first, i have to tell you about an AMAZING find. i was in cato yesterday and after i purchased a cute t-shirt i asked the cashier if i could use the bathroom before i left the store. she said yes, but said it was currently occupied by another employee. i had a long drive ahead of me, so i waited. and while i waited i discovered the cutest pair of pumps on earth!
guess how much i spent on these? c'mon, guess! look at the detail. what do you think they cost?
ten dollars! they were ten dollars! on clearance! i am so very happy.
so, anyway, on to the interactive part of this post.
my super-fantastic brother and sister-in-law gave me a $50 (!) gift certificate for my birthday and i don't know what's wrong with me that it's taken me this long to get around to spending it. i must be ill. seriously. i act quickly when presented with the opportunity to buy shoes. (as is evidenced by the story above.)
anyway, here are the contenders. in alpha order by brand. click the photo for more details from the zappos site. (scroll down... i don't know why there's so much space between here and there...)
 | Clarks Benna $63.95 i'm still searching, i guess, for the perfect pair of clarks. everything i've tried on either doesn't fit quite right or is too clunky-looking. given how loyal clarks-wearers are to the brand, i would love to find a style that works for me. i don't hold out much hope, but this is the most agreeable pair i can find on zappos right now. sigh. |
 | Easy Spirit Lureyou $78.95 these actually remind me a little of the dark brown wedges i bought recently, what with that fancy leatherwork and all. this shoe, though, despite the retarded style name, looks really sweet and simple. i could see wearing this sandal a lot. it would go with all sorts of outfits... |
 | Fitzwell Carmella $52.95 i'm not as crazy about these as i am some of the other shoes i've picked out, but it seems like this would be a little more "every day" than some of the dainty heels on this page. this style seems laid-back and easy to walk in. am i super-crazy about them? no. would i get a lot of use out of them? probably. |
 | Fornaria 5141 $133.95 kidding!! this is horrendous. just keeping you on your toes, so to speak. (this shoe does make me want to do another zappos couture post, though.) |
 | LifeStride Aruba $40.95 ok, i'm pretty much in love with this shoe. the metallic leather, the symmetry, the wedge... the price! i was briefly considering this style in black, too, but if i do end up getting this i'm pretty sure it'll be in gold. |
 | Rockport Corunna $68.95 i have a pair of rockport tennis shoes, and can i just tell you how unearthly comfortable they are? they're unearthly comfortable. i love them. i want a pair of rockport sandals, too. (i tried on a few pairs last year, but they weren't quite wide enough. now that i've lost weight and my feet are a bit skinnier i have higher hopes.) this blue is nice and calming, too, isn't it? is it too dressy, though? the shoe comes in lots of colors (click the photo) including bronze and black, which could also be contenders. |
 | rsvp Drizzle $50.95 this wedge is INSANE! the description says it's 4", but one of the reviewers says it's even taller than that when you take into consideration it's a platform shoe. i consider it a personal challenge to try to walk in these shoes! (the reviews also say that they feel narrow, which doesn't bode well.) i like this purple, but i'm also partial to the lime and red. |
 | rsvp Monte $70.95 heart! heart! heart! aren't these pretty? the violet color is also nice. but man, i love the multi-toned leather here. so very very much. |
 | rsvp Morocco $69.95 i don't know what it is with me and this 'rsvp' line. i've never bought any of their shoes before, but suddenly practically everything they make is attracting me. this style is strappy and cute, but i've always shied away from the ankle strap in the past. now that my legs aren't quite so chunky perhaps i should try it. also, i think i would really like to add a pair of orange shoes to my wardrobe. (though i also really like the violet and red shades.) |
 | Sofft Arianna $80.95 is it possible for a shoe to be too strappy? i almost feel like there isn't enough material to hold this on my foot. i own a couple other pairs of soffts, though, and they fit pretty well so maybe i should give them a try. the description of this color is "coral", which may or may not be disgusting. i like the black, too. |
 | Sofft Fedora $90.95 now that's orange!! (it also comes in "limeaide" which is also appealing.) i love the buckle on this sandal... it's a little something special on an otherwise simple-looking shoe. |
 | Sofft Frances $90.95 these seem somehow a little dressier than the other soffts here. why is that? the heel strap? less overall strappiness and more solid areas of leather? i like it, but until i see it on my foot i'm not sure it's something i would wear everyday. also, i should mention that the only red sandals i currently own are leather flip-flops. i love red shoes A LOT and would like to add more to my wardrobe. |
 | Sofft Napoli $90.95 i'm really drawn to the multi-toned look right now. these are GORGEOUS and if i don't get them now with the gift certificate, i might later sell my body for the money to buy them. there is nothing i don't like about this shoe. (other than the fact that it also comes in a perfectly horrid green/blue combination.) |
 | Sofft Nymph $90.95 again, too strappy? and though yes, i've lost weight, i'm still far from svelte and i often wonder whether something dainty like this would look ridiculous on me. no way to know until i try it, i guess. |
How fun, Cinderella! I like the Fedora or the Frances--I'm thinking the Fedora in limeade might be cool too. Like chunky more than strappy, myself--no matter how your body shape changes, big feet are pretty much gonna stay big feet, eh? Dainty shoes on my big 10W feet make no sense visually, and don't feel as good, either.
Posted by: Penny at April 13, 2006 06:27 PMThose pumps are ADORABLE! I love them.
As for the other shoes, I like the blue Rockports (yes, pretty dressy, I think) and all the Soffts except maybe the pairs with the skinny skinny straps.
And hahahahaha on those crazy shoes in the middle!
Posted by: minty at April 13, 2006 06:30 PMLove those shoes! I like the Fedora best, they have a Betty Grable-with-swimsuit vibe. Didya like my green shoes I had on the other day? You inspired me to be more adventurous.
Posted by: Marianne at April 13, 2006 09:38 PMmarianne, i LOVED those shoes! and the fishnets, too! very va-va-voom!
Posted by: christa at April 13, 2006 10:04 PMI like the clean lines of the red Sofft Frances and rsvp Drizzles, but then I am not a strappy person. I heart clean lines! Even the Fedora has some appeal. But the Lifestribe Arubas are *very* cute!
The Drizzle is probably my fav although the color doesn't do anything for me, but I have doubts about the height. So I am leaning towards the Fedora and Frances.
Posted by: erthsister at April 13, 2006 10:08 PMI like the Napoli, and then the Frances. And I'm with you - some shoes can indeed be too strappy, like your foot is Gulliver and the shoe is a thousand Lilliputians strapping it down.
The Zappos Couture shoes are CRAZY. I would enjoy a post on those!
Posted by: pinky at April 14, 2006 12:44 AMI vote for the Sofft Frances, but they are all very cute.
Posted by: lainey at April 14, 2006 10:17 AMyou SLAY ME.
Adore the new pumps -
and then, because I have very different shoe tastes, I pick the Fitzwell's!
and the blue ones...the Rockports.
hee hee
Posted by: at April 14, 2006 01:18 PMXta, how can you CHOOSE?
I mean seriously. Just buy them in order.
You need all of them.
I feel it in my bones.
i like the fedora, the frances and the napoli. btw, i've never connected with clarks either. i have a pair that give me blisters every time i wear them!
Posted by: joybean at April 14, 2006 02:13 PMI like the Frances and the Napoli. Liked the Clarks at first, but then not as much as the others.
Re: the "kidding" -- damned near made my eyes fall out. Thanks for letting me know you were kidding.
Posted by: Phil at April 16, 2006 08:32 PMthanks for the opinions!
i ordered the sofft frances (in red) today!
pictures forthcoming...