i met shoe designer christine lopresti at WSA last august, and here she is with her own line of summer boots. oh! i just shrieked when i opened this email. i have really never seen anything like them. they very sexy and highly unusual. two good things to have going for you in the world of shoe. the tapestry looks amazing as well. watch out for this line. another you saw it here first!
next thursday, june 1. ladies don't miss your chance to get in on the ground floor of the next manolo. sold only at cornelia in new york, courtney comes for a trunk show next thurs. miss meghan will be making a special appearance to help with your shoe choices. iguana or python? metallic gold or plum? stiletto or stiletto?
*you have to schedule an appointment though! (and space is limited) all deets here.
that's right. shoes from this current season are 40% off at the bleecker street stores. both the one on 11th (shoe closet in the back) and the accessories store on charles. one pair of the silver d'orsay pumps left (size 7 1/2) and a few pairs of the red patent leather oxford. thought as sarah notes, you'd better be ready to tap dance in those. i'd go for one of the mouse ballet flats myself, or the silvery sandals you see here!
from Buffy, a clog girl in Reno
"The time has come to stop my resistance and surrender. Surrender to the retirement of my favorite, my trusted pair of shoes. In 1999 I purchased from L.L. Bean a pair of deep brown leather clogs. So comfy, so water resistant, so adventurous, so everything.......they have been my trusty traveling companion for seven years walking city streets in San Francisco, Washington D.C., London, Paris, New York City.......hiking the Highlands of Scotland, and the rugged coasts of Ireland, and the iron rich hills of Nevada......plus about twenty states and a few more countries in between. In fact, for the last seven years I haven't been anywhere on this planet without my much loved clogs.
But in the last year they have become very worn down and just last week I noticed a sizable crack in the heel. My shoe doctor gave me the grave news that there's nothing he could do to rejuvenate them. The time has come to put them down. I do believe that I am more attached to my clogs than I ever was to my now ex husband!
Thus, I set some time aside this weekend for a proper celebration of life/memorial service for my clogs and also time to head to the malls in search of new pair. I called L.L. Bean for a replacement, but they no longer make the version I bought so many years ago. Letting go is hard to do.......but I must be a Woman and suck it up and go shoe shopping!"
*notice the stages of grief, denial, acceptance and then the regenerating energy of shoe shopping. a true clog girl.
MARTIN MARGIELA RELIC SHOES AND CAMP ON PERRY (aka MISS MEGHAN'S WEEKEND)
darlings. as michiganians are wont to say, if you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you. in this case, if you seek a delicious silhouette and lovely spring tidbits, take a little walk around the west village.
maria cornejo is now here, thank goodness. her store open last saturday and has a very raw but warm feel to it with exposed planks for floor and dressing rooms. i got the bubble dress (see photo) but in a teal blue light cotton sleevless for spring. to be used as a: swimsuit cover-up, nightie, top with jeans/ slim shorts, dress. like most of her clothes, it is comfortable, feminine and strongly cut, using her reference point,the circle. surely a much more accurate way of designing for the feminine body than much of the new boho luxe pieces i have tried on lately which seem to be cut for square, boyish shapes of which i am not!
martin margiela next door basically in a rough-hewn photo studio/retail space--he has a major line of shoes called "relic". he basically takes vintage shoes from 1960's italy and reinvents them for us modern girls in luxe leathers and gorg colors like slate grey. he does a nice men's shoe line as well, deep plum trainers with suede trim that are quite lovely.
and then of course, where else can you go for a cup of tea and sympathy, a lick from fillmore the chihuahua mutt and the gorgeous holly waterfield than camponperry, where hip schmattes rule the day thank goodness!! playclothes for grownup city girls. and playclothes for kids too. drop in, say hi and pick up something one of kind that no one else will have. holly's line of vintage tablecloths tops and skirts, and a new fun schmatte she just designed are all you need for summer in this west village. FYI--you might run into julianne moore, liv tyler or drew barrymoore there as well.
Put some spring in your step: Warmer weather means time for new shoes
I buy shoes for a reason (and ''they're on sale'' is a reason). I buy them for no reason (as in, ''Oooooo, pink horsehair-with- brown-polka-dot stilettos''). I can't go into any store that has a shoe section without trolling for finds. I buy men's shoes. My dying words will be those of Imelda Marcos: ''They went into my closets looking for skeletons, but thank God, all they found were shoes, beautiful shoes.''
After I'm gone, my ashes will rest in a pair of Manolos.
I feel no need to justify my obsession. Everyone has one great love affair. Mine is with shoes.
But fine. You need a justification? Here's a topical one: It's spring. Time for one of the two annual wardrobe changeovers. Time to refresh the warmer-weather options. Time to get a wedge-heel espadrille. Something flowery. A casual flat that's not a flip-flop. Anything comfortable.
Yes, I know. I do need help. No, not someone to talk me out of this. Someone to help me focus on exactly what I want. And need.
Time to call a shoeaholic enabler.
Time to get Meghan Cleary on the phone.
She gives shoe commentary on TV, in print and on her Web site (http://www.missmeghan.com/). She owns ''70 or so'' pairs of shoes (the poor thing is limited by Manhattan living space).
Cleary is the author of "The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You," a clever book that categorizes personality type by favorite shoe type.
