Five Must Have Styles

We all love shoes and want to have lots of them, but we can’t always afford to have a zillion pair.  So here are my five styles of “must have” shoes.

Classics. A great looking pair of classic pumps a staple for every wardrobe.  These are your “go to” interview and business shoes.  Preferably in a dark color such as black, with a medium heel, these shoes will work well with any dress or suit.  They are great for making a positive first impression at a meeting or presentation.  Just be sure you choose a pair that is not only great looking, but comfortable as well.  

Casual and comfy! Another must have shoe is one to wear when your feet need a rest.  These can be comfortable boots or even some brands that now make comfort shoes – but you definitely need something that will let your feet feel as good as they look.

Sneakers. You still need to exercise and go to the gym. While you will not wear sneakers with your stylish jeans, you still need sneakers for exercising and walking outside. There are lots of different sneakers on the market now - pick the ones that fit you, your personality, and that fit your exercise routine.

A pair of dressy heels.  Every woman needs a pair of dressy heels to wear for a night out on the town.  These could be a strappy pair of sandals or even a fancy pump, but they are usually a higher a heel which makes a woman taller and feel more sexy and confident.  Sparkles, glitter and rhinestones make a great dressy shoe and in a pinch, a jazzy shoe clip can be added to a classic pump to dress it up.

Color! The last pair of “must have” shoes for every woman is a pair of colorful shoes.  Think about it, what gal wasn’t in love with Dorothy’s ruby red slippers?  Yes, we all love color!  Red, pink, blue, purple, yellow, neon, or pastels, solids or patterns, as long as they make us feel good. They don’t have to match anything or even be a specific style – just be filled with color! Colorful shoes have that special spark that let us think we can click our heels and something magical will happen.  Who knows, maybe something will!

Which of these shoes do you have in your closet? Or what favorite styles of yours did I miss?

How To Wear Your Shoes

Knowing how to wear the right shoes with

an outfit is important. Here are some ideas from

a regular contributor to our blog Claire Hunter 

As you know there are many different types of shoes on the market. Heels, boots, slippers, flats, wedges, stilettos, courts, the list is endless. So how do you know which shoes to wear with each of your outfits? Well once you have pulled out all of your clothing, shoes and accessories, you can read here on how to wear each pair and with what type of clothing. 

Wedges

Now I would consider wedges to be more of a summer shoe. So with these I would choose perhaps a summery dress, denim jacket, perhaps a fedora hat and a small day time clutch bag. Finish with some cute bracelets and you are on to winning summer time outfit. Match the color of your wedges with your dress or bag and you will look even more on trend during those sunny months of the year.

Courts or Pumps

High heeled courts or pumps are perfect for nights out or formal evening occasions. If you are off to a party or just a few clubs and bars for the night, wear with a body con dress in your favorite color. Mixing colors will add a little more fun to your look so be bold with something bright. If you are heading to something a little more formal then perhaps opt for a midi or mid length dress in a subtle shade such as black, navy or dark purple. Choose a clutch bag in a matching color to the shoes and accessorize with small pieces of jewelery.

Ballet Flats

Probably the most comfortable shoes of them all are the ballet flats or pumps as some people like to call them. They will always look stylish during the day worn with a pair of skinny jeans, a simple t shirt and a blazer jacket. Finish with a large oversized tote bag and if it is sunny out, pop some super huge shades on for a touch of glam style. Gabor shoes have some fantastic pairs on offer at the moment that feature in all the latest shades.

Boots

Winter was made for boots. From ankle length to knee high, all styles look great worn during the colder months of the year. Wear with a floaty skirt and a fitted top for a day to night look. Accessorize with patterned scarves, tights and cute hats during the day for a casual appearance. For a glam night look add some sparkly jewelery and a small clutch bag. 

Claire Hunter, enjoys writing about everything and anything. Her favourite topic, and one she writes about the most, is fashion but she also likes to write about home wares, gadgets, technology, gift ideas, food and culinary. She hopes you enjoy reading her blog post. 

 

Found the Shoes!

