Cat in Heels

Today I read that what you do on New Years is indicative of how you will spend the rest of the year. For most of the people I know that means they'll spend the whole year drunk, or spend it at home. Or both. Totally predictable but you can't go wrong Regardless of whether you're  going to a house party or a night out on the town, New Years gives way to outfits that people plan for all year and the perfect shoes are really important. Not ending up looking like an ass in your perfect shoes is even more important. Glitter sparkles and rhinestones are always the perfect thing to ring in the New Year. They're also perfectly obvious. Another suggestion I got via Twitter was that as long as you're wearing your highest heels, nothing else matters. I'm not even sure what my highest heels are. I guess I could measure all my heels and figure it out, but then I'd have to plan outfits around the heels, and transportation. Depending on what you're doing in...

Christmas is right around the corner (like a matter of hours now) and as we all start to get ready for the various holiday parties we have to go to, whether good or bad, there is inevitably a lot of stressing out about what to wear. Christmas stuff I would love to wear!  My immediate family sits in the living room and gorges themselves on food for hour after hour, and we still dress up. As if my mom, dad and sisters haven't seen me at my worst, yet on Christmas we all dress up. I'm not much of one for holiday clothes either. The day you see me in a reindeer sweater is the day Hell has frozen over or I lost a very large bet. Shoes, on the other hand can be a different story, especially when they're like the ones done by the always brilliant Charlotte Olympia . An entire line of Christmas shoes and accessories, includes heels, flats and handbags, and they're all to die for. The Holly flat The Jingle Bell Dolly is my personal favorite in red velvet with ...

Today I had a rare day off, and I found it somewhat fitting that today (the 21st) is also the end of the world. At least according to some people who decided that they know what the ancient Mayans were thinking. So as I got ready to leave the house, I wasn't sure what kind of shoes I should wear for the end of the world. I mean, if they had explained how it would end that would be helpful, but they didn't so what;s a girl to do? Ready for the zombie apocalypse.  I mean is this going to be a Walking Dead zombie style end of the world? Are we talking Mad Max where I have to wear leather and chain mail and fight? Or will everything just explode and that will be the end of it. All of these scenarios involve very different footwear needs. I asked my Facebook and Twitter peeps what they thought would be appropriate footwear for the end of the world, and the responses were amazing (and varied). My mom's suggestion was that I wear something I could run in. But th...

The holidays are the best and worst time to go shopping. This is why I shop online - too many people.  Sales are in abundance, new product has been released just for the holiday season, and you get the chance to see it all with the perfect excuse to roam the mall endlessly.  It's also the time of year you're supposed to shop for everyone except yourself.  Suck.  Sure, you can play the one-for-you one-for-me game, but suddenly you're eating Ramen for 2 weeks and negotiating with the electric company to keep your lights on. Or you can have a little self control and only buy yourself one thing per shopping trip. This isn't really that bad a plan, until you realize you're buying a scented candle for your favorite aunt because you had to buy that amazing coat on sale at Banana. If this dress is still available, I'm getting it. And I'll wear better shoes and jewlery. I really can't say I'm that much better. I have forced myself to...

People send me shoe things all the time. Pictures, links, art, and most recently, jewelry. I am obsessed with this necklace Yep shoe jewelry. And the best part  - the jewelry is made of Barbie shoes. And I love Barbie. The artist's name is Sara Gallo , and she makes necklaces, earrings and bracelets from doll shoes. And it's amazing. Sara Gallo doesn't just string a couple pairs of plastic shoes onto a piece of jewelry wire, she turns them into wearable art. She twists and turns the shoes into intricate designs, adding jeweled and beaded accents and creating really unique jewelry. With these shoes aren't just for your feet.  Necklaces contain up to 500 tiny little doll shoes, and they come in a full rainbow of colors, and all different style of heels. Pointed toes, open toe sandals, heels with little bows on them, strappy sandals. It's like being able to wear Barbie's shoe closet. Of course the other jewelry by Sara Gallo is fantastic and ar...

A couple days ago my brother-in-law texted me and asked where I was at 2:00 that morning. I replied that I had just gotten into bed around then because my flight got in late, and why was he asking. Broken glass and a lone flat at Jimmy Choo after the break-in. Because the Jimmy Choo store on Oak Street in Chicago's high-end Gold Coast neighborhood was robbed and $20,000 in merchandise was stolen . He joked that I was his first suspect. I would love a pair of Jimmy Choo's but I'll save my money and buy them honestly. In reality it was three men. Two to bust open the door and one to drive the getaway car. I haven't read any news reports that noted exactly what was stolen, but since shoes start at around $300 and can go over $3,000, they got a good amount of stuff. Handbags also range into the thousands of dollars. So today my condolences go out to the Jimmy Choo store in Chicago. At least no one was hurt, and I'm sure the store has insurance that w...

