Hipster Toning Shoes

Okay, not really.  But how else can I explain these low platforms from Robert Clergerie?

Somewhere, a granny in tight jeans and an ironic t-shirt is lusting after these.

Back After a Long Absence

So, I've not really been in much of a holiday spirit, or even in spirits to care about shoes.  Shocking, I know.

In November we had to make the decision to help our smaller dog, Bonsai, die with diginity and love.

Getting the side eye from Bonsai before a morning run.

You can skip this post, there are no shoes, it's just for me.  We'll be back to regularly scheduled shoes shortly.

Happy Thanksgiving

Howdy, Pilgrim.  Do you and your elastic waist pants need a little help getting into the Thanksgiving Spirit?  Never fear, Katie Likes Shoes is here.

So is Prada.

Pilgrim Buckle Pump (left) and Patent Leather Loafer Pumps (right)

As is Roger Vivier.

Sky Blue Suede Buckle Pump (left) and Hot Pink Leather Buckle Platforms (right)

And Tod's is here too.

Black Leather Buckle Detail Peep Toe (left) and Jodie Toffee Leather Buckle Pump (right)

Well, Santa has arrived on 34th Street, so this pilgrim better mosey along now.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Like I Need an Excuse

Camilla Skovgaard had a lovely write up in today's Wall Street Journal Online.

So of course I wore my favorite pair of shoes by said designer.

via Instagram

Coral Camilla Skovgaard saw pumps, blue Anna Molinari pants, random Ikea chair cover.

Why It's Best I Stay Off Polyvore

I like reading.  Way too much.  I also take things very literally.

Clockwise from Hat:
Deerstalker Hat, Eugenia Kim
Leather Collar Coat, Carven
Magnifying Glass, Barnes & Noble
Surreal Silver Necklace Pipe, TillyBloom via Etsy
Two-tone Patent Leather Mary Jane Spectator Pumps, Miu Miu
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Come Watson, the game is afoot! 

Or in my case, the game is a shoe...

Simpsons Did It

I can't wait to try out this shirt from Viktor & Rolf.

I've always wanted to glide through the air like a Bolivian Tree Lizard.

Hitchcock's The Birds

Melanie never quite figured out why the birds kept following her.  The day started out so nice, she even wore her new Jean Paul Gaultier escarpin double piece shoes.

A quick jaunt in Northern California and birds just seemed to be swarming her.  The world may never know why.

CSI: The Heeljacker

My first introduction to criminology was the great McDonaldland criminal the Hamburglar.  In McDonaldland crime is often burger related, and the perpetrator, more often than not, was the Hamburglar (true story, as a kid, and perhaps during an embarrassingly long part of my teenage years, I thought David Bowie was singing "robble, robble").

Robble, robble, you've torn your dress.

It never really made sense to me that a robber would have such an oddly specific target.  I mean sure, there are burglars that target art, banks, jewelry, etc., but I've never heard of a thief that stole only van Goghs, will only rob SunTrust, and puts back any jewelry that isn't Cartier.  I mean, only burgers?  What about french fries?  The Big Mac?  Chicken Nuggets?  Obviously this sort of esoteric thievery is rare at best.

But now we have the heeljacker.  It seems that in his earlier crimes, the heeljacker would replace the heel in hopes the owner wouldn't notice.

Here we have exhibit A, the United Nude Eamz Pump where the heel has been replaced with a part of Herman Miller's classic Eames chair.

Too embarrassed by his lackadaisical security, the designer of the shoe promptly renamed it the Eamz and claimed it was in homage to the chair.  A likely story.

The heeljacker became more brazen as you can see with exhibit B, the Kei Kagami Archive Moulded Balance shoe.

With this shoe, the heeljacker is taunting us, gluing the shoe onto the base for a model airplane.

Eventually, due to a lack of creativity or perhaps just boredom with his craft, the heeljacker stopped replacing the heel, just leaving the shoe to defy gravity on its own.  We see this in exhibit C, a D'Orsay Pump from Giuseppe Zanotti.

And again with exhibit D from McQueen.

My training in Criminal Profiling comes direct from Scotland Yard (if you replace the word "Scotland" with "Back" and remove the space).  What we're looking at here is most likely a man, 45-55 years old, shorter than average, maybe 5'6"-5'8", uncomfortable with his stature, possibly in the public eye furthering his need to make women stand more at his level.

