Miss Meghan, Fashion Advice

December 19, 2007

COMFORT VS STYLE: THE ETERNAL SHOE CONFLICT


From Marketing Daily's Sarah Mahoney:


ADD NEW BALANCE TO THE list of shoe marketers looking to branch out beyond performance shoes: The Boston-based company will launch NB Inside, a women's line of fashion sneakers next fall.

New Balance says its new line is key to its plans to reach $3 billion in sales by 2012. Executives say that over time they hope the new collection, with shoes priced around $125, will account for 25% of company sales.

The new strategy makes plenty of sense. New Balance, which also owns PF Flyers and Dunhams, is a brand best-known for its performance shoes, especially running, walking, and cross-training--all fairly stagnant categories of late. But the fashion category, or women's low-performance category, is tearing it up: NPD Group says that in the 12-month period ending in October, sales of women's low-performance athletic footwear increased 31.4% over the same 12-month period the prior year.

"This is the hottest segment in athletic footwear," says Matt Powell, senior research analyst for The SportsOneSource Group. "Right now, it's the second-largest selling category, behind running shoes." Skechers, with about 30% market share, continues to be the leader, he says, with Puma and Nike also top sellers.

Sales in the category are so strong, in fact, "that we've really broken the paradigm in athletic shoe marketing," he says. "For the last 30 years, it's always been about a sports-specific shoe. Maybe one year it was running shoes, and another year it was basketball. But this year, for the first time, it's not about a specific category."

As a result, Powell adds, shoe marketers are scrambling to find the best ways to sell shoes, now that high-priced athletic endorsers make less sense. Some companies certainly use celebrities, he says, "but for most, it's been much more about being in the right kind of retail outlet, as opposed to athletic specialty stores."

Consumer experts say the shift represents a sea change in the way women shop for shoes. "Women have this constant internal conflict about comfort versus style," says Meghan Cleary, a New York-based shoe expert and host of HSN's "Shoe Therapy." "And it's a very funny time in shoes. Even as heels go higher and higher, women are demanding more comfort from their shoes." Another example, she says, has been the popularity of wedge and platform styles recently, "which add height with more comfort."

For years, she points out, regular shoe manufacturers--Naturalizer and Aerosole, for instance--have been injecting sneaker-like comfort into regular shoes. (And then there's Crocs, she says, a comfort phenomenon all on its own.) "So it makes sense that sneaker companies like New Balance, which have already invested millions into comfort technology, would try it too."

New Balance says NB Inside will sport "environmentally preferred materials" inside, "using the natural cushioning, breathable and lightweight properties of cork to provide maximum support." And the shoes will use NB's Abzorb and Abzorb SBS, two of its shock-absorbing technologies, for the "stability, comfort and feel of an athletic shoe."

To the bunion-ridden fashion crowd, it's about time. Adds Cleary: "They're just recognizing that women want this fusion of comfort and style

December 8, 2007

STILETTO EARRINGS?



Leave it up to fashion blogger and UGLY supermodel (didja see her on Nightline this week?), Najwa Moses to create an earring with Stilettos attached to it.  

Working the trend of shoes in miniature as accessory accents (have you seen the Stiletto clasp on the Louboutin alpaca clutch for Spring?) Najwa's Stiletto earrings (aka the BFF earring) are part of her new earring collection you can check out on Styleaholics.  They capture her signature outrageousness and her clever wordsmithing, with names like BFF, The Blogger, The Celebrity, The Publicist and The Agent. Work it Naj! 

December 5, 2007

EILEEN SHIELDS SAMPLE SALE: TONITE!

You know we love the Eileen Shields quinteseential "Juliette" t-strap ballerina flat (pictured here).

Get your hands on some tonight: Grape & Grain,620 East 6th Street, btwn B & C, 5:00pm-7:00pm, MC, VISA, AMEX, CASH. Wine and cheese too. mmmmm.

November 28, 2007

WINTRY BOOTS: KAMIK


I like saying Kamik because it sounds like another language. Which I think it is. But besides that the Kamik people make some very excellent all-weather wintry boots that are cute for a girl in the city, country or anywhere in between.

They are shiny, come in a variety of fun prints and best of all have a really lovely Polartec lining to keep you toasty warm. The lining is an all-important aspect missing in some other rubber boots and believe me when it is 30 degrees and you are slogging to your next appointment, it makes all the difference.

