If you’re on the hunt for your latest pair of cute shoes, it’s definitely a good time to shop while many stores are having shoe sales for Columbus Day.  There are plenty of ways to save while shoe shopping this weekend and I’ve gathered up some of the best bargains I’ve seen so you can keep your feet fashionable and your wallet happy (which is always a win).  Plus, I’ve thrown a bit of interesting shoes news in for good measure.  Here’s what I found:

DSW was offering a free purse with a $39.95 or more order as of yesterday, but unfortunately they have already sold out.  The good news?  They are now offering $10 off a purchase of $10 or more using coupon code 7921DSW at checkout (exp 10/12) instead and you can stack it with their 920 code for 10% off and SHIPR for free shipping on $35 or more.  That cuts the price on the Moda Spana Chase Pump in leopard pictured above from $54.95 to $39.46 shipped.  All of these codes require signing into your DSW account.

Lord and Taylor takes 15% off your order using coupon code CDAY or, if you pay with a L&T credit card, CDAYPLUS (you get another 10% off that way).  They are also having a boot sale that takes 25% off one pair or 30% off two or more automatically at checkout.  When you combine the two offers, you definitely have the potential to save big.  The military-inspired Nine West Donley pictured above is normally $129.95 and drops to $96.75 in cart after 25% off, then to $82.24 after the CDAY code.

Macy’s is also having a buy more, save more sale on their selection of shoes.  Their Great Shoe Sale takes 15% off one pair, 20% off two or 30% off three or more when you enter GREATSHOES at checkout.  Shipping is also free on $99 or more.  You can find the biggest savings in clearance shoes, which are already reduced an additional 25% right now and are also eligible for the extra savings with the coupon.  For example, the Dolce Vita Cadiz mesh bootie above is marked down from $70 to $52.50 (retail $100) and is further reduced to just $36.76 after coupon.

Nine West is taking an extra 30% off select shoes and boots during their Columbus Day Sale.  The New Balance for Nine West Celestina lace sneaker above is way too cute and you can get it for $62.30 instead of $89 after the discount.  Shipping is also free. 

Shoes.com takes an extra 25% off sale shoes with coupon code 25SALE until 10/11.

At Payless, buy one and get 50% off your second item during the last few days of their latest BOGO sale (exp. 10/11).  Get another 20% off your order with coupon code 30526 (exp. 10/31). 

Guess takes 50% off select shoes and shipping is free.

Get an extra 25% off clearance at Aldo through 10/11 and free shipping.

Now, on to some shoe news:

A Mariah Carey shoe line is coming soon.  The singer is working with HSN on a collection of jewelry, footwear and perfume with a butterfly theme, which will be available at the end of November.

Steve Madden bought out Betsey Johnson and there’s also talk of a Katy Perry Steve Madden partnership in the works.

The world’s largest shoe department - in both physical size and the number of shoes offered for sale - opened last month at Selfridges in London.  The Shoe Galleries displays over 5,000 pairs of shoes.

She plays the ultimate shoe lover as Carrie on Sex and the City, but Sarah Jessica Parker tells In Touch magazine (in the October 4 issue) that she only owns seven pair of shoes.  If true, she must do a whole lot of borrowing from the designers for all of her fab red carpet looks (and who knew she was such a minimalist?).  On the other end of the spectrum, Kimora Lee Simmons admits to having “thousands” of shoes and closets all over the country to house her collection.

That’s all for now.  Have a great weekend!

Mariah Carey photo from People.com

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Did you guys catch the MTV VMAs last night?  I did, and there was definitely some amazing performances, loads of celebs in attendance, and plenty of fashion to check out.  At the helm of it all was host Chelsea Handler, who I must say looked sizzling hot in her LBD and t-strap platforms in black and silver during the opening act of the show.  As an added bonus, Chelsea clearly shows that it’s always possible to defend yourself just fine, even when wearing 4+ inch heels:

You’ve gotta feel for the little red man on the receiving end of that kick.  

You can get Chelsea’s fierce Gucci Keira shoes for yourself by heading over to Neiman Marcus, where they are available for $775.  For something far less expensive, here are some more black t-strap sandals to pick from:

Fergie Joust in black for $41.24 in most sizes (prices vary based on size) at Amazon. 

Nine West Graceymai on sale for $29.99 at Nine West.

Steve Madden Glitsi in black for $39.98 at Amazon.