Yahoo!  I found some shoes to go with the fabulous dresses. 

What do you think?

Steve Madden Traisie Platform Pumps

 

John Galliano Platform Pumps

Vanessa Bruno Highheeled Sandals

Let's Get Intimate with Shoes: Lace and Lingerie

Have you ever noticed how shoes look, well, a bit like lingerie? With their lacy details and romantic elements, I can't help think that shoes are designed with romance in mind. Today bras and underwear are so beautiful looking, and that's why I love seeing all of their feminine designs. In fact, because I am such a hopeless romantic it's impossible not to "fall in love" with some of the pretty designs on both the shoes and lingerie that I come across.

If you were going to turn a shoe into lingerie, what would it look like? I think some designers have done a pretty great job at turning shoes into lovely pieces of lingerie, per-say. Here are a few lovely pictures that I think complement one another. You'll have to tell me if you feel the same way.

So let's get intimate with shoes, shall we?

via Austin Wedding Blog

I can understand why a bride would choose lacy pumps that lace up, because not only do they look gorgeous with a wedding gown, but they certainly compliment the lingerie underneath as well. If you think about it, lace-up shoes coincide with a corset, which also laces up. A corset is a beautiful piece of lingerie that is delicate yet beautiful and it just so happens to be worn by brides quite often for their wedding day. In fact, it's quite perfect for a bride to wear a corset underneath her bridal gown and lace-up heels. She's ready to get married to her prince charming and have a wonderful honeymoon.

via Pinterest

If you look close enough shoes often look like sweet underwear too. With their floral designs and comfy fit, shoes easily look like your favorite pair of underwear. I love how floral shoes remind me of spring time and also of all of the lovely lingerie that's available. If you're feeling really matchy matchy it's fun to match your shoes to your underwear and bra of the day! Maybe it's time to find a pair of sloggi maxi briefs like Carrie Bradshaw and add them to your floral underwear collection? I'm thinking this is exactly what I want to do. ;)

via Forever21

 via lov3

Besides a floral bra, lacy elements, pretty underwear, and matching floral shoes, there's also a little black dress, black lacy lingerie and matching lacy black shoes. Isn't it fun matching your under clothing to your shoes? With a little bit of creativity finding the perfect pair of romantic pumps and incorporating it with your lingerie can be fun. Whether you're a bride, mother, or a girl on-the-go, it's never too late to bring in some lace and lingerie into your wardrobe. I personally love matching my shoes to my under clothing, and I'm not ashamed to say it! Of course an outfit is not complete without the perfect pair of lacy shoes that match!

About the Author:

Paige One loves writing about fashion and beauty and offers services for many companies who love fashion and more.

Jessica Simpson Offers Perfect Pumps

Whenever I go shopping I like to snap pics of pumps, especially if they are trendy or super cute. You all know my love for Jessica Simpson shoes, and coming across her pumps (especially new ones), are my favorite!

What I love about Jessica Simpson shoes is that they are all so creative and comfortable! To be honest the last time I've owned a pair of Jessica Simpson pumps was quite a few years ago...but a girl can appreciate them from afar, right? I think it's about time I own a pair of JS pumps and go out and have some fun with them on.

This is a picture I took in Nordstrom I believe when I saw this shoe design. It definitely looks better in person as opposed to on the website. I love the fun colors on the blue, yellow, and green shoe. I think JS definitely did a great job at infusing creativity into these pumps, don't you think?

This pump is my personal favorite. The blue suede and the peachy orange bottom part of the pump looks amazing. So I'm definitely ready to find a fun pair of pumps from Jessica Simpson. Are you?

Our First Shoe Giveaway!

If The Shoe Doesn't Fit, the auction site for shoe lovers 
wants to give you some shoes! 

Why? Just because we like you!

It's our first shoe giveaway!

Manufacturer suggested retail is $84.99

These pretty Lolita shoes from Pinup Couture come in a variety of colors all with a nice 5 1/4 inch platform. Pinup Couture is cool retro and vintage-inspired footwear. We liked them... so we are giving them to one lucky winner. It might be you! 