I think I am going to do a rubber boot roundup soon, but until then, enjoy this little tidbit.

SHOE SHOPPING AT GEN ART


You know I love to shop Ashley Dearborn, Ruthie Davis and Madison Harding.

Now can do all under one roof. On sale. With a cocktail to boot. (hee hee)

WHEN: Wednesday, December 5th, 2007
General Admission 6:00pm – 10:00pm

WHERE: Puck Building
293 Lafayette St. (btw. Prince and Houston)
New York, NY 10012

WHO: 50+ womenswear, accessories & menswear sell current season samples and overstock for up to 70% off at an upscale and stylish shopping event. Guests will also be pampered with blow outs and hairstyling by Ecru NY, manicures and brow grooming by Tweezerman, chocolate from Cote d’Or, complimentary cocktails courtesy of Baileys, Johnnie Walker, and custom gift-wrap printing from Epson.

Tickets: Free for Gen Art members, $15 advance purchase
VIP Tickets*: $30 for Gen Art members/$40 general
*Includes 1st picks on designer items, champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and special VIP shopping bag full of fashionable products!

Visit www.genart.org or 212.255.7300

November 14, 2007

SHOE THERAPY (TM) WITH MEGHAN CLEARY:TONIGHT NOVEMBER 16




















Get into it.

(That's me wearing the Hot in Hollywood Slouch Boot in Grey on my last Shoe Therapy appearance)

Shoe Therapy (R)with me, Meghan Cleary, America's Shoe Expert tonight 11 PM Pacific and
2 AM Eastern Standard Time.










You know you want to stay up late for therapy. I mean, why not? You probably could use some feel-good prescriptions and I also have a little treat for you tonight in the show. A special preview of some shoes I discovered about two years ago who have refined their styles and are now one of the new brands on HSN.

If you are too tired, tune in tomorrow on HSN.COM:


Go to: HSN.COM

Click on: HSNTV

Click on "Weekly Product Review"

Find Friday, November 16 at 2 am: Shoe Therapy, click and enjoy.


You can watch at your desk at work
-- the boss won't notice that you are buying stilettos I promise.

There will be more of that in the New Year so stay tuned. And remember, you can always shop on HSN.COM if the phone lines are busy during the show. We expect sell-outs on many of the styles so is always smart to get your order in ASAP online, then you can relax and enjoy the Shoe Prescriptions I will be giving out!

xo
Meg

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SHOES

It's all right here. Curiously enough they didn't include Hillary in the bunch, only the man-folk, but was fun to analyze them anyway.

From RADARonline:

If you can judge a man by his shoes, what would you find out about the current crop of presidential contenders? Radar convened a panel of famous footwear fetishists to find out. Weighing in are former Diddy manservant Fonzworth Bentley, Meghan Cleary, author of The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You, Barneys New York creative director Simon Doonan, and cobbling legend John Fluevog. Below, their character assessments from the ankle down. Click through to reveal the candidate in full.

1. Black Loafer
CLEARY: "These are the most presidential of all the shoes. Their wearer is a serious candidate who understands how to gracefully navigate tricky waters with apparent ease. The shoe's bright shine is a sign of high self-esteem."

2. Low-Top 
Hiking Boot
CLEARY: "This guy is casual but not disorganized. He's a totally solid, extremely grounded straight shooter and a serious worker with a sense of adventure."

3. Cordovan Oxford
CLEARY: "He's traditional and can go along with convention sometimes, but he's also a scrapper who's not interested in details, just in getting the job done."

4. Faux Monk-
Strap with Velcro 
Fastener
CLEARY: "This man likes to be on the go, and could be a real modernist open to new ideas—or be casual to the point of sloppiness. Either way, he's a sensitive guy setting himself apart from the crowd."

5. Brown Lace-Up
CLEARY: "He's very old-school, preppy, and straightforward, but doesn't spend a lot of money on frills."

See who I am talking about on RADAR. . .

DUE FARINA SAMPLE SALE: GET INTO IT

Rebeca Minkoff and Due Farina share their luxurious Collections with you at special prices.