Nina Ulrica for $99.95 at Zappos.

Photos from MTV.com and Zimbio.com

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Whenever we usher in a new season, we always see various opinions on what’s “in” right now.  But, one trend that is undeniably huge for fall is military inspired fashion.  We’re seeing military looks everywhere and the best thing about this latest craze is that it can be applied in so many different ways.  You can draw inspiration from the huge variety of military styles seen throughout the years - modern or retro - and opt to go for a literal or a more subtle interpretation of the look.  For shoes, think structured and streamlined with multiple buckles, lug soles, brass buttons, lace-up detail and similar adornments in colors like olive, tan and navy.  Of course, you can always mix it up with some pretty, girly details, like the Kardashians by Bebe Eva does above.  The olive color, lace-up front and star studs convey a military influence, but the super-high heel and shiny metallic ankle cuff add a nice dose of glam.  You can get it at Bebe for $228 and it also comes in black.  Here are some more styles I’ve been taking a look at:

Boutiqe 9 Olita in black for $230 at Nine West or in gray for $230 at Piperlime.  The jagged sole is definitely similar to many Camilla Skovgaard styles.

The 80%20 Bernie for $198 at Karmaloop.  Coupon code SAVE20 takes 20% off and gives free shipping (expiration unknown) and that drops the price to $158.40.

The Very Volatile Warrior for $90 with free shipping at Piperlime.

Guess Owens for $138.95 with free 2-day shipping at Endless.  It comes in navy, red, black or gray.

Steve Madden Biing in taupe or black for $149.95 at Steve Madden.  Get free shipping with coupon code SMFREESHIP at checkout.

Seychelles Romance for $140 at Karmaloop.  Coupon code SAVE20 takes 20% off and gives free shipping (expiration unknown), making them $112.

Nine West Buren for $138.95 with free 2-day shipping at Endless.  It also comes in black and dark brown.

Bamboo Humble 05 OTK boot for $46.50 at LuLu’s.

For even more options, check out the military shoe picks at Shoes.com, Piperlime and Steve Madden.

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In last night’s episode of Bravo’s The Rachel Zoe Project, shoe designer Brian Atwood made an appearance to meet with Rachel - who donned her signature white robe for him - and we learned that he’s always wanted to design a shoe for her.  It’s no wonder, since Rachel has long professed her admiration for Atwood’s shoes, namely in her very first Zoe Report.  Fast forward to one-year later and Rachel has her very own namesake pair to die over, literally, for the anniversary of her website: the over-the-knee RZ Boots she and Brian designed together.  We saw a bit of the creative brainstorming process during last night’s episode and, in the end, Rachel decided on an OTK platform boot with chain detail in the back and, of course, a “tranny” heel.  The boot is available for sale now, so let’s take a closer look:

I’m definitely feeling the chain detail (zoom in to really check it out) and it’s certainly a hot style.  We’ve seen Rachel in a lot of over-the-knee boots this season, so I imagine she wouldn’t have any trouble integrating this one into her fab wardrobe.  If it’s a must-have for you and you have $2,900 to spend, you can get the Brian Atwood Chain-Back Over-The-Knee Boot at Neiman Marcus.  (Update: The links I entered that go directly to the product page don’t want to work correctly for some reason, but I updated the link so it goes to the Brian Atwood page.  Right now, it’s the first shoe listed).  For those of us that don’t have 3K to spend (wowza), here’s a less expensive alternative I found that also offers plenty of dramatic detail along the back.  Like the Atwood pair, this boot is perfect making a statement, especially when walking away:

The Nine West Hobbs doesn’t have chains and it’s more like a corset boot with lacing all the way up the back, but the detailing is similar and it’s over the knee with a high heel and platform.  You can get it at Nine West on pre-order for $209 with free shipping.  It’s expected to ship by 11/23.

Photo from Bravotv.com

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I spotted Claire Danes in head-to-toe Valentino while browsing through the latest US Weekly and I had to take note of how gorgeous she is here.  Claire, who donned this look while in Paris to attend the Valentino show, is wearing a romantic, ultra-feminine ruffled dress and she toughens it up just a smidge with these shoes:

The Valentino Studded T-Strap Pump is a sophisticated pump with a nice dose of edge courtesy of the pyramid studs, which look like small spikes.  This is a great way to apply to current spike trend we’re seeing everywhere, including on shoes, in a much more subtle way for those times when a more elegant look is in order.  You can splurge and get the Valentino pair for $895 at Nordstrom (currently on pre-order), but we also have some similar, less expensive shoes as an alternative:

The Boutique 9 Zola in grey or black for $150 at Nine West.  Shipping is free on $50 or more for a limited time.  Or, get them at Endless for the same price with free overnight shipping.

