Nine West: Just-My-Type

Ciao a tutti!

Incorporating color into your Shoe Arsenal need not be a daunting undertaking.  While colors express a rainbow of sentiment, choosing or even utilizing a haute hue can leave one fraught with emotion, and as a result, those beautiful silver stilettos, pink platforms or purple pumps remain in store instead of gracing ones' feet.

Pantone, fashion's leading authority on color, virtually eliminates the guess work of what to chose and how to use your color choice in their semi-annual color report.  For the 2014 winter, their Palette of Many Moods which were chosen to, "...enhance and enliven [ones'] outlooks as the colder months set in."

"Exotic Acai adds mystery and richness to the palette." Incorporating this elegant shade of purple with Emerald (Green), Samba (Red), Koi (Orange) and Vivacious (Fuchsia) one can create color combinations which are regal, spirited, dramatic and dazzling.

Baci a tutti!

Day 361: Monday January 20th 2014
Designer: Nine West
Name: JustMyType
Color: Purple
Style: Single-Sole Pump
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Material: Suede Upper with crystal embellishments at the toe cap

Excerpts taken from Pantone's Fall 2013/Winter 2014 Fashion Color Report.

Unlisted -La Dolce Vita, Gold

Ciao a tutti!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, fashion is fickle!  Last summer when I posted about the pewter pair of these shoes, I had to ask (as many of you had commented): 'What the @#$%  was I thinking' when I bought these?  Well, I still can't answer that question, but as trends shift and change as frequently as the tides ebb and flow, single-soled shoes are 'in' this year and if I give it enough time, so will the block heel!

Unfortunately, I shan't hold onto these sandals long enough to own them when they were in style, then out of style, and back in style again!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 246: Wednesday July 7th 2013
Designer: Unlisted
Name: La Dolce Vita
Color: Gold
Style: Sandal
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Material: Glazed metallic fabric upper with criss-crossed straps

To see how I styled these beautiful Sandals, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Pewter!

 

Charles by Charles David -Twister

Ciao a tutti!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, over the years I have owned quite a few T-strap shoes; from canvas running shoes and leather brogues (which I hated) that I wore as a child, to funky wedges and platform pumps as I got oldder; but with the resurgence of the single-sole silhouette this year, T-strap sandals get a sexy update, quite deserving of their place in the spotlight.

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 342: Wednesday July 24th 2013
Designer: Charles by  Charles David
Name: Twister
Color: Black
Style: T-Strap Single-Soled Ankle Strap Sandal
Heel: 4 inches (10.16 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with strappy interwoven braided detail along vamp

To see how I styled these beautiful T-Strap Sandals, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

Bandolino -Fillup

Ciao a tutti!

Back from my summer hiatus, tanned, relaxed and refreshed, today's pick, my fellow Shoe-A-holics, is this Fillup wedge from Bandolino.  If the single-soled, pointy-toed pump is the "it" shoe of 2013, then the sandal of the year would have to be the single-soled, ankle-strap wedge. 

Usually I'm the first person to jump on the 'high-heel' bandwagon, but there is something undeniably sexy about the cut and curve of these 3-inch beauties that have had me enraptured since I first laid eyes upon them; the combination of stacked heel, cuffed ankle and D'Orsay-inspired, revealing instep, are an absolute head turner and are sure to be a standout all summer long.


Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 341: Monday July 22nd 2013
Designer: Bandolino
Name: Fillup
Color: Taupe
Style: Single-Soled Ankle Strap Wedge Sandal
Heel: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with double strap and buckle detail at ankle

To see how I styled these beautiful Ankle Strap Wedges, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

Crushing on these beauties?  You can find them here, at DSW.com

Anne Klein -Zya, Black (Houndstooth)

Ciao a tutti!

We're headed back to the classroom this morning, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics for a little shoe math!

Single-Soled, D'Orsay Pump + Houndstooth Print in the season's hottest color trend (black & white)

 

Adds up to a sexy, fashion forward statement shoe that's sure to be a head turner!

Now, can you think of a more beautiful way to add up the style?   I didn't think so!

 

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 339: Wednesday June 19th 2013
Designer: Anne Klein
Name: Zya
Color: Black (Houndstooth)
Style: D'Orsay Single-Soled Pump
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Material: Fabric Upper with a D'Orsay cut out

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am? Find them here at Amazon.com!

To see how I styled these beautiful D'Orsay Pumps, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

 

 

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Dark Pink!

 

 

Lumiani -Annora

Ciao a tutti!

One of the hottest trends for the summer, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, is geometric prints!  A groovy, psychedelic nod to fashion trends in the 60's and 70's, geo-prints are showing up in a range of cuts and fabrics, with the hottest look in accessories being raffia.