Nov 13 until Nov 16 12pm-8pm.
158 Grand St. #207, 2nd Floor (between Lafayette St. and Centre St.)
50% off bags and shoes!
Famous "Morning After Bag" Italian Leather, as seen on Lindsday Lohan! Orig.
$595 now 50% off
Over the knee Equestrian Boots in calf nappa leather. Orig. $495 now 50%
off

VS, MC and AX accepted

November 9, 2007

$50,000 SNEAKERS

Bring the bling, that's what I always say.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today:

$50,000 sneakers? Big Boi to get first pair
by Christian Boone

Sneakers are a bona fide fashion ccessory, but are you ready to shell out $50,000 for a pair of diamond-studded Nikes?

If you're Big Boi from OutKast, you won't have to. He's getting the pair free, compliments of Atlanta retailers Laced Up Boutique and Priyya and Chintans Diamonds. First of a kind, they say.


Big Boi.

Artisans in Mumbai, India, are putting the finishing touches on the sneakers, featuring diamonds studded around the famous swoosh logo.

Diamonds are bedazzling everything from iPods to brassieres, which got Priyya and Chintans owner Rita Patel thinking: "Why not diamonds on sneakers?"

The inspiration hit her while waiting in line for breakfast across the street from Laced Up. Just so happens the upscale shoe boutique caters to hip-hop stars like T.I. and Usher. Owner Ernel Dawkins expects the sneaks will be a big hit with his celebrity clientele.

"People in the entertainment industry aren't afraid to spend big money, and sneakers are becoming like collectibles," Dawkins said. A mock-up of the shoes displayed at the recent BET Awards in Atlanta sparked dozens of inquiries.

The customized shoes are Air Force 1 "So Cals." Without diamonds, they retail for $225. To add the diamonds, the logo is cast in gold metal, and the diamonds are studded in casings held together by a fine gold stitching, Patel said.

"They had to look good, of course, and they had to be comfortable," she said.

"I have never heard of diamonds on sneakers, but it's a natural progression. It speaks to the whole rise of sneaker culture," said Meghan Cleary, host of "Shoe Therapy" on HSN.

The 11-carat sneakers will be unveiled Nov. 27.

And yes, you can get a pair in time for Christmas. Orders won't be taken until late November, and Patel said it takes about three to four weeks to complete the diamond studding.

"In the hip-hop industry, it's all about topping each other," Patel said. "We think it will be well worth it in the long run."

There's some precedent for this confidence.

On the HBO show "Entourage," one of the characters was gifted a $20,000 pair of sneakers, Nike Air Force 1 Fukijamas. The next day, Dawkins said he received dozens of calls from people wanting the same shoes.

"I was like, 'yeah man, that's cool but that's a TV show,'" he said. "It's not for real. I don't have 'em."

Cleary said the retailers shouldn't sweat their investment.

"I think you're going to see more and more uber-luxury customizations of sneakers," she said. "Sneakers have become such a mode of expression.

"Next year, you'll probably be writing about a $100,000 pair of sneakers."

Chuck Taylor must be running laps in his grave.

November 8, 2007

BONTONI SHOES


My friends at Bontoni made the ForbesLife find of the day. And while I espouse all manner for Stilettos for women, one thing I am always adamant about for men is having a pair of custom made shoes. Just one pair in your closet is an amazing investment in yourself that will last you a lifetime and speak volumes about the man you are to anyone you hope to attract - from business investors to girlfriends. Not to mention being extremely comfortable as they are made just for your foot and wear in to form perfectly over the years. So men, listen to Miss Meghan, on this point. You can thank me later.

November 6, 2007

STILETTOS: COMFORT VS. STYLE


The fabulous Amy Dufault investigated further into the eternal conflict in the Cape Cod Times . . .

Step away from foot pain

You, the woman with the neatly lined boxes of slightly worn shoes! And you! The shoe hoarder who chanted, "Fashion is pain, fashion is pain," while jamming your swollen toes into a shiny new pair of pumps because they looked so perfect. The time has come to get real.

Just to start this out right, keep in mind that rumor has it a whopping nine out of 10 women have something irregular with their feet, anything from bunions to hammer toes to flat feet to arthritis. Finding comfortable shoes isn't always easy, but there are little tricks and I've swollen my own size nines to get them to you.

First, the fun stuff.

We turn to the supreme authority on all things shoes, the Home Shopping Network's Meghan Cleary, whose show, "Shoe Therapy," offers "part high-end runway commentary, part shopping with the girls, and a whole lot of shoe excitement," according to her Web site.