Hmm, we may have to bring him in for questioning.

More Super Hero Moonlighting

As we all know by now, in order to finance my love of shoes I moonlight as a super hero.

The days are getting longer and it's a bit nippy in the streets of Metropolis, so I require my bad assery to be more sensible, in shoes that can be worn with wool socks over my tights.  Super heroes can get chilly toes too you know!

In early autumn, when I can still get away with ankle boots so long as they have closed toes, I prefer these Vintage Effect Boots from Maison Martin Margiella Line 22.

They're unexpected and perfect on slow crime days when I'm doing other super hero-y duties, like cutting the ceremonial ribbon at the grand re-opening of the Metropolis Library (I maintain that I did not "unnecessarily level" the building during a fight with my arch nemesis, in fact it was quite a necessary leveling to keep the people safe from the fashion crimes of Matthew Lesko).

When I was still a super hero intern, doing things like sewing appliques onto capes and making strong super hero coffee, I didn't have the funds for a lot of super-fantastic foot wear.  Thankfully, places like DSW offer some great fast fashion options.  Now, they may not last me through my super hero sequel, but these boots from Michael Antonio Baker were my perfect entry-level boots for $64.95.

I prefer the patriotic blue color, but they also come in red and black.  And for $64.95 it's worth a few evenings of eating super Ramen noodles to buy all 3.

You know, sometimes, when I'm chasing down various villains, I can't help but think my heels slow me down a bit.  I mean sure, they look cool and they match my utility belt, but sometimes when my feet hurt, I'm cranky, and I'm dangerously close to saying "let the citizens defend themselves," I know it's time to break out a pair of comfortable wedges.

Lucky for me these Patent Leather Wedge Boots from Marc Jacobs make a very effective "good guy" statement.

The off white color is a little trickier to pair with my cape, but the comfort alone is worth a little extra time staring into my super closet (oh, you'd like a super closet too, get some inspiration here).

I remember once at a Super Hero Convention I attended at the Gotham City Airport Hilton, Wonder Woman was lamenting the lack of wider width boots for her more Amazonian stature.  You would think a woman as in to fashion as Wonder Woman (I mean she even wears super accessories), would know about Duoboots, but I suppose she's been spending too much time reading SkyMall in her invisible airplane to do much online shopping.

I recommended these great Belice Boots in red and she immediately measured her calves and ordered a pair.

Now, I know I mentioned last time that on occasion I venture into the dark side of villainy.  I know it's the wrong thing to do but the economy just isn't what it used to be and the good will of the citizens I protect simply does not pay my shoe bills.  So, during those times that I need to line my pockets with more than well wishes, I wear these Ronfifi lace corset boots from Christian Louboutin.

What can I say?  When I'm good, I'm very, very good.  But when I'm bad, I'm horrid.

Missing the Point Entirely

First point of business. Puppy is doing well. She has a "tattoo" on her side to help guide the cone for her radiation treatments that looks quite a bit like a Windows PC logo. Considering my household is an Apple house I'm thinking we're not compatible. Ah well. Also, Bill Gates, if you read this, radiation treatment for dogs is pricey and we're providing free advertising for Windows.  Just sayin...

But that's not the point today. Today's point is that, we're missing it.

My blog is not really the place where I want to discuss politics. I may have a degree in Poli Sci but that mostly serves to make my office wall look more official. Considering there is a plush The Cheat doll sitting under the diploma nullifies the official look a bit, but hey, I am what I am.

All this is to say that I'm not about to discuss politics though I may hint upon it.

If I were a fashion label, magazine, or "authority" (my authority extends to my dogs who choose to recognize it at their convenience) I would NOT be publishing articles or advertisements about what to wear at Occupy Wall Street.

The first article I saw in which a reporter asked a demonstrator what they were planning to wear to Occupy I passed off as a fluke.  A bad question that maybe had some greater impact but was lost in the editing of the article.  I was wrong.

Don Ryan/AP from Occupy Portland

Unlike me, the homeless guy in the blanket has concerns greater than whether that girl is wearing knock-off Uggs.

Agree with the demonstrators at Occupy Wall Street (or Occupy any city) or not their cause is one of economic injustice.  And to bring fashion into it, to try to sell to your customers the dress they need to look fashionable while expressing their outrage at corporate greed is missing the point entirely.

