Shoes & Accessories

Posted by Gill Hart

A word of warning, don’t throw away those old red tights from your youth, that are still lurking in the back of your closet. It’s official, according to Style.com (and who am I to question this dependable source?), the in-thing in the tight department for fall 2008, is red-hot hosiery, in all shapes and forms.

To prove its point, Style.com currently features a picture of the model of the moment, Agyness Deyn, sporting a pair of red opaques, in it’s Style Hunter article, “Seeing Red.”

Personally I am not too keen on having legs the same color as a chicken, but I’ll dig out my pair of red opaques that I bought by mistake, here in Thailand, last year. Instead of picking up black ones, I couldn’t understand the information on the labelling (I can’t read Thai) and just went by the image on the packet. I got quite a shock when I opened up the pack, and thought I’d never have the opportunity to wear them. (Or at least, without looking like a left–over from a fancy dress party). Seems I was wrong!

If you, like Agyness, want to get ahead with the trend, then add a splash of color to your morning by wearing a pair of Jonathan Aston scarlet tights from Tightsplease. They also do a similar, denser pair of 60-denier red opaques from Charnos.

Wear red-blooded hoisery with a short solid color-block skirt or dress in complementary colors. This year your hosiery is supposed to match your outfits and not your shoes!

Posted by Gill Hart

Such is our celebrity culture that British women are clamoring to by her super-high heels, from gladiator sandals to her seven-inch platform pumps.

The Daily Mail has been running a series of articles following Gwyneth on her four day Iron Man red carpet tour, culminating in its 30th April article, “The Gwyneth Effect.” The Mail has been highlighting Gwyneth’s transformation in the footwear department and documenting the fact that she has been rocking Europe; with her Pacini platforms in Paris, Louboutins in Berlin, Giuseppe Zanotti platforms in Rome and Givenchy peep-toe gladiators in London.

According to the Daily Mail , retailers are dubbing their sudden boost in women’s footwear as the “Gwyneth Effect.” The week of May 1st 2008, Selfridges has reported their super-high heels outselling flat shoes by five to one.

Certainly, Gwyneth has brought a new breed of gladiator sandal to the attention of the British masses. Her warrior-woman, war-like Givenchy peep toes made paparazzi fashion history, showing off a transformed and edgy Ms Paltrow.

Selfridge’s director of accessories, Sebastian Manes, refers to such fetish shoes as “not for the fainthearted, with their extreme attention grabbing look.”

Certainly Balenciaga and Givenchy are being credited by the fashion industry as playing their part in the revival of power dressing, with their warrior women’s gladiator sandals and boots being taken to new lengths.

I have to say that, after seeing fashion feature "Best in Show", in this month’s Australian edition of Marie Claire, Nicholas Ghesquiere's for Balenciaga gladiator sandals are actually growing on me (but most definitely not the price!)

Posted by Gill Hart

One thing that has taken me almost twenty years to realize is that style is not necessarily about following fashion trends. Style is about wearing something that makes you feel good, flatters your body shape and makes you look classy and not tarty.

There is no better way than to create your own signature style than with a special bag, a pair of shoes, a print scarf, a man's watch, or any other fashion accessory. In Glamour magazine’s November 2006 article “The 8 Laws of Style” runway king Michael Kors advises, “Have a signature piece. It’s the most classic way to look chic. Zero in on that one thing – eg boots, a bag or sunglasses,”

Once you have honed in on a piece in your wardrobe you really love, then wear it with almost everything! If it is likely to last more than one season then buy the best quality you can afford. This also means, according to Kors, that its okay to break the fashion rules, like wearing boots in summer or wearing a brocade skirt to work.

Personally, I love this year’s trend in headbands and now have a collection of over 20, (which I wear with almost everything.) This is my signature style, and whilst albeit a temporary one, it makes me feel fun and flirty. The locals here have got to know my distinctive look, and the headbands have become a conversational ice-breaker and are often met with a warm Thai smile.

Two other weaknesses I’ll admit to is my cream Spy bag and a pair of baby-soft suede boots, which I insist on wearing (over jeans) here in Thailand, despite temperatures which never dip below 25-30 degrees!

Posted by Gill Hart

Although I am almost ashamed to admit it, I am a big fan of jelly shoes. Not only are they practical beachwear, protecting your feet from hot sand, stones, coral and concrete but they are also so amazingly comfortable that you forget you have them on. I wear them around the house, the garden and to walk my dogs.

The current resurgence in jelly shoes means that not only is there a variety of cute, flirty, feminine styles to choose from, but for those who want to sport an upmarket fashion label, premier designers like Fendi and Marc Jacobs have got in on the act.