The Rafflecopter Form will load below this line so you can enter.  Please be patient.

Fashionable Socks!

 Socks can be a great accessory if you know when to wear'em and 

how to choose the best ones for what you're wearing.

Today's guest blogger, Adam Bruk shares with us some great tips for

making your sock selections smart and fashionable! Enjoy!

Choosing the right pair of socks to keep your feet warm while looking fashionable can be rather tricky. There are some shoes that you can’t wear socks with at all, and others you would look silly not wearing socks with. Finding the right pair of socks to wear with your winter footwear is important for keeping your feet warm. You never know when you’ll need to take your shoes off when entering someone’s house or after stepping in a puddle and getting them wet. For these reasons, we’ve put together a guide on how to wear socks for a few popular styles of shoes.

Source: media.onsugar.com

High Heels and Pumps- If you asked us last year if it’s ok to wear socks with heels, we would think you were crazy. However, we’ve noticed more and more women this year fashionably wearing socks with their high heels. You no longer need to sacrifice comfort for style, especially during the bitter cold winter months. Knee socks are fashionable and will protect your legs from the harsh winter elements. We’ve also seen women wearing heels with crew or slouch socks as well. Knee socks are a bit more appropriate for office attire, while knee socks, crew, or slouch can be worn for a night on the town!

Source: stylebakery.com

Flats- While you can wear socks with flats during the winter months, it’s not very fashionable to wear them during the summer.  There are two styles you can go with when wearing flats. This year, we’ve seen many people sporting knee socks, or even thigh high socks, with their flats. This certainly helps to keep your legs warm and goes well with a shorter dress. However, if you don’t want your socks to show, you can always opt for a pair of liner socks. They fit around your feet and perform the same functions as no show socks.

Athletic Shoes/Sneakers- It’s very important to wear a pair of socks when working out or wearing athletic shoes. While going without them might be more convenient, it’s not healthy for your feet. The type of socks you wear depends on the cut of your shoes. For example, if you are wearing a pair of shoes that go up on your ankle, such as basketball shoes, a pair of ankle socks is stylish and provides the most comfort. However, they shouldn’t be worn with a low cut athletic shoe. As a general rule of thumb, if your shoe doesn’t come up your ankle, neither should your socks! Opt for a low cut pair of socks or no show socks to go with your lower cut athletic shoes or sneakers.

Source: deadspin.com

Sandals- Unless you don’t care how you look, socks are never to be worn with sandals! It looks rather goofy and is not stylish at all. Plus, if it’s warm enough to wear sandals, you shouldn’t need to wear socks with them.

We hope this guide helps you find the right pair of socks to keep your feet warm and fashionable this winter!

Bio: Adam has been busy this winter helping visitors find the right pair of socks to keep their feet warm and fashionable this winter. He also works with the diabetic online community to help people with diabetes find diabetic socks that are fashionable and fit their outfits.

Bridal ShoesTrends for 2012

If you're going to be a bride this year or know someone who is,

then you'll want to hear about the latest 2012 bridal trends 

from our guest blogger Christina Lyttle! Enjoy!

Gone are the days when shoes took a backseat while shopping for one’s wedding because the increasing number of slender and petite wedding gowns have ensured that your shoes get the proper amount of attention. Also, the trend has shifted from white to more ‘colors’. So, if you are planning a gown which will allow some room for you to make your own style statement at your feet, you must know about the bridal trends of 2012.

·         Glitter - Every wedding needs a sparkling star and your shoes will ensure it. Bling and glitter is the trend of the season. If you are a little wary of sparkle, you can have just a hint of gold or silver but if you want to dazzle your wedding attire, go full throttle and remove all full stops on the oomph factor. You have various options in this fashionable development. You can go for a plain metal body but jeweled heels, or you can have gold dust all over your pumps. The added advantage is that, unlike your traditional footwear, this will be useful to you even after the wedding is over. You can pair these up with cocktail dresses or your little black dress and turn eyeballs.

