1. Casadei Queensuede booties in baby blue suede

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    2
    | Boots, Designer Shoes, High Heels
    September 26, 2012

    Casadei Queensuede booties

    Casadei Queensuede booties, $880

    I’m just going to be honest: I’m finding the current crop of available footwear really uninspiring. I’m not sure if it’s simply the effects of the season (I know most people cite Fall as their favourite season, but I’ve never thought it was a particularly exciting time of year for shoes), or if fashion is going through a phase where it doesn’t really align with my own personal taste, but while I’ve been seeing a lot of shoes I like well enough lately, it’s been a long time since I came across a pair that really blew me away. In fact, a quick look at my wish list (Which is an ACTUAL list, by the way, not just a figure of speech!) reveals plenty of dresses and other clothes, but not a single pair of shoes, which is really unusual for me: there are plenty of “out of my price league” pairs I’m coveting, but for the first time in months the high street has failed to produce something that’s made me count down the days until I can finally make it mine.

    None of this has anything to do with these Casadei booties, of course. I tell you it simply because at a time when I’m struggling to find shoes that really stand out, Casadei is one of the few brands I can always rely on to come up with the goods. I probably wouldn’t wear these myself: I have a bit of an aversion to shoes with very sides, because I feel like they make my feet look like hooves, but I do love to look at them. That baby-blue suede may not be the most practical of colours, but it is one of the most pretty, and that has to count for something, no?

    As with many of Casadei’s designs this season, these have something of a retro vibe to them (colour aside), and I think that counts for something too, don’t you?

    [Buy them]

  2. Zara blue wedge court shoes

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    1
    | High Heels, High Street Shoes, Wedges
    September 21, 2012

    Zara blue wedge court shoes

    Zara blue wedge court shoes, £69.99

    I think it’s only fair to warn you all that things are probably going to be a little more Zara-centric than usual around here for the next few days. My favourite high street brand has released some amazing pairs of shoes as part of the autumn/winter 2012 collection, and things have been pretty quiet elsewhere by contrast (September isn’t generally a great month for shoes, because we’re still caught in that awkward transition between summer and autumn, and a lot of the “new in” pages reflect that), which means I just keep on going back to Zara – and normally finding something new to admire every time I do!

    Today it’s the turn of these amazing blue courts, which combine a stand-out colour with an equally attention-grabbing shape. These would probably be best described as a “demi wedge”: that little cut-out on the heel prevents them from being a full wedge, but will probably make them  just as comfortable as one. The angular shape and pointed toe, meanwhile, gives these a very contemporary feel, especially when paired with that wonderful bright blue. I can never seem to just scroll past this particular colour: it always makes me stop and look!

    [Buy them]

  3. Sweetheart front slingbacks from River Island

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    4
    | High Heels, High Street Shoes, Pumps/Court Shoes
    September 13, 2012

    sweetheart slingbacks

    Sweetheart front slingbacks from River Island, £65

    I’ve been seeing echoes of the 80s everywhere I look lately: it’s in the sweetheart vamp on these River Island slingbacks, as well as in the pointed toes, the hot pink/bright blue uppers, the pin heel… in fact, they’re exactly the kind of shape you might have found hiding at the back of a thrift store a few years ago, and dismissed as being way too dated to get any use out of. It’s funny how fashion goes full circle, isn’t it?

    These are also available in black, and while they look to me like they’re just begging to be worn with a shoulder-padded power suit, the increasing popularity of the pointed toe over the course of the past year or so means they could work just as easily with a more contemporary look, too. Thank goodness.

    [Buy them]

  4. Carven bow-embellished suede pumps

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    4
    | Designer Shoes, High Heels, Pumps/Court Shoes
    September 6, 2012

    Carven bow-embellished suede pumps

    Carven bow-embellished suede pumps

    Carven bow-embellished suede pumps, £320

    I’ve shown you the slingback version of Carven’s bow-back heels before, but I just had to show you this new, closed-heel version too, because the colours are so well-chosen. In fact, I spent a good few minutes sitting looking at the photos and thinking, “I like the blue best. No, the yellow! Ooh, they come in red!”