Whilst they may be a bit over budget for many, Fendi’s clear jelly ballet flats with ankle strap ($175) provide a fun summer feature with a sundress, caftan or shorts.

A pair of Marc Jacobs, oh-so-comfortable, pastel blue rubber ballet flats ($160) would look really cute with a mini dress or a pair of skinny jeans.

If you are satisfied with less than designer then there are many high street brands available in the marketplace including embellished jellies with petals, beads and gems. Shellys London rhinestone jellied sandals with ankle strap are an example of how jellies have evolved from just plain practical to ultra-stylish.

Finally, what summer 2008 shoe collection would be completed without combining the best of summer’s shoe trends, gladiator sandals and jellies. Givenchy’s fierce looking jelly gladiator sandals ($165) are “a cheeky take on the Roman style,” according to Style.com. The Romanesque gladiator sandal is this season’s must-have, a perfect partner to the current fluid fashions and Grecian dressing of the moment.

Posted by Gill Hart

This celebration of the French shoe designer’s life is called "Sole Desire", due to the fact that Louboutin shoes are most famous for their trademark red soles. No matter what color the shoe, every pair of soles is crimson.

The Sole Desire exhibition from March 13 to April 19 2008 at The Museum at FIT is on Seventh Avenue, 27th Street, New York. Admission is free and opening hours are Tuesday - Friday, 12pm to 8 pm and Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. The museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.

A special online presentation of Christian Louboutin shoes is accessible through the museum's website, for anyone who is not able to attend the exhibition.

Christian Louboutin shoes have received tremendous media attention of late due to the high profile A-list celebrities who wear these status shoes. With footwear boutiques all over the world, this king of the red-hot shoe is well known for his sexy, fetish themed 5 inch stilettos as well as elegant and feminine daywear inspired by dance, nature and far flung exotic places.

Louboutin's footwear is a mixture of art, history and culture, and every part of his shoe is handmade, including the signature sole. In today’s ultra fashion-conscious world, a flash of Christian Louboutin red sole is the ultimate in status shoes.

Louboutin spokeswoman Shawna Rose says, "Christian likes to say when he designs a shoe it's much more like designing a jewelry collection than it is following fashion"

In January 2008, Christian Louboutin shoes were also featured on the Oprah Winfrey show as part of the shows theme “The Face Behind the Name”.

Posted by Gill Hart

Whilst I am a big fan of this year’s elegant and feminine Greco Roman Goddess gowns, I must admit that I initially loathed the masculine Romanesque gladiator sandals that came to the fore last season. This black/brown bondage footwear looked as though it would be more at home on the set of Ridely Scott’s Gladiator than in the park or the high street.

However, I have since (almost) been converted by the variation on the trend for this spring and summer. Shoe designers have come up with more feminine, ornate sandals which are infinitely more flattering to legs and can be teamed with many more outfits.

There are smaller strapped metallic versions and ornate bejeweled sandals perfect for a beach party or evening wear. These replace the strappy thong, and are definitely more practical. I even invested in a pair of Sci Fi looking silver metallic gladiators, which my husband jokingly refers to as my “martian shoes.”

The new trend in gladiator boots however, is definitely not for me. These should be filed under the “only if you are a willowy waif with long-limbs” category, and I can’t imagine too many oversized fashionistas rushing to buy them.

Whatever your preference, women’s magazines and fashion blogs are touting the gladiator sandal as the shoe of the season. This is largely due to the vast amount of Hollywood celebrities like Mary-Kate Olsen and Vanessa Hudgens who have favored the look.

If you intend to dip your toe into the trend then be aware that wide-strapped gladiators can shorten your silhouette and make legs look chunkier than they really are. So unless you intend hiding yours under a pair of skinny jeans, choose a style that has a low ankle strap to show more expanse of leg.

Posted by Gill Hart

If that wasn’t bad enough then there’s Japanese designer Y3’s Phasma 90 Stretch Wedge, at $750.00. I agree wholeheartedly with Tyler Alexander’s comments on the Shoe Goddess.net that “this is one of the ugliest, most impractical, overpriced shoes I've ever seen.” These shoes look like something from a Sci- Fi movie.

Don’t get me wrong, I am actually a big fan of heel art. I think it’s great that shoe designers have given us new outlets to express our personality, but that includes flowers and jewels on the heels, not the heel itself looking like it would be more at home in the Tate Gallery of Modern Art, (unless you intend placing it in a glass cabinet, instead of walking on it!)

My current favorite is Mui Mui’s Floral Carved Sandal at $550 from Saks, with its beautifully carved wooden heel. These are gorgeous worn with a smock dress, safari shorts or jeans. Their neutral color means they can be teamed with pretty much anything and are sure to be a big hit this spring.

