Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! :The Fashionable Gal

Review: PF Flyer’s Bob Cousy Sneaker

July 2nd, 2010 by Laney

Earlier in June, I posted about the cool new sneakers from PF Flyers – the Bob Cousy Lo sneaker. They’ve hit Neiman Marcus just in time to keep you stylish during Summer’s plethora of outdoor activities. These are upscale tennis sneakers, which are sturdier and more comfortable than the alternatives.

I was lucky enough to receive two pairs for review (one to wear myself, and one to give to my boyfriend). He wore his while we were on a little trip to Columbus, OH. The trip involved a lot of walking in intensely hot weather, but he wore them every day without issue.

These shoes are very different from any of the shoes in my closet. I have sneakers to exercise in, and rarely wear them out of the house. These are definitely a more stylish sneaker for a casual day, which is new for me. I love them with jeans and a tee, but they’re cute with casual cotton summer dresses as well.

The only problem I had with them was when I wore them without socks. The shoes definitely did bite into the back of my bare feet, so I know to wear them with some sort of “protection.” This is a minor inconvenience at most, and it may just be because I have giant feet.

As a reminder, they’re available in red canvas, as well as natural, black, navy, light grey, and ivory at Neiman Marcus department stores ($70.00) and online.

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: bob cousy, pf flyers, pf flyers at neiman marcus, pf flyers bob cousy lo, summer 2010 sneakers

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Summer Shoe Selections for Large Calves

June 22nd, 2010 by Laney

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“Many women are self conscious about the size of their calves and hide under jeans, pants and long skirts. Instead of covering up this summer, step out in confidence with these shoe style tips from the experts at myShoes.com which promise slimmer looking legs.

Single Strap Shoes: Shoes that cross over the vamp, without anything else fancy going on, are a fantastic way to complement your legs. While you should avoid anything with ankle straps, you don’t need to shy away from single-strap or cross-strap shoes that lie low on the feet. If you’re unsure of what strap thickness to try, go for something medium.

Monochrome Uppers: Don’t draw attention to your feet and ankles with a lot of bright colors. Look for a shoe that offers an all-over wash of nude or light brown, with a same-color sole and heel. It’s an easy look to find, and it’s slimming, especially if you choose a leather sandal style.

Go Nude: A popular trend for spring and summer, nude shoes create the impression of longer and leaner looking legs because you can’t tell where the leg ends and the shoe begins. Aim for a hue within a few shades of skin tone to get slimmer looking legs.

Pointier-Toed Heels: Pointy heels can be scary, but ultra rounded toes can make your legs look heavier than they really are. A lightly pointed heel is a great look, and perfect for women with a heavier calf because it visually slims the legs, especially when crafted in a rosy nude or light skin tone.

Thong Platform Sandals: We’re not talking rubber flip flop kind of platforms. However, the perfect shoes are a cross-hybrid of half espadrilles (in the soles) and half thong/flip flop (in the strap area). Toss on a pair of thong platform sandals with a sleek skirt to balance the heavier sole for a slimming effect.

Thick Heels: Kitten heels can make legs look extra thick. A thicker, slightly sturdier heel with an open back is an excellent look. Try sling backs to give a thick heel a trendier look.

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes!, Tips & Tutorials Related Topics: large calf shoes, large calves, monochrome shoes, myshoes.com, nude shoes, shoes for large calves, single strap shoes, summer 2010 shoe tips, summer shoe trends 2010, thong platform sandals

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PF Flyers’ Bob Cousy Sneakers Summer 2010

June 4th, 2010 by Laney

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For summer 2010, PF Flyers is reaching back into its heritage by making the old into new. PF bridges the classic sport shoe with modern fashion. PF Flyers continues to set the standard in timeless luxury sneakers. The PF Flyers Bob Cousy Lo is an easy to wear, lightweight sneaker perfect for upcoming summer activities!

