Shoe Boxers

Okay, so you strap on your boots, put your coat on, grab the dog leash and the dog and head out into the winter chill. You are nice and cozy all snug and warm in your boots that shield you socked feet from the wet snow, but what about Fido? Dogs are similar to humans where they get cold, their feet hitting the snow covered ground repeatedly as well, get cold and chilled. If your furry companion is your best friend, then why make him suffer through the snow or rain? There is an inexpensive solution. Dog shoes.

I know what you are thinking, and I have issues with it too, people dressing their pets up in these horrible outfits just so their pet can look cool. But the shoe aspect of it seems reasonable. You can get the simple dog shoe from a company like Foster and Smith and it’s just a basic paw cover, no bells or whistles attached that will protect their pads from the chill. I was a bit leery of it, till this past summer when my nine year old cocker mix ran right through coals from a bonfire and burned his pads. He doesn’t look where he is going most of the time. I was told by my vet that extra care needs to be taken with the pads of his paws now, so I investing in some dog booties. Some of my friends even went the extra mile and bought him a pair of Classic Lilly boots from an online company called Pampered Puppy. My dog, Baz, loves it when I strap on his booties before we head out, he knows his feet are protected and this winter he will thank me when he walks across the cold snow covered ground.

A lot of people don’t know this, but certain breeds of dogs can’t swim very well and need help, especially if they are on a boat or near water. Dog drowning rates are about 1 out of every 1027 dog. That is very high. The next time you take your furry friend near the water, on a boat place a life jacket on them. Even if you think your dog is strong and can handle the water, water current could take them out further than anticipated. Dogs get muscle cramps as well and can easily go under in a matter of seconds. Check out the life jackets from Pet Street Mall.

Also if you own a pool consider investing in a Skamper Ramp. Anything can fall into your pool, why not give it a chance to save itself.

You can bid on shoes donated by Sharon Stone, Lucy Liu, Alonzo Mourning, Jessica Simpson and others to benefit Soles 4 Soles.

Soles 4 Soles has a simple mission statement:

Shoe People Helping the World™: Why We Do What We Do

We have a simple mission: to impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes. We are partnering with charities and governments around the world to provide a basic (yet indispensable) gift that most of us take for granted.

You can help us in many ways: donating your own shoes, donating cash for freight, hosting a shoe drive, or even donating your time as a volunteer. As shoe industry professionals, we are working hard to use the resources at our disposal to make a difference — but we need your help (and your shoes) to reach out to the world.

The bidding begins on May 14th on Ebay.

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So you thought you were really working it in those 4 inch stilettos? Forget it sister. Yves Saint Laurent has introduced a towering 5 1/2 inch stiletto platform that has all the A list Hollywood divas lining up.
Reports RAAKHEE MIRCHANDANI of Page Six:

The must-have shoe for spring is the “Tribute” from Yves Saint Laurent, adorned with a towering 5 1/2-inch heel. Sold out in most New York retailers, it’s one of the tallest high-fashion shoes ever produced - yet celebrities such as Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani can’t wait to walk at elevations usually reserved for Las Vegas dancers and Vivid Video actresses.

The $640-$660 Mary Jane style comes in four colors: violet, red, black suede and black leather. The slingback version comes in violet, black leather and green suede. Adding to the walking challenge - and the reason the heel can go so high - is the 11/2-inch platform on the front of the shoe.

BuLuckily, the “Tribute” also comes in a more manageable 3 1/2 -inch version. If you’re a wimp.

Check out Christina Aguilera working the super sexy, super high heel YSL Mary Jane.

Shoe collectors and shoe fetishes alike will be clamoring for this hot shoe. It’s sure to be a classic.

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Sweets for your feet? That’s exactly what Vanessa and Angela Simmons, daughters of Rev Run of Run DMC fame have cooked up. Most recently featured on Run’s House the two young entrepreneurs have already reached reality TV fame. Now they have launched a new sneaker line — Pastry. It’s no wonder these two young women have produced a line of fashion footwear — they are the neices of urban fashion moguls Russel Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons, founders of Phat Farm and Baby Phat. Kimora more recently launched her perfume and makeup line at Sephora.

The line features colorful, mid-priced athletic-inspired shoes in multiple styles for young women.
Every pair of shoes comes with a tube of scented lipgloss attached to it matching the shoe’s theme. Maybe that sweet touch is due to Aunti Kimora’s influence.

