Shoes to step back onto the dating scene

My BFF (Best Friend Forever) has been single for about 10 years already. She is very picky when it comes to men, clothes and shoes, of course. Those of us who have been out of the game know that while we are single we tend to let go of ourselves, or at least take it a bit easier.  We stop doing our nails as often, worry less about the roots showing in our hair, and go easier on the lipstick. Being a mommy and working from home makes this even easier.

However, Cupid squeezed her butt recently and she met a gorgeous guy. He is the stud in the most studly way possible.

But in order to make the best impact when she makes her feelings known, she wants to  do a bit of an image make-over.

She has started a weight-loss program and has taken care of the smaller things, like the nail and the hair. The next step (so to speak) is to add some heels to her wardrobe. We need to help her find the perfect, comfortable heels to wear while she's transforming from work from home mommy to stud-magnet.

So let's find some great heels that will be comfortable while she is losing weight. I was thinking a thicker heel will be easier to start on - at least, I prefer those for myself at the moment.  What do you think of these?

These flirty heels are sexy in an understated way, while the ankle strap helps cankles.

Something similar in black:

If you have any tips to share, please share away! We will both appreciate it.

I'll Do My Laundry in Chinese Laundry Anytime!

Yes, my title may be a tad corny, but have you seen Chinese Laundry's selection of shoes? They have a variety of shoes to choose from, and I love their ease of style and fabulous fashion designs!

Since there are SO many Chinese Laundry shoes available...let's look at a few pairs that have caught my eye and what occasions they would work perfectly for!

I think these boots are perfect for horse back riding.
I can picture myself on a horse galloping through the mountains...
I think these boots would do a perfect job at keeping my feet warm and safe at the same time!

 

Wouldn't this be a gorgeous shoe for a holiday party or celebration?
I'm in love!
The ruffles are just delicious, seriously.

 

I know it's not the summer anymore...
but wouldn't these shoes be perfect for the summer time?
Forget the summer, just head to the beach or Arizona during the fall and winter time!

 

 Aren't the ruffles on these sweet flats adorable?
These are my ideal shoes for the fall time.
They keep your feet warm and they are comfy and stylish at the same time.
Plus they would complement an outfit of leggings and a sparkly grey top.

 

 I've been looking for a pair of rain boots that aren't too high (I'm not a fan of the high galoshes,) but I really like this pair. I actually just bought a pair of rain/snow shoes today at TJ Maxx. I'll be back in a future post to show you what they look like! Anyway, I think these boots are ideal for the wet days ahead, don't you?

So I hope you enjoyed a taste of the fashionable shoe accessories available from Chinese Laundry.

So I bet by now you can understand my corny title - 

next time I'm doing my laundry I'm wearing my Chinese Laundry shoes, lol! ;)

P.S. Check out these great deals!

Save 25% Off Clearance Items at ChineseLaundry.com with code ALIST1026, through 11/7

Save 15% Off on Regular Priced Shoes at ChineseLaundry.com with code CL15REG323, through 11/30/11

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Bloomingdales! 25-30% +extra 20% off...

Women's Shoe Sale! Save 25-30%, plus take an extra 20% off 2 more pairs of shoes with code SHOPSHOES20. Valid 10/27-10/31

25% off Chinese Laundry Clearance!

Save 25% Off Clearance Items at ChineseLaundry.com with code ALIST1026, through 11/7

Save 15% Off on Regular Priced Shoes at ChineseLaundry.com with code CL15REG323, through 11/30/11

Free Shipping on Any Order at ChineseLaundry.com with code CLFREE323, through 11/30/11

Act fast! Bloomies Secret Sale!

bQuick: Online Secret Sale For Him and Her at Bloomingdales! Valid October 24th from Noon to 11:59 pm ET

Toppling off my wedge!

For some time now, I have been seeing wedge shoes everywhere I go. Usually when this type of thing happens, I take it as a message that I should wear them.

I've seen so many amazing pairs of wedges on ITSDF and then again when I walked past (yes, my miserly husband was with me, so I walked PAST) a shoe store with an amazing display of the most beautiful wedges I have ever seen. They were floral in all my favorite colors with amazing designs that transported me into girly heaven for a moment.

Some friends that we have not seen in a long, long time moved down to the coast at about the same time as we did and that's how we caught up with each other again. They invited us over to their home for an early dinner and to introduce the kids to one another.

That's how I decided to wear my (only) pair of wedges. For some crazy reason I simply can't walk in platforms. Give me Lady Gaga's highest heels and I'll walk in them, no problem. But platforms are a nightmare.


On arrival, my friend showed us around the house which happens to be massive. Her shoe closet is the size of my bedroom and houses around 500 pairs of shoes.

