male monday: simple shoes

I dated a guy once who wore nothing but these simple shoes. and when I say "nothing but," I mean...nothing but. even when he'd dress up, he'd wear these! he always talked about how comfortable they were, and I always said he should buy a zillion pairs in case simple decided to pull the plug on their production.

they're also only $60. not bad, and they're pretty well-made shoes!

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celebrity sunday: gywneth paltrow in ankle socks

image via marie claire
not sure why gwyneth recently opted to wear white ankle socks with these black booties. they'd be cuter with calf- or knee-length socks, don't you think?

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friday's shoe of the week: dolge & gabbana rainbow sandals


these sure are colorful. they'd be so fun for summer! $417 (down from $695).

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modcloth magic



these two pairs of shoes from jeffrey campbell and kling respectively (as seen at modcloth) are shoes and socks in one. clever!

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thrifty thursday: nine west zoomer


okay, so the oversized, floppy bow, patent leather and peep-toe are perhaps a little much all together. but they're only $19.99, down from $69.99 at nine west, sooooo...it's at least worth considering, no?

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what's new wednesday: manolo blahnik spring 2011

like anything else, things come and go, in and out of vogue. today's shoe headlines belong to christian louboutin, but that too will pass, to be replaced by another designer.

it's easy to dismiss manolo blahnik as the designer of yesteryear, when sex and the city was the most popular show on TV and blahnik received publicity left and right courtesy of carrie bradshaw. but after persuing the spring 2011 collection, I have to say, I think he's still got it. I'm not saying I like everything, necessarily, but blahnik is still creating fresh, edgy, creative designs that are completely current. do you agree?


images via shoerazzi




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tacky or not tuesday: heavy machine spring/summer 2011

as a person who values simplicity and elegance maybe a little too much at times, I find heavy machine's newest collection a bit overwhelming. and disjointed. and geometric. and, yes, tacky.

what are your thoughts, dear readers? tacky or not?

image via honestly...wtf

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foot liners

I've been hearing wonderful things about hue's "perfectly bare massage liners," which are made of nylon and spandex and reportedly massage your whole foot while you wear them. who could say no to that?

added bonus: they have silicone on the back of the heel, so not only will your shoes not dig into the backs of your heels all day, but they'll stay on your feet, too.

they come in nude or black and are $6 for a pair or $15 for three pairs at hue.

have you ever tried foot liners? what do you think? I recently had to buy some for some half-size-too-big platform pumps, and the liners worked like a charm to make the shoe fit comfortably.

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male monday: roger federer's shoes

in honor of the australian open (which I find myself oddly drawn to watching), here's a sampling of swiss tennis superstar roger federer's shoes over the years. (my personal favorites are the first, with the stylized "F".)

image via new york magazine
image via new york magazine
image via east bay blog

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shoe showcase: carlos by carlos santana privilege

so, I'm starting a new semi-regular feature: shoe showcase. this is where I'll share with you, my dear readers, my shoe collection (which is actually quite modest, by some standards). on the flip side, if you have any shoes from your collection that you'd like to have showcased, pray tell at hiphipshoeray@gmail.com. send me a pic (or the brand and name of the shoe), what you like (or don't like) about it, and I'll take care of the rest! 

to kick things off, I thought I'd showcase one of my favorite (yet lesser worn) pairs of shoes, privilege by carlos santana. I saw these at macy's a couple of years ago, and you know when you can't get something out of your mind, you should probably just go for it? that's exactly how I felt about them. I love lace (lace-like...) overlay of any kind, and I also love the shape of these pumps. they're remarkably comfortable too, thanks to the platform. 

my one complaint: the heel is a little high (4.5 inches, I think?), so I don't wear them often. they're not quite suited to the office, but they're perfect for a night out. 

oh, bonus: they come in a sultry deep red, too! 


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celebrity sunday: selena gomez in koolaburra sandals


with a flat leather sole, stud detail and merino lining, these koolaburra sandals are about $90. don't they look supremely comfortable, with that wool lining and soft leather footbed?  

selena gomez isn't the first celeb to be spotted wearing them – other fans include jessica alba, kristin cavallari and kate hudson. image via shoebunny.com

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feature friday: beaded white vintage pumps from etsy


you know what's nice about authentically vintage shoes? they're actually vintage. these days, it seems designers slap the word "vintage" on just about anything slightly of yesteryear to make it all the more appealing. I mean, let's face it, "vintage" is all the rage and has been for awhile, and something tells me it's not going anywhere soon.

anyway, these beaded white vintage pumps from the etsy store salvaged garden are a good example of why I like shoes that are actually vintage. they're just so charming, aren't they? I'm actually tempted to buy them even though they're a size 12 and I wear a 10. they're only $15, after all...

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thrifty thursday: anthropologie's mooreland high-tops



aren't these wool fairisle basketball shoes adorable?? they'd look so cute with leggings or skinny jeans. they were $118, but online only, they're $59.95. perfect for winter...

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what's new wednesday: see by chloé cross strap wood wedges

I remember searching high and low last summer for some strappy (but not too strappy) sandals like this, but I couldn't find any that I liked enough to buy. these, though...these just might fit the bill. I love the wood footbed, the stud accents and the shoe's clog-like inspiration. $260 at bloomingdale's...hmmmm!

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tacky or not tuesday: miu miu polka dot satin twill sandals

images via net-a-porter

one could be excused for perceiving these sandals by miu miu as a bit...loud. I mean, they're kelly green with polka dots, a 5.5-inch heel and a 1.5-inch platform! it's a little much. 

but they also scream spring and summer, sundresses, fun, and general carefreeness, and I can't give a thumbs down to anything that proclaims all that. so, tacky or not? no way! what do you think, dear readers? 

