Spring 2008 Shoe Trends: Are Moccasins The New Ballet Flats?

So, Stylehive has declared ballet flats out, moccasins in. Not so fast, says Fashionbinge! Saying ballet flats are out is a little overly general, no? That's like saying "sneakers are done!" These-a days "ballet flats" merely suggests a broad, far-reaching style of shoe, like "platforms" or "sandals."

Anyway, I don't plan on giving up ballet flats -- in warmer weather, they're the perfect, slightly more fance-pants alternative to flip-flops. But, I have room in my heart for moccasins too, though only ones that don't look like bedroom slippers or like they were stolen off the feet of some dusty old mannequin in a history museum diorama about Native Americans living on the prairie or whatever. Basically, any moccasins that look like dead animals should be avoided at all costs.

That said, the ones I saw at Forever 21 the other day are straight-forward and innocuous:

($22.80, Forever 21)

Cute, preppy weekend wear, perfect with jeans.

($42, Minnetonka, Urban Outfitters)

Lo and behold, Urban Outfitters has tons of moccasins in their batch of spring shoesies. Though, oddly, they only have brown and black Minnetonkas. I say, if you're gonna do the moc, do the original, y'all. If I were to get a pair, I'd kick it old-school and go with the o.g. white ones, just like the ones I owned circa the 1988-9 school year. Brown would be a close second, but definitely not black.

($34, Urban Outfitters)

Urbs also has lotsa boat mocs. I say "meh." Go with the moc or the boat shoe (if you MUST), but not both at the same time.

I'm also always a fan of a leather (or leather-like) moc. Too bad these Chloe are priced off the map:

($374, Chloe, Net-a-porter.com)

Steal 'em!



...Versus...

($90, Enzo Angiolini, Piperlime)

A steal! I had a pair like this a few years ago from Old Navy or somewhere like that, and I wore them out -- they went with absolutely everything (except gold, of course). This style's the perfect disposable seasonal shoe.

($82.95, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Zappos)

Another decent pair.

... And now for some not-so-decent pairs:

($86, Steve Madden, Zappos)

I wouldn't even wear these in the privacy of my own home.

($178, Materia Prima, Zappos)

These make me feet feel depressed.

($93, J. Renee, Zappos)

These somehow came up in my search of moccasins. And I really really wish they hadn't.

Finally, to bring this thing full circle, a cute pair of ballet flats, on sale!

($59, J. Crew)

The other versions are an atrocity, but these are simple and sweet. Toodles!

Is Jeffrey Campbell The New Irregular Choice?

Jeffrey Campbell and Irregular Choice are similar in that when it comes to their shoes, I either LOVE 'em and would wear them in a second because they're fun and loud (just like me!), or they're so appalling that I think that they were designed while someone was tripping balls on a combo of meth, acid and horse tranqs.

Here are a few loves and not-so-loves:
($98, Jeffrey Campbell, Urban Outfitters)
For those rare instances when you wanna keep your ankles warm and toasty but let your toes chill. dlakfjdl;kafjl;dsafj!!!!


($89, Jeffrey Campbell, Solestruck.com)
Ugh. Not even if I were freezing to death in the Alps.


($94, Jeffrey Campbell, Amazon)
Lord have mercy. While I do love jeweled shoes, I certainly don't love them unconditionally. The little chunky heel just kills me.


($125, Jeffrey Campbell, Zappos)
I'm sorta on the fence about these, but I sorta also like 'em, especially in black. (Though the tan iteration is way too cowgirl.)


($142, Jeffrey Campbell, Zappos)
I'm a little more into these.


($59, Jeffrey Campbell, Zappos)
Oy. Just... oy.


($139, Jeffrey Campbell, Zappos)
... And I'm okay with these, basically. Though I don't know about that patent leather detailing.



($74, Jeffrey Campbell, Zappos)
Yay! Fun fun fun jeweled flats!


($59, Jeffrey Campbell, BarefootTess.com)
Wuv in every color. Flats are deffo what Jeffrey Campbell does best.




($39, Jeffrey Campbell, Shoes.com)
These are sorta fun in an old-school grandma way.



($84, Jeffrey Campbell, Shoes)
These are by far my favorite. They'd look so hot with an all-black nighty-night time outfit.



($75, Jeffrey Campbell, Kitson)
Whereas these would look good with absolutely nothing...



($95, Jeffrey Campbell, Kitson)
Very D&G/ Fendi, no?