The PF Flyers Bob Cousy Lo is a rare basketball low top, which was worn by the sport’s first superstar, Bob Cousy. It has a one-of-a-kind Gullwing Closure™ and model-specific logo markings as well as a Posture Foundation insole.

Forward fashion and classic sport intersect throughout the spring collection. A seven-decade tradition of sport and leisure come to life with the punch of pennant colors for spring.

Available in red canvas, as well as natural, black, navy, light grey, and ivory at Neiman Marcus department stores ($70.00).

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: bob cousy, gullwing closure, neiman marcus sneakers, pf flyers, pf flyers at neiman marcus, pf flyers bob cousy lo

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Review: Fabbys Roll-Up Ballet Flats

May 11th, 2010 by Laney

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If you love high heels, then you will adore fabbys, the super cute, super compact, rollable ballet flats that can fit in a small clutch.

Retailing at just $19.95, fabbys are a must-have accessory for every purse, party bag, travel kit, and desk drawer – anywhere you might want to swap your heels for a cute, comfy alternative.

Each pair of fabbys comes in a small velvet pouch and includes a drawstring tote to carry your heels. Fabbys are available in three colors: Be Jealous Black, Glamazon Gold, and Shameless Silver.

I recently received my very own fabbys in the mail, for review – in Shameless Silver, in case you’re wondering. Before I received them, I wasn’t particularly interested in a rollable shoe… I usually just suck it up and let the blisters form, or carry flip flops in my purse. This totally changed when I actually received the fabbys.

First off, they really are cute shoes. If they were a little sturdier, I’d wear them out on their own, rather than keeping them as a backup pair. However, they’re perfect in the as a supporting actor in the footwear arena. I love that they come with both their own little pouch, and a bag for your main footwear choice. That’s something I always forget to do, and I hate putting dirty shoes into my bag or letting them rattle around in the back of my car (where I inevitably forget about them for a week or two).

I like to wear my fabbys around the house, in place of slippers. They feel like light socks, are comfortable, and are perfect for when I need to run out and check the mail or run a quick errand. In fact, I’m actually thinking about picking up a pair of insoles (required for my flat feet) so I can wear these babies more frequently.

Beyond being perfect for replacing high heels after a long day, fabbys are also great for travel. I’m going on vacation soon and I plan on wearing these to the airport. They’ll be a breeze to take through security, and if I want to take my shoes off on the plane, I won’t lose any foot room to bulky sneakers or pumps. They’ll be great to wear down to the hotel pool as well, or throw on for a quick trip down to the vending machine. They’re made from water resistant, skid proof material so they’ll hold up well for short ventures – but these are not meant for all day wear!

Fabbys are available in Small, Medium, and Large. Large is supposed to fit a size 9.5 to a 10.5 but I definitely think they run small. I wear a size 10 and these *just* fit so if you’re on the fence about what size to order, I’d order up. And I’d stock up, too – if you buy 2 pairs, you receive free shipping, and if you order all three colors you’ll pay only $49.95 for the whole package.

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: ballet flats, fabbys, fabbys rollable ballet flat, high heel alternatives, portable shoes, roll up shoes, rollable shoes, travel shoes

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Giveaway: Rockport Audry Sandals ($130 Value!)

May 5th, 2010 by Laney

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Recently, Melissa Rycroft was spotted wearing Rockport sandals in New York City.

In addition to being a contestant on ABC’s The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars, Melissa is also a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and was named to People magazine’s list of World’s Most Beautiful People and Maxim’s list of “Hot 100”.

Stylishly designed, the Rockport® Audry Strappy women’s sandal also offers an incredibly comfortable fit. It features a breathable PU footbed for moisture absorption and odor resistance, and the rubber outsole ensures durability and traction on a variety of surfaces.

The Rockport “Audry Strappy” sandal is available on Rockport online for the price of $130.00, and comes in the black colorway (shown) and brown.

