Oh, Valentino! How to Ichoose? I didn’tnotice anysignificanthints of this in your Pre-Fall, Spring 2008 or Fall 2008 runway shows; I am truly thrilled to see what is being offered off-runway for Fall 2008.

Goodbye strappy andsexy Caged Sandal. We hope you won’t be gone long.

Hello Romance, Femininity, Coquetry and 1940’s era Glamour. Welcome to the Party!

1.) Satin Pearl Sandals ($795 Saks.com). These would be gorgeous for the Holidays.

2.) Graphique Leather Pumps. ($695 Saks.com). I simply love these. This cut-out style front with the bow-tied demi-Maryjane front iscompletely Retro-Glam in the best sense.

3.) Open-toe Nappa-leather Ruched Sandals ($695 Saks.com). This is soft and yet filled with grown-up allure.

4.) Mena Daywear Pumps in red or black ($695 Saks.com). Featuring an attractive half-bow at the vamp.

5.) Fabulously Bowed rose and nude colored pump ($695 Neimanmarcus.com). A spiritual sister to Mr. Louboutin’s Anemone?

6.) Mena Half-bow Ankle Booties in black or beige($795 Saks.com and Neimanmarcus.com). Soft, Feminine and right on-trend for Fall.

7.) Button-up Tall Boot ($1495 Neimanmarcus.com). This is one decidedly feminine and softly-sexy Granny Boot.

8.) Laser-Cut Ankle Boot ($1145 Neimanmarcus.com). The cut-outs on this are so lovely and delicate; they are a visual delight.

9.) Suede Peep-toe Laser-cut Bootie ($945 Saks.com). This is the same basicstyling as the higher ankle boot but is more in-line with the current peep-toe ankle bootietrend.

10.) Jewelled Platform Pump ($975pre-order at Neimanmarcus.com). This is another breathtaking beauty.

I just may have a Mad Crush on this whole line.

Authentic Shops:


Designer Shoes at Zappos.com

Vivre.com

I love the look of equestrian boots, but that is not the type of riding I am referring to here. Yes, there is a horse in my back pasture, but he actually belongs to and is cared for by our neighbor. The closest we currently have is the ‘Iron Horse’ that belongs to my husband; the same motorcyclewhich,I am told,is anxious to come outand playforthe current late-summer to fall season.

Honestly,I had already startedturn my attention to this Fall’s boot offerings; bothto keep an eye on trends as well at to possibly find off-season clearance dealson 2007 styles (despite temperatures in the 80’s). But, today I am specificallyfocusingon styles thatwillbe functional in the role of motorcycle boots.

So, what is an appropriate boot forme as a motorcycle passenger? Here are some basic considerations to take into account: Our back seat has foot rest ‘pegs’, so a slight heel is advised to reduce slippage and leg strain (For the driver, this bike has flat ‘boards’ rather than pegsup front, so even a flat heel would be okay there.).

• Comfort is important.
• So is Safety: Leather and Kevlar are two products which offer extra layers of protection compared to most other materials.
• Alittle bit of aheel is okay, but not necessarily practical depending on the destination (Riding is notwhat I consider to be stiletto-appropriate conditions!).
• Iprefer styles that are not top-stitched cowboy-boots; most boots of this style simply don’t call to me.
• It should workwell with boot-cut jeansorleathers and it should offer a layer of protection to the lower leg; ankle boots may be in fashion-but for riding, I prefer calf or knee-high lengths for maximum coverage without affecting the full range of motion of the leg (You won’t find me on the back of a bike insandals,shorts, T-shirt and no jacket. Ever. Road Rash? - No thank you.).
• It should also be practical, attractive, and hopefully, feminine.
• Finally, an under $200 price tag would be nice.

So, first, from Harley Davidson (As ifI could write about motorcycle boots and not mention these?):

• The ‘Christina’ ($104.40 Zappos.com)has nice color and shape, but it’s still too much of an ankle boot for my taste.

• The ‘Strut’ ($129.45 Shoebuy.com) has a bit of that cowboy silhouette. However, the studsgive it just a little bit of edgyappeal.

• How about the ‘Darla’ ($128.00 Zappos.com); still a bit of the western silhouette but with classic biker hardware.

• But wait, the ‘Carina’ ($139.95 Onlineshoes.com /$144.00 Zappos.com) is a higher calf-boot with a solid but attractive heeland a little bit of buckle detail that is not too overdone :

OK,now forsome non-Harley Davidson options:

First, a few styles by Seychelles (One of my favorite brands & very friendly to the higher-arched foot):

• The ‘Shotgun Wedding’ ($101.25 6pm.com); aside from the saucylittle name,this is a bit of a wing-tipped granny boot with attitude.However, I would hate to see those laces come undone at the wrong time. Sigh.

• The ‘Overtime’ in distressed brown or black leather($101.25 6pm.com/$127.99 Shoes.com). I love the extra pockets that fit a cell phone and any other small personal items.

• The ‘Do It Yourself’in brown or black($101.25 6pm.com/$135.99 Shoes.com) is a lower, engineer-style boot that also appeals to me. Again, maybe it’s that darned useful attached pocket.

Next, how about these styles by Report?

• The ‘Nymph’ buckle boot ($124.95 Solestruck.com). A decent brown-leather buckled style.

• There’s also the ‘Victory’ in tan ($77.63 6pm.com / $109.95 Solestruck.com); Yes, that is another cargo pocketattached at the calf (Believe me, the last thing I want to worry about on a motorcycle is a purse).

Last, here are some miscellaneous options from Ecco, Born, Timberland, andRed Wing:

• The ‘Esmeraldas’ buckle boot by Ecco ($219.95 Onlineshoes.com); an attractive combination of leather and suede.