($71, The Sisters Campbell, Lulusfashionlounge.com)
Okay, so I FINALLY solved my own little mystery about who the eff The Sisters Campbell (not to be confused with the Jackson Twins) are/is. Per an interview on Fred Flare's blog (thanks guys!), it's Jeffrey Campbell's junior line, and it's named for his daughters. Cute! Now if only JC would get on that pesky little "I don't have a Website" issue! (There's only this Myspace page) DUDE! It's 2002!

Stuff I Bought/ Shit I Want

Here a few things I bought for extremely reasonable prices, and then some stuff I want but haven't bought. Yet.

BOUGHT

($14.99, Target.com)
Very simple but exactly what I'm looking for so I can look like I'm not in college anymore when I wear these in lieu of my black Chucks.

I also bought this Sonia Kashuk eyeshadow brush, recommended by a makeup artist. $9 is a beyond reasonable price for a good brush, which this is supposed to be.

Also, I found a Target.com promo code for 10%, expires 7/10/07. Here it be: TGTSTM58


Next...
($9.99, Alloy.com)
I got these. Hopefully they won't suck, but with the promo code I found, that gives you $1.95 shipping, even if they do, no big loss.
Promo code: AFREE, expires 6/30/07


($29, Delias.com)
I've been wanting these since late last year. Yay! Also, I thought I got free shipping, but alas, no. Oh wellz.


Now, stuff I DID NOT BUY:
($111, Tahari By ASL, Macys.com)
Really gorgeous color, and it'd make a great fall dress too.



($26, Mossimo, Target.com)
Really cute jeweled flats! I'm not going to be purchasing them, but it's nice to know they're out there. (For when I change my mind.)




(Apprx $55 USD, Topshop.com)
Super purdy. Damn you, Topshop!!

Natural Comfort For You, Everything Else For Me

Have y'all been into Natural Comfort shoes? They're definitely not for me, but if I had to wear wedges, these might be the only ones I'd go for. The brand was popular in the 1970s, but it's been recently resurrected, for people like Kate Hudson.


($99, Natural Comfort, Shoes.com)
Cute enough.



($99, Natural Comfort, Nordstrom)
Sorta cute...



($100, Natural Comfort, Zappos)
Cuter in teal.



($113, Natural Comfort, Zappos)
Also sorta okay.



($79, Natural Comfort, CutesyShoes.com)
Cute enough, in that Chrissy from Three's Company sorta way.



($97, Natural Comfort, Shoes.com)
Probably the only Natural Comforts I'd wear, of all these, despite the fact that this pair probably qualifies as regulation shuffleboard footwear.


Okay. Now onto "Everything Else For Me"

(Apprx $214 USD, Beatrix Ong, Koodos.com)
Beatrix Ong is the new black.



($49, Seychelles, Nordstrom)
Adorbs! The PERFECT heel height, width and shape. Not too boxy, not too stiletto-y.



($63, Poetic License, Amazon)
ExTREMEly tempting.



(Apprx $143, Fluxa, Barringtonbridges.co.uk)
Gorgeous.



($49, Restricted, Zappos)
For some reason, I'm almost into these.



($32, Bernardo, Modcloth.com)
I'm almost into these too.



($16, Classified, Amazon)
Also sorta cute.



($67, Poetic License, Amazon)
Fun cold weather shoes. And that can't come fast enough, as far as I'm concerned.



($59, Modcloth.com)
Absolutely adorable. This one seems like it'd even flatter curvy boh-days. And, it looks like it'd go well with...



($120, Seven For All Mankind, ShopRapunzels.com)
... These! Which I may buy. I've gone through several pairs, one of which stretched out to massive too-bigness, another which didn't and now no longer fits - wah. Or rather, I outgrew them. Oh wait... I don't care. Are 7s even in anymore?



($60, Becky Oh!, Beckyoh.com)
Extremely adorbs, via Indiefixx's Summer Shopping & Gift Guide.


K, bye!

TONS Of Stuff I Want

MMMmmmkay, peeps. I've been obsessively HORDING stuff (well, at least links and photos) for y'all, and then I end up with 14 trillion things to show y'all but no time to tackle everything. So, here's just ONE batch of my billionsah awesome items.

DRESSES

($198, J.Crew)
Now I almost never -- actually I can literally say that I DON'T EVER shop at J. Crew -- I find most of their stuff boring and too "White People" (even though I'm white, and pretty damn pale at that, as if to drive that point home), but this dress is fucking awesome. The T.Lo male counterpart and I both heart lobsters -- eating them but mainly in their anthropomorphic states. This dress is neither, but I especially am fond of anything printed with lobsters. Kosher or not, I'd wear this in a heartbeat.



