male monday: russell brand's black-and-blue oscar getup

image via esquire

hmmm...not quite sure about this one. navy is a lovely alternative to black-tie suits, but, uh, navy and black, with a navy plaid shirt, black collar and tie, navy pants and black shoes? no, thank you!

pairing navy blue clothing with black shoes isn't always a no-no, but it is hard to pull off and should be treated with care. this, unfortunately, brings us back to square one...don't do it unless you're sure of it! 

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celebrity sunday special edition: the oscars

unless you've been living beneath a rock, you know that tonight marked the 83rd annual academy awards. to be honest, I didn't care nearly as much who won as I did who wore what and the shoes to match!

what's too bad, though, is that the gowns (beautiful though they are) are usually so long and flowy that they cover the shoes. it's a shame, but even so, I've done my best to round up the kicks (the ones that I could see, anyway) that I thought made the evening. hope you enjoy!

imagie via fabsugar

1. of course, everyone is talking about how natalie portman "glowed" on the red carpet. maybe people feel compelled to say that, given that she's preggers? in any case, the "black swan" star and oscar winner showed up in a plum rodarte dress with matching tiffany earrings and jimmy choo sandals.

I liked the sandals, but I wish they weren't so matchy matchy with the rest of her getup. I mean, shoes are the perfect opportunity to introduce a pop of bright color, some contrast or simply a complementary hue. in this case, it would've been nice to see a self-effacing silver sandal.

incidentally, I'm surprised her dress wasn't more...daring. I mean, I know she's pregnant and all (and this is the typically traditional oscars), but rodarte is known for its visually interesting designs. the dress itself was a little...blah.

image via the guardian

2. they just keep getting younger and younger, do they not?! hailee steinfeld, 14 and nominated for best supporting actress for her role in "true grit," looked adorable in her nude-pink marchesa gown and ferragamo nude satin pumps. of course, I'm rather partial to this look because I adore tea-length dresses that show off the ankles and, ahem, the shoes! 

really, though, I think hailee looked very cute and managed to dress her age without appearing too young or immature. the headband was a nice touch, and satin peep-toe pumps?! I die.

image via the huffington post

3. you know, I'm rather surprised that "black swan" co-star mila kunis' shoes weren't sky-high! and I must add, it's kind of a refreshing thing, considering everywhere you turn at these events is another pair of 5-inch platform heels. 

sadly, I do not know who made the sandals that complement her lavender elie saab dress, but they're a gorgeous shade of lilac, aren't they? here's a case where what I said in natalie portman's little write-up (the part about treating the shoes as a chance to introduce a new color) wouldn't really work. I think the dress has a lot going on by itself (the neckline, the lace, the overlapping fabric), so keeping the shoes the same shade works rather well. 

image via just jared


4. though I didn't love her dior dress, oscar-nominated nicole kidman illustrates that whole "shoes as a pop of color" thing I keep mentioning tonight. after perusing the dress, your eyes immediately go to her tomato-red pierre hardy peep-toe sandals. her riviere necklace was also quite stunning. 

incidentally, I loved nicole's charlotte olympia vera pumps at the 2011 spirit awards, held saturday in santa monica. aren't they lovely? they have such a vintage feel, and again, nice to see a toned-down heel height.  

image via star and style
5. last but never least is halle berry. it's no secret that this woman always looks completely flawless. sometimes I wish we'd see her in dresses that were a tad less form-fitting, but hey, I guess she knows she's got it, so flaunt it, woman! 

so, here's the deal with halle: I really, really, really wanted to see which shoes she paired with this amazing marchesa gown, but I can't seem to find a pic anywhere on the world wide internets. do any of you know? I'd love for you to share. :-)

image via harper's bazaar

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happy friday!

brian atwood pump image via 

hope all of you have a lovely, relaxing weekend. and stay tuned for a special "celebrity sunday" oscars edition on hip hip shoe-ray! :-)

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feature shoe friday: michael kors greenwich belted boots


though some designers have gone a little wild with the "belts on boots" concept, I love the elegance and simplicity of these michael kors knee-highs. there's one buckle as opposed to zillions, and the criss-crossing straps provide just enough visual interest without being overwhelming. do you agree, dear readers?

$350 at michael kors.

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while we're on the subject...