It's embarrassing.  I'm embarrassed reading it.  I'm so embarrassed that I can't bring myself to buy wares from company using Occupy Wall Street as a promotional event.  It's hard, in economic times of uncertainty, to even want to wear or be associated with an item that can be considered luxury (and I don't think someone should feel guilty if they are wearing a pair of pricey Manolo Blahniks, I'm just saying I can understand why they would), it's unthinkable to wear an item that sought to cash in on this movement as though it were a trend.  And that some consumers are okay to treat it like a trend?

Can you imagine if in the 60s the concern was, "Yes, but what was Phil Ochs *wearing* while he sang?"

I didn't hear "And I won't be buying $1,000 scarves when I'm gone."  But maybe I'm just not listening close enough.

Tomorrow will be a return to frivolous eye candy.  Because there is nothing wrong with it!

You Can Blame Bruce McCulloch

Why blame my favorite Kid in the Hall for my lack of posts?

My dear puppy (well she's 10, but she doesn't look a day over 2) has been diagnosed with an inoperable cancer in both her spleen and mediastinum. 

Bonsai Dog in the Hawaiian collar her Aunt Stacy got her.

We don't know how much time we have with her, or what we can do for her yet.  We do have an appointment with a veterinary oncologist on Monday.

Until then, consider yourself on notice Bruce.

Posting will be sporadic at best.

Thank You For Being a Friend

Picture it, Sicily 1912, a beautiful young peasant girl with clear olive skin meets an exciting but penniless Spanish artist, there's an instant attraction... Miami 1987, four women of a certain age are sharing a house, eating a cheesecake and lamenting the fact that there are no designer orthopedic shoes.

Fast forward to 2011, I'm sure Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sofia would love the flatform options available.

These ankle strap flatforms from Jeffrey Campbell are actually a little over the top for Dorothy Zbornak being patent, but I think she'd definitely break these out the next time she goes to a charity dance marathon.

Sophia Petrillo may have been the shortest, but she was the most confident.  She didn't need heels to feel big, she was big!

Sophia would probably wear the lowest of the flatforms with these Calvin Klein sandals.  I'm sure they remind her of Sicily, 1928, somehow.

I'm sure they didn't have Cacharel in St. Olaf, Minnesota, which is a shame because Rose Nylund would have loved these J Platform Sandals.

 

Like the old saying, you can lead a herring to water but you have to walk really fast or it will die.

Last up we have that hussy, Blanche Devereaux, of course she would wear heeled flatforms from Calvin Klein.

These shoes scream "Like I'm the only one who has ever mixed a margarita in a sailor's mouth."  That is, if by sailor you mean "septuagenarian" and by mouth you mean "glass on the nightstand with dentures and Polident in it."

So there we have it, four shoes suitable for sassy ladies avoiding Shady Pines.

How to Get Katie Interested in Olympic Skating...

...without a police baton or a Gillooly.

DSquared2 Figure Skating Pump?

Yep, I'd totally watch that.  They have a very Hans Christian Andersen on crack feel to them, no?

Goodbye Steve

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

We can go back to shoes tomorrow.  For today we remember a great innovator.

Rainy Day Motorcycle Gang

My motorcycle gang, The Hell's Belles, does not ride on rainy days.

Humidity + Helmet = Insanely Bad Hair.  I'm truly a math genius, y'all.

If we did ride in the rain, however, I imagine we'd all love these Wellington boots from Valentino.

The motorcycle shaped boot in black speaks to the Hell raiser in us and the twee bow speaks to the lady.  This is truly the only boot appropriate for a Hell's Belle to wear on her Chopper on the way to discuss The Help at her monthly book club meeting.  

Don't forget, it's your turn to bring the deviled eggs.  And of course you'll use the lovely Blue Ridge Rooster Deviled Egg Plate that belonged to your grandmother and NOT a Tupperware platter like Mary did at the last meeting.  Bless her heart.

Sweet Mystery of Life at Last I Found You

When I was a kid, I, along with my two best friends, would put on plays and concerts for our parents.  We also charged admission.  We were sorta little assholes.

Luckily, we grew up in a pre-you tube era and I'm fairly certain there is no evidence of these plays.

