Thursday, July 29, 2010

TOE JOB, ANYONE?


Only in America.

How far will a gal go to fit into her favourite heels? The services at Beverly Hills Aesthetic Foot Surgery, California USA provides a clue.

According to The Wall Street Journal, there's the trademarked "Cinderella Procedure" — a preventive bunion correction that makes feet narrower. The clinic also offers the "Perfect 10! Aesthetic Toe Shortening" that invisibly trims toes that hang over the end of sandals or have to be crushed into tight shoes. There's also "Foot-Tuck Fat Pad Augmentation," in which fat from the patient's abdomen is injected into the balls of her feet to provide extra cushioning for long days on high heels.

Oh dear Lord. I'm sympathetic to any woman with gnarly feet, but please, even the most devout of shoe addicts can think of better ways to spend her hard earned cash.

"It's unrealistic to tell women not to wear high heels," said the clinic's founder, podiatrist Ali Sadrieh. "I came up with procedures that allow the women to function, pain-free, in the real world."

Fox goes on to report: Those are exactly kinds of cosmetic procedures that a big group of orthopedic foot surgeons blasted in a news release last month.

"Shortening a toe to get into a tight-fitting shoe should not be a standard of care in any physician's office," said Donald R. Bohay, an orthopedic surgeon in Grand Rapids, Mich., and co-chairman of public education for the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society.

Takes all kinds!

Read the full Wall Street Journal article on FoxNews.com

(Image Credit: Reuters)

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

IVANKA DOES 'AFFORDABLE'
























I realize this sounds like a ridiculous notion but according to Pop Culture online bible FabSugar; Ivanka Trump is creating an affordable footwear collection set to launch in the USA's Spring.

Lord knows that Ivanka knows a girl can never have enough shoes. "There’s a great opportunity to position stylish, yet refined, shoes," said Ivanka. "What you tend to see are totally unwearable, over-the-top styles, or [looks that are] comfortable to the point of forgoing any appealing aesthetic. I’m going for the middle."

For more check out FabSugar.

(Image Credit: FabSugar)

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Sunday, July 25, 2010

SHOE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS


Halle Berry's next role in the new movie "Shoe Addicts Anonymous," reports WWD.

Based on the book by Beth Harbison, the comedy, about four Chicago women obsessed with stilettos, will start filming shortly & hit screens in the US autumn 2011.

Shoe Addicts Anonymous, in 2007, was Beth Harbison's first mainstream novel after writing four cookbooks and twenty-two Silhouette Romances. It hit the New York Times bestseller list in 2008, and was followed by Secrets of a Shoe Addict and Hope in a Jar.

Producer Mark Bozek says, "It's more 'First Wives' Club' than 'Sex and the City. Halle related to it. She gets all these serious parts and said, 'Nobody thinks of me as a comedic actress' but she's really funny. She also loves shoes."

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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

A GAP IN THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET



Anyone that’s shopped in the US will be thrilled to hear Gap is set to open its first namesake store in Australia in Chadstone this August.

The American apparel company aims to open between 10 to 15 Gap stores within three to four years, with its first in Melbourne. The addition of the Australia market will give Gap franchise deals in a total of 24 different countries according to Reuters.

With celebs including Sarah Jessica Parker and Madonna having stylishly appeared in Gap campaigns, Australia is in for quite the treat.

Competitors H&M, Zara and Abercrombie & Fitch are also set to hit Oz in early 2011.

Love!

NOTE: This will not cease my Hawaiian shopping pilgrimage.

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Monday, July 19, 2010

MOTORIZED SHOES



You've got to love a wacky shoe tale.

US inventor Peter Treadway has developed a gizmo that motorizes your shoes.

Let's say you want to take public transportation (eek!) to a meeting but your destination is about a kilometre away from the station. Sure, you could call a cab, wait around for a bus, or break a sweat walking but if you don't have the time to spare or don't want to wrangle with bus schedules that match up to train schedules, you might be tempted to scrap the whole plan and just drive.