I just got back from a business trip to San Francisco that culminated in a shopping spree of epic proportions. I wrote about the beginning in Shopping in San Fran - Part 1 . Now the story continues.... As Esther and I headed out we both had that adrenaline rush that can only come from knowing you're going to find something amazing. That rush when you're determined to find something amazing. We burst into  Ross and headed straight for the shoes. Within in a matter of minutes Esther's arms were full of heels and we had to hunt down a basket. Every aisle we went into held a new and more wonderful heeled surprise. Vince Camuto , Jessica Simpson , Chinese Laundry , Sam Edelman , Dollhouse , Carlos , Dolce Vita , and the list goes on. When we were done looking in her size we looked in mine, and back to hers, and back to mine, and then into handbags and dresses. A basket full of heels "How many pairs of shoes do you think we have in here?" Esther asked as th...

Sometimes when I'm out shopping I see something that triggers a memory of a conversation I had with someone or makes me think of a friend or family member. Sometimes that feeling is so great I'll snap a photo and send it to them. This week I escaped the confines of the hotel in San Francisco long enough to wander out into Union Square and find Ross , a discount superstore akin to TJ Maxx and Marshalls  (which I love). As I wandered through the shoe section (because where else would I start) I saw a pair of black glitter with black spikes, Steve Madden Andiie heels, that made me think of my friend Esther (who was at the conference with me) and a conversation we had over sushi that day at lunch. It can be summed up by this: We both love spikes on shoes. The rack of perfect shoes. Since I have an insane number of shoes (with and without spikes), I sent Esther a photo of the shoes, letting her know that she obviously needed them, and what size should I pick up. She repl...

There's really nothing better than fashion and cocktails, and when it comes to fashion the accessories are really what can make or break an outfit. That's probably why I love shoes. The evening's purchases Another amazing, and often ignored accessory is hats, which I love (almost as much as shoes). When I was in New Orleans this summer I fell in love with Goorin Brothers hats, so I was delighted when I found that there were a couple shops in Chicago, and even more excited when Chicago Blogger Network chose one of the Goorin Bros . stores to host a holiday party. I brought my husband along for this one since the event was open to the public, and he loves hats. Death's Door Spirits was there making some amazing cocktails and there were appetizers spread throughout the store. Sarah was our amazing sales associate who helped me pick out hats that I fell in love with. One after the other. A burgundy fedora from the Peekaboo collection, black 1920s style hat ...

If you're looking for a fab gift for your mom or sister, want to give a not-so-subtle hint to your significant other, or want to treat yourself, there's a hell of a Kate Spade  sale on Gilt today starting at 11:00 am.  Everyone needs a new bag Dresses, jewelry, bags, and (of course) shoes, all hundreds of dollars off their original price.  Hundreds. As in save three digits. How can you pass that up?  I'm personally already obsessing over a couple bags. The Chambers Street Carlyle Satchel - $169 (original $368) and the Mansfilled Liv Satchel - $239 (original $428). When it comes to shoes, I'm drooling over the leopard print Devon Satin Pump -$135 (original $298). Shoes galore The dresses and jewelry are to die for too. Even if you're not the biggest Kate Spade fan in the world, but there's something here for everyone. Some of the items are even hand-picked by Deborah Loyd, president and creative director of Kate Spade. So set the alarms on ...

Manolo Blahnik has never made his dislike of platforms a secret. He has called them "suspicious" and said they're the wrong shape for a woman's leg. Lucky for Manolo (and the rest of us, in his opinion), it looks like shoes may be getting a little shorter as "zero sole" shoes have started to pop up all over. Kandee Shoes takes off the platform. I love platforms. I was married in platforms, I wear them to work, to bars dinner, family functions...really there's nothing that platforms aren't perfect for. Except maybe walking. When I first started wearing heels the zero platforms were in style, and it's what I fell in love with. Since zero platform shoes have started to pop up in stores again I have been buying them up like crazy because I have to admit that I still love them. Easier to walk in than platform heels, they do create a good look for the leg and are easier to balance in.  For me they also conjure up images of women in powe...

Sparkles always become a big thing around the holidays, but this fall metallics have been seeping into heels for everyday wear. Giuseppe Zanotti perfection I love metallic heels, and think that gold or silver can easily be worn as an everyday shoe. Treat them as  neutrals, only with a little more pizazz. Silver heels can be incorporated into anything with a gray base very easily. After all, silver is just gray with some shine. You can also cap off a great pair of white pants or a dress with silver shoes, or put them with anything black to dress it up a little. Gold can also be paired with black, and you can tie it all together with some amazing accessories. It can also tie together a brown/black combo if you don't have a tortoiseshell option, or are simply looking for something different. Of course either of these choices are seamlessly paired with flashy holiday sweaters that have gold or silver threaded through them or have metallic accents. All...

