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 make no secret of the fact that I love shoes that are embellished with all things brilliant and shiny: glitter, rhinestones, crystals, and anything else with the potential to add extra glimmer and oomph to even the most basic of looks –kind of like jewelry, but for the feet.  So, today I thought I would highlight what I think is a fine speciman of the aesthetic: The Steve Madden Sparrkk ankle bootie.  We’ve seen a ton of peep toe pumps covered in the sparkly stuff, but what I love about this pair is that it comes in a very on-trend ankle bootie style (which has been less common, particularly in a more moderate price range), and it’s covered in rhinestones, which gives a very similar look to the shoes decked out in pricey Swarovski crystals, but for much less.  Not that these are exactly what you’d call affordable at $250, but it’s definitely a price that pales in comparison to, say, a Strass Louboutin that can run well into the thousands of dollars.  I’m guessing that this pair is likely much more sparkly in person too — I’ve noticed that shoes like this tend to be because photos don’t always catch all of the reflected light.  Hmm…maybe I can justify ordering them for myself just so I can let you guys know how much gleam they’re really packing (all in the name of investigative reporting, of course).  If you’d like to find out for yourself, you can get the Steve Madden Sparrkk on preorder at Steve Madden for $249.95 with an expected ship date of 10/31.

By the way, Steve Madden coupon code PREF20 will take 20% off your order.  I wasn’t sure if it applied to pre-order items, but it is working when applied in the shopping cart.  That makes this pair $199.96 (expiration unknown).

Update: Prefer a peep toe pump version?  Check out the Steve Madden Cycile in silver or rose gold for $159.95 at Steve Madden.  There aren’t many sizes left in silver right now, but you can also find them at Nordstrom for $149.95.

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!

Lord and Taylor is having a sale on a sale with their latest coupon and I’m seeing some extra-good savings on shoes already-reduced in price.  You can opt to get an extra 15% off regular or sale styles by applying coupon code STYLE at checkout, but the real bargains are found in the clearance shoes section, which enjoy an even higher extra 25% off discount using the same code.  As an example of the savings, the Elie Taharie Chelsea sandal (pictured above) retails for $398 and is marked down to $139.99, but falls even further to $104.99 at checkout after the code.  But, be forewarned that many of these shoes have few sizes left (the Elie Taharie pair only has three as of this posting), so you might want to pick your size at the top before browsing the options.  Here are some more shoes I found in the sale that still have a wide selection of size options:

The Steve Madden Minnii in blush for black retails for $129, is on sale for $49.99, and drops to $37.49 after code.

The Bourne Josephine in animal print or ivory retails for $238, is on sale for $89.99, and is reduced to $67.49 after code.

The Poetic Licence Exclusive Delight in red retails for $98, is on sale for $69.99, and falls to $52.49 after code.  It also comes in purple, but only one size is left in that color.

The Enzo Angiolini Romario in black retails for $89.99, is on sale for $34.99, and is reduced to $26.24 after code.  You can also get it in green or denim.

See the entire selection of clearance shoes for more options.  The coupon expires 8/22/11 and exclusions may apply.

A hot pair of heels normally catches my attention more than anything, but I seem to be on a bit of a cute flats kick lately — and who can blame me when there’s this sparkly little number available?  I’m totally loving the soft shade of blush suede and rhinestone-adorned bow featured on the Steve Madden Karisma, available at Steve Madden for $99.95.  It’ll definitely put some glitz and glam in your step, just sans the heel — and, let’s face it, we all need to lose the heels from time to time.  The blush color is my personal fave, but it also comes in blue and black versions.  Use coupon code SMFREESHIP to get free shipping on $75 or more for a limited time.

Speaking of Steve Madden, I’m also wondering where the purple version of the Steve Madden Bitter went?  It was there one day and then — poof! — gone.  Where art thou pretty purple sequin pump??  Ah, well, maybe there’s a worldwide shortage on purple sequins….

Have a wonderful weekend!