That's the problem Treadway aims to solve.

Treadways are motorized shoe attachments that can be used as a 'last-mile' transportation solution that you strap on where public transit drops you off. Designer Peter Treadway recently entered his personal mobility solution for the James Dyson Award (namesake of the famous vacuum cleaner re inventor), a competition for newly minted design engineers who have invented a product that solves a problem.

For images & more info got to CarTech.

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Friday, July 16, 2010

HELLO, CONTROL FREAK IN THE HOUSE



I have a question. I realize it’s rhetorical but I feel the need to share my bewilderment.

Why do attractive, confident, intelligent and financially independent women end up in relationships with men that want to control them?

There is no doubt in my mind this is another of the world’s great mysteries. I certainly am not engaging in any kind of man-bashing or degradation of any female who wakes up one day and finds herself in this situation, I’ve done it myself. Twice!

At a recent fashion event of the ‘ladies who lunch’ variety I was engaged in a round table conversation with an assemblage of near strangers when the topic turned to shoes, as it so often does in my presence. After debriefing on the current clog trend, the banter turned to sexy sandals and the all encompassing love affair those at the table had with them, when one participant broadcast her husband didn’t ‘allow her to wear sexy sandals.’

I’m sorry, what? Did someone just slap me into the 50’s and pop me next to June Cleaver?

I have so many questions I’m not quite sure where to start. How does one identify a pair of sandals that are too sexy? Too much toe cleavage?

Can she make a call in the affirmative on her own or must she present the offending stem to him for his approval? What other regulations apply? Is there a clothes / shoe combination rule that comes into play?

Despite near biting my tongue off in an effort to silence my mounting opinions I simply enquire as to what she means by that? Allegedly, her husband takes issue if she wears any type of shoe that may garner some kind of attention. From anyone. Hello, control freak in the house!

Clearly there’s an entire list of issues going on in this particular situation and given I am no psychologist I won’t even begin to speculate about what they might be but this woman is sadly not unique. I have heard dozens of girlfriends and near strangers tell very similar stories and contrary to popular belief these women aren’t doormats, they are emotionally healthy, physically attractive, independent and successful women.

So what’s going on here? Are women, no matter how ‘together,’ still in search of Prince Charming? Are we holding onto a childhood fairytale that a man should come rescue us, to our detriment? Problem is, in this new world of independence and career success we don’t really need rescuing. The tired old line of ‘let me take you away from all of this’ doesn’t really apply. I’m sorry, it’s great that you drive a prestige car and have a balcony with an amazing view – me too, now can we have a conversation with greater depth?

Don’t get me wrong for every one of these stories I’ve heard a woman interrogate a man with; 1) So what do you? 2) What do you drive? 3) Where do you live? Three simple questions designed to compile an income review and size up his potential as a ‘sponsor’ for the gal who aspires to being kept. If that’s your thing, knock yourself out, but don’t think the sponsorship doesn’t come at a price. I guess it’s up to the sponsored to negotiate terms that work for her? As a collective group our message to men is somewhat perplexing.

We all like the thought of being taken care of. It is nice to know that if we need backup our partner will step in and take care of the things we may not feel equipped to deal with because we are stressed, tired or sick. It can be romantic to return home and find an outfit laid out for us on the bed with an invitation to dinner. Spontaneous acts of kindness are thoughtful and sweet and should not be confused with the degradation of our chosen dress and shoes while in the car on the way to a party.

In simple terms, it’s not really about the sandals being too sexy or a t-shirt being too fitting, it is about something else entirely. Fact is, as long as you’re leaving the house in what is more understated elegance with a dash of sexy than it is stripper-chic, you should be good to go.

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

LATEST OBSESSION - CHANEL FALL / WINTER



Nothing quite tops Chanel's Fall Winter 2010-11 collection.

This season's shoe collection is quite spectacular. Above is merely the introduction, filmed by Luciano Burgos. For the full edited Fall Winter preview click here.