($90, Charlotte Ronson, Rokandlola.com)
I've come around and am now sorta okay with bubble dresses, especially when they're the color of bubble gum, like this one.




($198, B With G, Winknyc.com)
Totes out of season, but totes great. Very Mischa Barton when she's not dressed like a Busch Gardens ticket taker.



TOPS


($195, development, Factorypeople.com)
Perfect summer adorbsness.



($366, Viktor & Rolf, Net-a-porter.com)
So femme!



($76, Phbnyc.com)
Simple in a sorta Laura Ingalls way, but perfect for those 150 degrees in the shade August days. (Worst.)



($39, Collective Clothing, Smartbargains.com)
Fun colors, fun graphic print. Those look like blueberries = yay!



($20, Meetmark.com)
'Parently Mark (as in Avon's answer to the oughts) has clothing and accessories. And not bad ones at that. Who knew? (I guess I did.)



JEANS

($92, Radcliffe Denim, Shopbop.com)
I'm sorry, but I am NOT yet ready to give into the sailor-jeans-up-to-my-neck trend. I hope I never will (check back in a month or so -- I'm not above fashion hypocrisy). These are gorgeous.



($75, Opening Ceremony, Oogaboogastore.com)
Git yerself some Chloe Sevigny jeans for just $75 -- thought you gotta admit -- she's been looking A BIT less like a Bellevue escapee lately. Good for her. Though still, not good about sucking Vincent Gallo's dirty dick. Bad idea jeans right there.




SHOES


($39, Chinese Laundry, Lovemyshoes.com)
Perfect height right here. I love black, and the silver ones are even sorta cool in a Ziggy Stardust sorta way.



($29, Isaac Mizrachi, Target)
Very tempting. You can't take the Madonna out of the girl. At least not this girl, anyway.



($56, Zinc, Amazon)
I know they're cheezeball, but they're GIRAFFE!! WEEE! Giraffes are totes the new grey owls, y'all.



($98, Sam Edelman, Urban Outfitters)
Very cute, but not ultimately worth $100. By the time I finish typing this sentence, I'm sure at least 15 different knockoffs will have been created. Woo!


Oh wait...

($16, Gojane.com)
I love America.



($25, Abate, Payless)
Per my yellow shoes post. These are great "in theory," but I don't "do" platforms nor "ankle straps." "O"-"kay"??



($29, Punk Rose, Heelandsoleshoes.com)
I'm in the market for some black Vans or Vans-esque slides. These might be too skatery though.



($39, Rebels, Amazon)
Cute, but perhaps too young?



($14, Cherokee, Target)
Simple enough. These might haveta do.



($59, Rebels, Amazon)
Pink snakeskin is surprisingly cute!



($19, Gojane.com)
"Unexpectedly" cute!



($19, Qupid, Amazon)
Love the knotted detail. And the price. Woo cheap summer shoes!



($26, Gojane.com)
Sorta like the Pussycat Dolls -- so crappy that they're almost great.



($110, Sam Edelman, Urban Outfitters)
I've been admiring these for a while, but ...



($15, Gojane.com)
Holla at some knockoffs!



($7.99, Gojane.com)
At first I was hating on jellies, then I was indifferent, but these sorta converted me. Cute and comfy and cheap. And the grey is just innocuous enough. I'm sure I'll see some guy walking around Williamsburg in these soon enough though.




HANDBAGS

($645, Kooba, Kooba.com)
Sigh. The ultimate grey shopper. Sigh.



BOOTS

($19, Target)
Totes cute.



JEWELRY

(Apprx $9 USD, Switchrings.com)
These are so damn cute. You get four random designs you can switch in and out (hence the name). I love these:




Oh yeah -- get ready for a MAMMOTH jewelry post in the very very near future.




ROLLER SKATES

($128, Asos.com)
I'm not in the market for roller "boots" (tee! So cute) right now, but if I were, I'm glad I'd know where to find 'em.




MORTSES
A few of the monstrosities I found along the way...

($149, Charles David, Amazon)
Shudder.



($51, Rebel, Amazon)
Dude, seriously...



($64, Rebels, Amazon)
Seriously dude...



($58, Shellys London, Urban Outfitters)
Fuuuuuuuuuuck.



This guy just really freaked me out for some reason.



($2045, Dietlind Preiss, Unicahome.com)
Uhhhh...


Mkay, bye.