Gwyneth Paltrow is on the cover of the July Issue of Harper’s Bazaar in the shortest dress I’ve ever seen and the shoes have the tallest HEELS I’ve ever seen.  The dress is actually a sequined T-shirt by Proenza Schouler and the shoes are by Versace.

If you like feathers on your shoes you’ll love the flats on page 24, Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci.  They are black patent leather with white feathers on the toe section.  And, on page 28 you’ll find a clutch by Bill Blass that has feathers on it as well. 

There’s an ad on page 31 for Blumarine and the shoes are a wild, silver, ribonlike lace-up that would look great on someone with terrific legs.  The TechnoMarine ad on page 38 has an extreme pair of lace ups as well.  it’s a very sexy look.

Previews of the fall are woven on the pages of this July issue.  On page 39 is a pair of black booties by Balmain.  Another pair of black booties by Fendi are on page 40 and the Marc jacobs bag on this page would go nicely with them.  Oh and just a style note for this fall:  opaque tights (in many colors) are big this year and fishnets are out.

In the Hottest, Newest, Latest section of the magazine you’ll find a pair of shiny flats that appear to be similar to a patent leather but also “croc like”.  These are by Sam Edelman and priced well.  The Elie Tahari clutch on this page goes well with the shoes.  The smart shopping section on page 55 features a purple clutch by Fendi and strappy, multi-colored sandals by Dries Van Noten.  On the next page though -the styles get really crazy with lots of tweeds and florals.  It’s a flashback to the 60’s!  There are some chuncky booties and shoes by Tod’s Bootie and Franziska Hubener and bags by Yves Saint Laurent and Mulberry bag.  Very bright colors but I can’t help but think of my grandmother when I look at some of these styles.  I guess we’ll see if it takes in the fall.

The section “Fabulous at Every Age” highlights items for everyone when it comes to jackets, necklaces, pants, skirts, dresses and of course, shoes.  The black pump is talked about here and four pairs are featured:  pointy toe pumps by Michael Kors and Cole Haan, Mary Janes by Manolo Blahnik and t-strap pumps by Lanvin.  This feature is correct, these shoes would look good on just about anyone at any age.

Scrunched up, black boots by Carolina Herrera are on page 94 and more booties are on pages 104 and 105 by Fendi and Roberto Cavalli. 

The feature “Highlights from Milan” include patchwork leather and animal prints as an upcoming style this fall.  Blumarine boots on page 109 are leopard print, knee high, spiked boots and they match the leopard print coat worn by the model.  On page 110 the model is wearing dark tights with a pair of Burberry Prorsum shoes.  The prada shoes on page 113 are looking ready to “take flight” with the wing like design of the shoe.  These would probably be seen on the runway but I’m not sure if  you would see them anywhere else.

The weaving strap design of the Versace shoes on page 114 are very feminine  and unique but the heel is so tall I wonder how far you could walk without twisting an ankle.  But it’s a beautiful shoe.  There are more black shoes in this feature:  Salvatore Ferragamo booties, Moschino shoes and Etro heels round off the remaining pages of this feature. 

The final shoe finds in this July issue are on page 136 and 137.  The Gucci shoes on 136 are embellished  with glittery gold rounds and the straps are weaved to create a bootie type shoe and topped off with an adjustable buckle.

For the most part, I write about womens shoes.  But I just received the E.T. Wright Catalog today and they have some nice dress shoes for men.  On Page 2, in time for summer, is a pair called the “Volterra”.  It’s made of Calfskin and is a dressed up version of the “popular fisherman sandal”.  It’s the first time I’ve seen strappy dress shoes for men that are masculine.  They come in Black or Cedar Brown.

This company has a lot of great names for their shoes.  They have “The Siracusa”, “The Tortosa” (which is a brown thong), “The Modena”, “The Amesburyy II”, “The Brantley”, “The Amherst” and “The Billington”.  These are all on pages 4 and 5.  “The Billington” is a classic saddle tpe shoe.  This shoe always reminds me of a golf shoe.

More great shoe names on pages 6 and 7:  “The Chatham” which reminds me of Chatham, MA in Cape Cod, “The Salerno” (I had a teacher in High School name Mr. Salerno and ironically, these shoes look like a pair he would have worn),  “The Palermo”, “Columbus”, “Belmont” and “Sandro Moscoloni Kirby”.  The Kirby shoe is a nice casual dress shoe. 