Cultivating a lifelong obsession into a new career as doyenne of all things shoe, Cleary a favorite of Tyra Banks and proclaimed a "shoe psychologist" by Isaac Mizrahi, says thousands of women have poured their hearts out to her when it comes to shoes and she knows why.

"I think the biggest thing with shoes is how it reflects a woman's mood and state of mind in a particular moment," says Cleary. "They're more revealing than jeans or bags, because they hit on a number of different levels and have a physiological impact on how we walk and occupy space."

Author of "The Perfect Fit" (2005, Chronicle Books), Cleary believes that though most women are constantly in search of the perfect-fitting shoe, they need to look more at themselves and their ever-changing lifestyles.

"I think there's sort of a conflict within a woman when it comes to comfort and style," says Cleary. "We see a beautiful pair of shoes and want them to fit, but I don't think any shoe is going to be perfectly perfect."

If a woman should find that perfect shoe, Cleary says, she should always buy more than one pair.

And, she adds there are tricks to making a shoe fit even if it doesn't want to.

A strong supporter of Dr. Scholl's insoles and molding skin foam that can be cut out to any shape you need, Cleary says she puts the foam on the inside of her shoe to alleviate pressure points that by day's end will become pain points.

"One thing I've realized as a shoe expert is to really, really tailor your shoe to you," says Cleary

To read the rest of the article, click here.

November 2, 2007

THE SHOE MAN COMES TO TOWN



All the way from Iceland, Sruli came to visit me and show me his extremely cool shoes. You know they are amazing when they smell good.

October 24, 2007

ME, IN BOSNIAN


From http://www.weekend.ba

October 23, 2007

MEGHAN CLEARY ON THE TODAY SHOW NOVEMBER 2



Tune for Stiletto Strategies (C) and lots of other fun info
on the TODAY show, Friday, November 2 in the 8 am and 10 am hours EST.

We shot at the fabulous new Saks Fifth Avenue shoe floor and I had a moment with some new Alaias. You know how I love my Alaia and well, they have these new ones and well, I almost fainted at their beauty.

SPECIAL FOR MISS MEGHAN READERS: LE DUE




















hi sugars. Special for you from Marina Rosin the fab designer behind Due Farina and now their amazing second line, Le Due, a little coupon to celebrate their online store opening. Go here and shop till you drop. Check out the Rustic (pictured on right) one of my faves.

xo
Meg

October 22, 2007

HOLLYWOULD FOR TARGET



I have been a fan of Hlly Dunlap's creations ever since she revolutionized ballet flats with her comfort soles and made them in a rainbow array of colors to suit every downtown girl's palette. Now she's at Target, and you KNOW how much I heart Target. View the entire collection here.
xo
Meg

October 8, 2007

DO THE SHOE-BOOTIE WITH MEGHAN CLEARY!

October 7, 2007

STRAPPY FOR SPRING


Legendary street fashion documentarian Bill Cunningham has sniffed a bit of the strap sandal phenom that will be dominating the shoe landscape come Spring. It is going to be strappy, stroppy, and more strappy.

October 3, 2007

SHOE OF THE WEEK: SLINGBACK PUMP

J. Renee Kidsuede Slingback Pump


My grandma had a pair just like these in the 60's, (minus the animal print!). It's a classic silhouette with a one and a half inch heel that makes it chic but still wearable. Perfect with a sheath dress, tailored trousers and white blouse, or a pencil skirt and nipped cardigan. Meow!

SHOE THERAPY WITH MEGHAN CLEARY: THURSDAY OCTOBER 4 AT 11 PM

Tomorrow night tune into HSN to see another episode of Shoe Therapy (TM) with Meghan Cleary. A lot of uber-cool boots, including one by Bellini that I am totally loving. You know what Miss Meghan says: It's your booty call for Fall!