Since Mad Men hit the airwaves a few years ago the pinup look has had a massive resurgence and is still a look women aspire to again. Pinup can be a great look, and can be really classy. There are some great clothes available too by retro-inspired brands like Pinup Girl Clothing . One of the best parts of these retro looks is that pencil skirts, button down tops, circle skirts and sweaters can be dressed up for a night out or made perfectly work appropriate. The platform gives this an updated look. I'm always looking for things I can wear in multiple parts of my life, and try not to always look like I'm at work (even though I'm always at work). The thing that really can make or break the look though, (in my opinion) is the shoes. I know that really shocks you, this being a shoe blog and all. But really, a pair of shoes can complete a look or send everything to hell, and when you're trying to create a specific look it's even more important. If you'r...

Over the last week Hurricane Sandy tore into the East Coast and totally ravaged her way through the Caribbean and into New York and New Jersey. I was traveling to the West Coast on business when the hurricane hit, and I watched closely, keeping in contact with friends in New York and New Jersey for as long as they had a cell phone battery. Twitter and Facebook also kept me updated on what was going on as residents posted pics and updates. It also gave me the opportunity to see marketing at its best and worst. I’m in marketing and business development. It’s what I do for a living, and I’m pretty good at it. I also don’t think that you need to be good at it to know that a natural disaster is NOT the thing to try and capitalize on to drive sales. These people aren't worried about shopping.  I watched in horror Monday as “Sandy Sales” popped up all over the web. 20% off for people stuck inside shopping, and special discounts for people on the East Coast. Because I bet t...

Like my closet, but bigger. Last night I got an advance sneak peek into the Gilt City Raid the Warehouse sale in Chicago, and it was overwhelming. That's putting it mildly. I was escorted into the Museum of Contemporary Art Warehouse by a gentleman in a suit, and after walking up a ramp was suddenly standing in line. There's always a line. After checking my coat and bag I walked up a very warehouse set of concrete steps, and into a room filled with Vita Coco , champagne, Popchips , Benefit Cosmetics and other vendors. After getting a glass of champagne I turned the corner and was faced with tables and tables of shoes. Pretty sure I heard angels singing. I headed straight for the size 7 section and started digging through boxes and boxes of shoes. Around me women were in a frenzy, pulling on Hunters , Ted Baker boots, and heels galore. I started sifting through boxes and found a few things I liked. One was a pair of cork heels (until I already realized I have ...

Mid-calf Louboutins Fall and winter means boot season. There's nothing better than slipping on a pair of well worn boots with a pair of jeans on the weekend, or jumping puddles in the city in a skirt and pair of heeled boots. When it comes to boots I apparently start to think I live in some kind of commercial. Boots are kind of a tricky one though. With so many different heights, heels, toe shapes, and sillouetes, how are you supposed to know what works and what doesn't before you make the investment? The sometimes daring over the knee boot is a great look, but only if you're tall and skinny. They can look great with a pair of jeans or leggings, or a fabulous mini skirt for a night out. My preference for over the knee boots is always something with a heel and small platform. It creates that enviable legs for days look. There are flats out there, but one wrong piece of clothing a suddenly you look like an extra from Robin Hood. And I mean that in the worst way pos...

No joke. I got to meet the legendary designer and his son Jesse Friday at the Nordstrom on Michigan Avenue where Sam was talking to fans, signing shoe boxes and being generally fabulous. I wish I could wear spikes to the office.  As I wandered around and drooled over the new line Circus by Sam Edelman , and sipped an Izzie drink brought to me by waiters, I couldn't help but notice the frenzy around me. Women were clamoring for shoes. Sales people were in short supply as they brought out piles of the green and black boxes and women tore through the wrapping like kids at Christmas. Sam Edelman is also the Sam behind Sam and Libby, the footwear company that came to fame in the 1980s with their ballet flat. Now on to something different, Sam Edelman is still designing shoes that make women drool, and the shoe business is still a family affair. I had the chance to speak with Sam's son Jesse for a bit about their new line Circus. A little more flash, a little higher plat...

Oxblood is the “it” color of the season. Or maybe it’s red. How about crimson? Or Rouge? Or…. Or who really gives a shit? The important thing is that red shoes are finally easy to find again. Emerson Fry dream heels Seriously, this was once an issue. I had one pair of red shoes. They were a pointed toe pump with a double strap from Chinese Laundry and I wore them to death. Their death anyway. I wore them until the leather straps threatened to snap and the soles were wearing thin. I even bought red shoe polish so I could cover the scuffs on them. When they finally died, I mourned and spent years looking for the right red shoes. Finally I found a couple pair, though nothing that quite took the place of that original pair. This week my sister decided to ask for my assistance in finding a pair of oxblood pumps. She fell in love with a pair from Emerson Fry , and was looking for something comparable that’s a little less than $200. Lucky for her this is the season ...