Pages 8 and 9 feature shoes that look like penny loafers.  There’s “The Pomeroy”, “The Ibiza”, “The Hinsdale”, “The Branford”, “The Cavelli & Rosselli”, these are all Italian classics and they sound very Italian.  There are toe cap style shoes on page 13.  “The Benito” and “The Mezlan Andrew” are both similar to a toe cap shoe.

On page 14 is a pair of “Magnani Armando” Shoes.  These are handcrafted in Spain and have a leather lining with cushioning for comfort.  It’s a sharp shoe and very rich looking.  Speaking of rich looking, the “Sheer Luxury” line is on page 15.  There’s “The Gazzero” which is made of deerskin and “The Palena” with it’s Italian Craftsmanship and soft leather lining.

On page 17 are dress shoes called “The Denver”, “The Louisville” and “The Chicago”.  Although these names are very “American” in name, they are actually Spainish shoes.  I wish they made a pair of “The Chicago” for women.  I really like this style with a pair of jeans.

Exotic shoes can be found on page 20.  “The Matera” has a very tropical  feel as well as “The Domenico and The Bastion” even though they are all crafted in Italy.   On page 21 you’ll find more casual dress shoes crafted in Italy and “The Majorca” was crafted in Spain.

E.T. Wright has more than just dress shoes.  Page 25 features Italian and Spanish boots, Page 26 features golf shoes and slippers (great for fathers day) and on page 27 is a series of New Balance Walking Shoes.  There are more New Balance Walking shoes, Cross-Trainers and Running shoes on pages 28 and 29. 

Finally, the end of the catalog features casual walking shoes, sandals by New Balance and “Allen Edmonds Eastport” boat shoes.�

I went to see the Sex and The City Movie this weekend.  And of course, shoes were highlighted throughout the movie.  There was a scene where Carrie sees her new closet for the first time and she has a blue pair of Manolo Blahniks that she just bought for the occasion.  She takes them out of the box and places them on the shoe rack as says something like:  Now I know it’s real and not a dream.  It IS a great closet!  Every woman should have this closet!!!  Those shoes play a big part in this movie.  There’s a part at the end of the movie when they re-appear (but I won’t spoil the movie for you by telling you) you’ll have to watch it and see for yourself.  All I’ll say is:  the re-appearance of this shoe is PERFECT for a significant day in Carries’ life.

Carrie isn’t the only one with great shoes in this movie.  The girls are always VERY Sharp looking in almost every scene and the shoes always match perfectly with every outfit.  But I have to say, there’s one scene when the shoes are the only piece of clothing that one of the characters is wearing and her name probably goes without saying if you’re a diehard Sex and The City fan but for those of you who aren’t too familiar with the series, the character is Samantha.   She plans this great night of Sushi and sex for Valentines Day.  She works all day preparing Sushi for her live-in boyfriend, Smith and decides to decorate herself with the Sushi for when Smith comes home.  She’s strategically covers her naked body from the shoulders to her shoes (while laying flat on the dinner table) and waits there for Smith to come home.  Well there’s a point where she has to get off the table to answer the phone but she can’t (very funny) anyway, eventually she gets off the table and the camera zooms in on her shoes.  They are spike heels (of course) and the front straps are in the formation of a fish!  They were actually strappy, metal, fish spikes!  I thought that was great!  I love the fashion designers and writers for this movie!

Shoes aren’t the only accessory with a big role in this movie.  Handbags have a big part as well.  In particular, a Louie Vuitton Handbag has a significant role in a scene.  Also mentioned in the movie was the site: BagBorroworSteal which is a website for renting Designer Handbags.

Getting back to the shoes in this movie, there’s another great scene where Carrie goes through her closet and tries on several outfits that were made popular by the HBO series.  And along with the outfits were highlights of great shoes as well.  There’s even a pair with feathers (like a mini Peacock) from the toes to the ankles.  This pair had it’s own scene and female viewers were in awe.  Carries closet has to be filled with $100k worth of shoes.  We know that she had at least $40k in shoes a few seasons before the end of the series so I figure she’s added to the collection since that season.  If my calculations are correct, we’re talking six figures in shoes alone!