Shoe Therapy with Meghan Cleary

Thursday, October 4th
11 pm
on
HSN

September 27, 2007

ELEGANT AND BENEFICENT AND FUNNY: CATHERINE JANE CLEARY

September 26, 2007

MEGHAN CLEARY ON E! NEWS TONIGHT

Check me out talking all things Fall trend at the new shoe floor at Saks, and how celebs keep their tootsies so comfy when walking the Red Carpet. (I'll give you a hint: it starts with the words Dr and Scholls).
Link


Tonight: 9/26 at 7 pm and 11 pm
Tomorrow: 9/27 at 3 am, 8 am and 12 pm

Check your local listings.

xo
Meg

September 21, 2007

MEGHAN CLEARY ON MSN.COM FALL FASHION WEEK ROUNDUP


The lovely Kristin Larson included me in her roundup of all things Fall Fashion Week on MSN:

Chunky, high-heeled sandals
High-heeled sandals with thick soles were spotted everywhere on the runways, with designers ranging from Oscar de la Renta and Proenza Schouler to Stephen Burrows. “I love the thick, strappy sandal because it makes a statement—it’s less delicate than your typical strappy stiletto and is a fabulous casual and earthy look with the feminine skirts for spring,” says Meghan Cleary, host of “Shoe Therapy” on HSN and founder of missmeghan.com.

Photo: Design by Proenza Schouler.

September 13, 2007

SHOE THERAPY WITH MEGHAN CLEARY TONIGHT AT 6 PM

Have I got a pump for you! Yes, ladies I have something special for you. A Dezario pump with a cone heel and a lovely flower petal embellishment on the toe. Tune in tonight at 6 pm on the shopping channel HSN. (check here for your local listing: hsn.com)
xo
Meg

September 10, 2007

MEGHAN CLEARY ON REUTERS

If you've been watching Shoe Therapy on HSN, you'll understand what I'm talking about when I say that new shoes are better than a box of chocolates . . .


From Reuters

Most women own 19 pairs of shoes

Mon Sep 10, 2007


By Belinda Goldsmith

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - American women have come out of the closet with a secret -- most own about 19 pairs of shoes and some have hidden purchases from their partners.

A poll of 1,057 women by the Consumer Reports National Research Center for shopping magazine ShopSmart found U.S. women on average own 19 pairs of shoes although they only wear four pairs regularly while 15 percent have over 30 pairs.

The survey also found women would risk injury to squeeze into new slingbacks or stilettos, with 43 percent of women saying they had been at least moderately injured by shoes and 8 percent reporting serious injuries like sprains or breaks.

"Women love their shoes and are willing to go to great lengths for them - including risking injury and hiding their purchases from a significant other," said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart which is published by non-profit consumer research group Consumer Union.

"Women are passionate shoe shoppers and this survey shows that shoe shopping is almost a sport for women. I know I hide shoes from my husband. My secret trick is to bring them home without the box."

The telephone survey found women on average bought four pairs of shoes a year -- with 13 percent admitting to hiding a purchase from their partner.

Six out of 10 women regret at least one shoe purchase and on average women have worn a quarter of their shoes only once.

Shoe guru Meghan Cleary, who hosts a show "Shoe Therapy" on TV shopping channel HSN, said women's love of shoes was nothing new but women had now come out of the closet with their obsession, encouraged by TV shows like "Sex and the City" where the women speak openly about their love for their shoes.

"I often speak to women who have about 400 pairs of shoes. One woman I spoke to had 400 pairs of which 300 were knee-high black boots," said Cleary, who has about 150 pairs herself.

"A new pair of shoes makes a woman feel great - and they last longer than a box of chocolates. Forget indulging in a chocolate sundae and go buy shoes for a quick little uplift."

Sales of shoes has increased in recent years with figures from retail tracker NPD Group showing U.S. shoe sales rose 9 percent in 2005 to nearly $42 billion or 1.4 billion pairs. Figures for 2006 were not available.

But unlike clothing, which is the most often purchased item online by women, Internet shoe shopping has not yet caught on with only 14 percent of women buying shoes online.

Seven out of 10 women, or 74 percent, said they liked to try shoes on before buying them.

"Trying on shoes in a store is fun as you don't have to strip off in front of a brightly lit mirror," said Cleary.

September 7, 2007

SHOE THERAPY WITH MEGHAN CLEARY

Don't forget to tune in to Shoe Therapy(TM) with yours truly next week.

Thursday, September 14 at 6 pm

and

Friday, September 15 at 6 am

We are going to have a total blast!

xo
Meg

September 4, 2007

FALL BOOT TRENDS: TOMORROW NIGHT AT 8 PM ON HSN

Don't miss it!
xo

NATALIE MORALES: A PEEP-TOE WEDGE PLATFORM SLINGBACK KINDA GAL








Some outtakes from Natalie and I dishing about her fab cute shoes and platforms.