The Charles David Techie for $138 in champagne or $115 in black (MSRP $230) at 6pm.

The Pour La Victoire Danya in whiskey on sale for $104 (list price $285.95) at Amazon.  This pair doesn’t have spikes, but the t-strap design and raised pyramid studs make it a viable option.  It’s also available in black or red and the price depends on the color/size combination selected.

Image from peoplestylewatch.com

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I received an email from fellow shoe lover Rebecca, who is on the hunt for a lower-priced version of the Jimmy Choo Quinze, which can be found for $1,795 at Nordstrom in nude and for the same price at Jimmy Choo in black.  This is an absolutely gorgeous shoe, but it’s definitely a toughie to find anything that compares to it and I had to put my magic shoe wand on full throttle to find anything that even comes close.  So, are there inexpensive alternatives for the Quinze?  Unfortunately, after doing an extensive search I didn’t see any mesh, crystal-adorned booties for less.  That doesn’t mean we won’t see an inspired-by version at some point (I’ll update this post if I see one), but if anyone knows of something similar, please help Rebecca out.  In the meantime, I’ve found some shoes that incorporate at least some of the same elements of the Quinze and are viable options, at least for the time being:

There’s no mesh in sight, but the Badgley Mischka Forrester has a string of bling across the vamp that reminds me of the Quinze.  Get these for $215 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

Similarly, the Pelle Moda Favilla has beads and crystals running all they way up to the ankle strap.  Endless has this pair for $188.95 with free overnight shipping.

The Steve Madden Fanfair comes in black or blush and features plenty of jewels in various sizes along the t-strap.  Get it for $99.95 at Stevemadden.com with free shipping using code SMFREESHIP or for $89.96 with free shipping at Zappos.

The Boutique 9 Denya doesn’t have jewel or rhinestone detail, but it is a mesh bootie adorned with pretty flowers.  Get it for $129.95 at Shoebuy and 15% off with coupon code FIFTEEN for a limited time.

Get some serious sparkle for much less with the Celest Hana-08 for $28.50 at Urban Originals.

To get an even closer lookalike for the Quinze, you may have to take matters into your own hands…literally.  Get a plain mesh bootie, like the Aldo Schade (pictured above) for $44.98 or this super-cute tie-back mesh heel from Americlubwear for $27.99.  Add some super glue and loose rhinestones and go to town on the black piping for a creative DIY project.  I’m not quite sure how this will turn out, but it might just work for the crafty among us.

Any more suggestions for Rebecca?  Let us know in the comments!

Update: Here’s a pretty close lookalike for the black version: the Mojo Moxy Venus Pump for $79.95 at DSW.

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We bid farewell to the cast of MTV’s The Hills this week during their final episode and the after-show The Hills Live: A Hollywood Ending, which brought together the entire cast - even Lauren Conrad, but not Spencer and Heidi, who disappeared off the show earlier this season with no real explanation of where they went (besides Crazy Town, that is).  But, it was quite bittersweet for the show to be over and I, for one, actually liked the ending - the final scene where Brody and Kristin are saying their final goodbyes to each other after Kristin decides she’s moving to Europe. 

The background - which appeared to be a real outdoor locale in front of the landmark Hollywood sign - was pulled away and revealed to be a backdrop in the lot of a studio.  Then the cameras pan out to show all the behind-the-scenes action of the show: the cameras, the crew and the breaking down of the last scene.  Apparently, some people didn’t like the ending, but I appreciated the unexpected nod to all the speculation on whether the show was real or fake and the acknowledgement that it wasn’t all reality.  I think most viewers knew it was scripted - at least to some degree - and, let’s face it, a little drama engineering does wonders for the entertainment factor.  Of course, another part of the show’s appeal was checking out the fashion.  So, for my last The Hills shoes post, I’ll be checking out what designer shoes the ladies wore to the aftershow and, in the spirit of this blog, find lookalikes that cost much less.

