French Connection ‘Peyton’ ankle boots
The onward march of amazing ankle boots continues apace, and I’m struggling to limit my coverage of them to only two a day at the moment. But I simply couldn’t ignore French Connection’s ‘Peyton’ style , which is a lovely style just bursting with contrasts and gorgeous textures. It looks like it would be super comfy to wear, too.
Check out Shoewawa’s fab finds at TK Maxx
September is the month of golden leaves, rosy apples, back to school and most importantly, shopping for boots. And when we buy boots, we want something that’s going to last; a strong and well-made style that will see us safely through the cold winter ahead. That’s why many of us are more likely to spend a little extra on boots, and buy from designers with a known reputation for quality.
Karen Millen re-releases hit stretch over knee boots for a limited time only
Karen Millen’s dangerously sexy over knee boots were the sellout hit of the season this time last year, and the much-coveted style is now back by popular demand. Available either in black or a mink shade that’s actually a little greyer than it appears in this photo, the real suede, figure-hugging boots are back to bring a little super-heroine chic into your everyday life.
High-Heeled Hiking Boots Tapeet by Vicini
Manolo says, the faux practical shoes , they are all the rage this fall, and what better way to get your rage on than with these high-heeled “hiking” boots by Tapeet from Vicini . Perfect for communing with nature this weekend in SoHo!
The Lady Politicians’ Shoe of Choice
Manolo says, it is the Kate Spade Wedge ! Despite the three-inch wedge heels on her black patent leather shoes, after hours of walking, Ms. Saujani, a former hedge-fund general counsel and a successful political fund-raiser, seemed as calmly cheerful as she did at the outset of the day. Finally, as we returned to her office, I asked: About those shoes? “They’re the Kate Spade wedges,” she said, sagging slightly, as if she had only just then been reminded that she had feet. “They’re these politician-woman shoes.” She had gotten the tip from someone who worked for Hillary Rodham Clinton. They are apparently something of an “it” shoe right now for women in politics: Ms. Saujani said that Kathleen M. Rice, who is running for attorney general, also wore them (a photograph on Ms. Rice’s Facebook page bears that out). The chief of staff for a prominent woman in Congress told me that she, too, religiously relied on her Kate Spade wedge heels (though she spoke on the condition of anonymity because she preferred not to be known for her brand of footwear). “They’re very comfy,” said Annie Mullaly, Ms. Saujani’s finance director. “They’re like Crocs. You’ll see them everywhere once you’ve identified them.” But the Kate Spade wedge heels are not just one candidate’s shoes. They seem to be the shoes of a circle of younger women aspiring to power or already in it, women directly and indirectly passing on to one another ways of navigating the particular challenges of being a woman in the public eye. A woman must look put-together, but not as if she is a slave to fashion; she must look groomed, but never be spotted grooming. That is all well and good if you want to look like the politician, however, if your tastes run to the slightly more aggressive, and you wish perhaps to make the statement on the campaign trail… Allow the Manolo to suggest these over-the-knee Boots from Belle by Sigerson Morrison as being worthy of consideration. With these on your feets, you would not ask for the votes, you would command them! P.S. The Manolo has long been the fan of the Kate Spade shoes , for exactly the reason cited above, they are well-made, reasonably comfortable, and perfectly suitable for the working girl.
Ugg Australia ‘Joslyn’ boot
Ugg Australia impressed us all with their varied range of supremely comfortable and stylish footwear this summer, and instead of going back to nothing but the usual classics for winter, they’ve done it again with some astoundingly chic styles that look like they’d be the most snuggly footwear available to womankind on a cold day.
Lace-up ’shooties’ at Aldo
Aldo has introduced a new category on its website this seaon: “shooties” somewhere between a shoe-boot and a bootie, these are a little higher than both, with shoe-like trappings such as peep-toes and skinny heels (at least that’s how I understood the definition!)
New Look Faux Fur Cuff Boots
Shoewawa loves these toasty fake fur-lined short boots from New Look.