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male monday: justin bieber on the red carpet


last night's golden globes brought, of course, a host of beautiful people draped in beautiful clothes (and shoes!). and while women's attire generally takes the spotlight at events like this, some of the guys were lookin' pretty sharp last night, too.

I have to say, I'm a little torn about justin bieber's choice to wear sneakers with his tux. on one hand, I get it, he's young, he's hip, he wants to show everybody that he has that certain relaxed charm that makes girls around the world swoon. but, c'mon dude...sneakers?! it's the golden globes!

on the other hand, though, he's a kid, and he – like everybody else – should dress his age. the sneakers were fun, lighthearted and relaxed – appropriate for a young pop music star.

what do you think?

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celebrity sunday: the golden globes

as you know, dear readers, the golden globes were tonight, and while I enjoy the ceremony, I mostly want to know...what will they be wearing?! (and you know that means shoes, too.) 


the problem, though, with awards shows like this is that the gowns typically cover the shoes...crap! oh, well. you just know they're wearing gorgeous shoes beneath those gorgeous gowns. like olivia wilde, for instance...I mean, why cover those things up?! (her dress was amazing, though.) 


halle berry, now she knows how to show off her kicks...and her amazing legs, while she's at it:


and then there's helena bonham carter, who stepped out on the red carpet in...mismatched shoes.



stay tuned for tomorrow's male monday, where we'll take a look at a certain celebrity male's interesting shoe choice at the golden globes.

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friday's shoe of the week: alaia's laser-cut calf hair platform pumps


I'm not a huge fan of laser-cut shoes, but I love these and I think it's because there's something other than your foot beneath the laser-cut part, if that makes sense. they remind me of a winter wonderland! $2,375 at net-a-porter.

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thrifty thursday: naturalizer's boyer


awww, this sweet espadrille is available in four colors, but I like the multicolor stripe best by far. it's on sale for $24.98 (down from $49.95) at 6pm.com, and it'd make a great spring/summer shoe. (I've got warmer weather on the brain after a week of freezing cold in san francisco.)

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what's new wednesday: lanvin spring 2011 wedge


when I find a shoe or piece of clothing that I really like – everything from the fit to the price – I find it hard not to at least consider buying one in every color offered. (this becomes a problem when the item in question is offered in a million beautiful colors!)

so I might have an issue with lanvin's spring 2011 wedge, offered in four different color patterns...isn't it beautiful?! the grosgrain ribbon tie is such a sweet, playful detail, and that wooded wedge is just...ahhh.

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tacky or not tuesday: brian atwood's balleto platform sandals






crystal-embellished clear plastic in a shoe? I wasn't so sure, but the black leather details sort of offsets the space age-ness of the shoe's upper and heel.

that said, though I thought these would look better actually on, when I saw the picture with the model I still wasn't sold...

tacky or not? I'm going to have to say tacky. but if you like them, they're on sale for $834, down from $2085 on netaporter!

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spiky louboutins


my friend at work spent the holidays in paris and came back with...these tough beauties.

the place where she stayed was within walking distance of a christian louboutin boutique...does anything sound more luxurious (or dangerous)?

apparently, she wasn't allowed to pack the shoes in her carryon (seriously!). I guess they do sorta resemble a weapon...

anyway, I got to see them in person, and of course, they're gorgeous.

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male monday: alden cordovan

these alden cordovan shoes just look expensive, don't they? at $583, they are, but they also look super high-quality and I love that burgundy leather.

I'm also a sucker for anything wingtip, so that doesn't hurt either...


images via the sartorialist.

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celebrity sunday: kim kardashian's new year's eve


neither of these two things comes as a surprise, but kim kardashian spent new year's even partying in christian louboutin at the las vegas club tao. she wore the maggie pump in taupe with a white sequined dress.

of course, she looked stunning as always, but I have to say – kim, lay off the makeup! she's such a pretty girl naturally, all that plaster is unnecessary...

(oh, and that dress? a little much! subtle, kim, keep it subtle!)

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serious sale at net-a-porter

I reported in late december that net-a-porter was having a pretty nice sale. well, that sale pales in comparison to what's going on over there now!

for a split second I actually considered these marc jacobs patent leather pumps, down to $106 from $265. alas, they're sold out (big surprise) – even in my size. too bad – I love that marbled cherry red.


of course, I have to give a running update on my favorite stella mccartney over-the-knee boots (as also reported here). they're now $418, down from $1,045...and still available in my size. :-)



happy really early birthday to me, anyone? anyone...? <crickets>

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friday's shoe of the week: the kreuziger boot by aldo


so, I've avoided buying cognac boots thus far because all the pairs I've found have had this weird orange character to the leather – like they ate one too many carrots. I happened to see this kreuziger boot at aldo the other day and ohhhhhh....perfection.

however! one of my new year's resolutions was to be better about spending money, that is to say, not spend so much. the boots are $150, so I'll ever-so-patiently wait until they go on sale. :-)

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fluffy white dog + kurt geiger = love


how could this ad for kurt geiger not appeal to women?

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thrifty thursday: jeffrey campbell's flashing lights heel


imagine how all those little stones would catch the light...you'd be a walking disco ball! and they're $66, down from $132.99 on modcloth. sleek!

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what's new wednesday: boutique 9 jarn flat boot

nordstrom is marketing this boutique 9 boot as "an airy boot perfect for warmer weather." I'm not sure if the cutouts would work without something (like tights) underneath, but it's kind of a cool idea (no pun intended). they're $224.95.

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shoe sketches

I've mentioned before how much I love sketches of shoes, especially when they represent the beginnings of something that will actually become a shoe someday.

I thought these from designer lisa bozzato were particularly beautiful...




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