However, we were very serious about our art, and a large part of our performances involved costume. Another large part of our performances involved the entire Bangles catalog.

Point is, I see these color block wedges from Marni and I think, well, I may not be able to walk in them...

But you better believe, I could TAP in them.

PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ!

Katie, the Semi-Invalid

No, it's not still food poisoning!  I greatly enjoyed the reprint of the 1908 Ladies' Home Journal article entitled "High Heels and Low Heels:  The Difference Shown in X-Ray Photographs by Alexander C. Magruder, M.D." in the book The Seductive Shoe:  Four Centuries of Fashion Footwear by Jonathan Walford.

The basic premise boils down to the following:

Pros:  A higher arched foot is more attractive.  A woman's height is increased.  The foot measures shorter and therefore more feminine.

Cons:  Bodily discomfort.  Tiring easily.  Irritability.  NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.  Lack of equilibrium.  Lessened lung capacity.  Weakening heart muscles.

I especially enjoyed the last sentence, "Of course, these organic changes are not so rapid as to be noticed at once; but they gradually appear, with cumulative effect, and sooner or later transform the girl of spirit into a listless person; the rosy cheeks to pale ones; the erect figure to stooped shoulders; the healthy,  hearty, robust person to a semi-invalid or a total one."

So, if I ever become a listless, pale, stooped, semi (or total) invalid, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, we know exactly where lies the blame.

100th Post!

It's my 100th post, YAY!

And because I'm still feeling not all that well, here's a top ten list of my favorite posts of my first 100:

 

I told you, no wire hangers EVER in which Katie discusses her dream closet.

 There is No Such Thing as "Parisian" Chic in which Katie mocks an entire city.

 It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Awesome Shoes in which Katie moonlights as a super hero.

How to Dress to Impress at Hogwarts in which Katie imparts valuable knowledge to the witches of Hogwarts.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road in which Katie takes issue with Dorothy's ugly shoes. 

 The Grumpy Townie in which Katie is grumpy.

 A long time ago, in a galaxy far away in which Katie is geeky. 

 The House of the Rising Sun in which Katie picks shoes for the oldest profession.

 What to Wear:  Post-Apocalypse Edition in which Katie prepares for the end of the world.

What to Wear:  Out of This World Edition in which Katie discusses the science of space and shoes.

Shoes for Recuperating

So, no post yesterday, a bit of food poisoning hit at Katie Likes Shoes Central.  No sexy shoes for me, I'm just trying to reintroduce solids into my diet.  This morning I went crazy and risked oatmeal!

via instagram

So today I'm all about the Homer Simpson slippers.  In other sick fashion related news, I'm rocking a baggy gym shirt, South Park boxers (bought in 2004 to replace my previous pair from college in 1999), and because I am who I am, a Christian Lacroix scarf in my hair (last mentioned here).

London Fashion Week: Pringle of Scotland 2012

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Consider this a 4,000 word essay.

2,000 words about the sexy pumps they sent down the runway at the 2012 Pringle of Scotland Show:

And 2,000 words about lace up booties.

 

photos from elle.com

Artificial Fashion

If you've not yet seen this performance piece by Yolanda Dominquez you need to check it out:

I always stand around with two fingers in my mouth, how about you?

Polka Dots, Checks, and Stripes

For some reason I woke up with this children's song in my head:

So, why the heck not?

Polka dots.

Pierre Hardy Crystal-Encrusted Suede Sandals

Checks:

Burberry Check Pumps

And Stripes.

Charlotte Olympia Priscilla Striped Pump

Yikes!

Low Cal Options

Around the country there is a great fervor of excitement due to the yearly appearance of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I'm trying to watch my waist line though, so it's time to look at some alternatives to the sweet pumpkin spice syrup and whipped cream yumminess.

Maybe I can get my pumpkin-y fix from Jimmy Choo.

When it comes to fall though, suede is a bit more cozy.

The lace up suede orange shoes from Chie Mihara are much lower in calories than the usual tall pumpkin spice latte with nonfat milk, hold the whip, however they, like the Jimmy Choo's, are much higher in cost.

The more budget-conscious among us might try the Vivienne Westwood by Melissa Women's Anglomania Croco Mary Jane Pump.

On sale now at endless for $129.25, it's a good time to be healthy.