They’re a fabulously versatile pair of sandals, which makes the well worth the money. They look adorable with Rycroft’s casual cutoffs and tee, but would pair equally well with a summer dress or even a glamorous evening gown. Audry could easily become your go-to shoes, and a staple in your footwear wardrobe. I’m head over heels for them – pun totally intended.

Right now, Rockport’s running a special – buy one pair of shoes and get 25% off the second pair. If you’re like me, and have recently realized that you don’t own that happy medium between flip flops and sneakers, this is a great time to stock up!

Of course, one of you gals doesn’t need to worry about whipping out a credit card or forgoing your lattes this week… Rockport has generously offered to give away a pair of their Audry Sandals here on The Fashionable Gal (they’re also sending a pair to me)!

Also, don’t forget to enter Rockport’s “Say NO to the Shoe Pile” Facebook Giveaway, which runs through May 28th!

Contest Info: One lucky gal will win a pair of Rockport Audry Sandals in black or brown (your color preference will be taken into consideration but not guaranteed). Contest will run from now until May 19, 2010, 11:59 PM EST. You MUST complete the Mandatory Entry in order for any extras to count; please leave a separate comment for each entry. US Residents only, sorry.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Rockport and tell me your favorite pair of shoes (other than the Audrys).

Extra Entries:

Follow @fashionablegal on Twitter – 1 Entry

Fan The Fashionable Gal on Facebook – 1 Entry

Subscribe to my newsletter – 1 Entry

Blog this Giveaway (leave a direct link in comments) – 5 Entries

Add me to your Blog Roll – 3 Entries

Share this giveaway any other way (i.e. Facebook, Stumble, Digg, etc.!) – 1 Entry per Location

Tweet using the following text – 1 Entry per Tweet, 2 Tweets per Day

Win a pair of Rockport Audry Sandals – as seen on The Bachelor’s Melissa Rycroft – (ARV $130) from @fashionablegal http://wp.me/pbj1u-1Le

Posted in Celebrity Fashion, Contests & Giveaways, Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: melissa rycroft, melissa rycroft fashion, melissa rycroft sandals, melissa rycroft shoes, rockport audry sandals, rockport contest, rockport giveaway, rockport sandals, rockport shoes, summer 2010 footwear trends, summer 2010 sandal trends

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Celebrity Shoe Expert Miss Meghan in Boston and Seattle!

April 23rd, 2010 by Laney

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You’ve read her book, watched her dish on the Red Carpet, seen her on Style, E!, and TVGuide Network, and follow her on Twitter, now meet on-air host and celebrity shoe expert Miss Meghan in person.

This weekend in Boston (Burlington) and next weekend in Seattle, meet Miss Meghan at Nordstrom as she talks Spring Shoe Therapy (R).

Meghan gives you the scoop on must-haves for your Spring shoe wardrobe, including shoes to splurge on and and shoes to score!

NORDSTROM BOSTON:BURLINGTON EVENT

Saturday, April 24, 1- 3 pm

75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, Massachusetts, 01803

NORDSTROM SEATTLE EVENT

Saturday, May 1

500 Pine Street, Seattle, Washington 98101

RSVP here.

About Miss Meghan

Meghan Cleary, aka Miss Meghan, is America’s Shoe Expert, a multi-dimensiional host, on-air personalty and internationally recognized resource on shoe trends, tricks and tips, cultural and societal footwear movements, and what your shoes say about you and creator of Miss Meghan® footwear.

The first fashion personality to Twitter LIVE from the Red Carpet (at the Sex and the City Movie premiere), she is a regular fixture on the Red Carpet talking celeb shoes, contributes to Life & Style Weekly, is author of sold-out fashion tome, The Perfect Fit: What your shoes say about you (Chronicle Books), and the go-to media personality for all things footwear.