My blog is about shoes so that was the main topic of my review of Sex and The City today,  but I have to say, I also LOVED the movie!  They did a great job!  I was an avid Sex and The City Fan (I still watch the re-runs)  but I highly recommend seeing the movie while it’s in the theater.  I’ll also be one of the first people in line to buy it when it comes out on DVD.  It’ll finish my DVD collection of Sex and The City (unless they come out with another movie).

I write about shoes and accessories that I find in magazines but I think More Magazine is one of my favorites because it’s geared more toward my age group.  I love ALL of my magazines but I seem to gravitate more toward the articles  in More Magazine because they address some of the issues I may be interested in (at this point in my life).  Although, I could do without the reminders (advertisements are everywhere) that my skin has more wrinkles now than 10 years ago.

So, I found the February 2008 issue of More Magazine and started flipping through it this afternoon.  Lisa Edelstein is on page 23 - she’s in a casual tank and slacks but they have the outfit dressed up with colorful beads around her neck and matching earrings.  She’s also in a great pair of pointy toed pumps with a matching handbag.  It’s a short article about her role in House where she plays Dr. Lisa Cuddy. 

In the “MoreStyle” section on page 64, they feature some great belts and they inform you about which belts match best with which type of outfits.  A Tory Burch signature belt for $175 is reversible and can be worn with jeans or “1960’s-inspired dresses”.  An Express stretch, corset belt for $50 can be worn with knits.  An Oscar de la Renta contoured belt for $350 will help to maximize your curves in a straight skirt or t-shirt dress.  A metallic belt by Betsey Johnson can add shine to any daytime or nighttime outfit for $40.  Finally, an adjustable, Coach belt for $248 can adjust to the waist or hips and makes a basic outfit look more chic.

Page 66 smart shopper (also part of MoreStyle) features metallic trench coats to perk up an outfit.  Wrap-style trenches are highlighted here.  Eleanor Duffy microfiber trench for $695 is paired with a Bruno Magli leather hobo bag $695 and Cole Haan peep-toe patent leather pumps for $275.  To save money and look similar to this outfit, they feature a Jones New York viscose/poly trench for $279, Enzo Angiolini (my favorite brand) peep-toe patent leather pumps for $99 and a Lauren Merkin hobo for $495.

Page 68 has 3 readers of More Magazine dressed up for date night.  Ruffles are big this year.  Flirty yet sophisticated.  One reader is wearing a ruffled, Ellen Tracy silk blouse with an Alvin Valley Silk skirt with a great pair of Chanel Slingbacks and a Michael Kors clutch bag.  Another reader is wearing a Norma Kamali (for Everlast dress), Loeffler Randall (for Target) flats and the third reader is wearing a Moschino Cotton-blend top, Jigsaw silk skirt with Taryn Rose slingbacks.

“The New Classics” on pge 119 is about designers reinventing style basics.  This page has a great pair of mary jane type pumps in the photo.  Page 120 continues the feature with a wonderful, “retro-inspired dress with a modern shape and sensibility”, Ports 1961 stretch jersey $550 and it’s paired with “strappy wedges” by Michael Kors.  Flip the page to 122 and there’s a great, Navy Blue Suit by Donna Karan (jacket $1595, skirt $750) with a pair of Gucci booties for $840.  I also like the way the DKNY clutch (for $225) matches the outfit.  Page 124 has a great pair of Chanel cap-toe flats (for $675) to go with a Military style jacket and pleated skirt.

I’m on page 126 - Article:  “Power Surge” Look at these shoes!  It’s a red pump but instead of a spike heel - they have a spring heel!  Ha! Can’t imagine what it would be like to walk on that but - it’s just a spoof for the article.  She has a “spring in her step” literally!