MEGHAN CLEARY: ON THE TODAY SHOW THIS MORNING

Got to talk Fall Shoe trends with Natalie Morales this morning and also analyze her amazing wedge, peep-toe, platform, slingbacks!

Watch the segment:


I wore a raspberry Ella Moss dress with gorgeous sueded braiding detail around the neck and my ALAIA's that everyone is so sick of!

We talked about BALLET FLATS;

Delman Grey Flannel and Pink Polka Dot ballet flats
Isaac Mizrahi for Target Snake Mary Jane ballet flats
Hot in Hollywood; Mod Ballet Patent Flat


Hot In Hollywood for HSN Mod black ballet flats (pictured above)



Then, we turned to PLATFORMS;

Vince Camuto Bordeaux Peep toe pumps
Miss Tina Leopard Stilettos
Jessica Simpson Green metallic ankle boots

Finally ANKLE BOOTS!
Fun, trendy, feminine -- yes! you can wear them with a skirt and cute leggings or a bright opaque tights and a denim mini.

Bellini's in FERRARI red (that's what the production guys called them!)
Mossimo Black Ankle Boot
Vince Camuto Quilted Ankle Boot

Was very fun -- pics to come!

xo
Meg

August 30, 2007

ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS: SHOES & POETRY

The Academy of American Poets asked me to comment on my favorite shoe poems.

Oh! Poems AND Shoes! Two of my most favorite things together. Like Oreos and Milk or a pair of Wolford tights and my new Louboutins!

Favorite Fit: A Shoe Expert Tries on Poetry
by Meghan Cleary

Poetry is the delicious linguistic and oral art of transformation, taking one thing and holding it in light or dark and watching it transmute. These poems do that for shoes, every prism of the shoe is explored and illuminated so that we have a new taste on the tongue for an object that ranges from the mundane to the iconic, from the practical and functional, to the beautiful and seductive. This much is true: you cannot deny the power of the shoe.

J. Renee Cobblestone Printed Leather Peep Toe Wedge

"Red Slippers" by Amy Lowell

Red slippers in a shop-window; and outside in the street, flaws of gray, windy sleet!

Behind the polished glass the slippers hang in long threads of red, festooning from the ceiling like stalactites of blood, flooding the eyes of passers-by with dripping color, jamming their crimson reflections against the windows of cabs and tram-cars, screaming their claret and salmon into the teeth of the sleet, plopping their little round maroon lights upon the tops of umbrellas.

The row of white, sparkling shop-fronts is gashed and bleeding, it bleeds red slippers. They spout under the electric light, fluid and fluctuating, a hot rain—and freeze again to red slippers, myriadly multiplied in the mirror side of the window.

They balance upon arched insteps like springing bridges of crimson lacquer; they swing up over curved heels like whirling tanagers sucked in a wind-pocket; they flatten out, heelless, like July ponds, flared and burnished by red rockets.

Snap, snap, they are cracker sparks of scarlet in the white, monotonous block of shops.

They plunge the clangor of billions of vermilion trumpets into the crowd outside, and echo in faint rose over the pavement.

People hurry by, for these are only shoes, and in a window farther down is a big lotus bud of cardboard, whose petals open every few minutes and reveal a wax doll, with staring bead eyes and flaxen hair, lolling awkwardly in its flower chair.

One has often seen shoes, but whoever saw a cardboard lotus bud before?


The flaws of gray, windy sleet beat on the shop-window where there are only red slippers.

Much like the moment in "Sex and the City" when Carrie Bradshaw peers into the shoe shop window and sultrily addresses a pair of heels through the glass as "Hello, lo-vah," this poem perfectly captures the iconic status of the shoe—especially for women. It hones in precisely on the shoe as a fantasy, an aspiration, an untouchable object of desire. By contrasting the gray and white of the everyday world of shops and windy sleet against the "crimson lacquer," the "stalactites of blood," the "red rockets" of these slippers hanging in the window, she heightens the shoe to this intense, pulsing otherworldly object, held just beyond reach, behind glass.


Read the rest of the article here, at the Academy of American Poets fab website.

August 28, 2007

NAJWA MOSES HEARTS MISS MEGHAN

And we heart Najwa right back!!

Naj interviewed me for her amazing Styleaholics blog.

