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.

I'm A Wario, I'm A Gonna Win!

Do you ever find inspiration in weird places?

How about MarioKart 64?

No?

Maybe it's just me then.

I always pick Toad.  He's not the fastest but he's by far the easiest to control.  Which player will you select?

Katie Likes Stationery: Diana Vreeland

The Stationer Connor New York recently launched a stationery collection inspired by Diana Vreeland available at Barneys.

For $98.00 you can either get the set of 12 note cards or the set of 3 tablets.

 

Note card on left, tablet on right.

Vreeland's signature horn necklace is recreated in a hand stamped gold and ivory design on each card and the cover of each tablet.

Vreeland in her signature necklace.

If you really want to be stylish, try writing your thank you notes while wearing a Kenneth Jay Lane horn necklace.

Correspondence has never felt so glamorous!

In Which Lisa Loeb Ruined My Life

Let's get the disclaimer out of the way.  I am prone to hyperbole.  However, in 1994 Lisa Loeb had the hit single "Stay (I Missed You)."  A very radio friendly song and I admit it, I sorta like it; it's catchy.  That said, dammit Lisa Loeb!

See, since I was 3, I have worn corrective lenses.  Furthermore I wore BIFOCALS which meant I didn't have the option of contacts.  I no longer require the bifocals (yay) so I usually wear contacts.  I have nothing against my bespectacled brethren, but I have very light sensitive eyes and I prefer to be glasses free so I can put a big pair of shades on whenever light is hinting about outside.

Anyway, Lisa Loeb had those black rimmed cat-eye glasses that everyone thought was so chic.  The problem is, NOT everyone looks chic in such glasses.

Certainly 13 year old, 8th grader, Katie with the cystic acne did not look adorably quirky in the black rimmed trend.  So I stayed in my understated wire-framed glasses which were immediately relegated to the "uncool."

But, good news everybody, according to the Washington Post the hipster glasses trend may be over.

And Tina Fey, don't think I'm not also mad at you.

Boring Black Boots

Just kidding, these are anything but boring.

Christopher Kane Nappa Laced Boots

Love the cut outs.  Perfect for a brightly colored tight to add some pop this fall.  Also they're 70% off at LUISAVIAROMA so go get you some!

You want prequel? Oh, I'll give you prequel!

Go away Jar Jar, no one likes you.  Except maybe George Lucas and Hayden Christensen.  And I think Hayden Christensen is contractually obligated to like everything about the prequels because George Lucas took him from an obscure Canadian teen soap drama (complete with Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman's husband) and made him a household name.

The only suitable shoe for the worst. character. ever.  These-a bombad and me-sa gonna retch.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away

If you have any technical issues that require a geek’s touch, I suggest you contact your IT department today. Why? Because tomorrow, for the first time ever, Star Wars The Complete Saga will be available for purchase on bluray.

What’s this mean for your computer problems? Well, no geek in their right mind is going to be able to troubleshoot whilst busily taking to the internet to dissect every misstep George Lucas makes retelling the Star Wars story in this new high definition medium. I mean already on Amazon it has over 1,000 user reviews and an average of 2 stars BEFORE it’s been released!

Yes, we get it, Han shot first!

Star Wars is the story of a galaxy in the midst of a civil war. The story begins with members of the rebel alliance (the good guys) stealing the plans to the Death Star, a big-ass weapon capable of taking out an entire planet.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you know the story, but do you know the story as told with shoes? I didn’t think so. Prepare yourself.

So, after a screen of scrolling words flashes at you giving you background you’ll probably forget in about five minutes anyway, a rebel leader, Princess Leia is frantically trying to send a message.

Leia is pretty kick ass, if she were to wear heels, I could totally see her in these pumps from Ruthie Davis. Look, the heel even looks like it has some nuts and bolts that got stuck to it when she was wading around in garbage compactor 3263827 on the Death Star!

Anywhoodle, Leia is trying to upload a video to YouTube give a distress signal to R2D2, a R2-series astromech droid, and not, as previously thought, a trash can.

If I had R2D2 here to give his opinion on these Versace Color Block Suede and Leather Pumps I’m sure he’d enthusiastically agree that they are beep bop doop bop.

The message she gives to R2D2 is intended for Obi Wan Kenobi.

Like all peace-loving hippies Jedi, I’m sure Obi Wan would love a pair of Birkenstocks.

Unfortunately for Leia, the message goes on a bit of detour as R2D2 is on a ship attacked by an Imperial Star Destroyer led by Darth Vader.

See how the patent leather vader shoes have red light saber heels? Awesome. I could not wear these peep toe pumps from Gianmarco Lorenzi without humming the Imperial March.

On the doomed ship with R2 is C-3PO, a protocol droid fluent in over six million forms of communication and preoccupied with etiquette (he’d fit in at my job in the wedding industry, I’ll tell ya that much).

Being a robot I’m sure C-3PO has little need for shoes, however, I’m sure he wouldn’t be so rude as to tell me so when I try to put him in a pair of Miu Miu platform peep toe pumps.

R2D2 and C-3PO defy all odds and flee the attackers in an escape pod and land in Tunisia on the desert planet, Tatooine. It is here that our droid friends meet Luke Skywalker after being sold by Jawa traders to his Uncle Owen.

Luke’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, so I wouldn’t expect him to wear anything much more interesting than a pair of desert boots much like these Bailey Chukkas from Frye.

While cleaning the droids Luke manages to access part of the holographic message meant for Obi Wan, but the only Kenobi he knows is “old Ben Kenobi.” R2D2 leaves to find Obi Wan (Ben) Kenobi and Luke and C-3PO take off to find him.