Well, that’s as far as the fashion goes in this issue.  I flipped through to the end of the magazine and couldn’t locate any more “shopping finds”.�

This weekend was beautiful, weather-wise.  We had several family cookouts this weekend and my little niece was performing a “Hannah Tannah” song, (as she says it) on the front porch.  She thinks it’s a stage made “just for her”.  Anyway, she LOVES Hannah Montana!  And she takes every opportunity to show me her Hannah dolls and Hannah pictures.  She showed me one picture this weekend and said “Hannah Tannah wears boots!”  This little 2 year old is completely obsessed with shoes!  She notices every pair I wear and she’ll get very excited when I wear a pair she likes.  It’s adorable.  And as far as I’m concerned, it’s proof that women have shoes in our DNA!  I think she’ll give me some great material for my blog as she gets older.  But for now, I guess I’ll have to research material on my own until I can get her working for me

So - my research for today brings me to an older, “Self Magazine”, March 08 issue.  Kelly Ripa is on the cover with the cover story printed on page 172.  She’s all dressed up for the magazine spread and wearing a “50’s style dress” by Luisa Beccaria for $1800 and a pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes for $299.  I think the outfit on page 174 is better.  She’s wearing a form fitted pink dress with a pair of Michael Kors Sandals for $355 and on page 175, she’s in a stunning, Michael Kors gown for $5995 with a HUGE necklace created by M + J Savitt for Michael Kors, $850.  The necklace MAKES the outfit!  I think I’ll back up to the beginning of the magazine before I move forward from here.

On page 37 there is an add for Lacoste shoes.  They feature a cute little, silver casual ballerina sneaker and silver laceups!  Both are very cute and can be found at www.lacoste.com.  They are also sold at Lord & Taylor. 

An interesting piece of information about high heals is given on page 40.  It appears that 1 in 10 women have said that they have either had a “near miss” or an accident while driving in high heels.  They suggest keeping a pair of flats in your car and changing shoes before driving.  They also feature a mini lace up front, boat shoe as a suggestion - cute pair, for $155.

Page 85, “Style Update” features a few accessory recommendations.  Large colorful frames, by Diesel for $325, wedge heels, $765; Christian Louboutin, Bright Yellow Jessica Simpson Flats, $59; Dillards and the last thing I want to mention on this page is a, see-through handbag from Kate Spade for $325.  Now, every woman who carries this bag has to be very organized!  Not to mention, careful not to carry private, personal items that you don’t want the public to see

Page 86 features “lingerie-inspired clothes” and the shoes being recommended are “chunky, leather platforms by H&M for $35 (very reasonable) and “Neutral wedges” that will “match every pedicure shade imaginable!”  Which is VERY true and a very good point.  Also mentioned here is a pair of flat, gold, embellished sandals.  The embellishment on this pair is a “pyramid studded look” priced at $124 by Mystique.

Pages 88 and 89, Style Solutions:  Recommendations are being made here for each “body type”.  I’m not crazy about the outfits here, and the shoes are marginal… but I like one of the shoe recommendations:  A wedged, strappy heel by Marc Fisher for $69 (and can be found at Macy’s).  I turn the page and see another pair of Gladiator sandals.  These sandals are everywhere this season!  The ones featured here are $475 at SigersonMorrison.com.

I’m flipping more pages and there’s an article on page 102 about “Ten surprising reasons you’re not losing weight” and the shoes in the picture (smashing the scale) are beautiful, black, strappy spikes!  Great shoes - but no mention of what they are (because it’s not a style article, only a photo to go with the article).

Finally, I’m stopping on page 193.  There’s a great pair of white slingbacks by Cole Haan here for $295 - these are great!  On page 194  there’s a yellow pair of sandals for $580, Christian Louboutin and on Page 195, flower embellished sandals for $651, Giuseppe Zanotti Design.

Chico’s used to be a “hot” store for women over 40 but in the last couple years they’ve lost their appeal.  I was recently flipping through the May issue of “O Magazine” and I spotted an ad from Chico’s that features  a summer clutch bag in colorful, bright shades.  I also like the accessories from Chico’s.  Their Big, bulky jewelry is really funky and dresses up any casual outfit. 

It’s hard to find shoes in “O Magazine”… I’m flipping through the pages and so far, the only shoe I’ve found is an ad for the Crocs flip flop!  Now there’s a product I NEVER expected to take off.  Those shoes are SO ugly but they took off big time!  Not for me though… I don’t like them.   