·         Lace – Lace it up if you dislike the twinkle. Lace can pep up an ordinary looking stiletto. Dark colors like plum and deep red would look good on the light colors. You can contrast it with your wedding dress, or simply choose a color that compliments the fabric. Even a simple ribbon in a darker shade can do wonders to your prosaic shoe. Be willing to experiment and give a thumbs-up to lace because it is classy and elegant.

·         Mix and Match – There is no need to match everything, you must learn a little mixing along with matching. Go for a shoe that is totally unexpected and surprise everyone. There are many kinds of different and unique looking shoes available which scream chicness and style. Go for some glamour and pick those electric blue pumps. Add some ornamental flowers to them and you have balanced its eccentricity, thereby creating perfect wedding footwear.

There are many colors that are ruling the roost like Azure, Tiffany Blue, Cobalt, Plum, Cranberry etc. These colors will add to your look and ensure that you are the center of attention of your wedding, even fashionably. Experiment, innovate and research about the trends. Or better, create your own!

Christina Lyttle is a fashion expert with five years of experience under her belt. In her free time, she loves teaming wigs of different colors, like purple wigs, blonde wigs, and others to enrich the look of funny costumes designed by her.

Tips for Buying Vintage Shoes

With shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire ruling the small screen, vintage styles are more popular than ever.  The person that buys vintage is the kind that likes the unique and special.  Some may even be considered old souls.  They are treasure hunters in their own right, searching through their grandmother’s attics, consignment shops, or the local thrift store; perusing the internet or seeking out funky vintage boutiques.  

While vintage clothing, jewelry, handbags and other accessories can be found with little effort, buying vintage shoes is not always as simple.  Unlike a vintage blouse, skirt or pair of pants, a pair of vintage shoes can’t be tossed in the washer, or tailored to fit; they show their age easily because of the nature of their wear.  This doesn’t mean they can’t be found though - you just have to know some tips.  Here are a few pointers for being successful in your vintage shoe hunt.

Ignore the size.  People always say Marilyn Monroe wore a size 12 dress, but guess what? That’s like a 4 or 6 by today’s sizing standards!  The same applies for shoes.  The only real way to know is to try it on but that's not always possible.  If you’re shopping online, ask the seller to measure the shoe’s insole and width or if that's not possible, know that the size may not be accurate and be prepared.  In some cases, leather can be stretched if the shoe is too narrow, but there’s nothing (spare a magic wand) that is going to make that shoe longer.  

Consider repair costs.  If you happen to find a pair of 40 year old shoes, it’s safe to say they’re not going to be in perfect condition.  Things that can be replaced are heel caps and soles; loose stitching can also be fixed.  Before buying you may want to check with your local shoe repairman on what the cost will be; that way you know what’s a bargain and what’s not worth it.  

Use a critical eye.  It’s easy to be blinded by the fact that you might, just MIGHT look like Jayne Mansfield in those vintage shoes, but you have to be logical.  There are some things that can’t be repaired or fixed; cracked leather, torn holes, missing buckles, eroding straps, strong discoloration, deep scratches, etc.  The only thing that shoes with these problems may be used for is perhaps decoration on a book shelf.  

Make friends with Google and Wikipedia.  Most vintage shop owners are honest people who are happy to be dealing in a medium they love.  However, don’t be taken advantage of because of lack of information.  Vintage is generally defined as anything older than 20-25 years.  Which means that the 80’s and early 90’s are all of sudden considered vintage!  Decide if you personally consider that vintage because you’re probably not willing to pay as much for a pair of shoes from 1992 as you would for something from 1962.  Also consider that designers make shoes that look vintage though might not be.  Take a look at the shoe and if you can find a designer name or label of some sort, plug it into Google or Wikipedia.  You should be able to find some information on that brand including a time frame, popularity, styles, etc.  Armed with this knowledge, you’ll have a better idea of how much you should be paying.  You may even find a similar shoe for a better price this way! 

Don’t be afraid to buy vintage shoes, it should be an enjoyable and rewarding process.  It should never be an impulse purchase, but you’ll be happy you took your time as soon as someone asks “Where’d you get those fabulous shoes?”