(of payless shoesource, that is.)

as you've probably noticed over the past few years, it's now the "cool" thing for high-end designers to come down to our level :) and design for brands like H&M (lanvin) and gap (valentino).

christian siriano for payless launched in fall 2009, and it's been interesting. a lot of the shoes were amazing on the runway but didn't translate when (for lack of a better phrase) "dumbed down" for the payless brand/the general public.

then again, I can't fathom actually wearing some of the runway looks, beautiful though they are...I mean, could you see yourself wearing any of these (from siriano's fall 2011 collection) to the office or out to dinner? particularly those gladiator boot contraptions?




images via style bistro

still, I have to think that there's a way to make them a little more exciting than these (currently on sale at payless), which I actually really like, but they're a little boring to have christian siriano's name attached:





images via payless shoesource

one last thing: I think it's probably easier to go from runway-ready to street version when you're talking about clothes. shoes, now that's a little more difficult. on that note, christian siriano, I do heart you for trying.

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thrifty thursday: payless shoes' gingham audrey knot ballet flat



I'm a sucker for gingham, so of course I love these gingham flats from payless shoesource. the knot on the rounded toe is a nice detail that provides some visual interest, and they look pretty comfy, don't they? they'd be great for spring.

the best part is, they're regularly $19.99, which is super cheap, but they're on sale now for $16.99. perfect!

now what I'm wondering is which color I wish they made them in more: red, green, baby blue or green?

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what's new wednesday: nine west newhouse loafer pump

so, remember way back when, when I said I was dying to buy a pair of loafer pumps? well, if you can believe it, I still haven't found the perfect pair, so I'm still loafer pump-less.

however, check the newhouse out from nine west. (sadly, they're only available to ship starting may 3. think i can hold on til then?)   

aren't they lovely? I'd buy them in brown, but the red is totally cute too! I love the stitch detail flanking the tongue, and how can I resist a stacked heel?

$79 at nine west.

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tacky or not tuesday: blowfish java lace-up boots


upon setting eyes on these canvas lace-up boots, I decided I really liked them. then I showed them to my friend J, who said, "you know, they're cute, but they might look cheap with the wrong outfit."

then I decided that he was right, and ever since, I've been debating: tacky or not? after wavering for a while, I've decided that no, I don't think they're tacky, but yes, they have to be paired with just the right outfit.

what do you think? like or no? if so, they're $62.99 at ruche.

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hip hip shoe-ray gets a makeover

so, dear readers, let's have a chat.

you've probably noticed that hip hip shoe-ray has undergone a bit of a humongo makeover this past week. I'd like to tell you a little bit about how that transformation came to be.

I started this blog in november 2010 because a) I love shoes, b) I love blogging, and c) I wanted to invest in a creative online space where I could share my love of these things with the world at large.

little did I know that I would come to adore working on hip hip shoe-ray as much as I do! I genuinely look forward to posting every day, and I'm so excited about the content, the comments I get from you, and knowing that you're enjoying the blog, too.

when initially building hip hip shoe-ray, I'd quickly grabbed a freebie template from the web that I didn't love, didn't hate – but I figured it would do for the time being. as the months wore on, though, I became keenly aware of the disservice I was doing the blog by slapping on it some crappy, generic template. what I really wanted was a design that was smart and fun – something that would add to both the blog-writing and blog-reading experience.

so, I started shopping around online for someone who could build me a new template. I found a bunch of people who specialized not only in web design but also blog design, and while their samples were noteworthy, I felt compelled to continue searching for the perfect fit.

that's when I (quite randomly) stumbled upon the lindsay nicole design studio. I immediately loved lindsay's work (like this and this) – simple, charming and bursting with personality. I knew I'd found my designer.

the best part? it took her about two or three short days to come up with a design that I absolutely adore! I didn't want to change anything about what she proposed. and, she was a pleasure to work with – my questions were answered quickly, thoroughly and always with a smile (well, her tone suggested she was smiling, how's that?).

I highly recommend getting in touch with lindsay if you're looking to build or re-design a blog. and I hope you love the new hip hip shoe-ray as much as I do.

cheers and three hip hip shoe-rays to lindsay and my lovely readers!

