June 2008 Archives

Fans of Nicole Kidman and Ferragamo, will be happy to know that the designer will play a pivotal role in the starlet's new film, "Australia". James Ferragamo and his team hand made 18 styles of riding boots, pumps, wedges and sandals in luxe leather, velvet and suede. "In order to ensure a correct fit, I along with our best craftsman from our atelier, had the unique pleasure of meeting directly with Nicole Kidman to take a precise measurement of her foot so we could create her shoes in the tradition sense," stated Ferragamo.

While the collection was strictly for Kidman's feet only, a modernized evening sandal inspired by the costume collection will be sold as a limited edition at Ferragamo boutiques in November to coincide with the film's release.

Lilly Pulitzer's perennial brights and oh-so-cheerful patterns have never looked better we say. And the new Lilly Pulitzer flagship store, which has just opened in New York City, offers exclusive items and styling services as well as iconic summer standbys.

Ardmore, PA Boca Raton, FL Greenwich, CT King of Prussia, PA New York, NY Sarasota, FL Troy, MI

Austin, TX Dallas, TX Hinsdale, IL Lindhurst, OH San Antonia, TX Southlake, TX White Plains, NY

Aventura, FL East Hampton, NY Key West, FL Marlton, NJ San Diego, CA The Woodlands, TX Winter Park, FL

For those of you in-love with the Burberry brand, Shoeflair has learned that the company plans to significantly expand its shoe business. During a recent shareholder presentation CEO Angela Ahrendts said the fashion house plans to up the total shoe sales percentage to 10%. For a company that sells everything from clothing, to bags, to cell-phone cases, 10% is an extremely large piece of the Burberry pie.

Additionally, Ahrendts commented, "Going forward, Burberry will create shoe areas in all new stores and focus more marketing efforts on the category. On the product front, we will be adding more ballerinas and driving shoes to our collection.

We all know the economy has seen better days, right? With gas prices at an all-time high, home foreclosures, and everyday-grocery shopping becoming an "out-of-body" experience, we thought we could offer a little advice for us shoe shoppers.

Shopping Without Breaking The Bank--Quick Links:

1. Gather Information: Before heading-out to shop, check a few of the online specialty shoe blogs such as:

• Manolo's Shoe Blog
• Ivillage Steals & Deals
• Shoeflyer
• Daily Candy
• Shoelover
• Running With Heels

2. Visit Online Site Aggregators: Many of these sites "pull-in" shoe deals from other sites:

• Like.com
• Shop It To Me
• Shopping.com
• Endless.com

3. Consignment Stores: Your new shoes may have been worn a few times, but you can't beat the price:

• City Search Type "Shoes" in the search box and you will be presented with a complete listing of all consignment stores in your state.

Ok, the shoe news never sleeps, but after covering the ins-and-outs of pumps, heels, gladiators, sandals, feathers, leather, cork, wedges, plaftorm-wedges, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Tod's, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Lilly Pulitzer, Lipstick Jungle, The Sex and the City Movie, Carrie Bradshaw, Sizing Tips...{whew...you get the picture} this past year has us in need of a vacation. Needless to say we are taking a break, sticking our butt's in the sand to re-charge for a while.

We will return in all our flair, Tuesday June 24th. Until then, happy shoe shopping everyone!!

Bottega Veneta was launched as a family business of luxury leather accessories in Venice back in 1966. Today, the company is a vast empire featuring fantastic handbags, mens accessories and wonderful women's shoes. As far as leather goes, BV uses some of the finest found on the planet today.

You can find these lovely Bottega Veneta Sandals for $269.00 ($495.00 Retail) at Downtowngal Shoes.

After seeing the Sex and the City Movie, we have been searching for the Pink pair of Pumps Samantha is wearing while talking to Carrie regarding her [big] announcement. Well, we have searched & searched...and these pair are darn close.

You can find these Manolo Blahnik Pink Pumps for $299.00 ($495.00 Retail) at Downtowngal Shoes.

We all have come to know that Summer Sandals are the perfect way to display your inner "sexyiness". Here are a few tips to pull-off that sexy-in-sandals look:

1. Heels: In many cases, the sexiest sandals are stilettos. Other hot heels are kitten heels and wedges. Clunky heels on chunky shoes--not so much.


2. Straps: The strappier, the better. You get bonus points if there are straps or ribbons dancing up your calves. They add a feminine, graceful feel to the shoe, and can make them look a bit more dangerous at the same time (in the case of black leather, for example).


3. Fit: If your toes are hanging off the front of the shoe, or your heel's trying to escape from the back, the sexy sandals are no longer sexy. They tell everyone you're trying too hard to fit into a size too small because of vanity issues or because they didn't have your size and you really wanted this style. It doesn't work, ladies. Just move on to the next rack.


