac for $59.98 at Aldo.com.

Dolce Vita Lee for $201.25 at 6pm.

BTW, Audrina wears tan Prada knot sandals with her peach dress while on the shoe shopping excursion.  You can find one size available at Shopbop, but I haven’t seen them elsewhere or any close lookalikes.  Her dress is the Amanda Uprichard Joan for $194 at Piperlime.

Kristen also tries on a pair of black platform sandals, which we’ve seen her wear more than once.  For instance, she wore these shoes on the MTV After Show with her black lace one-shoulder dress.  They are the Miu Miu Swirl Platform Sandal, seen here at Polyvore:

It looks like they are sold out online.  Here are some similarly swirly pairs that are available now:

Max Studio Soraia sandal for $118.95 at Nordstrom.

Jessica Simpson Genaviv in black for $46 or in cognac for $36.80 at 6pm.  Additional sizes and colors are available at Amazon for $72.90 - $88.95.

Update: The platform sandals she wears while shopping are the Jimmy Choo Nixon, which are available in limited sizes at Bluefly, My Theresa and the official Jimmy Choo website.

In a promo pic for The Hills, Kristen wears a metallic wedge heel that looks like this Seychelles Kick Up Your Heels wedge:

It can be found at Endless.com for $89.95 with free shipping.  Sizes are limited in pewter.

There’s also the Season 6 promo video for The Hills that features some of the cast hanging from puppet strings, as well as a pair of beige zip-front shoes.  These shoes look really familiar to me, but I couldn’t quite place them (or find them).  Update: These are the Christian Louboutin Zipette, which are sold out online.  But, here are some lookalike pairs:

Calvin Klein Elise for $99 at Lord & Taylor.  Apply coupon code BIG for 15% off at checkout through 5/23/10.

Jessica Simpson Gobow for $89 at Macys.  Get free shipping with coupon code JOURNEY until 5/19/10.

Steve Madden Nanciee for $99.95 at Steve Madden.  Use code FF25 to drop them to $74.96 with free shipping (expiration unknown).

Any other shoes from the cast of The Hills you’d like to know about?  Let me know!

Images from MTV.com and OK! Magazine.