Shoeaholic

Valentine’s Day is about a week away now, so perfect time to get shopping for your perfect pair of shoes for the occasion! Whether you’re off for a romantic date with your steady guy, a newbie, or if you’re skipping the relationship thing all together in favor of a friends day, V-Day is the perfect excuse to throw on some fun, girly, flirty shoes, perhaps heels or platforms that might be a bit more glam than your usual look. The 14th is the kind of day that you can wear a simple ensemble but then really kick back and have fun with your shoes. The trick is to not go too vampy, but to pick up on some key, fun trends to translate sex appeal into style. Metallics, bright colors, embellishments…you have plenty of ideas to choose from.

These Betsey Johnsons are sweet and vintage-inspired. $150 at Nordstrom.

These Beatrix Ongs are so classic, elegant, and graceful - they’re sleek enough to wear to work after Valentine’s Day is long gone, but pretty and flirty enough to wear out at night. $185 at FarFetch.

A pretty floral will take you right into spring, and with the wedge heel, you’ll be happy to go. Naughty Monkey, $52 at Heels.com.

I’m so in love with these Charles Davids. They’re such a sexy shade of red, and they take the classic Mary Jane look and totally style it up with the gorgeous, on trend ruffle. $115 at Nordstrom.

Here’s your splurge item, because, well, what pair of shoes could be more perfect, more classic Valentine’s Day? Kate Spade, $325 at Nordstrom.

Okay, let’s get started! Last week we talked about Shoeperwoman’s challenge to wear every pair of shoes she owns within the next 365 days, with pictures to prove it - and any unworn pairs get tossed at the end of the challenge. Well, she invited us all to take on the challenge, as well, and I finally finished my shoe inventory - which involved digging out the “summer shoe” bin from the garage, and I have a more challenging task at hand. Shoeperwoman had about 75 pairs to wear. I have 115. Yikes! Who knew I had so many? But to be fair, that’s the winter shoe wardrobe and the summer shoe wardrobe - do you separate your shoes by season, and only keep out the weather-appropriate pairs?

Anyway, there were actually a bit more than 115, but I immediately tossed a few pairs because by the looks of them, I knew they would never be worn again - we’re talking beat up, sole-is-detaching-from-the-heel-and-looks-like-it-may-talk. Don’t worry, though, it didn’t make my challenge any easier - as we speak, two pairs of shoes are on their way to me from online shopping, and it’s only the first day!

So what to do with the shoes you toss? Well, if they’re as beaten and over-loved as the ones I got rid of yesterday, I suggest just throwing them out, because they just cannot be worn again. If they’re a little less worn, donate, donate, donate! Don’t just throw them out, what a waste! Especially now, with the earthquake victims in Haiti. You can donate to organizations like Soles4Souls, Donate Your Old Shoes, or Sport Chalet. You can also donate to good old standards like the Salvation Army, or Housing Works. Or, if your shoes are in really good condition (like, those heels you knew perfectly well were a size too small but you got them because they were on sale and then never wore them?), and you’d like a little extra spending money, head on over to cosignment shops like Buffalo Exchange - they offer pretty good rates.

This is exciting, and very interesting:  blogger Shoeperwoman is setting herself a challenge to wear every single pair of shoes she owns within one year. When you first hear this challenge, it sounds ridiculous. How hard could that be, you think?

Hard. This is some challenge. The first step is do a shoe inventory, something, as Shoeperwoman pointed out, even the biggest shoe shoppers seem to never get around to doing. It’s when you count your shoes that you realize how many pairs you never wear. You might love and adore them, but maybe they’re very formal, or very hard to walk in, or very specific…whatever the case is, shoe lover seems to turn to frivolous hoarder when  you keep buying shoes and never wearing the majority of your collection. But this is something all of us shoeaholics do! We have massive collections and wear maybe five to ten pairs regularly.

Well I - well, Shoeperwoman first, but  I agree - say no more. If we are truly shoe lovers, then we need to love our shoes, and wear them, and give them life! So, I will be joining Shoeperwoman on her challenge. And I invite you to, too! Here are the details:

1. First of all, take a look at Shoeperwoman’s post I linked to above. If you have a blog and decide to take part, too, please link back to her!

2. First announce your total number of shoes. You’ll need to take pictures throughout the year to prove you wore every pair.

3. You can obviously keep shoe shopping, but then that means you have to wear those, too! There’s no grandfathering here, if you buy, you’re adding to your inventory!

4. Here’s the tough-but-practical part: whatever shoes you don’t wear at all by the end of the year have to go to a thrift store/The Salvation Army/insert charity here. Them’s the breaks! If you love them, you will wear them.

Okay, so this weekend I’m going to take my inventory and the challenge will officially begin next week! Hope to see you participating!