''For women I believe that shoes, really more than anything else we put on our body, reveals (our) state of mind at that moment. Modern women have different moods. We have a lot of shoes,'' Cleary said.
''For men it's a little bit different. Men are a little bit more linear with their choices. They don't have as many styles to choose from as women do.''
The revelations continue even after the purchase, she says.
''If they take care of their shoes, that's indicative of their self-esteem and how they take care of things around them.''
With that additional justification for my shoe fixation, it's time for the practical advice.
• Focus, focus, focus: It's easy to see what the big trends and obvious buys are for spring: wedges, espadrilles, flats, sandals, mules, slides, sneakers without laces. But what are the best buys?
''The ballet flat,'' Cleary said. ''It's so rockin' I don't even know what to say. Every color, every material, pointed toe, round toe.
"Also, blue shoes. Especially primary blue. I bought two pair of blue shoes in April."
• No pain, no gain? Not necessarily: Flats have one downside: There can be little but a thin sole separating the feet from the ground. Buy insoles to add a layer of protection and comfort.
Wedge heels, especially on lace-up espadrilles, look too dangerous for serious walking. But their ubiquity this season might beat down my fear enough that I buy a pair.
Cleary once unintentionally traversed the hills of San Francisco wearing wedges and came away with this advice: "Your balance completely shifts from your feet," she said. "You really have to use your core (pelvic and abdomen) muscles to balance you. It's Pilates."
• Shopping science: Cleary's three keys to saving time, money and frustration:
• 1. Shop during what she calls "the magical cocktail hour," from 5 to 7 p.m. That's when your feet are most swollen, and you'll have a better chance of getting a shoe that will feel comfortable all day.
• 2. Don't fixate on what you think your size is. Just like in clothes, "shoe sizes are not standard across the world," Cleary said. "I take a 9½ in Christian Louboutin and Sergio Rossi, an 8½ in Nine West. You can't get caught up in that. Buy the shoe that fits."
• 3. If you're buying a pointed-toe shoe, buy a half-size larger. "That allows you room to put in an insole and gives you a little extra breathing room," she said.
With that done, I'm on to my next task: finding closet organizers to make more room for shoes.
May 9, 2006 -- SPRINGTIME in
Unfortunately, the season is often accompanied by Spring Foot: the gnarly blisters, ingrown nails and scraped heels that go along with breaking in warm-weather shoes.
Ouch. And yuck.
Still, with a little effort and planning, Spring Foot can be a thing of the past.
IF THE SHOE FITS
Tight-fitting shoes are one of the biggest causes of Spring Foot, says Meghan Cleary, shoe expert, blogger (missmeghan.com) and author of "The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You."
She advises buying shoes "at the end of the day, when feet are biggest."
And if you're in the market for stilettos or pointy-toed shoes - and who isn't? - buy a half size larger to leave a little room for padding.
If you must indulge, he says to remember to break in your Blahniks slowly. "The time to test them out is not the day you go on a three-mile walk."
USE PROTECTION
Vaseline. The lubricant is a cinch for avoiding blisters. Spreading a bit of it on the parts of your feet that are prone to blistering will decrease the friction between foot and shoe.
BLISTER IN THE SUN
To get rid of a blister, apply a cushiony blocker like Band-Aid Blister Block or Dr. Scholl's Blister Treatment directly on the problem area. These gel-based bandages protect from infection and allow the blemish to heal.
If the blister's on the sole of your foot, "lance it," Dr. Zong says.
Make a tiny prick and squeeze out all the fluid while leaving the loose skin intact "to act as a biological barrier." Disinfectant and a Band-Aid will keep the area clean.
TOENAIL TRAGEDY
Tight-fitting shoes or high heels can jam toes together and redirect nail growth. To treat ingrown nails, doctors recommend soaking the foot in warm water twice a day. After soaking, put cotton under the ingrown edge to help the nail grow above it.
HEEL HORROR
Although not quite as bad as plumber's crack, cracked heels are a definite don't. Try a moisturizing salve like Dr. Scholl's Cracked Heel Relief Cream to soothe, restore moisture and prevent infection.
If you're about to step into new shoes with stiff backs, shoe guru Cleary suggests "gently bending the heel forward and in towards the insole," and then applying moleskin or Foot Petals Heavenly Heelz cushions to ease friction between the heel and the shoe.
DRY SPELL
If your feet are simply dry from a long winter of closed-toed neglect, pamper yourself. Try a warm water foot soak with Epsom salt, which bubbles to create a exfoliating whirlpool effect.
After a warm soak, apply Plantogen Sole Scrub, an all-natural rub made from ingredients like peppermint and antibacterial tea tree oil. For moisture, Cleary recommends a soothing lotion like Dr. Scholl's for Her Foot Softening Balm.
Of course if you'd rather have someone pamper your tootsies for you,
Remember, those are doctor's orders.
a poetess who likes shoes also!!
a woman after my own heart. perhaps we should start a club? anyone else out there?
miss meghan has had a hectic week my sweets! fortunately the cures for busyness--good food, good shoes and good facials were readily at hand. last night dinner at nobu discovered how i could actually love shrimp tempura--done the nobu way of course! this weekend the lovely monica took care of my face, and thru it all i rocked my cobalt blue prairie de paris ballet flats with the diamond detailing on the toe to much acclaim from the bar at nobu to people on the street making appreciative comments. mais oui!
Photo: Tanya Braganti
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