She appears regularly everywhere from the Style Network to the TODAY show to Tyra to Extra!, MSNBC to CNN, E! to CosmoRadio, the Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report to Daily Candy, Gothamist to Marie Claire, Real Simple to NPR, and internationally in Australia’s Shop ’til You Drop, New Woman and Sunday Herald, on GMTV and the BBC, RTN in Croatia, in Glamour UK, The Scotsman, Brasilia, Weekend Bosnia, and SABAH (Turkey). For the past six years she has covered emerging luxury trends for JCREPORT.

Posted in Entertainment, Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: miss meghan, miss meghan at nordstrom, miss meghan spring shoe therapy, nordstrom shoe event, spring 2010 nordstrom, spring 2010 shoe trends, spring shoe therapy

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The New Balance 460 Sailor Stripe Collection

April 21st, 2010 by Laney

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The women’s New Balance 460 is updated for spring 2010 with a nautical twist. Featuring bold pennant colors and a unique sailor stripe lining, the 410 is available in red/orange, green/yellow, blue/light blue and white/multi.

What do you think of this New Balance Spring update? Normally I buy black sneakers, but recently I’ve been big on colored footwear. These colors aren’t too trendy or overboard, but they still add a great pop to a casual outfit or a routine workout.

For more colors and to purchase (ARV $65), visit Zappos.

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: new balance, new balance 460 sailor stripe collection, new balance nautical, new balance sneakers, new balance spring 2010, sneakers spring 2010, spring 2010 sneaker trends

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Kimchi Blue Oxford Shoes at Urban Outfitters

April 7th, 2010 by Laney

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I don’t usually shop at Urban Outfitters… In Vermont, there’s such a horrible mass of “trendy” kids who have to have the perfect scarves, over-sized glasses, and quirky apparel all year ’round that you pretty much can’t get through the door. And since these kids all look alike, it’s hard to decipher who’s an tool employee and who’s a tool gawker.

I saw these Kimchi Blue Swiss Dot Oxford shoes in a magazine recently. They come in black and beige, and are strongly making me reconsider my “No Urban Outfitters” policy. Then again, the $38 price tag is kind of keeping me in my seat. What do you think – love ‘em or hate ‘em? Don’t really care either way?

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: kimchi blue, kimchi blue at urban outfitters, kimchi blue oxford shoes, kimchi blue shoes, kimchi blue swiss dot oxford, ladies oxford shoes, urban outfitters, urban outfitters shoes, womens oxford shoes

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Alice + Olive Parter with Keds: Sequined Slip Ons

April 5th, 2010 by Laney

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I love Alice + Olivia, and love it even more when they work on shoe collections at lower price points. The sequined slip-ons above are part of an Alice + Olivia collaboration with Keds and I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair!

“Alice + Olivia founder Stacey Bendet created a version of Keds’ classic Champion style inspired by her spring collection. Available in four colors — black, silver, pale pink and safari green — each slip-on shoe is adorned with colored sequins and retails for $88.

‘I don’t think I removed Keds from my feet as a kid,’ Bendet said. ‘I can’t even count how many pairs I had. We decided to do a collaboration that would bring a little Alice + Olivia fun to the 2010 Keds Champion.’”

The shoes will retail for $88 and be sold exclusively through Neiman Marcus and Alice + Olivia online. I do not have an exact release date at this time.

Posted in Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Related Topics: alice + olivia, alice + olivia at neiman marcus, alice + olivia for keds, alice + olivia shoes, ked sequined shoes, keds slip ons, sequin shoes, sequin slip ons

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H Williams Luxury Footwear on Gilt Groupe!

March 31st, 2010 by Laney

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If you have been craving a pair of H Williams shoes, the Italian made, luxury footwear will be sold at truly deep discounts. Styles will include the Elise strappy bootie in black suede, the Millburn croc embossed flat boot, and the Rueda python zipper bootie in metallic python.

Join Gilt and start shopping! This boutique will be starting shortly and you don’t want to miss out…