According to Elizabeth Wellington, Inquirer Fashion Writer:

Pastry is available locally at Sneaker Villa, where they retail for $65. Cake is the shoe line’s first collection, comprising four sneakers: Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Mousse, Sprinkles, and Red Velvet, each designed to look like the sweet it represents. Strawberry Shortcake is pink and white, for example; red velvet has a red lining, and the outside is striped in pink and ecru.

Angela, a 19-year-old sophomore at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, came up with the Sprinkles sneaker. “I bake a Pillsbury cake called Confetti,” she said. “Inside the cake are sprinkles that burst inside after you bake it. That’s where I came up with that concept.”

Ok, girls, go get some Pastry for your feet!

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I was in a horrible car accident when I was 20. Broke nearly everything there is to break in my body. After I came to a couple days later, my first words were, “Where are my shoes?” Never mind that my best friend and I were in ICU fighting for life. All I cared about were those beautiful wooden sole platform shoe with a perfect heel with long wrap ties. They were classic! I could wear them today and no one would shudder and think “vintage”. Yes, my shoe addiction goes back for years and years. And so does my love of platforms.

Piperlime has some gorgeous plaforms they are showing off this week, and I think you should have a look!

I’m loving this platform wedge by daniblack:

Clemens
Strappy wedge sandal
Leather quarter strap
Criss cross elastic bands
Single leather band across vamp
4″ heel, 1″ platform
Leather lining
Leather outsole
Upper: 50% leather, 50% stretch fabric

My thoughts are that you should have at least one hot pair of platforms for spring/summer. Make them a color that you will get the most milage from. Go ahead, get shopping!

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Halle just got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and I’m really proud of her. But why did she have to wear my favorite pair of Christian Louboutin shoes for which I’m saving. And saving. And saving. Darn her. Isn’t it enough to be beautiful, rich, an oscar winning actress, having a model turned restauranteur boyfriend? Nooo, she has to be seen in public with the shoes that I WANT!
Not only that, but she looks so good in them.

Here we see not only a bird’s eye view of Halle’s tush, but that give away red leather Louboutin sole.
And another view of these gorgeous shoes.

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Yesterday I couldn’t think of a thing to write on my blog. I had total writer’s block. And I suppose that was for a reason, because I got the most remarkable comment left on that post. It wasn’t about designer shoes, or what the new trend was. Rather it addressed the needs of children in Africa for shoes. Please read on.

Katelyn Clapham has started a wonderful fund raising drive:

Problem
In rural areas of Africa, schools are widely dispersed and public transportation is scarce, forcing girls to travel long distances to and from school daily. The scorching roads and risk of diseases, like hookworm, make shoes a necessity. Going to school barefoot can also be a source of embarrassment, keeping girls from speaking up in class and getting the most from their education. Unfortunately, the cost of shoes is more than many families can afford.

The Gift
Your donation of $14 will set a girl in Africa on the path to success by providing a pair of sturdy shoes to ease her long journey to school. Her new shoes will also boost her confidence to participate fully in her education. In the words of one student in Ghana who received a pair of shoes from CAMFED: “I now look as neat and proud as any other school-girl.”
Educating girls is the quickest route to alleviating poverty in Africa, but the direct costs of education, including shoes, keep millions of girls out of school each year. Give your loved one a gift that will ensure that one more girl receives the education she needs to lift herself and her family out of poverty. Your donation will also help strengthen the economy in these rural areas of Africa as CAMFED buys items locally whenever possible.

See it here

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GAP has always had a few shoes in its lineup. But recently they have expanded that line up to include more than a few. Currenly on their website, GAP has a complete selection of the Spring Trends. Flats, Espadrilles, Wedges, thongs, casual wooden platforms and even Converse. This is a great site to buy your trendy shoes, as the prices are reasonable. So once the season is over, you don’t mind if you have worn your favorite shoes into the ground. It’s not like trying to preserve your favorite pair of designer heels. (Can you imagine wearing out a pair of Jimmy Choo’s or Christian Louboutin’s in a couple months??)

I’m wondering if this new selection of shoes from GAP happens to be because of the success of their new shoe shopping site, Piperlime.

