Diamonds may be a girl's best friend...

...but a nice pair of shoes are a close runner up. Women tend to put a lot of time into their appearance from head to toe but we all know the perfect pair of shoes can make an outfit. Weekly we will bring you new posts on the latest trends in women's shoe apparel, from high end designers like Christian Louboutin and Giuseppe Zanotti to more affordable brands. We do this in hopes of showing how fashion is accessible to the masses regardless of income, status, or any other factor. Although the overall focus of this blog is shoes, each of us contributing to this blog hope to offer something unique.

Enjoy!

Post #10: Oh Mary Jane

Those sweet Mary Jane shoes have grown up and gone sexy! Mary Janes are those classic shoes that were traditionally flat or low-heeled with the signature buckle strap going across the foot's instep. Naturally, what comes to mind when you hear this shoe style is a young girl in a school uniform or formal attire. These are now modernized to the likes of fabulously trendy women today. Platforms are rising, heels are becoming more steep, and an array of colors, prints, and materials are adding a new twist to these classics.

Bakers $85

TOPSHOP $140

Bebe $150

           

Yves Saint Laurent $795

These Christian Louboutin nude platform Mary Janes are about 6" high! Fearless celebrities such as Beyonce and Kim Kardashian still manage find a way to create a flirty casual outfit perfect for day or night.

Mary Janes that have an open toe look dressier and look great with knee-length dresses. Classic black or bold reds also make these heels irrisistable.

Many celebrities are huge fans of this shoe, but who can blame them, these heels provide the perfect mix of sexy, feminine, and classy. Strut your stuff or store them in your closet until inifinity because this is one versatile shoe that will never go out of style.

- Christina Ocampo

Post #9: All That Glitters

One of the latest trends in women shoe apparel is glitter detail. This small yet eye popping transformation takes styles that women sport regularly. pumps, oxfords, peep toe, wedges, and give them a little something extra. As I usually do with my post, below I've listed some styles across all price points that align with this latest trend.

 Target carries this affordable and stylish black, glitter, round toe pump with platform for $29.99

Bakers Shoes offers an almost identical platform pump called Victoria G for $85

Along the same moderate price point at $94.95, Nordstrom offers an Enzo Angiolini 

peep toe platform pump that pays an ode to the Wizard of Oz

This last style is from Badgley Mischka that retails for  $200 from Nordstrom 

One of the great things about this glitter trends is that wearing these shoes can be the statement piece of your entire outfit and you can minimize your outfit selection like Beyonce did in the images below:

Or you can go all the way and pull off a busy look flawlessly like Alicia Keys did below:

We can also take a cue from Miley Cyrus, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Fergie:

As always, One of the best things about fashion is that there's really no right or wrong so whatever you do, just be sure to make the style your own ;-)

-Sanura

Post #8: Shape Up and Look Good

Shape Up and Look Good
     Summer is right around the corner and all of us women are thinking: my bikini bod isn't ready yet! Not to worry ladies. Its time to enjoy spring and switch from the gym to the great outdoors. Run by the beach or your nearest park either with friends or solo to clear the mind... and do it all in your new sneakers. Over the years workout attire has become a fashion statement for multiple tasks in our busy lives. Outfits have become chic and many brands have created outfits for any workout or occasion. By investing in new shoes it will motivate you to wear them, workout, and look good while doing it. There are soooo many types of fashionable and creative work out shoes on the market these days. You can create your very own personalized ID shoe by Nike, get an extra easy push with Reebok or sketchers shape ups, or go for the classic running or hiking shoe. Here are some of my absolute favorite sneakers that are affordable and summer cute!! Good luck in your new hot workouts ladies:)
     <3 Jenna

 

 

Skecher Kardashian Collection

Women's Shape-ups - Kinetix Response S R T Training Shoes: $100.00

SKECHERS Shape-ups Kinetix Response SRT training shoes can do the tri-fecta!!
1. Tone your muscles 2. Promote healthy weight loss 3. Make it easy to get in shape! With a variety of fun colors to choose from. For the busy women who wants to work out while running around town.

