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!

After being a bit MIA around here the past week, I had to get back in the swing of things, literally, with this swinging little boot.  The Luichiny High Life stood out to me when I saw it at Endless and it’s not just because of the fringe detail — let’s face it, we’ve seen many fringe boots before — but it’s the longer fringe that hangs around the ankle, which adds an interesting element of movement.  I don’t know if you’ve ever seen someone walking down the street in this type of fringed shoe before, but I’ve found that I really like the the look of swaying fringe in motion: it’s what you might call dynamic.  I also like that this pair is quite moderately priced for a new fall boot – $134.95 with free shipping in red or black (plus a discount, see below).  Since bold colors, particularly red, are on-trend for fall, it would certainly be easy to get tempted by the fiery hue of the pair pictured above, but I’m personally gravitating towards black in this case:

The reason?  I imagine pairing these with black tights or leggings for the streamlined, flattering look that solid black on the bottom tends to provide, particularly when working with oft tricky mid-calf styles, but you still have the added visual interest of the fringe detail.  Oh, and the cute little heart on the bottom (of either pair) doesn’t hurt either:

Find the Luichiny High Life at Endless for $134.95 and get an extra 20% off your total for a limited time while Endless takes 20% off $100 or more in eligible fall styles.  The expiration date for this offer is not provided; however, if it is still valid, you will see it listed on the product page and the discount will apply automatically during checkout.

Happy Monday!

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

As a shoe lover, I’m always checking out the shoes people wear on TV while I’m catching up with some of my fave shows.  Of course, most people making an appearance on the small screen are wearing shoes of some kind, but there are definitely those that stand out way more than others.  Here are a few designer styles that grabbed my attention in a big way while surfing the tube recently, plus I’ve also tracked down some alternatives that provide a similar look for less:

E!’s Giuliana Rancic stopped by Chelsea Lately with her hubbie Bill (pictured at very top) in some very hot and super-blingy shoes, just to prove that our obsession with sparkle isn’t going to fade anytime soon.  She wore the Giuseppe Zanotti E10089 to chat it up with Chelsea and, I must say, being up on that stage seriously lit up the crystals all over this pair.  I couldn’t find these for sale online in black, like she’s wearing, but I did find the above picture of them at Zappos.  The blush pair on the right is available in a few sizes at Endless for $851.48 (regularly $1,495) and they also have a limited-time promotion that takes 25% off select sandals at checkout.  If my calculations are correct, that would drop them to about $638.61 with free shipping, which is a pretty sweet price for this luxe style, but still quite a chunk of change.  Here are some less expensive options:

If you like the blush color, this is an obvious choice for a lookalike version, although the studs clearly aren’t as shiny and bright.  You can find the Wild Pair Glisten in light tan for $185 at Bakers.

The Jeffrey Campbell Rally is another option with similar qualities.  Reflection has them for sale in black for $149.99 with free shipping.

Update: The Steve Madden Stonned is also a good choice for getting this look for less.  It comes in black, blush or blue for $149.95.

Speaking of sparkle, Denise Richards showed off her glow in glitter while appearing on Watch What Happens Live.  These appear to be Christian Louboutin Lady heels, although it may be the crystal-covered version rather than glitter.  They’re totally Andy Cohen-approved (he complimented them on the show) and definitely drool-worthy (seriously, I’m drooling).  They’re $895 in glitter, but I did find some less expensive options that still offer plenty of flash:

I’m loving the Badgley Mischka Humbie II, which looks extra sparkly to me.  They’re $200 with free shipping at Endless.

There’s also the Lauren Jones Vicki silver glitter pump, which is $98.95 with free shipping at Endless. 

Up next? Shoes Seen On TV Part 2!  Stay tuned.

When Kate Middleton married Prince William earlier this year, it was a beautiful fairy-tale wedding and I loved her dress, but I have to admit I was disappointed when we couldn’t get a good look at her shoes.  I’m not sure when or how I thought Kate would be able to show us her shoes, given that they were well-concealed under her full-length gown, but I did hope for a better glimpse.  Fast-forward a few months later and my little shoe wish has come true now that Kate’s Alexander McQueen dress, heels, and more items from the royal wedding are on display at a Buckingham Palace exhibition.  The custom lace shoes Kate wore are pictured above and, much like her gown, they are classic and elegant.  They also appear deceptively simple, but all of those tiny little stitches were done by hand and there’s no telling how long they took to make.  In light of Kate’s shoes making an official appearance, I decided to find some lace wedding shoes for those who want a similar look when marrying their own Prince Charming — or for anyone who wants to incorporate the feminine look of lace into their wardrobe.  Let’s take a look:

The Stuart Weitzman Laceswoon has a similar silhouette in ivory lace.  Find these at Zappos on sale for $255.50 with free shipping (retail $365).

