Speechless!!

These shoes might actually make me want to buy a demure gladiator sandal.
I don't even know what to say - at a loss for words (which is usually hard for me). Discuss amoungst yourselves.

CLICK HERE and then scroll down....

(Source: Naarah)

Looking for new Fall Boots? Please, not these

Ok look, I do get the whole Doc Marten thing.....but it was very early 90's. Let's not go there again. I would like to thing we've evolved.

And yet, the knock-off version is still out there... in a knee high... in tartan plaid.... WHY???? Could this be appealing to Emo kids? I have no idea - my finger is not on the pulse of "kids these days".

(source: Naarah)

I really don't want to see more feet....

In the Northwest, when late May comes around, out come the trusty flip flop, Teva, Birkenstock, Keen shoe, etc. etc.... I think we see enough feet all summer long. But oh no!! This company has decided that even in the dead of late fall, say, at the Butterfly House @ Pacfic Science Center in Seattle, WA, one must continue to see feet.... in the form of this:

Is there some new "barefoot" movement? Does this somehow play into "going green"? I'm sooo confused?

A General Shout Out

Just wanted to give a Shout Out to my good friend, Naarah, for providing me excellent horrible shoes to blog about (please note upcoming posts). And now her hubby, Jason, comes into the mix with a truly bizarre excuse for a shoe - he wasn't sure of the name, but after several BING! searches, BING! came thru for us......

New Boots for ML.... and a new coat...

Got these boots today at Nordies. Very reasonably priced (hey man, there's a recession going on out there!), and am thinking about getting the dark brown too. Super comfy and were what I was looking for.

Also while browsing thru Nordies, came across this uber cute brown wool coat in BP. For $52.90, HAD to have it! Thank you Vonna for the shopping help!

Ugly Shoes @ Victoria Secret

This shoe reminds me of a straightjacket:

And, here we go again with the gladiator - this time in an ugly pump that goes only half-way up your leg. SWEET!!

Oh goody!! For those days when I want to wear a heel with my workout clothes:
Where's Waldo? ... in an UGG:

Vintage??? Not when it's crica 800 AD

Hat Tip to Naarah for this find!!

Where do I even begin with this shoe? This makes the gladiator sandal look wearable. And for $300!! I don't think so.... Click HERE to get all the stats on this blast from the waaaayyy past - note, there are no reviews- I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that no one has bought this little beauty.

In case there is actually a person out there interested in this shoe, HERE is the company's site.

ML's hunt for the perfect fall boot - Equestrain style

What does ML want for fall? A great, black leather, equestrain-style boot I can wear over my jeans. I'll be heading down to Portland in a few weeks for a tax-free fall shopping trip, and am so hoping I find my boots there. I'm willing to spend a few bucks, as I'll get a few seasons out of these boots, but don't totally want to break the bank. Of course my luck is that the ones I love are Tory Burch, D&G, Gucci, etc... and not really in my budget. Sigh. Here are some options:

Open Toed Boot - I'm very confused....

Ok, I don't get this trend. Fall/Winter is all about the boot - you want to know why? Because in most parts of this country it's COLD, RAINY and SNOWY!! HELLO!? I mean.... really... This whole trend defeats the purpose of a boot. Not to mention, I really think an open toe ankle boot is unflattering. Anyone agree with me? Examples here:

It's been a while....

Folks,
It's been a while since I posted here. Sorry - have been really busy this summer (see my other BLOG or my Facebook page), and just not focused on shoes as much. I did from time to time this summer encounter the hideous gladiator sandal - ugh.... God how I cannot stand that shoe. Let's all pray this does not rear it's ugly head for Spring/Summer '10!!

I am very ready for fall and all it brings - boots, puffy vests, sweaters, turtlenecks, etc... I love me a great boot and a cozy turtleneck. Without further adieu, I will begin some boot commentary in my next post!

Some of ML's Fav Things - not always shoes

Hey Folks,
Time for a new post. Seattle is experiencing some really great summer-like weather this weekend (and I hear possibly stretching into the work week....which would be a stretch for sure), so of course I'm happy and positive! YEAThought I would share the new pairs of flip flops I recently acquired.... from Target! Yup, Tar-jay! You gotta love that place. And in this recession, there is nothing sweeter than a pair of cute, comfy flip flops for $10!Also, and in the non-shoe category, is my new Chanel lip gloss - great color (Tangerine Dream) and oh-so-luxurious. Love it!!

Sport shoes: Pumas

I really love a non-running/tennis shoe. One that you can wear with jeans, cargo pants, etc.... but yet is not a running shoe. Puma has been my long time go-to for this need. I'm a HUGE fan of the old-school "California" style, but lately have been really getting into their new styles. Below is a pictoral of the ones I really love - you can get them at Macy's, or any stand alone Puma store. Or, of course ONLINE!!...

New Shoes for ML

I satisfied my craving for new wedges while in California last weekend. Here is what I came up with (both can be found at Nordstrom):

Woa! RANT: A Disappointing Louboutin

Wow! Sadly, as soon as I post re: some really fab Louboutin's, I now come across this crazy shoe. There is only one thing this shoe looks like - Sasquatch!