4. Well manicured nails inside: A pedicure is a necessity during the season of sexy sandals. Scrub those heels and trim and paint those toenails. Hot colors for spring are pastels like baby pink and lilac. Colors great for summer include metallics like bronze and gold, neon pink, vibrant coral, and even a pale nude.

Ok, officially Summer isn't here for a few more weeks, but we couldn't resist choosing a cute pair of Manolo Blahnik Sandals in our favorite color...Pink. We absolutely love the top bronze metal detailing...perfect for any occasion Summer throws your way.

You can find these Manolo Blahnik Pink Strappy Sandals for $279.00 ($585.00 Retail) at Downtowngal Shoes.

Here are a few Manolo Blahnik Sizing Tips To Keep Handy:

1. Manolo Blahnik shoes run small and narrow.
2. It has been our experience to add 30.5 to your US size (if you are US 8, you need 38.5 in Manolos).
3. If your feet are on the wide side, add 31.
4. Mules run extra small, add 31.
5. If you have wide feet, mules might not be such a good idea for you, but slides will work well.

Courtesy of OnlyModa

Tory Burch may live in New York, but the idea behind her Spring 2008 Collection is straight out of California. Inspired by Palm Springs in the '60s, Burch enlisted soft, sleek colors to create a singular vision. Imagine the desert at dusk: Gorgeous light casts brushstrokes of pink, blue, and gold. Now imagine that color wheel on a runway, where the airy designs produce a quiet, understated chic. Apply famed architect Mies van der Rohe's "less is more" theory and the result is Burch's latest line.

Where else does Burch draw inspiration? She turns inward, mining her childhood in Pennsylvania. “My parents were icons of style. My mother wore Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino. At the same time, she’d visit Turkey or North Africa and bring back exotic jewelry and textiles. And my dad was what you’d call a dandy,” she laughs. “He was the first man in Philadelphia to wear Gucci loafers.”

Not only did Burch inherit her parents’ fashion-forward genes, she parlayed them into a successful empire. Her résumé includes stints in Public Relations at Zoran, Ralph Lauren, and Vera Wang, but she made her entrepreneurial mark when she launched her eponymous label in 2004. What began as the Tory by TRB line in an Upper East Side apartment transformed into the Tory Burch brand, which found its niche among polished sophisticates and expanded quickly. A year after her debut she earned the gold standard of endorsements when she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. That same year Fashion Group International awarded her the Rising Star Award. And in 2007 Burch’s new line of shoes and handbags won the Accessories Council Excellence (ACE) Award for Accessory Brand Launch. What’s impressive is that she accomplished all of this without any formal training.

Most refreshing is Burch’s refusal to become a slave to fashion. Her advice to women: “Don’t take trends too literally. That’s where you get into trouble. Style isn’t about fads—it’s about knowing what looks good on you, then putting your personal stamp on it.” And for those who need a little inspiration, Burch suggests some California dreaming.

To read the Fern Seigel interview in its entirety, click here to see the NM Insite exerpt.

Finding a calf-length dress that looks flattering can be a challenge. The trick? It's all in the shoe. A subtle, summery sandal (preferably with an ankle strap) will emphasize the ankle and keep with the casually elegant feel of a calf-length dress.

We love the Darling Watch Chain Sandal from Micheal Kors. The elegant ankle strap, flattering heel, and funky strap detail are the perfect features to compliment any calf-length dress in your closet.

You can find these lovely sandals at Nieman Marcus for $460.00.

We don't own a boat, but we have spent many a day on-deck with nothing but the noise of the sail flapping in a mid-summer breeze. With that said, we have never really known what to wear when boating...clothing we have down, but shoes are another story.

Enter the Miami Platform Sandal from Tod's. With a thick-sticky rubber sole and a summer "boating" theme, these beauties have now become our only on-deck shoe (they look fantastic off-deck too!).

You can find these Tod's Miami Platform Sandals for $159.00 via Downtowngal Shoes.

On the heels of the Sex and the City Movie Premier, we thought it might be nice to remind readers about the Sex and the City Tour in NYC. On Location Tours offers a three-and-a-half hour excursion with more than 40 stops at "Sex" hangouts, including a swank bar prominently featured on the show, the home store where Aidan designed furniture, the popular Magnolia Bakery and a slew of new spots from the movie.

For those in New York looking for a way to step in Carrie's shoes, the details are as follows:

• Cost: $42
• Dates: Tours run Monday through Friday
• Times: 11 am - 3 p.m.
• Booking: www.screentours.com