    I like ALL of them basically, and while the red version is probably the most practical of the three, thanks to the mostly-leather upper, I think O probably DO like the baby blue best, if only because it’s such a lovely, unusual shade to find on shoes. Just don’t tell the others…

    [Buy them]

  5. Nine West ‘Pipette’ blue suede slingbacks

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    2
    | High Heels, High Street Shoes, Pumps/Court Shoes
    August 30, 2012

    blue suede slingback shoes

    Nine West ‘Pipette’ platforms, £120

    This transitional time of year can be a difficult one to dress for. It’s no longer warm enough for shorts and sundresses, but it’s not yet cold enough for boots and coats – or maybe I just don’t want it to be.

    That’s the bad news.

    The good news is that, as bad as this time of year can be for clothes, it can actually be a pretty good time to finally get some use out of all of those shoes that don’t quite fit into any other season. (Good new for Shoe Challenge participants!) Take suede, for instance. It’s useless in the rain and snow, and can feel a little bit heavy in the heat. On a cool, dry day somewhere between summer and autumn, though? It’s perfect. Ditto the closed-toe slingback shape of these Nine West pumps. The slingback says “summer”, the toe says “winter” – the solution is to wear it in early autumn, and let that beautiful blue upper remind you of clear skies and sunny days. Oh, I wish…

    [Buy them]

  6. Jimmy Choo ‘Tame’ crystal-embellished suede pumps

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    Comment
    | Designer Shoes, High Heels, Pumps/Court Shoes
    August 20, 2012

    Jimmy Choo 'Tame' crystal-embellished suede pumps

    Jimmy Choo 'Tame' crystal-embellished suede pumps

    Jimmy Choo 'Tame' crystal-embellished suede pumps

    [Jimmy Choo 'Tame', £1,495, Net-a-Porter]

    I think we can all probably agree that these shoes are anything but “tame”, can’t we?

    The cobalt blue upper? The crystals on the heel? And the toe? And the SOLE, even? No, this is not a “tame” shoe, people: it is a stunning one, though, and I’m really enjoying the current trend for crystals which cover, not just the heel, but also the part of the sole which is exposed by the stiletto. As Louboutin lovers know, a statement sole is a really great way of making a shoe stand out, and I always think a shoe looks more “finished” when some attention has been paid to the sole. In this case a LOT of attention has been paid to the sole, and the shoe is all the more amazing for it. And also all the more expensive for it sadly: these will set you back a cool £1,495: ouch!

    [Buy them]

  7. Blue ankle boots with bow by Head Over Heels

    by
    1
    | Boots, High Heels, High Street Shoes
    August 16, 2012

    blue ankle boots with bow

    Head Over Heels blue bow ankle boots, £65

    I’m a little bit obsessed with boots right now. It’s not that I can’t wait to be able to wear them – far from it. No, it’s really because boots are such a problematic purchase, and while I’m forever coming across fabulous pairs of shoes which I’d buy in a heartbeat, I sometimes feel like the search for the perfect pair of boots is a lot like the search for the perfect pair of jeans: long, frustrating, but ultimately worth the effort when you finally find the perfect fit.

    Are these Head Over Heels the perfect boots? Well, probably not. They look good, but they’re not exactly versatile, and they’re not likely to hold up well against the very harshest of winter weather, either. They are, however, about as pretty as gets for a pair of boots: that oversized bow on the side has won my heart, while the blue upper would undoubtedly brighten many a winter’s day. Finally, the shoe-boot shape means you’d easily be able to wear these with skirts or trousers, so maybe they’re more versatile than I thought, after all!

    [Buy them | Browse more Head Over Heels shoes in our UK shoe shop]

  8. Pastel toe-cap court shoes from River Island

    by
    3
    | High Heels, High Street Shoes, Pumps/Court Shoes, Uncategorized
    August 9, 2012

    River Island toe cap shoes

    Suede toe-cap pumps, £70

    If you thought the toe-cap was last winter/this summer’s trend, well, think again: there are more of these shoes around than ever before at the moment, and you can pretty much take your pick when it comes to colour, fabric and height.

    More than a few pairs of toecap pumps have caught my eye recently, but these ones from River Island are amongst my favourites so far, even although the very pointed toe and pin heel wouldn’t normally push my buttons. I absolutely love the colours used here, though, and would have a hard time choosing between the blush pink and light blue versions. These are both fairly pale suede, so possibly a late summer/early autumn purchase rather than a winter one, but hey – there’s always next spring to look forward to!

    [Buy them]

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