Styleaholics, welcome to not only another New Media Tuesday but you are about to discover not only one of the MUST READ BLOGS on the web, but a BRANDED PERSONALITY ON THE RISE and if you don’t now you know!

LOL.

Miss Meghan is not only one of my favorite all time people, but she is also smart, savvy and a shoe addict-read below to find out more.

Styleaholics Heart Miss Meghan!

You call yourself a Shoe Therapist–please explain what this does and feel free to relate any funny case studies/stories.

The concept of Shoe Therapy (TM) originated because getting a new pair shoes is really therapy for every woman. I don’t care if you are a clog girl or a Stiletto girl, or you get them at a cool vintage shop, Manolo Blahnik’s store on Madison, or the Salvation Army — every women loves a new pair of shoes. It gives you an instant uplift and you don’t have to dress and undress in front of a bad flourescent mirror, you just try them on and go. Shoes change the way you walk, how you feel, your entire mood, your confidence. It’s a beautiful thing!

For the past four years traveling on tour with my book around the country, this concept has been proven to me over and over in so many different contexts–thousands of women have poured out their shoe stories to me. I have seen women light up when they put on a pair of new shoes they like. It’s like this moment of transformation, like a lightbulb that literaly switches on. It changes how she thinks about herself. And it makes you just happy to see something you love on your feet. As Christian Louboutin says, “How can you not smile when you look down at your feet and see a hot pink pump?”

Read the entire interview here.



August 27, 2007

THIS NEXT: MEGHAN CLEARY

Hey hey! The lovely and fabulous Kristopher Dukes interviewed me for This Next and it is now up. Read the entire interview here.

Who is Miss Meghan?

From the ThisNext blog: Posted Monday, August 27, 2007 at 06:59AM

After a successful run as a marketing consultant on Wall Street, it was time for Miss Meghan to pursue her life-long obsession with shoes. Now we know her as America’s Shoe Expert, a shoe therapist and doyenne, the fashion authority of all things shoe. From her hit television show Shoe Therapy ™ on the Home Shopping Network, to her podcast series Shoe are You?™ on iTunes, thousands of women across the globe pour out their shoe stories to learn key tips and strategies on finding the latest shoes. When Miss Meghan isn’t dispensing celebrity shoe secrets and teaching us how to walk in stilettos, she can be found rounding up the latest finds on ThisNext. We caught up with this ‘sole therapist’ for the latest trends in the shoe department.

TN: Any sneak previews you can share with ThisNext readers?
MM: Well, I can say that there is a very hot ankle boot we’ll be featuring on the debut of my new show on Home Shopping Network on the 20th (8 p.m.). It is a patent bootie with a suede cuff that has this super sexy slit up the front. Is very eighties but with a cool modern heel. I looove it! And keep tuning in to my show Shoe Therapy on HSN because we are going to be bringing people some really hot shoes this fall and Winter and a lot of hilarious surprises.

TN: Biggest response a blog post of yours has received from consumers?
MM: We got a lot of response from my Shoe are You? podcast with Jason and Randy Sklar — they have a huuuge following and the podcast was so hilarious, I practically stopped interviewing because I was just laughing so hard. You can check it out here or on iTunes.

Read the rest of the interview here.

August 24, 2007

WHAT YOUR SHOES SAY ABOUT YOU ON LIFETIME

Listen up! Here's a neat little slideshow on Lifetime.tv to tell you what your shoes say about you.

What Your Shoes Say About You

Are you a demanding diva or a down-to-earth mama? Look no further than your feet to find out.

by Camille Noe Pagán

Posted: Thu., Jul. 19, 2007 , 4:12 pm EDT

Click here to see the slideshow.

August 22, 2007

SHOE THERAPY(TM) IN SEPTEMBER

To my loyal fans:

Here's the Shoe Therapy schedule for September on HSN:

Wednesday September 5: Fall Boot Trends

Thursday, September 13 at 7 pm: Shoe Therapy

Friday, September 14 at 6 am: Shoe Therapy

Tune in or check it out live on HSN.com.

xo
Meg

August 21, 2007

SHOE THERAPY(TM) ON HSN

Well if you missed me last night, you can click here to watch the entire hour. My fabulous host Suzanne Runyan did a preview of all the shoes and then I am on about 10 minutes into the hour.

We had a blast, and more pics and Behind the Scenes to come!