• The Born ‘Kale’ ($179.95 Onlineshoes.com/ $184.95 Nordstrom.com/ $189 Zappos.com) an understated leather boot with subtle but attractive buckle detail.

• Timberland’s ‘Charles Street’ ($130.90 Endless.com / $159.95 Onlineshoes.com/ $164 Zappos.com) is another lace-up style with a low functional heel; waterproofing is a nice bonus.

• Red Wing’s ‘Loretto’ ($219.95 Onlineshoes.com / $224 Zappos.com); yet another buckle and lace-up style.

Of course I could just throw all caution to the winds an use this as a justification to pick up my first pair of Doc’s:

• Dr. Martens ‘Vonda’ 14-eyelet boot ($127.46 Onlineshoes.com/Shoebuy $149.95/$149.99 Journeys.com/$150 Shoes.com/$154 Zappos.com).How’s that for an attention-getting boot?

Authentic Shops:


Designer Shoes at Zappos.com

Stella, I’m sorry to see you go. You brought some attitude and edge to Project Runway along with a New York accent that won’t quit.

And honestly, I didn’t hate your outfit this week. OK, so the tailoring wasn’t good, and the vest didn’t come out real sharp, and after being in the bottom two a few times, I get why they sent you home.

But your look was much more creative and cohesive than some of the others. And it was indeed staying true to your own design vision and making it work for a 1940s internationally-traveling spy by way of Diane von Furstenberg. Plus, you used those same bronze ankle

Authentic Shops:


Zappos.com

Vivre.com

Te Casan is starting to receive new Fall stock. What does that mean to us?Clearance prices on shoes from talented new designers as a fraction of their original price. Sounds like a plan to me.

1.) First up, Gianluca Soldi’s “Ginette“. Limited edition of 60 pairs; originally $295, sale priced at $99. Trend: Peep-toe,colored by Jewel-tonesthat add ahint of color-blocking sensibility.

The Ginette is also available in Purple, making it a great style moving into Fall; with the predominant ‘Berry’ themes that arenow available in stores andwhich range in tone from cool burgundies to true purples.

2.) Next, by Zoe Lee, are two more deep purple picks for Fall.

• First, the “Lea“. Limited edition of 60 pairs; originally $285, sale priced at $99. Trend: Berry(Purple), Luxe fabrics, Mini-wedge.

• Next, the “Lily” boot, reminiscent of French court shoes (Think Louis XIV). Limited edition of 30 pairs; originally $315, sale priced at $189.50. Trend: Berry, Luxe Fabrics, Ankle Boots.

3.) Animal Prints continue to be popular as we headinto Fall. Here are two Te Casan offerings:

• Gianluca Soldi’s ‘Greta‘. Limited edition of 60 pairs; originally $325, sale priced at $195.50. Trend: Animal prints.

• Zoe Lee’s ‘Lorna‘. Limited edition of 60 pairs; originally $315, sale priced at $167.50. Trend: Animal Prints combined with color-blocked styling.

4.) Rounding out this batch of sales offerings, we arrive at the super-hot trend of menswear-inspired ladies shoes (These are styles that make me think of Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garboon the old Silver Screen). All three of thesestyles are by Gianluca Soldi.

• First, the ‘Geena‘ pump. Limited edition of 60 pairs; originally $365, sale priced at $99. Trend: (Subtle) Menswear design, Retro-look; matches well with the neutral tones that are also very present this Fall.

• Next, the ‘Genny‘ pump. Limited edition of 60 pairs; originally $325, sale priced at $99. Trend: Peep-Toe, Menswear Wing-tip details with just a hint of spectator styling. This is a nice alternative for those who like the menswear styling but are not attracted to the Oxford ankle-boot styles.

• Last, we have the two-tone ‘Gigliola‘ in Grey or Brown color combinations.Limitededition of 60 pairs;originally $355, now $99.Trend: Menswear, Wingtip Oxfords, Spectator styling.

For those of us unable or unlikely to shop runway designers at boutique prices, this is anice opportunityto acquire a lovely pair ofdesigner-quality shoes at real-live prices.

Hello again, Shoeblog readers. The silence on the jitterbugbaby front has come to an end. I’ve been away from the computer (or high-speed internet at all… horrors!), but now I’m back. And though one of the Project Runway episodes (7) I missed involved shoes that were rather more specialized than Bluefly has to offerI don’t see a category on their website for drag queen shoesthis past week’s offered plenty to drool over in the clothing and shoes front.

I shall start with my two faves, which were, not surprisingly, Leanne and Jerell.

Jerell’s futuristic space-age outfit was drama-rama, but in a way that I love. And it was quite well paired with theCharles Nolan Taraboots that we’ve seenbefore.

And Leanne’s outfit (a deserved winner, if you ask me) went just perfectly with theseTheory peep-toe booties.

Our good oldGucci Eva wingtipsgot a trip down the catwalk with Kenley’s vintage-inspired outfit (though, by god, she was whiny about having to switch models).

And Korto’s seatbelt swingcoat made good-if-basic use of theStuart Weitzman Expumpsthat showed up onKeith’s Brooke Shields Lipstick Jungle dress.

Suede made yet another variation on his go-to shape. So, as far as I’m concerned, he needs to do two things: 1. Stop making drop-waisted dresses with poufy skirts and 2. Stop referring to himself in the third person. Sorry… three things. 3. Stop using the word “wackadoodle.”However, this dress is cute (as are most of his designs) and the Stuart Weitzman Navigator boots are a perfect (and, dare I say it? comfy) footwear choice.

Good shoe choices this week, designers. And good outfits, too, which might be more important in their eyes, but we know what we love around these parts.

Authentic Shops:


Designer Shoes at Zappos.com

Vivre.com