Long story short they all find Obi Wan Kenobi, turns out the geezer is a Jedi Knight in exile and they all skip off merrily to go save the princess, deliver the death star plan to the rebels and generally save the world (despite the fact that they are a whiny teenager, an old fart, and two robots).

They may have all the good hero-y intentions in the world but what they don’t have is a spaceship. Luke’s aunt and uncle die at some point and no one really cares.

So, deeply saddened for all of five seconds over their deaths the group wanders off to Mos Eisley Cantina to find hookers a pilot who they can pay to take them to Alderaan to take the Death Star plans to Leia’s father, District Attorney Miguel Prado Bail Organa.

At the Cantina they meet Han Solo, a pilot with his own ship, the Millennium Falcon which can make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. This is incredibly impressive when you take into account that a parsec is a unit of distance and not time. This means that the Millennium Falcon is SO AWESOME regular physics need not apply.

I forgot for a minute that this is a shoe blog, forgive me. Han Solo would so be wearing a ruggedly classic Frye Harness Boot.

Han Solo is with his hairy sidekick, Chewbacca, a wookie most known for his contributions to legal strategy.

In retrospect, I’m not sure these Marni Shearling Trimmed Knee Boots are appropriate for Chewy, they’re a bit more wampa-looking no?

Moving on. Han Solo is a smuggler and he is wanted by Jabba the Hutt.

Jabba the Hutt is big, ugly and shapeless. Look, Uggs.  Jabba has a bounty out on Han Solo for an unpaid debt.

The Bounty Hunter, Boba Fett is hot on Han’s tail.

Sigh, you can thank all the fanboys for Fett’s inclusion in the movies. Apparently his action figure sold really well.  Thanks fanboys! Hopefully these wedge pumps from Celine make up for his inclusion in this post.

Desperate for money to pay his debt to Jabba the Hutt, Han agrees to take the whiny teen, the geezer, and the two robots to Alderaan (spoiler alert, Alderaan went KABOOM), and so begins the epic adventure of Star Wars.

I need a drink.  See you at the Cantina!

Celebrating Humanity

"I don't think art is propaganda; it should be something that liberates the soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further.  It celebrates humanity instead of manipulating it."
~Keith Haring (1958-1990)

 

 

from Nicholas Kirkwood's Keith Haring Collection

For more information on Keith Haring or to donate money to the Keith Haring Foundation visit www.haring.com.

A Day Late, A Dollar Short

I suppose I should have mentioned in my post on philanthropic fashion that Stuart Weitzman's Young Hollywood Cares Collection is now available for purchase.

The "Scarlett:"  Scarlett Johansson x Stuart Weitzman

The collection features shoes co-designed with Hayden Panettiere, Michelle Trachtenberg, Olivia Palermo, and Scarlett Johannson, the proceeds of which will go towards helping fund ovarian cancer research. 

Fashion For a Cause

Most people in the world vote with their dollar.  People want to support companies and organizations whose mission statements fall within their personal beliefs.  Fashion is no exception.  For instance you may be less inclined to buy clothing from a designer that uses excessive photoshop in their print ads.

But, I do hope the opposite is equally true.  I hope that people also spend money on fashion that contributes to ideas and causes beyond just looking chic.  Today, I've put together a list of fashionably philanthropic items.

First, because Katie Likes Shoes, and because they have become so ubiquitous, is TOMS Shoes.  Every time you buy a pair of TOMS they donate a pair to a child in need.

Next up we have the FEED Project.  For each FEED Bag or accessory sold FEED Projects is able to send money to feed children in school.  The first FEED Bag was the FEED 1 Bag.  The "1" indicated that with the purchase of the bag enough money is donated to feed one child a year's supply of school meals.

Much like TOMS, Warby Parker has a buy one give one program.  As a woman who wears corrective lenses unironically (far-sightedness is the new little black dress), Warby Parker is a dream.  At $95.00 for a pair of glasses they can't be beat, and for each pair bought they donate a pair to a person in need.

The war in the Congo has been the deadliest war since World War II.  After hearing the story of how children were sent to the front lines armed only with whistles to scare the enemy and failing that, draw the fire power to themselves, Sean Carasso, a volunteer with Invisible Children and the aforementioned TOMS shoes wrote a journal entry that caused such a passionate response, the Falling Whistle campaign was born.  The money raised from the whistles are given to NGOs in the Congo that work for peace and the whistle itself has become a symbol of peace and a way to promote awareness of the atrocities of the war.

And last we have a designer collaboration.  Nicole Miller recently partnered with Indego Africa.  Indego Africa offers fair trade accessories created by women in Africa.  Indego also provides "Hand Up Training" programs in business, computing and literacy.  The artisans are now making 4 times what they were before partnering with Indego.  Nicole Miller's partnership offers lovely textile bracelets made by a local co-op in Rwanda.

I think this must be what they mean when they say "feel good fashion."

Holding Out for the Self-Lacing Version

Back in 1990 Nike filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the McFly 2015, a shoe based on the self-lacing sneakers Marty McFly wears when he goes back the future (II).

Now, you too, can get your McFly on (a full 4 years earlier than 2015 to boot), if you're willing to pay the price that is.  A limited number of Nike MAGs will be sold through ebay to raise money for the Micheal J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research.

Considering the fact that the current bids for these shoes are all well over $3,000 I think I will just wait until hover boards come out, because really, that's what we all really want to see made into a reality from that movie.  Just remember, hover boards do not work over water!