Finally we reached the lounge which leads to the deck where we were going to sit and I was so relieved that I increased my speed to get to safety on the slippery, gleaming tiles.

Then I slipped!!! I was gutted. One more step and I would've been out there safely. ONE STEP!

Thank goodness I had a cocktail in my hand and there was no way I was going to drop that. So somehow I managed to stay upright and I did not spill a single drop.

That's the end of my love affair with wedges (for the foreseeable future!).

Do you think wedges are comfy? More importantly - how do you walk in them? I'd love to hear your advice!

Day 2 of the 10 day Challenge

Wow - having to pick just two songs.....I'm going to cheat on this one and pick two artists instead because there aren't "just" two songs that represent me or that I love.

1. Anything by Barbra Streisand
2. Anything by Linda Eder

Both have similar styles - Showtunes, music you can hear the words to - stories in song - lyrics about life.  Their songs touch my soul.

What about you?

Uggilicious - All About Uggs

I love Uggs. Let me repeat. I absolutely love Uggs. They never disappoint me or my feet during the winter. Whenever I've been in Utah my feet get down right cold due to the cold temps. Now that winter is approaching you better believe I'll be wearing Uggs most of the days I'm there. I have a basic black pair of flat Uggs that I'm in love with. They are super comfy and really easy to slip in and out of.

Uggs are also wonderful because they don't allow your feed to get sweaty. The materials that they are made out of keep away the sweat and instead just keep your feet nice and warm! I admit I've made the mistake and have worn them in CA before during warmer days and my feet do get a bit over heated. But sometimes it's hard to tell if the temp is going to go from cold to hot, which it most often does in Southern CA. In the morn it may be cold due to a chill in the air from the humidity and the fog that rolls in from the ocean. By the evening or early lunch time though, it can heat up rather quickly. During the "winter" it really doesn't get that hot anyway (well I guess according to CA standards - 70's) so it's alright to wear Uggs. However, like I said, you have to be on top of the weather and know how warm it will be that day or use your best judgement.

But anyway, for Utah you can pretty much guarantee you will need Uggs during the winter. Especially after a heavy snow fall. Just be careful that you don't fall - Uggs are made with good traction but like any shoes, sometimes it is still easy to take a tumble and slip on the ice. That would hurt! Believe me, I've done it. ;)

Now...there are a few styles I don't really care for. Let me show you and I'd love to hear your thoughts:

Sheepskin Cuff Boot - look a little scary to me. ;)

Maylin for Women - With this shoe I don't care
for the furry shearling cuff on the outside.

I'm kind of torn about this shoe. I don't know if the heel would be that comfortable and again, I'm not sure about the sheepskin fleece on the outside. However, according to the Women's Lynnea description, you can wear this shoe with either the fleece folded in or out.

So here are some Uggs that I adore...

Ugg sneakers with comfy suede lining? Yes please. 

Also - they are a slip-on shoe and have sparkles! Oh my goodness!

I like the fact that these shoes are casual yet still have a little bit of a heel. 

They'd be really cute under a pair of jeans.

 Love these and I have them in black.

This is what I mentioned earlier.

They are easy to slip on and easy to slip off. 

Plus they go with mostly every outfit.

So what do you think of Uggs? 

Do you wear warm shoes during the winter?

I can understand if some people don't want their feed to get too warm, however did you know that a lot of the heat from your body escapes from your head as well as from your feet? So it's definitely important to keep your feet warm during the fall and winter time and I can think of no better way to accomplish this then by investing in some comfy and soft Uggs.

Shoes That Fit The Mood

Today is one of the final warm days before the dreadful "cold monster" takes over Pennsylvania. This week has been beautiful so far and the weather just makes me want to call out of work, walk around outside and sip iced coffee while taking in the last few breaths of warm air.... but, everyone needs to pay the bills right? So I am sipping my iced coffee at the office and gazing out the window while doing my work of course! ;)

Since the past few days have been so great, I have taken the opportunity to spend every last minute of the warm weather with my classic black flats.

They are a staple and I just can't see my life without them. They are starting to fall a part, but I am not admitting to it...yet! They have taken me on many summer trips, walks around the mall, to the store for milk and even to a bar on a Friday night. They are my everything and exactly what I need this week!

Knowing that the cold weather is right around the corner, I have been hitting the snooze EVERY morning and I just can't deal with it right now. I am in the mood where I need comfort. I want to hold on to every warm moment and I am hesitant to face what's next. I just feel somewhat kiddish. I want to hide under the covers and go back to when picking my outfits out for a college class was the worst of my worries. Ahhhh the memories!

My mood this week may be trying to tell me something deeper about my future, but just like I said, I am hiding right now and I just want the comforts that make me feel safe... my flats of course! So I will wear them the rest of the week before the cold air blows in and the future starts to unveil. Soon I will put the black beauties away in the closet and become bolder and fierce to face what's coming next.

