Cat in Heels

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 ...

Anyone who is a true shopaholic knows about Gilt, and if you’re one of the lucky few to have Gilt City, you know about that as well. Well, Chicago is lucky because the Gilt City Warehouse Sale is returning to Chicago, always has all kinds of fabulous finds, and tickets went on sale today. Be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible and get in on great men's and women's fashion, kids clothes and home decor at the amazing Gilt City prices. If you're not yet a member of Gilt City you can join now , and get tickets for this great event. Ticket prices vary by date.  Friday, October 26 - 9:30 pm - 11:30 pm - Tickets are $20 Saturday, October 27 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm - Tickets are $15 Saturday, October 27 - 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Tickets are $10 Saturday, October 27 - 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Tickets are $5 Saturday, October 27 - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Tickets are $5 The sale is being held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Warehouse at 1747 W. Hubbard St. And ...

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which accounts for all the pink. I think I need these Charles David heels. Ribbons at the airports, pink tops of buildings, and pink pins on clothes all bring awareness to and assist in raising money for horrible cancer that we have yet to find a cure for, and has a ton of brave survivors. People and companies all find different ways to wear pink, raise money and raise awareness. One of the best ideas I have heard all month though is to wear pink shoes. Sure, it's not as philanthropic as running a marathon, doing a walk or listening to a survivor's story, but if you're short on time and want to help, it's just one more way to show support. Plus, seeing as how I have a random abundance of pink heels, this works well for me. But if you're like most people and don't have an entire section of closet that looks like it may belong to Barbie, there are plenty of heels out there. The best part is that not o...

For those of us who live in heels (and don’t own a lot of flats), an injury to a leg or foot can be a problem. I mean, it’s a problem for anyone, but if you don’t have the right shoes to when then it’s an even bigger problem. Christ, I sound so shallow sometimes. My mom pointed out my toenail polish matches. Anyway, problems aside, I found myself in a funny (as in odd) predicament the other day when at kickboxing I turned my foot the wrong way, jammed my big toe into the bag, and managed to hurt myself to that point where I was having trouble breathing. Not wanting to look like a wuss, I shook it off, finished the class, went home, whined at my husband, and went about my day. Which included my grandfather’s 90th birthday, complete with pencil skirt, Fluevog boots and standing all evening catching up with relatives. As I finished the night and was walking from the car I was thinking how much my foot hurt, but figured it was just from standing and wearing tights or something eq...

I have to send a super huge thanks and hugs out to the beautiful Elizabeth Keene at A Keene Sense of Style and Charles David for the amazing shoes they sent me. Love these! A Keene Sense of Style hosted a giveaway on her blog with Charles David and gave away a pair of beautiful suede and leather pumps. I was lucky enough to win (which was amazing because I never win anything), and now they're in my loving home. Like my other Charles David pumps, they're comfortable as hell because they have perfected the pitch of high heels shoes, and all their shoes can be worn all day. My only problem with them is that the ankle strap is a little short for my muscular legs. Not so tight I can't buckle them, but just enough that it's buckled as loosely as possible. Keene pairs them with some fab printed pants on her blog.  So far they've only been paired with my navy Banana Republic cigarette pants, but they're going to be a staple all winter. Aside from t...

Years ago I wandered into an eccentric little shoe store in my up-and-coming neighborhood and fell in love with a heel. The Fluevogs that were my obsession and rent money Actually I fell in love with a designer, but it was the heels he put on shoes that really made my heart race, and made John Fluevog shoes the first pair of designer heels I splurged on.  (I spent my whole bonus check to get these shoes, and didn’t pay any bills). What makes them so unique? Aside from John’s use of color and cut, often creating a modern take on classic and Victorian styles, it was the fluted heel that took my breath away. Featured on shoes, boots, booties, dressy and casual heels, I would wander the store tracing the curve of the heel in a way that probably bordered on pornographic, and wish all my shoes were as beautiful as the ones Fluevog made. Alice and Olivia So you can imagine my surprise when wandering through Nordstrom Salon Shoes when I started seeing fluted heels...