Heels, oxfords, sandals, flats, boots…you name it, it’s coming in floral this spring. The styles being offered up by retailers like Urban Outfitters are whimsical, fun, flirty, and feminine. Throwing on a pair could take a simple, solid-colored dress from dull to beautiful and springlike. And thanks to their typical canvas make-up, the shoes are usually quite affordable. Speaking of which, here are some pairs new to Urban Outfitters.

Floral Flats from U.O., $28.00

Floral Sandals from U.O., $38.00

Floral Mary Janes from U.O., $16.00

Floral Boots from Doc Martens at U.O., $128.00

I haven’t seen or thought of a good DIY project since the appliques-on-converses a la Free People project, so I was thrilled to find this project on Carbon Couture. Again, this project takes a shoe that is so on trend, and often sold for pretty high prices, and makes it an incredibly easy, not to mention fun, activity.

Glitter and sequins are everywhere, but to get the real high fashion edge, you want sparkle on more unexpected pieces. Dress? Eh, dime a dozen. Shoes? Original, different, eye-catching! And the best part? So easy to make, and you can find good use for those boring old white sneakers.

All the directions are on Carbon Couture, but it’s really just as simple as filling all the parts that might be seen, or “trim,” with black sharpie, then painting the canvas with glue, covering in glitter (color of your choice!), letting dry over night, and securing with sealant. Then you’re ready to rock them! Check out what Carbon Couture made:

Just met Rakish heels on Shoewawa.com. On the surface, they are stylish, urban, edgy, on trend heels. But they have a hidden talent, unlike any shoe before them - truly original, truly amazing. Their heels have covers that slip off to reveal more vibrant heels. That’s two pairs of shoes in one! Wear your stable, more sophisticated heels to work, then slip off the cover to go out at night, displaying funky, sexy heels.

Blue suede by day, graphic by night!

Casual bootie to glam bootie!

The shoes go for about 100 to 200 GBP, which means about $160.00 to $320.00 - which is mid-range, but think about the fact that you’re getting two pairs for the price of one! How could you not be obsessed? You can find them here.

We all know and love monthly shopping guide, Lucky Magazine. In recent years, it’s become the comprehensive list of what’s hot and where to get it. Lucky has always been a great source of inspiration to turn to when we’re facing shopper’s block: what shoes are really on trend, what shoes would really rock an LBD, what shoes are glam but in my price range - these are questions the magazine can answer. The only missing link? No actual place to buy anything. That makes sense for the magazine itself, but the website? Why not, right? On a website that talk the talk - and so well, too  - why not walk the walk by actually selling amazing designer finds?

Lucky must have seen the light, because they’ve just launced an e-boutique. Here you can find over ten pages of shoes, all styles, all price points, tons of designers. Find adorable pumps from $60 to $500 - all sealed with this picky, expert fashion publication’s seal of approval. You can rest assured that the shoes you’re ordering are good enough for Lucky, which only brings us the best of the best. As far as price point, this might be one of the most diverse online shoe shops around.

Just stumbled on a European shoe line called Lady Double You, and I’m obsessed. Glitter, Sparkle, Drama, Glamour - moderately priced? How can anyone resist? These shoes are fancy enough to wear to a formal occasion, but fun enough to throw on with a basic ensemble and make it chic and stunning.

There seems to be no basic pair of shoes in the collection - hey, if you want plain pumps, try somewhere else, like anywhere. These are shoes you can’t find anywhere else, like little, crafted, pieces of art. The styles utilize different fabrics, textures, and embellishments all at once - and yet somehow pull off a seamless, sophisticated look.

The prettiest pair of shoes ever - captured by Shoewawa.com.

You can find Lady Double You on sites like Laura J London, where there is a sale right now! The shoes usually go for around 150 - 200 GBP, or $245.00 - $330.00.

The recent events in Haiti are just unimaginable. No one who is not in Haiti an even begin to comprehend. But we just know it’s tragic - and tragic isn’t even good enough of a word.

Haiti was already a poorer, developing country before the earthquake spread destruction throughout the country. There were already campaigns to send donations there. Now those donations are needed more than ever. What is truly sad is that many scams arise in these times, so unfortunately, you have to be careful about where you send your money.

The other problem is that in these economic times, many of us don’t have much to spare - of course, we are lucky to have what we have compared to a country rocked by natural disaster, so any little bit we could send helps. But another idea is to send clothing and shoes - desperately needed by the Haitian people. These people have nothing. Homes and buildings have been demolished, and that means the possessions inside them.

Huffington Post listed places you can turn to (and trust) to send your clothing and shoes to Haiti. Specifically, Fashion Delivers and Foot Solutions are asking for gently used shoes and sneakers, donations that will be reaching Haiti as early as next week. Please, look in your shoe closet, there’s probably that pair you never wear. Think of the good place it can go to.