From hats to purses, this woven raffia has been used for years, to create a look which has transformed casual to chic.  With its emergence into the world of shoes, this intricate basket weave in bold, geo-designs and colors, is the hottest look in summer footwear!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 337: Monday June 3rd 2013
Designer: Lumiani
Name: Annora
Color: Navy
Style: D'Orsay Single-Soled Wedge Pump with Ankle Strap
Heel: 4.5 inches (11.43 cm)
Material: Synthetic Upper

To see how I styled these beautiful Wedges, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

Anne Klein -Zya, Dark Pink

Ciao a tutti!

Shoe-A-Holics, one of my favorite shoes of this spring season and soon to be for the fall, is this dark pink, suede pump from Anne Klein.  If you do not already own this shoe, go out and get it now!

Rich in both color and texture, this D'Orsay pump offers a stylish and elegant silhouette in this season's hottest shoe trend -the single-soled (pointy toe) pump.  With a manageable 3.5 inch heel, even the novice heel wearer can master this stem, and fitted with a padded insole, you get comfort and beauty at an unbelievable price!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 335: Sunday May 19th 2013
Designer:  Anne Klein
Name: Zya
Color: Dark Pink
Style: D'Orsay Single-Soled Pump
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Material: Suede Upper with a D'Orsay cut out

Crushing on these beauties as much as I am?  Find them here at Amazon.com!

These shoes were so comfy, I had to buy them in another of the season's hottest trends:  Black and white.  See them here!

To see how I styled these beautiful D'Orsay Pumps, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

 

Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Black (Houndstooth)!

 

 

Westies by Nine West -Have

Ciao a tutti!

My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, one of my favorite types of shoes to shop for is a timeless style; age is definitely an advantage when looking for these enduring styles because the moment a style has come full circle (it comes into style, stays for a couple of years, then re-emerges some years later), you realize that those white single-soled pumps you were oh, so happy to toss, are the very same style which is trending, and you can't seem to find a pair at your price point, and you wish you had never donated them in the first place. (Check out the shoes I've donated here...I'm currently missing 23 and 59)

But using my age to my advantage, I am a much more savvy shopper.  Price is always important, when I buy a shoe, as is style (I love a funky shoe just as much as the next shoe-a-holic), but quality is important if you want a shoe to last through any trends it might hit or miss.

A style that is going to last, or is timeless is going to pay for itself (depending on the cost), not the first, but the second season you wear it, that is of course depending  on how often you wear it. When a style is trending, or there is something new I want to add to my Shoe Arsenal, basic black is usually the first color I pick because of it's versatility (brown is usually second).  If I can, I try to buy a leather or suede shoe; because it is natural fiber, it is is more likely to conform to the shape of your foot for a better fit, and when manufacturers use leather or suede (yes, they cost more but), they tend to be more careful with the making of shoe (better stitching, higher quality glues, etc...).  The last thing I do to keep my timeless shoe, timeless, is to take care of it.  These Westies (pictured above and below) are nearly 10 years old, but when I store them, I inspect them, clean them and store them in a dry cool place, so that when it's time for them to come back in style (I'm predicting 2014), they'll be ready, and so will I!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 329: Sunday April 28th 2013
Designer: Westies by Nine West
Name: Have (?)
Style: Square-toe single soled slingback pump
Heel: 3 inches (7.62 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with square toe and decorative lace-up on vamp 

To see how I styled these beautiful slingbacks, follow the link below to:

La Stella Notte's Style (chic that's easy as 1, 2, 3)

Unlisted -La Dolce Vita, Pewter

Ciao a tutti!

So, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, there are times when I pull a pair of shoes out of the deepest recesses of my Shoe Arsenal, thoroughly inspect them, try them on and as I look at my reflection in the mirror, I silently think to myself, 'What the #$%@ was I thinking?'  And this morning is one of those times!

The price tag on these unworn sandal reads that I purchased them from the clearance section at JC Penney's.  They had been marked down to $9.99 from a staggering $39.99.  And of course, I bought these in the pewter and their color complement in bronze.

But for the life of me, I cannot recall the last time I ever stepped foot into a Penney's department store; I haven't visited one since my return, nearly a year and a half ago, so I go back five years...I wouldn't have bought them before we moved to Italy, so now I'm counting back 6 years.  Six years is a long time to have a pair of shoes and not wear them.  And I am figuring, what most attracted me to these shoes is what repels me -the heel.  So off they go, hopefully to a better home, where someone can wear them and hopefully wear them out.  Fare-thee -well, my beauties!

Baci a tutti!

Stella Notte

Day 272: Monday October 29th 2012
Designer: Unlisted
Name: La Dolce Vita
Color: Pewter
Style: Sandal
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Material: Glazed metallic fabric upper with criss-crossed straps

 Beautiful in any color; click here to see these beauties in Gold!