Nike Air Pegasus +27

(NIKEid available)

$155.00

These Nike shoes are the perfect comfortable and durable running shoe. Either for on the treadmill or on the cement outdoors. Light weight and easy to clean. And guess what? The air Pegasus is available to customize using the Nike id! Create your very own shoes choosing from a variety of colors, fabrics and materials. Be Yourself!!

Reebok Zig Fuel - Women's: $99.99

Feel the shoe with the energy boost. The first ZigTech shoe built for running, allows key leg muscles to do less, so you can do more! Its sole technology maximizes energy for a soft and springy ride. It’s like an energy drink for your feet :)

Asics: Gel- DS Sky Speed
$105.00

Asics is a classic brand that has worked with athletes and teams all around the world. This training running shoe will never let you down, its comfortable, durable and breathable for those hot summer days.

Pair with:

lulu Lemon run crop: $86.00

       

  Champion USA tank: $18.00   

  

    

  lulu Lemon Stride brushed Jacket:   $118.00

Post #7: So Very Edgy!

Fashion Designers have successfully found another way to make wedges and heels extremely EDGY... literally and physically. If your looking for a great pair of shoes that will attract the likes of fashion lovers as well as architects, then sulk into a pair of architectural heels. Sharp angles, hollow spaces, and geometric shapes are only a few of the different design techniques applied to the creation of these fun shoes. The wedges have been made into an architectural shoe form with the use of cut-outs of the straps and the actual wedge. The booties or pumps that have regular heels take on a different architectural form by adding bulk to the skinny heel. Chunks of material such as lucite have been added to look similar to an iceberg or a raw crystal while blocks and other geometric shapes give the other shoes a Lego or Tetris look.

How cool are these?! These John Galliano wedges in particular stand out to me because of two particular reasons. First... I have never seen a shoe structured like this! The hollow interior with the gap in the arch of the foot makes the foot appear like its floating. Secondly, I love the mix of the colors and playfulness of the pattern that compliments the effect of a futuristic shoe.

Are these shoes modern? VERY. Are they practical? Probably not. Below shows how Jeffrey Campbell that have dipped their feet into the architectural trend but have managed to keep them wearable. 

Top and Bottom: Balenciaga $999

The fact that these heels are so out of the ordinary and borderline unconventional, not many celebrities are bold enough put a pair on, but we have to admit that those who have tried definitely rocked the look! 

Lady Gaga, like always, is never afraid to break out of the ordinary. She takes a risk by walking the red carpet in these sky-high heels that barely have any support considering the steep angles of the platform.

Seeing how designers can take a basic shoe and re-structure the whole form is amazing. This shows how there are absolutely no rules in fashion and nothing is impossible. 

- Christina Ocampo

Post #6: He makes them look good, SHE makes them look better...

There’s something about a woman in man’s clothing that has always been sold as sexy, but what about a woman in men’s shoes? I’m not talking about your average wingtip but I’m thinking more along the line of another recent shoe trend….OXFORDS!

I remember when I first saw these shoes on women I was a bit taken back but they have definitely grown on me. It never ceases to amaze me how women can take something masculine and with the right outfit and accessories make it feminine, flirty, and fashionable.Where as men would probably wear there oxfords with a suit, women on the other hand pair their's with shorts, skirts, leggings, tights, jeans...you name it!

As I do with all my post, I like to show how fashion is affordable to the masses so I came across these three oxfords that hit the trend dead on from low ($)  to high ($$$) end. Regardless of your budget you can fall right in line with this latest shoe trend.

The first style comes from fast fashion retailer Forever 21 for $24.80: 

The second style comes from Nordstrom and is Jeffrey Campbell "Miller" Oxford and retails for $109.95:

The third and last style comes from Zappos Couture and retails for $585:

And while you're at it, dare to be different and try a a pair with a  pop of color, funky laces, or some embellishment like the styles shown below:

- Sanura A. Williams