Ok, here we go, there’s a feature on the “perfect pair of pants” and there are a few cute pairs of shoes.  Oh, and better yet - there’s a feature on the best pair of shoes for cropped pants!  Ok, now we’re talking!  And it’s good advice.  A high heal is best “if the straps match your skin tone” the reason:  The “leg, foot, and shoe creates a single line”.  Flat shoes are good with fuller crops and “footwear that shows more skin creates the flattering illusions of a longer leg”.  And finally, stilettos are not recommended unless you’re a fashion “risk-taker” (or young enough to pull it off) so they recommend kitten heels (featuring a Michael Kors pair at $435) as an alternative.

Ok well, now I’m seeing some shoe features.  On page 128 there’s a feature on “goddess sandals”.  This tribal theme is big this year.  I’ve seen it in several magazines this month.  My favorite shoe in this feature is a pair by Oscar de la Renta.  It’s #8 and it’s a unique pair of sandals priced at $595.  Others featured here are snakeskins from Payless shoes $18, Leather/Metal, over the toe by Bally $565, Yellow Thongs by Sigerson Morrison $195, Glidiators by Boss Orange $135, Ancient Coin, patent leather white Sandals by Tory Burch $275 and Red Leather Strappies by Nine west $79.

On page 136 “Great Buys Under $100″ is all about shoes!  I like the strappy patent leather Naturalizers for $79.  The Yellow casual thong is cute (by J Vincent) for $98 but I think my favorite pair on this page is the leather cage sandal for $59 which can be found in the Victoria’s Secret catalogue.

On page 306 - Check out the “Manolo Blahnik” thong heels!  I love those!  I’m not sure about the outfits being worn with them - but the shoes are great!

Well, I think I covered all the shoes in this issue!  And what better way to end my entry than with a pair on Manolo Blahniks!�

I took a walk at the mall the other day and I took notice of the clutch bags in the windows of most of the stores.  It appears that clutch bags are back - big time.  I also noticed on the cover of Lucky Magazine this month (June issue), Amanda Peet was wearing a double belt around the midsection of the dress she’s wearing.  These items were very popular back when I was a “twenty something” girl.

When I flipped through the June “Lucky” magazine issue, I noticed some interesting accessories.  The Indian, tribal theme was present on most pages.  I found Leather, “Pokaontas” Sandals by Alexandra Neel ($760).  They are spikes, with a leather ankle and two, feather embellished straps around the foot - these could make for a wonderful, conversation piece at a summer party.  To go along with the shoes, they featured a “Delicate Silver” feather on a rugged suede cord bracelet by Manon Von Gerkan Jewelry ($275). 

In the Editor’s Picks Section of “What I want NOW!”, Meredith Kahn Rollins, Executive Editor outlines some of her picks.  She features an outfit that looks very victorian, with a Beaded Gold-Plate Necklace, a pair of “Demure Mary Janes”, and a terrific silk, beaded bag!  I collect beaded bags.  I like the vintage look and feel of a beaded bad and the one featured here can be found at Moynabags.com.  I’m not crazy about the outfit that Meredith features here, but I really like the accessories, and the shoes are my favorite brand:  Enzo Angiolini’s!�

More tribal recommendations show up in the center of the magazine.  Page 68 has a feature entitled “Tribal Touches”.  There’s a multi-colored beaded bracelet and Leather Cuff.  Chandelier, beaded earrings and leather “roman bead” sandals finish off the look and would look great with a plain, t-shirt dress.  The colors in the beading will flatter a simple dress.

As I flip to page 80, I found it interesting that the “shoes of the month” section features “slip-on sneakers”.  The reason they are featuring them is:  They “deliver the run-around-town utility of sneakers matched with the chic look of a cute pair of flats”.  Ok - I guess I could see that.  The picks they outline range in price from $40 to $230.  For running around town, I think I would go with a more reasonably priced pair.  I can’t leave this page without mentioning the great looking shoes in the bebe ad.  They’re very pretty.

“Modern Ties” on page 84 has a great pair of purple pumps!  They’re called “Britiful” - Leather pumps by Naughty Monkey and reasonably priced at $80.  I also like the outfit they have them paired with.  The skirt is a little to “croc looking” for me, but still cute.  More great shoes on page 86 - and again, cute outfits that are paired with them.