In fairness to Marc Jacobs, I actually think the backward heel is a real conversation stopper, pushing the boundaries of shoe design. Presumably the heels are no harder to walk in than a normal shoe, though I am not sure I can imagine spending $1,100 on them. Says the shoe blog Cuffington.com, “These shoes actually remind me of some chairs that my aunt and uncle used to have by their pool. I was always afraid to sit in them because I always thought I'd immediately tip backward.”

Posted by Gill Hart

However, the tide has turned and commercial high-street chains have gone overboard for the look and we are seeing an explosion of ship-shape jewelry and belts, handbags and shoes in nautical navy and sailor stripes.

Fashion accessories can triumph by giving a nod to the trend, rather than causing you to go overboard on striped outfits and anchor prints. A navy blazer and crisp white shirt can look amazing with a stripy pair of courts, a sailor-style duffle bag and gold anchor pendant.

Personally, I have an aversion to anything navy, a throwback from when I was at school. I also don’t do horizontal stripes on the whole, as they have a tendency to accentuate an already ample bust! In my opinion, stripes are unforgiving and should be the domain of the less-well endowed, who are much more capable of wearing them without resembling a barrel.

My only foray into stripes this year is likely to be on the feet. There are certainly a wide variety of styles to choose from. Designers have embraced the trend with Chanel’s head-turning stripy suede shoes with cork heels, and a pair of ice-white roped leather flat sandals by Moschino. Men’s footwear has certainly not been overlooked. Tommy Hillfinger’s boat-shoe design sneakers are both practical and fashion-forward.

For those whose obsession is arm candy then there are sailor-style duffle or barrel bags aplenty. The Billy Bag Francesca Large Rope Barrel Bag, with rope detailing on the handles, is set to be a real winner. According to Handbags.com, “This leather handbag is beautifully soft and would be the perfect bag for everyday use, with its relaxed styling and spacious interior.”

Posted by Gill Hart

This year heralds, according to the UK's Daily Telepgraph, a “farewell to arm candy” and a “hello to foot bauble.” According to research by Mintel, the next five years is likely to see a decline in the popularity of designer bags, and an increase in women’s desire to be well-heeled.

In 2007, no longer demure and delicate, fashion footwear exploded onto the runways with chunky wedges, platforms and sexy peep-toes. Lavish designer collections garnered embellished heels and toes, and heel art which, in some cases, proved outrageous in the extreme.

The 2008 seasons see a continuation of the trend, with more footwear designers getting in on the act. Whilst some of the designs are impractical and outrageous, there is no doubt that these foot baubles have taken the fashion runways by storm.

Even Muicca Prada has recognized the demise of the arm-candy era and heralds the age of the designer shoe. Research by Minitel suggests that in the next five years women will be more inclined to be expensively shod, which indicates that we could be seeing a culture of “It” shoes to replace our current obsession with “It” designer bags.

For me, one of the most appealing aspects of this new trend is that I can express my personality and sense of style by choosing a pair of statement shoes that fits my mood and demeanor. Whilst some of the most fashionable designs look akin to something out of Star Wars or the Rocky Horry Picture show, there is no doubt that the recent trend in heel-art, such as Miu Miu’s Floral Carved Sandals or Prada’s Waves Flower Pump has revolutionized women’s footwear.

In the future, women are going to be teetering down the high-street, not with “flowers in their hair”, as the song suggests, but petals on their heels!

Posted by Gill Hart

In recent months I have been having a love affair with a pair of stiletto shoes. Previously I had always shied away from skyscraper heels believing them to be uncomfortable and impractical, given the fact that here in Thailand I do not own a car (too scared to drive on the roads with maniac motorcyclists coming at you in every direction) and therefore do a large amount of walking (my daily exercise routine!).

However, recently, on a visit to a local shoe store, this sexy, sleek, white and gold pair just seemed to jump off the shelf and call my name. Towering above everyone else in the shop, I tottered about for a few paces and couldn’t believe how comfortable they were. Not only that but they made my legs look much slimmer, transformed my outfit and did wonders for my self-esteem.

I can honestly say that now I am a convert and own several pairs. I finally know what the attraction is, provided I can find stilettos that do not feel like cheese cutters on my feet and are relatively comfortable (or at least bearable) to wear for a decent period of time.

However, walking in high heels takes some getting used to as it requires a different approach to that of a flatter shoe. The uninitiated need to take smaller steps, and instead of walking from toe to heel, you need to land on your heel first; then quickly transfer your weight to the ball of your foot. Don’t lift your other foot until you have repositioned your weight on the first. When tackling stairs, going up requires you to initially land on the ball of your foot, and for going down, take side steps with your toes pointing in the same direction.