| Guilty pleasures: shoe trends for fall |
[Sep. 26th, 2006|10:23 pm] |
Guilty pleasures: shoe trends for fall
So many shoes, so little time. When a new fashion season kicks off and it's time to slip into a new pair of boots - or two or three, shopping for shoes becomes a major obsession. All of a sudden those flip-flops we've worn all summer seem a little bare and it's time to do the big shopping trip. And what is usually at the top of our list? Shoes, of course.
We all know shoes can make or break an outfit, even if it's jeans and a T-shirt.
And most of us don't really care what we spend on that "perfect" pair of shoes - or do we?
"Buying new shoes can be fun and even therapeutic," says Shari Shakun, vice president and general merchandise manager for online store SmartBargains.com, who has recently launched an extensive shoe division. "It's not surprising that so many women can't get enough of them."
In a recent survey commissioned by Shakun's company and conducted by Harris Interactive, many women would gladly sacrifice a few of life's simple pleasures - chocolate (36 percent) or dinner out (37 percent) - for a really great pair of shoes, and 25 percent of the almost 1,400 women surveyed said they have felt guilty about the money they've spent on shoes.
"For women who see shoe shopping as an indulgence, there can often be a guilt factor as well," says Shakun. But most of us who love to browse shoe Web sites for a bargain on a pair of pony-hair peep toe pumps or stroll the aisles of the shoe department in our favorite stores during a great sale know the power of wearing a new pair of shoes that transforms our flip-flop world into a velvety underground, especially at this time of year, when the jeweled holiday T-straps and the fur ballet flats slip into view.
"Shoes can be a great form of expression; the more original the choice, the more a woman's individual personality can shine through," Shakun adds.
So girls, get your lunch money out and let's go shopping for shoes. Here are a few of fall's best fashion footwear trends to splurge on:
Boots, boots, boots. From shoe boots to ankle boots to knee-highs, there's a boot for every occasion. Pick out a great everyday boot first, preferably a flat, then go for the more glamorous high-heeled ones for evening soirees.
Metallics. In silver, coppery bronze or brilliant gold, the metallics are still shining, and will really spark up a fall-into-holiday wardrobe. A pair of shimmery Mary Janes is a great choice.
Animal instincts. The exotic reptile looks and animal prints such as leopard or zebra are a big hit this fall. Fur trims are an added bonus. In pumps or flats, boots or mules, these are the new classic basics that go with everything from jeans to party dresses.
Wedgies. The platform is taking us higher for fall in pumps and boots - a great look with the long, lean skinny jeans for even more height. A pair of peep-toe platform pumps channels Marilyn Monroe and her Hollywood pin-up pals.
Girly frills. Ruffles and bows, jewels and buckles - a little embellishment goes a long way in these new shoes that are often works of art and deserve their own special place in the closet.
Patent leather. Black leads the way, but the shine continues in high-gloss color - red, in particular, is another high-voltage way to shoe in the fall.
Ballet flats. Dance the night away - and the day, too, for that matter - in these comfortable slip-ons that come in tweed, plaid and metallic versions.Go for simple chic in unadorned styles or more dressed up with ribbons and a jewel or two.
Toe-to-toe. Can't decide which way to go? Pointed, round or squared off? This fall, shoe designers give you all of the above, so take your pick and let comfort be your guide.
Sharon Mosley is a former fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Reporters Association.
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