The cast looked gorgeous at the finale and I had to notice that it was actually the dresses that took center stage this time around - no statement shoes that stole the show for the most part - but they wore the kind of shoes every girl should have in their closet: sexy platform heels in go-with-everything neutrals that serve to complement, not compete with, the entire look.  Let’s start with Kristin Cavallari:

I absolutely love Kristin Cavallari’s dress from The Hills finale, which is by Zuhair Murad and she paired it with Christian Louboutin Turbella 120 silver pumps, which were available at Net-A-Porter, but are now sold out.  I don’t see them for sale online anywhere else, but get a similar look with these: 

Nine West Every in dark or light silver for $29.95 (MSRP $78.95) at 6pm, plus 7 more color options (prices vary). 

Aldo Debellis for $75 at Aldo.  Coupon code 175926112 takes 10% off and shipping adds $5 unless your order is over $75.  The expiration of the code is 7/31/10.

Lauren “LC” Conrad may have exited the show before the final season, but she was back to celebrate during the finale and rumor has it that her taupe suede pumps are Aldo, specifically the Aldo Fawson for $49.98 at Aldo.com.  These are already affordable but, not surprisingly, close to being sold out in this color.  For more neutral suede heel options, check these out:

Nine West Marray for $88.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.  Spend at least $100 on qualifying back-to-school styles (this pair qualifies) and get an extra $20 off for a limited time.

Steve Madden Ultamit in taupe with berry colored sole on preorder at Steve Madden for $79.95 with free shipping using coupon code SMFREESHIP at checkout.

Whitney Port left The Hills for The City, but she definitely had a statement to make at the finale…with her shoes, that is.  Whitney nixed neutrals in favor of a bold and colorful cage style that had Jimmy Choo written all over it.  It’s the Jimmy Choo Quito multicolored snakeskin bootie and it appears to be sold out everywhere online.  These more affordable pairs convey a similar look:

Michael Antonio Jeana for $55.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

Aldo Storino on sale for $64.98 (regularly $90) at Aldo.  Get 10% off using coupon code 175926112 and shipping adds $5 unless your order is over $75.  The expiration of the code is 7/31/10.

Pour La Victoire Bethanie 1 in teal for $137.17 with free shipping at Amazon.

Audrina Patridge dared to bare plenty of skin at the finale in her tight purple cutout Boulee Ciara dress, which you can preorder at Singer22 in fuschia or black for $198 (she’s actually wearing it backwards), and her black peep toe pumps.  Her shoes are identified by Coolspotters as the Brian Atwood Wagner, but I can’t find the exact pair online.  However, we always have more black peep toe pumps on the market and here’s a couple that I like for less:

Steve Madden Flawwles for $98.95 with free shipping at Shoebuy.  Get 20% off with coupon code SUMMER at checkout (expiration unknown).  Update: There’s only a couple sizes left, but 6pm has this pair on sale for $39.98 (sale price expiration unknown).

Paris Hilton Sashay in black for $69.30 at 6pm.

Lo Bosworth looked fetching in her white dress and her Christian Louboutin Mille heels completed her sophisticated look.  Get the exact shoes at Barney’s for $895 or spend less on something similar, like these:

Boutique 9 Disco for $79.99 at Nine West or for $96 at 6pm.

Stephanie Pratt pairs platform slingback YSL Tribtoo heels, similar to this one from Saks that is now sold out, with her skintight Herve Leger dress.  Here’s a lookalike option from Bebe:

Bebe Neve in black, blue or pink for $149 at Bebe.

Another option is the Zigi Project Pumped heel in blue or black at Bakers for $79.95.

Holly Montag wore a pretty white feather dress and closed toe black patent heels.  I’m taking a guess on her shoes, which could be Christian Louboutin, Miu Miu, the Pour La Victoire Irina or none of the above (it’s hard to tell).  However, this pair is a nice option for less:

Aldo Moos for $54.98 - $75 depending on option selected.  Coupon code 175926112 takes 10% off and shipping adds $5 unless your order is over $75.  The expiration of the code is 7/31/10.

So, with that, we say goodbye to the cast of The Hills and all of the rumors, the drama, the black mascara tears, the boyfriend stealing, the name calling and cat fights, the voodoo crystals and plastic surgery, the lingering facial expressions, the ending and beginning of friendships - all of it - and, of course, the shoes.

Photos from MTV.com

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