BridalShoes.com has the Touch Ups Bobbie in ivory, which is also similar, but costs less at $74.  The Touch Ups Catalina is a peep toe style in lace and it’s priced at $72.  Note that both will be available in August.

My personal lace fave is the Chinese Laundry Hotline, which has bolder styling with the higher platform and bow detail.  You can find these at Endless in ivory or black for $69 with free overnight shipping.  If you spend $80 or more on your order, you’ll get $25 off automatically at checkout for a limited time.  Shoemall has it for $69.95 and if you buy one item, you’ll get 30% off your second with coupon code BOGO through 7/30/11.  Chinese Laundry also has it for $89.95.

Top image from dailymail.co.uk

Endless is one of my go-to online shoe stores for their wide selection and extra-quick shipping options, but I especially love when they have a good sale on top of all of that.  Right now, they are offering a discount of $25 off $80 on select women’s shoes and more items (update: expired), which is pretty good, but it’s even more notable considering that many eligible styles are new arrivals for fall.  That’s a nice way to get an early discount on something fresh and new for the upcoming season, but there’s also some summer styles eligible as well.  With nearly 2,000 shoe options, there’s definitely plenty to choose from, but one that caught my eye is the pretty Poetic Licence Sweet Dreams (pictured above), which has a very delicate and romantic look with it’s sheer dotted lace detail that runs all the way up to the ankle.  It comes in black, champagne, or dark pink for $129 with free overnight shipping, but falls to $104 after the discount, which is applied automatically during the final stage of checkout.  Here are a couple of more options I found:

The Not Rated Short Stack is another pair from the Not Rated brand with a studded wedge heel very similar to the Jeffrey Campbell Tick.  It comes in white (pictured), black, grey, tan, or yellow for $84.95 with free overnight shipping.  After the discount, you can get them for $59.95.

This pair stood out because of it’s cool black and white giraffe pattern and it’s sweet little price tag for a statement-making fall boot.  Get a little wild in the Michael Antonio Melati, which is $95 before the discount and $70 after.  Free overnight shipping is included and it also comes in an all black version.

I then spotted a nice price on the Sam Edelman Lorissa in Truffle.  It’s marked down to $114.71 and falls to under $100 after the discount - $89.71 with free 2-day shipping to be exact.  There are more options available at various price points depending on the color selected.

For many more, check out all of the shoes on sale.  The $25 discount is available for a limited time (expiration unknown, but the discount will show on the product page if available) and all prices are subject to change.

Update: The $25 off $80 promo listed in this post is now expired.

Cheap Chick is in da house today, which is great news for shoe lovers on a tight budget….or anyone who gets a thrill out of a seriously good bargain.  If you don’t know, this little birdie loves to hunt for shoes that are on major discount and she makes it her mission to scour the web looking for hidden gems in the sale and clearance sections.  To up the ante, she only finds shoes that are marked down to super-low prices – i.e. $25 or less – but are still way high on style.  Let’s take a look at what Cheap Chick found today:

Aldo Munday in taupe or black for $24.99 (retail $100) at Aldo.com.  This price is already in cheap territory, but coupon code 401845805 takes another 10% off through 7/31/11.

Miss Me Skyler 11 in brown for $25.75 (retail $79.95) with free 2-day shipping at Endless.  You can also get it in white for the same price, but it’s almost sold out.

Deena & Ozzy Asymmetrical Wedge for $19.99 (retail $59) at Urban Outfitters.

Michael Antonio Tau in tan or black for $20 (retail $60) with free 2-day shipping at Endless.

Sole Boutique Hugo XIII for $24.95 (retail $38) at Karmaloop.  Also available in blue, fuschia, or white for the same price or less.

BDG Tall Suede Boot for $19.99 (retail $98) at Urban Outfitters.

Not Rated Riveting for $21.83 (retail $55) in navy or taupe or $23.54 in black at 6pm.

Aldo Fawson for $24.99 (retail $100) in silver at Aldo.com.  See the coupon listed above for another 10% off.

Miss Me Skid-12 for $22.03 (retail $44.95) in tan or purple with free 2-day shipping at Endless.

Note: Prices and availability for these products are subject to change at any time.