Check out GAP for new shoes!

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Piperlime (one of my favorite online shoe shopping sites) is running a contest in conjunction with California Closets. Winner gets a $5,000 closet and $5,000 worth of shoes to fill it up. WOW! What I could do with all those shoes!

Enter here.

For your information, I hope you lose. I really need those shoes.

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I’m all about shoe shopping. And shoe shopping for a worthy cause makes it all the more satifsying. This is the third instance I have come across recently of shoes for causes. QVC has their annual shoe sale blitz for Breast Cancer and recently Heather Mills had celebrities like Pam Anderson donate shoes for auction to MAG (Mines Advisory Group).
Check out 2 noteworthy causes:

1. TOMS Benefiting South American Children. Buy a pair of their shoes, they get one too!

According to Elle:
A case of burnout blossomed into a full-blown epiphany when entrepreneur/Amazing Race 2 cast member Blake Mycoskie’s extended South American sabbatical led to true love…and heartbreak. The love was for the people and the culture (particularly the Argentinean pastimes of tango, sailing, and polo), while the heartbreak was caused by the extreme poverty he saw in villages and cities throughout his journey. Enter TOMS (short for “tomorrow”), a colorful, unisex take on the ubiquitous slip-on Argentine utility shoe (think Vans, but lighter). The company’s motto, “To make life more comfortable,” extends beyond the wearer to envelop an overarching corporate mission: For each pair of TOMS sold, a South American child in need gets a pair as well.
Plus the shoes look comfy and a practical choice for spring summer casual wear.

2. AEROSOLES
A portion of the proceeds from their Yanky Andy and Fine N Andy shoes will be donated to the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance, a protram of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cancer killer, but with proper screening, it’s largely preventable. Screening can also find the disease an an early state, when it is curable 90% of the time. While men and women are diagnosed with colon cancer in virtually equal numbers, women often underestimate their risk. Learn more about colorectal cancer and how you can contribute to research and awareness programs at NCCRA.org.

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Today only Bluefly is offer an extra 20% off shoes. It’s the pefect shopping day for holiday shoes or party shoes. Or even office shoes. Any shoes. Those leopard print shoes that you have been putting off getting - get them now! Remember that Bluefly has the best designer shoes already discounted. Gucci, Prada, Manolo Blahnik and more. So this is a great deal. I already spied a pair of boots that are going right in my basket!

Happy shopping!

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Nine West is at it again. With their great selection of stylish shoes under $100, this is a wonderful online outlet for shopping. Plus, register and get a chance to “Play in our closet” for handbags and shoes. Grand prize is a shoe wardrobe. I’m just wondering how many pair of shoes equal a shoe wardrobe? A few dozen I’m sure. At any rate, Click here to enter the contest. With free shipping, this is the perfect time to shop for party shoes!

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Daniblack happens to be a shoe company founded by husband and wife team Danny and Barbara Schwartz. Danny Schwartz is CEO of Schwartz & Benjamin, which produces shoes for Juicy Couture, kate spade and Michael Kors. So they have a good footing in the industry. Launched in 2005, DaniBlack has garnered attention from editors at leading fashion magazines.

Their shoes are straightforward and on the conservative side of trendy. They do look like they have a certain comfort level – the heels are too terribly tall and have a nice width to them. Daniblack is available online at Zappos and Shoes.com.

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Free Shipping BOTH ways on Shoes at Zappos.com!

Give thanks for a shoe sale. So says my email from Nine West. Nine West rolls out trendy styles each season without putting a dent in your wallet. That’s why I love them. (I have about 6 pair of shoes in my basket waiting for this sale!) They have the slick patents, platform pumps, wedges, leopard prints and beautiful boots that are right on target for fall/winter.

You have to buy two pair to take advantage of the 20% savinags. But hey, that’s not hard to do. The sale is online at the Nine West website and in stores.

Happy Shopping!

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Last week it was Valentino for my weekly shoe pick. This week the honor goes to Sergio Rossi. Another Italian. Hmmm, I think I see a theme emerging here. These lovely gold leather and nude satin stunners can go from jeans to glam dresses.
Mind you, my recent picks are Spring ‘07 shoes, so they may be a little hard to find right now. Do you have a favorite shoe pick? Let me know, I may very well agree and it could be next weeks shoe of the week.

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