August 15, 2007

SHOE OF THE WEEK: SEQUIN BALLET FLAT

Hot in Hollywood; Leopard-Print Sequin Flat


Since we are majorly heart-ing ballet flats this week over at Miss Meghan headquarters, we thought we'd show you a really affordable one that we love. Leopard sequins. Meow. Click on the shoe to buy.

KIMBERLEE AUERBACH: SHOE ARE YOU?



















This week on Shoe are You? I chatted with dear friend Kimmi Auerbach, former FOX news producer and author of the recently released, The Devil, The Lovers & Me: My life in tarot, an amazing and touching memoir.

Join us as we chat all things animal totem, LeClic cameras, big hair and what shoes Kimmi wore for her first kiss.

Click here to launch and listen in iTunes.

August 14, 2007

MEGHAN CLEARY ON CW11 THIS AM

Did you catch me? Truly Julie and I hit the streets of Manhattan to read women's shoe signs. . .

BALLET FLATS: MORE HEARTS

Read all about it. . . .

August 12, 2007

BALLET FLATS: OH! AND WE HEART DELMANS

Check out my thoughts on flats on Yahoo shopping.

Look sharp in flats
Our favorite picks for ballet-inspired footwear
from Deborah Hopewell, Yahoo! Shopping Editor

When Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw and gal pals reunite this fall for the big-screen follow-up to "Sex and the City," could it be possible that her Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo heels will be replaced by the new fashion must-have - ballet flats?

"Women have begun demanding more comfort with their style," says "America's Shoe Expert" Meghan Cleary, who writes about shoes for the New York Daily News and the Huffington Post, and is the author of "The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You." And ballet flats, says Cleary, fit the bill perfectly.

The ballet flat evokes the glamorous Hollywood days of such willowy beauties such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly - yet it's a flattering look on just about anyone. They pair especially well with capris, knee-length or shorter skirts, leggings and shorts (save the heels for wearing with longer pants, dress and skirts, as flats will make you look shorter).

"The average heel height has skyrocketed," says Cleary. "Heels in the '60s were 1½-2 inches. Now they can even go 5 or 6 inches," says Cleary. "Women do react to that. They are going into the marketplace and looking for something to look acceptable to wear to work, out on the town, with a cute mini or tight jeans - any which way. It's a cute shoe, but it's comfortable. Women get very attached to that."

However, Cleary warns that because flats are, well, flat, there isn't a lot of support, and that can be uncomfortable for some. "Make sure they have a solid sole on them, and maybe more than just a little strip of leather on them." She suggests the "twist test": Hold the toe in one hand, the heel in the other and gently twist the shoe. "If it's really flexible, you shouldn't buy it. It shouldn't be hard, but it shouldn't be really flexible."

And says, Cleary, look for the ballet-flat trend to continue into the fall and winter. "We're going to keep seeing them," she says.

Delman, founded in 1919, has been making ballet flats since the 1940s, says Cleary. It's "Work" flat has a classic look, but looks particularly contemporary in a variety of cotton stripes: cream/beige, melon/beige or turquoise/green. These pair perfectly with a lightweight tea-length skirt or skinny jeans.

August 8, 2007

NEW SHOES: WE LIKE THIS SONG TOO

First heard this song in May, then suddenly it was everywhere. Planes, buses, my iPod. An ode to the true power of the shoe. All you need is a new pair to change your life.

Paolo won't you call us? We want to podcast you!


August 7, 2007

ALEXANDRA NEEL: SHOE ARE YOU? ©



Bonjour mes amours! This week on Shoe are You Miss Meghan chats with
French shoe designer Alexandra Neel. A onetime dancer with the Paris
Opéra, she worked for Celine and Balenciaga before she struck out on her
own. She is particularly known for her corset heel Stieltto creation in
2001 that kicked off her cult status among hardcore fashionistas
worldwide who demanded a little dose of delicate frills with their
sexiness. Continuing on with her amazing designs, look for some major
Alexandra Neel developments in the near future. Merci beaucoup!






From the interview...

Miss Meghan: What kind of shoe do you like to see on men?

Alexandra: On the men it's no shoes-- barefoot! Or motorcycle boots...
My style is more sexy, delicate, but for the men I prefer sporty men.


Alexandra supports UNICEF.

Hear the entire podcast on iTunes by clicking here or podshow by clicking here.