The last accessory I’ll mention before finishing this post is on page 124.  Gold fringe jewelry is “in” this season.  Some of the pieces are pretty.  I like the understated fringe much better than the fuller, bulkier pieces.  Then again, I’m petite, so I tend to go for understated.  Some of the bigger pieces would look great on taller women.  On the next page (126), they feature pearl jewelry.  I’m not crazy about the rings, but the other pieces are nice.  The next page features “raw stone” pieces!  These are really cool looking… again, some of the pieces are a little big for me, but I would attempt to wear a few of these styles.  Finally, the last page of the jewelry feature highlights “oversized watches”.  I guess these are “big” (pardon the pun) right now!  Personally, I like the delicate, bracelet type watches.�

Magazines are my passion.  Looking through the pages of what is in fashion every month gives me a heads up on my shopping.  Going into the summer season, sunglasses are being highlighted in this months issue of Marie Claire (page 18).  Big Frames with Dark lenses are what’s hot this season.  They are even featuring Retro shapes.  Katherine Heigl wears “Grace Kelly Classic Shades” by Juicy Couture, Kelly Ozbourne is seen wearing Heart shaped shades by Topshop, Funky Red glasses by Ray-Bans were worn by Rachel Bilson and Mary-Kate Olsen was seen wearing oversized Ozzy glasses. 

Sandals are everywhere in this Marie Claire issue.  On page 40 there’s a great stone embellished thong sandal by Charles David and on the same page, a wonderful white spike by report signature.  The “tribal look” is featured on page 42 with high heeled, ankle strap shoes and on page 43, I like the “HotKiss wedge shoes” (#2) which looks great with the halter top tribal dress the graduate student is wearing. The splurge vs steal feature puts together a floral skirt with a purple tank and Carolina Herrera Shoes.  The “steal” shoes aren’t as pretty as the Splurge shoes - I think I would spend the extra for the impressive, center strap heels. 

Other features  in this issue are “best sandals” on page 50.  “Jewelry for the feet” is a perfect description of these “shiny emerald, onyx and precious metallic flats”.  They’ll dress up any summer outfit.  And prices range from $45 at JC Penny to $995 Jimmy Choo’s.  The next page features “best sunglasses” and they make mention of the 80’s, retro style and show glasses ranging from $16 at Urban Outfitters to $385 Marc Jacobs sold at solsticestores.com.  And “best” would not be complete without naming the “best bags” which seems to be “geometric patterns and Neon shades” this year!  Lots’ of yellows…. and blacks are patterned so they look “lighter” for the summer season.  These bags start at $39 at Ann Taylor Loft up to $2700 for Nancy Gonzalez (Bergdorf Goodman). 

 I LOVE the shoes in this issue.  Page 58 features more “shoe jewelry” wedge shoes!  Love them!!!  I’ve gotta get a pair to go with my straight legged cropped pants (which are also shown on this page).  My pants are “retro” from the 80’s.  I held on to a lot of my clothing (and shoes) from then, and it looks like they are all making a come back.  I knew it would happen eventually!

The last section I’ll mention of this issue is on page 146, entitled “Splash Dance”.  Bright colored shoes are featured for “beach wear”.  Take a look at the Yellow, strappy, ankle number on page 150!  They’ll go great with the yellow bags that are hot this season!

I’m from the 80’s so I love pointy toe shoes.  You can get a great look with these stunning pointy-toe flats with a large stone accent.  For all-day wear, this flat is perfect with its soft leather upper and yet, dressy enough with the upper ribbon detail.  If you prefer Mary Jane flats,  I like decorative buttons which add flair to a casual flat and a fabric blend makes the shoe very comfortable.  Do you like an ankle strap on your flats?  The shoe flatters your foot with its patent leather upper and its fabric lining makes the shoe comfortable.  The ankle strap is adjustable and makes the shoe look dressy.  You can bring out your wild, exotic side with this Leopard-print fabric upper shoe.  It has a bow accent which gives the shoe a cute look as well as exotic.  But if you like something more traditional, this solid, black flat has a similar look to the leopard-print shoe.

As the winter comes to an end, I begin to look for sandals and casual flats that go great with shorts and capris.  You can relax in floral flats by BC Footwear, they have a canvas upper and Mary Jane strap with a buckle closure.   If you buy them at Zappos,, the pricing and return policy is one of the best online.  If you’re looking for a dress flat, I really like the variety of this brand:  Nicole    Personally, I love the Bandolino brand of shoes for comfort AND style.