Faux fur, real iceberg. Love!

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Monday, July 12, 2010

NUPTIAL CHIC






















Thank you Net-A-Porter!

I get copious emails from stylish brides asking where they can go for Chic wedding stilts & ideas outside of Bridal Magazines & sites. Enter the glorious Net-A-Porter whose new Wedding Boutique has it covered.

Loving this new mini-site.

Go to the Net-A-Porter site & click on the Wedding Boutique tab. From there you can select individual items you may be seeking from your dress to your stems. Fabulous specimens like these Christian Louboutin frill sandals or these gorgeous Fendi bow peep toe platforms.

If you’d rather not be specific; they have you covered with classic, minimal, bohemian & fashion forward bride categories. Love!

Got to Net-A-Porter Wedding & check it out.

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

$11,000 A MONTH - NOT A BAD SHOE BUDGET


Hit R&B singer Ciara & a $11,000 a month shoe budget?

Recent rumors indicate the ‘Ride’ singer spends in excess of $11,000 per month on shoes, bless her, reportedly having a modest 1,000 shoes in her walk-in.

Admitting she can blow a large sum on shoes every month in an effort to keep up with the latest trends. While that may seem outrageous to non-shoe aficionados, I am ok with it.

“When I go shopping, my most extravagant purchases are normally going to be shoes. I just love shoes & go for what’s hot. I like everything from Louboutin & Dr. Martens to Versace & Fendi,” she said in a recent interview with Pride Magazine. Ciara goes on to declare she did not see anything wrong with the amount she spends on shoes, saying on her average trip to the shoe store she will spend a minimum of $1,200.

I wonder if I’m too old to be adopted?

(Image Credit: CiaraWorld.com)

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Thursday, July 08, 2010

IN PURSUIT OF NEW HEIGHTS?





















Now THAT'S what I'm talking about - feast your eyes on some serious stems.

Shoes may not be a religious experience for some but oh Lordy, YSL has outdone themselves.

Love, love, love!

Go to YSL & check out this amazing menagerie of shoe-candy then pick up the phone to your nearest Shoetique - these stilts are super hot.

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Tuesday, July 06, 2010

NOW HERE'S AN ECO SHOE


While I am loathed to profile anything that doesn't have a 15cm heel, I know some of you just love your kicks.

What does a person with a sneaker fetish do when he has ample time on his hands & a creative mind? He makes those shoes out of cardboard. For fun.

Chris Anderson made this replica of the famous Nike kicks model, Nike Air, from cardboard & has even included the brand & model name written in white cardboard.

But wait there's more, you can also see Nike shoes made completely from coloured paper.

Ah... the life of the shoe aficionado is never dull.

Click here for more cardboard Nike.

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Sunday, July 04, 2010

A TOUCH OF SHOE LOVE


$25,000...That's what women will spend in their lifetimes on just shoes, according to an English study. Perhaps even more surprisingly, the study says more than half the women do not feel guilty about it, according to Eastern Texan news website KLTV.com.

"I think that women spend more money on shoes because we need new shoes for an outfit," said shoe shopper Tiffany Jackson. "We need shoes for self esteem want to be beautiful that day, maybe because their on sale."

Riecia Hulsey echoed Jackson's sentiment," I don't know [why they help] if you're having a bad day shoes just make you feel better."

The report says an average woman buys 7 pairs a year, meaning more than 450 pairs in a lifetime. 7 pairs a year? ‘Surprisingly more than half the women don’t feel guilty about it?’ Good thing this study didn’t telemarket any of my friends!

To read the full story click here.

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Friday, July 02, 2010

BET RED CARPET STILTS


Bless Examiner & their Red Carpet shoeverage of the BET Awards.

Totally agree with their Best In Shoe: Eva Marcille's Hot Shoes by Gasoline Glamour.

See more of the hottest shoes on the BET Award's Red Carpet @ Examiner.com

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