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male monday: the adidas samba

image via shoes brands

remember when adidas sambas for men were the coolest shoes ever? when was that, anyway? I want to say it was a good decade ago, maybe even longer. in my recollection, all the "cool" guys wore sambas, and not just to play soccer in – sambas to school, to work, to social events...everywhere.

fast forward to 2011, and I feel like I don't see very many guys wearing them. nevertheless, as I was standing in line at starbucks yesterday morning and checking out everyone's shoes (something I often do, of course!), I saw a 30-something, well-dressed guy in a pair of classic adidas sambas. I kind of miss seeing them around, to be honest! they're such a classic shoe and so versatile as well.

besides, some of the more recent color combinations are super fun, too.


image via limited hype


image via official outlet auctions


image via sly buyer

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new york fashion week: shoes

last week was fashion week in new york city, where dozens of fashion gods and goddesses debuted their fall 2011 collections. while other spectators ogled over the ponchos, tuxedo jackets, fur collars and metal bracelets, I (duh!) took a keen interest in the shoes.

some highlights...

1. michael kors showed off pewter tones with sleek sandals, platforms and boots, all with a futuristic attitude:

image via shoewawa


2.  BCBG boots backstage:

image via refinery 29


3. rebecca minkoff fall 2011 collection:

image via refinery 29

4. the united nude mobias boot:

image via refinery 29
see more here.

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celebrity sunday: kim kardashian in louboutin maggie pumps

image via upscale
you know, I used to think that wearing shoes that match the shade of your shirt/dress/coat exactly was too, well, matchy matchy. but more and more, I think it makes an outfit look deliberate and tailored.

which brings me to kim (ah, kim), who was spotted last week in NYC wearing these $895 louboutin maggie pumps, which matched quite nicely with her, uh, $4,495 burberry spring 2011 trench coat. matchy matchy? maybe! but smooth as buttah.

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chunky, chunky love

I'm in the mood for chunky shoes today (though I'm not sure why – maybe because it's raining in san francisco today and I'm yearning for spring-like weather?).

in any case, here are some fun ones from modcloth to carry you through your friday...have a happy weekend!

catwalk queen heel, $39.99 (what a deal! and they're vegan)

coral values heel, $39.99

I got sole heel, $130.99

dappled in glam heel, $49.99

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feature shoe friday: rainbow studly-ness


these jeweled delights from rojas via modcloth remind me of being a little girl. remember when bedazzling things was, like, so much fun?


these darlings, with their faux suede uppers, are $239.99. only 4 pairs left, so hurry!

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jcrew's "anatomy of a ballet"



isn't this "anatomy of a ballet" from jcrew's website kind of neat? it's nice to see such a detailed look at the wonderfully humble shoe. :-)

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thrifty thursday: time for boots

it's february, which means spring is nearing, which means boots are on sale!

I happened to browse aldo's boots online yesterday, and there are some pretty good sales going on if you ask me. may I suggest:

krag, was $180, now $97.99

katan, was $70, now $38.49

legacy, $75 (okay, not on sale, so what?!)

raffone, was $200, now $111.99

and remember these? they're $83.99, down from $150! I just might hafta...

kreuziger

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what's new wednesday: jerome rosseau spring 2011

a few favorites from jerome rosseau's newest. what do you think? 




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hi there honey pie


these jeffrey campbell honey pie wedges are perfect for spring/summer, don't you think? so cute and flirty, and who can say no to black-and-white gingham? $115.99 at modcloth.

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tacky or not tuesday: betsey johnson dita corset heel



sooooo, I'm posting this shoe not because I think it's tacky in and of itself – actually, I really like it! the "corset" up the back of the heel is cute. but (forgive me here), isn't this a tad reminiscent of, oh, I don't know...louboutin? with the red underside and all? just makes me wonder, did the designer create this shoe totally independent of "inspiration"? or is it a rip-off, a poor man's (like me!) louboutin? 

I'm going to leave this week's tacky or not as an open-ended question posed to you, dear readers. do you think it's tacky to so closely resemble another's creation? or is all fair in shoe design? 

the corset shoes are $149.95 at betsey johnson.

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happy valentine's day!

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male monday: prada leather shoes


aren't these prada leather sneakers for the dudes good looking? they could be worn with something casual or something a bit dressier. $380 at saks fifth avenue.

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celebrity sunday: gwyneth paltrow's colorful grammy louboutins

so, when you're doing a duet with the muppets and a guy dressed like this...



you have to wear something colorful and fabulous, like these...



I mean, right? 

images via here and here.

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