What will my mood be next week? You will just have to wait and see...

This will be a weekly post of the shoes that fit my mood for the current week. I hope everyone enjoys it and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and shoes with everyone!

Does Your Man Influence Your Style?

Last week we were on our way to watch a new movie with the children and I was getting ready to go. It started with a great bath and some girl-time with my mini-stylist and getting her all ready and then she assisted me in an advisory capacity to get myself all prettied-up.

As I did my hair, she asked why I decided to tie it up. At first I wanted to leave it loose and curly, but since it was a particularly windy day I decided to tie it in a bun instead with a mumbled "Your dad won't like it too much, but I've got to tie it up if I don't want to blow away." Her "..so?" was lost on me as I applied make-up.

So it went all through make-up, accessories until eventually, we reached the shoes and I couldn't decide which shoes to wear. By this time the whole family was ready to leave and just waiting for me. I asked for everyone's input. Of course, my darling little girl wanted me to wear my most extravagant (and totally unsuitable for a Saturday morning) shoes.

My boy (with his cute little head in his own little world as always) mumbled something about the television games not wearing shoes. Hubby hurriedly suggested sneakers while dangling the keys and I could not make up my mind. Flats, flip-flops, sneakers or stilettos (as per Daughter's suggestion).

Finally, I grabbed the sneakers to vehement protests from Debbie. The conversation went as such:

Debbie (disgusted):  "Mom WHY are you wearing those?"

How do you explain to a 9-year old that you are too lazy to walk in good-looking shoes and your tired feet just wanted the comfort of warm socks (yes, Summer is not quite here yet) and comfy sneakers? Even worse, how do you admit that a guy's suggestion makes sense?

Me:  "Because."

Debbie: "WHY because? You always say because is not an answer."

Me:  "Because your dad said I should. That's why."

Debbie:  "Well, since when do you listen to a man. You're a WOMAN, you should make your OWN choices when it comes to style!"



So young and such a little feminist already... But she makes a good point. To what extent does your man influence your style?

Day 3 of the 10 day Challenge

Ohhh - I was waiting for this one!

1. Brigadoon! My all time favorite movie - it's an old musical with Cyd Charise and Gene Kelly.  Gene Kelly is a hunter who comes across a small town in the highlands of Scotland that appear in the midsts once every one hundred years. Of course he falls in love with Fiona (Cyd Charise)...and well - rent it!! I really believe somewhere in the mists of Scotland love does conquer all!
2. The Wizard of Oz - a girl, magic and ruby red shoes..what more can you want?
3. Miracle on 34th Street - the original one.  I guess everything I love has a bit of magical thinking to it.  But isn't that what movies should do? They're supposed to take you away and transport you...

So what's your favorite movies? 

Eccentric and Electric Pumps

Hello shoe lovers! I hope you are enjoying your day. If you haven't checked out to see if you are the winner of our foldflops giveaway, I suggest you head on over to the giveaway post to find out! Oh, and checking your e-mail would be a wise thing as well. ;)

So I know it's technically fall time now, but my weather hasn't changed in Utah or California yet. Has yours? And since my weather hasn't officially switched over yet I'm still in my summer land and I think that is quite alright. So I was just stumbling along - literally on Stumbler - and I came across the most amazing shoes! Of course I had to share them with you! The style is quite colorful and eccentric and this is just the way I like them. Let's take a look and you can tell me what you think. ;)

Look...it's lipstick! ;)

This is a creative pair! They are perfect for a sailor outfit and why not go out with a Navy officer while you a re at it!

So you might be wondering who this designer is of these fabulous shoes. It is Alberto Guardiani and he fulfills every shoe lovers' dreams in my opinion with his shoes. He incorporate rhinestones, terry cloth, ropes, and more. His shoes are very refined and elegant and are a part of his Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. Be sporty or electric in Guardiani's pumps - I especially like the first pair with the blues and greens the best. Gorgeous!

What do you think of Alberto's collection?

Day 4 of the 10 day Challenge

Four books...

1. Illusions by Richard Bach is my all time favorite book.  Reading it my freshman year in college changed my life and my perspective. 
2. A Course in Miracles - it's actually a set of three books - a text, a workbook for students (365 lessons) and a manual for teachers.  It's probably not what you think - but again -it was  life-changing for me.
3. Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People.  One of the best books ever written.  I always say that his human relations principles were nothing new and not rocket science (hmmm we've all heard "smile" before)  but he was unique in that he put them all together in one place and packaged them well. 
4. Conversations With God - the whole series was sooo fascinating.  What if ... just awesome.  And I listened to them on tape so it was both a male and female voice alternating.  Loved those books. 

What books do you love?