On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

5 Gold rings

4 Colly Birds

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Source: Harper’s Bazaar US September 2010

 

click on this pretty picture to reveal

today’s newfashiontodayblog choice of party wear

And don’t forget to enter NEXT Daily Christmas giveaway – click here

Fancy Michael Kors Buckled Gladiator Sandals?

 

… but can’t really justify a price tag of $1295.00 (currently on sale for $906.00, but still…) with your intense love for shoes? Cry no more because now you can find a beautiful high-street version for only £45.00. Sounds like a dream? Well, click here and see it for yourself, or better still, get a pair and look fabulous! :)

Oh-so-feminine!

Awwwwwwwww….. Love the satin pink shoes, dusty rosy nude ruffles and those perfect pins!

Source: Elle France 2010

If the shoe fits

 

Source: Glass no. 2

Shoes: a celebration of pumps, sandals, slippers and more.

by newfashiontodayblog’s guest writer Malene Soe

 

 

Originally intended to protect your feet from the elements, rocky terrain and overexposure to the sun’s rays, the shoe has evolved from a necessity to a luxurious high heel. Linda O’Keefe, a journalist and fashion expert, takes readers on a journey of the evolutionary path of footwear in her book ‘Shoes’, by showing the transformation of the shoe. Rather than being simply a tool for protection, the humble shoe has become a passion, a hobby, a source of self-expression and sexual independence and can even be psychologically empowering, according to O’Keefe.

The book includes over a thousand pictures of women’s footwear, chronicling the very beginnings of shoe construction to the glorious and daring modern day designs we all love and adore today.

Readers can expect to learn about the origins of footwear and the importance of how the shoe originally had the goal of concealing the foot. Of course, no book covering the journey of the shoe would be complete without a section dedicated to the high heel phenomenon, including how and why the high heel has become such a symbol of female empowerment. The book also tackles shoes that were less prominent, including impractical ballroom slippers. These shoes are now more prominent to wear outside the ballroom and O’Keefe dedicates an entire chapter to the importance of these now fashionable shoes.

Furthermore, O’Keefe has an entire section dedicated to the pump (or court shoe). She classifies the pump as being the little black dress of shoes – a simple type of footwear that all women must have. However, O’Keefe does not only stick to the shoes that are dominating the catwalks. She also focuses on more sensible shoes, such as the historic boot and its journey from being a protective tool to a runway must-have item, and of course more left-field shoes - platforms, fetishes and shoes considered to be of a scandalous nature.

O’Keefe has a clear audience in mind when she presents the information in such a strategic, almost methodical manner. Over the course of her career, she has contributed to Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harpers Bazaar and GQ to name a few. Clearly her intent is to inform shoe lovers of the importance of footwear - its journey and transformation, role in female empowerment and of course, why shoes can give so much personal joy to us all.

This book is a must-have for passionate shoe lovers and individuals who strive to become the next big thing in footwear design. Not only does this book inform and teach readers about the historic importance of female shoes, but it is also a definitive reference book that explores the many different types of footwear for women – slippers, sandals, the naked foot – and extensively covers prominent shoe designers and makers.

Malene Soe primarily writes about fashion for online magazines, including a focus on casino garments, casino dress codes and appropriate attire for a night out at casinos worldwide. She works as an independent writer and stays active by also contributing her opinions on the newest films and literature.

Beauty and “Fairies”

 

Source: Jessica Stam for Vogue May 2008

It’s a kind of magic

 

Photo source: Prada campaign, S/S 2008

Kurt Geiger sale and extra 10% off

I love to fall in love with footwear from high street retailers, because, lets face it, when you see a pair of fabulous shoes, you just want to have them without feeling dizzy by looking at the price tag.

Lately Kurt Geiger has been a dangerous temptation. The time of midseason sale has come. I must admit, there was a moment of sadness as the SIMPLE booties I've been in love with for ages weren't available in my size (yes, this WAS tragic...). Still, I just had to blog about it because this week KG also offers another 10% off everything on sale (enter code: KGSALE09 at the checkout), so you might get lucky. I also wanted to show you my favourite babies to share love, emotions and thoughts.