Big RAVE: Christian Louboutin

A friend of mine from h.s. just informed me she has acquired a new pair of Christian's - fabulous!! She lives in the South, so not near me, but I am going to guess she picked a beautiful pair. I myself really want to get some Louboutin's either this year or next. Likely I will pick a classic style in black so I can have them forever. This was my game plan with my first pair of Jimmy Choo's - a black slingback - have had them now for 8 yrs, re-soled once, and still look wonderful and fit like a glove. A classic pair of designer shoes are worth EVERY penny. Here are some Louboutin's I LOVE:

RAVE: Shoefly Boutique in Seattle Area

Shoefly is a really fun boutique in the Seattle and Portland area, with local stores in Bellevue and Belltown. Looks like you can now shop online!!

RAVE: I Love me an Espradille

An espradille says summer, fun, the beach, etc... and is usually a wedge, which is great for comfort and support! A win-win-win all the way around!

Local story here (from '08, but still check out the stores mentioned): http://www.nwsource.com/shopping/versatile-espadrilles-perfect-spring-footwear

RAVE: Trolling the 'Net for Spring Shoes

As Spring is now upon us, although not so much yet in Seattle, it's natural to start thinking about the flip flop, the open toe, the sandal, the wedge, etc... anything that is not a boot or an Ugg. I, like most women I know, are now on the hunt for cute spring shoes. So far on this blog, I've mentioned the Tory Burch flip flop - yes, I know this is $45 for a plastic flip flop you can get at Target for $5, but.....it's TORY BURCH! hello!?

Another great spring/summer sandal from TB is the leather flip flop - a bit more spendy, but this one will last you MANY seasons. Buy it in white, black or red and you cannot go wrong. Click here to view.


Piperlime.com - anyone buy from here yet? This is the site linked to Old Navy/GAP/Banana Republic. I have yet to buy anything from them, but have found THIS, THIS . They also carry handbags.

JCrew.com - Here is a perfect Ballet Flat under $100. FUN flip flops!

NeimanMarcus .com - Awesome Betty Muller Espadrille Wedge here. Love this Prada wedge. The $1K flip flop sold here.

RANT: What is this??

As I was working on my current post (still in draft form), I came across this horrid shoe - I am so confused by this shoe. This is a Jessica Simpson shoe (should that just answer all my questions right there?) called the "Geni" - this is not anything that makes me think of a genie or Arabian Nights. This is a stilleto Sacagawea would have worn, had they been in style in 1803!

If I happen upon this in a $3 clearance sale, I will buy it as I can make a whole Halloween costume out of this shoe.

P.S... Knowing my luck, some blog reader is going to tell me they bought this shoe and LOVES it. ML cannot please everyone.... >

Reader Request, RAVE: Fyre's

A loyal follower, Naarah, has requested I give a big thumbs up to Fyre's. Now, I do not own any myself, so cannot speak on fit, value, etc.... But I do love their boots and plan to get a pair for this coming fall/winter. Here is a pictoral sample - I'm thinking I LOVE this wedge and am going to hunt it down in Seattle for summer.

Gladiator Sandal Follow Up

Ok, Funny story. I'm at Nine West today buying a pair of classic black pointy toe pumps, and the sales woman brings out an extra pair to try on, telling me they JUST got them in and how cute they are for spring. I cautiously said "ummm...ok...what have you got for me?"... And of course she pulls out a Gladiator sandal, albeit this one is a small wedge and not as "strappy" as some. But of course this gets a big laugh out of me. I tell her "Look, I am doing a shoe blog with/for my friends and my first topic was the Gladiator Sandal.....and how much I loathe it!". We had a good laugh! HA Maybe a bit more awkward for her than me, but hey, she got a sale out of the whole thing, so we're Even Steven on this one! HA

RAVE: Tory Burch Flip Flops

TB redeemed herself from the weird Egyptian-Gladiator shoe with her line of flip flops for this season. LOVE THEM! Here are the ones I got: ( many other colors and styles available - check your local Nordies, Neiman Marcus, Saks or TB boutique.)

RANT - Gladiator Sandal Trend for Spring '09

Starting off my new blog with a RANT!! My other blog is "Marylyn's Rants and Raves", so in keeping with that trend, that will be my theme here as well. I'm really hoping to have more shoe "raves" than "rants", but so far, it's not looking good.

Let's talk about this Gladiator sandal. Someone please tell me how this is a good look on anyone? Don't all those straps get sweaty in the hot summer sun? You would think, paired with a pair of crapped capris, your leg would look stumpy? I'm sooo confused as to why this style is back for another season. This died in 476 A.D..... along with the Roman Empire. Enough Said.

Let's chat about what is going on here. On top #1, a chunky heel as a gladiator? This is combining 1995 with 2009...not a great combo. #2 is a very traditional Gladiator - case in point - this was last seen at the Colosseum, likely in the late 300's A.D. #3 is a L.A.M.B design (Gwen Stefani), that is a mish-mash of a kind-of wedge, open toed gladiator, but with a rope espardille thing going on? pretty much vomit in a shoe. #4 is cute from the ankle down - ankle add-on not necessary at all here. And finally we get to #5 - this makes me sad, as this is a Tory Burch (whom I LOVE LOVE LOVE), but really... this was last seen during the Egyptian era BEFORE the Romans conquered, thus disqualifying it as a Gladiator. All #5 is going to do is emphasize cankles. Sigh. So sad from Tory Burch.