Christian Louboutin Simple Ankle Boot for the Wednesday
Manolo says, after all of the buckles and straps and glittery glam-o-tchotkes, it is pleasant to see more tranquil, classically elegant shoes, such as this Simple Ankle Boot from Christian Louboutin .
Bottega Veneta Fall 2010 Wedge Ankle Boots
Looking at these wedges from Bottega Veneta, I feel like they are taking a page from the types of styles normally seen coming from Marc Jacobs or John Fluevog*. These could easily have looked awkward and unbalanced, but the smoothed-out edges and swept-forward angles allow these to be that rare, successful, blend of a chunky and solid heel – while still being wholly feminine overall. While nobody is likely to describe these as ‘delicate’, they do quite nicely manage to be both elegant and modern. Bottega Veneta suede wedge ankle boots $870 via Saks.com In a similar, softened-wedge style, Bottega Veneta is also offering this lower-shaft ankle-boot. But, I don’t like it nearly as much as the brown suede style shown above. For some reason, this lower bootie doesn’t seem quite as well-balanced and successful in it’s overall silhouette. Perhaps overall outfit presentation would help to correct this potential issue? Bottega Veneta scalloped suede ankle boots $780 via Saks.com I’m so glad to find more and more designers that are willing to play with the overall form of a shoe and finding that there are indeed ways to get both sex appeal and walk-ability to play nice together all in the same shoe. Not that we don’t love our occasional stilettos, but wedges usually have fantastic stability; making wedges this sexy is a win in my book. *For those of you unfamiliar with Fluevog shoes, the main style that comes to mind when I see the Bottega Veneta’s are ‘The LA’ Fluevog line – which is an adaptation of the earlier and near-iconic Grand National Fluevog boots. These are on my ‘how can I manage to get my hands on a pair of these, I don’t care how long it takes to do it?!’ list. The LA ‘Melrose’ $445, via John Fluevog website Authentic Shops: Designer Shoes at Zappos.com Saks Fifth Avenue
Fall Shoe Pick: Ash Illusion Suede Boot
This Ash Illusion Suede Boot is one of ShopBop’s top sellers for Fall! These high-heel suede boots feature a snap-tab that gathers the shaft. Distressing at toe and heel cap. 3.75″ (95 mm) stacked heel. 7.5″ (19 cm) shaft and 15.5″ (39.5 cm) circumference. Rubber sole. Available in Black or Sparrow from ShopBop.com , $195 with Free Worldwide Delivery in 3 days or less!
Loving: Lanvin quilted shoe boots
We’re all about pebbled leather and interesting textures on our shoes and accessories at the moment. Padding is coming back along with inclement weather, and the more texture and graininess the better.
Alaia Lasercut Haircalf Suede Booties
Alaia cutout calf hair platform pumps $2375 via Net-a-porter. These layered, laser-cut overlay booties almost make me wish I could get married all over again just to have an excuse to own them. They visually scream, “Unforgettable fall wedding.” Lucky, indeed, is the gal who scores these beautiful ankle boots to wear under her wedding gown. Just look at the close-up detail on these: They are breathtakingly beautiful, and not a rhinestone to be found anywhere. I don’t even know who that lucky bride is, but I am already more than a teensy bit jealous of her wearing these fabulous shoes. Here’s hoping the rest of her wedded life is a spectacular as her wedding shoes. Authentic Shops: Designer Shoes at Zappos.com Saks Fifth Avenue
Guest post: Shudoo’s pick of the week
The Superstar wedge by Bertie effortlessly manages the balance between fierce individuality while keeping bang on trend with its buckle detailing.
Alanis Leopard Ankle Boots from Jimmy Choo for the Monday
Manolo says, it is Monday and your long summer nightmare has finally ended; the children have gone back to school! Celebrate with ridiculously leopardy boots from the Jimmy Choo! School days, school days, Good old Jimmy Choo days. Readin’ and Writin’ and fashion shoes All taught to the tune of the leopard boot. P.S. Yes, it is true, the Manolo has been all about the big cats for the past few weeks, but few of the previous examples he has cited have been as super fantastic as this.