SIMPLE

ARABIA

HETTY

GRADE

HAMPTON

Images via Kurt Geiger

Milan fashion week: the incredibles

When fashion comes to Milan I start developing strong cravings for beautiful clothes and accessories hence cannot quite hold myself and stick with just one collection. So this time I picked four... and the shoes... and two bags. Once I placed Marni bracelets on top of everything else, my heart felt satisfied. So here are my picks - clothes that I love and dream of wearing.

Alberta Ferretti


Bottega Veneta

Fendi

Salvatore Ferragamo

Fendi bag, Marni bracelets and clutch (plus Bottega as on photos above)

Fendi

Photos via style.com

Coffee, dates and shoes

On a rainy morning, early as always, I was sitting in front of my laptop enjoying a cup of coffee, a few dates (I guess, you thought it was about romance, but at this point it's just delicious something I like to eat) and this story. It was then when I saw a pair of beautiful Alejandro Ingelmo shoes. I must confess that I haven't really heard of him before, so I decided to do my little research as it would be silly not to since the almighty google is out there 24/7.

Google worked. It took me to Browns website, which I've intentionally ignored for the last few months as it's full of temptations for which I wasn't mentally or financially ready at this time of my life. Yes, I did find the shoes, but then I also noticed another pair of shoes I saw a few months ago and dismissed because of their price tag. The pumps were on sale.

Suddenly my brain was working on a different emotionally powered level. MY SHOES were there and my size was available. I had to have them because for me they were pure perfection. The colour would go well with my autumn bag and belts, the black would create a perfect look with a dress that's almost ancient now (better call it vintage, I suppose), but loved and cherished, so still in my wardrobe. I also dreamed of creating this special autumn look of black belted coat, wide classic trousers with rolled hems and tan coloured gloves to match the shoes... Oh, I let my imagination run wild... Then it was time to get back to reality. Unfortunately, even the reality craved the platforms.

At the end I did two things: I spent a day thinking and I asked my husband if it would be ok to buy a pair of shoes (and to be fair, I haven't bought any for a while). As the day went by the thought of having Ginas became stronger and, as a sweet cherry on a cupcake, S said "yes".

I made a cup of calming mint tea and placed my order, which I just received. They are perfect. I absolutely adore my new pumps and can honestly say that apart from my wedding shoes, these are the best ones I've ever had. Yes, the heel is high, but they are incredibly comfortable. I think I could run in them if I had to. Finally, the missing piece of my wardrobe jigsaw is found and I am going to enjoy every moment of it.

Christian Louboutin ad campaign

If I had to choose three things that are close to my heart, my feminine self and my professional background, I’d pick art, shoes and food. This, my darlings, as I feel at the moment, makes me have something common with Christian Louboutin. Oh, yes, I know this is quite a bold statement, but let me just feel special for a few brief minutes of my ordinary life.

I fell in love with this spring-summer 2009 campaign that features iconic red-soled shoes surrounded by exotic fruits, sweets and flowers. My favourite ads are the “paintings” of Miss Fortune sandals and Mount Street bag and nude stiletto. Stunning images created by talented Peter Lippman look like old nature mortes from Louvre. To me, this is timeless, elegant, unforgettable and very unique.

Photo source: tfs

Designer flip flops, anyone?

Flip flops.... Probably the simplest footwear that literally brings you down to earth. You don't spend time looking for a perfect pair - you just pick the one that matches your bikini and you're done.
Now it looks like flip flops can become a new fashion trend thanks to the Selfridges new in-store Havanas shop where you can create your own unique pair. Prices start from £20 with over 100 different colours, straps, crystals and even diamonds! How fabulous is that?!
Even celebrities and designers were tempted to put their imagination and DIY skills into practice and created several cute flip flop designs, which will be auctioned on 15 June at a charity auction to raise money for CLIC Sargent that provides supports to young cancer survivors. Here are some of my favourites and although I think Naomi didn't quite grasp the essence of a flip-flop, she created a design that could be called a "high fashion flip-flop".

Paul Smith

Naomi Campbell

Matthew Williamson

Manolo Blahnik

Manish Arora

Alice Temperley

Photo source: vogue.co.uk