Way back in 2009 (can’t believe we’re in March of 2010 already), I made a promise to myself to be an equal opportune blogger and highlight more men’s clothing and accessories. I haven’t done such a consistent job of this... actually close to nothing. Therefore, I’m making it up to the gentlemen by dedicating this week’s Shoe of the Moment to them.

Shoe specifications:

• Colour, light gray
• External, suede with silver hardware and a lace-up front.
• Rubber sole

Why I chose this shoe: John Varvatos’ Filmore Chukka Boot comes in various styles and colours, but I’m attracted to this version in grey which is a great option to neutral shoes that usually come in standard black and brown. The design of the Filmore Chukka Boot has clean and soft lines, and has a dressy-casual feel making this a versatile shoe.

Image from Bergdorf Goodman

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Shoes_of_the_moment_Pradas_cle.zip (141 KB)

Footwear for spring/summer 2010 has gotten a whole lot more um... interesting.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, plastic
• Interior, plastic
• Heel height, unknown

Why I chose these shoes: the moment I saw these shoes from Prada’s spring/summer 2010 collection what ran through my mind is a passage from Chris Rock’s 2006 HBO special titled, Never Scarred where he talks about clear heels. Here’s a brief excerpt to provide you with some context:

Daughter: Daddy, can we talk?

Father: Hey, I’m watching the game!

Daughter: I’ll show you! I'm gonna to dance naked to Mötley Crue records and I’m gonna change my name to Cinna Buns! And I'm gonna wear clear heels!

Chris Rock: when did clear heels become the new whore uniform? When did that happen? Was there a big ho convention and all the hos got together and said, “We need something new. Something that just says nasty” ... And one girl said, “I got it! Clear heels!” “Uh, girl you're disgusting!” 

Miuccia Prada’s inspiration for the label’s s/s 2010 collection and its footwear came from the idea of going from “business to beach.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but if someone were to wear clear heels into the office you would instantly label it as inappropriate attire.

While I like Prada’s designs it’s difficult to shake off the imagery and context Rock (and now much of pop culture) has associated with clear heels. You can dress it up with colour and accessories, throw a high-end designer name on it but you still have to overcome the stereotype of wearing clear heels.

To watch part of Chris Rock’s Never Scared segment which talks about clear heels click here.

Images from Obsessedwithshoes.com

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As a member of the Bata Shoe Museum I look forward to its monthly podcasts which provide insightful commentary into the museum’s one-of-a-kind footwear collection. The podcasts tell the related historical and cultural influence of the particular shoe highlighted during the month and is a great way to brush up on your shoe knowledge.

Podcast description: for the next nine months, the podcast series will highlight our newest exhibit "On a Pedestal: From Renaissance Chopines to Baroque Heels." Each month, Senior Curator, Elizabeth Semmelhack will tell the story of one pair of shoes from this extraordinary exhibit. What is the history of each exceptional artefact? What makes it special? And how does it help illuminate the social history of elevating footwear? Join Elizabeth every month and learn more about this once-in-a-lifetime exhibit.

Click here to listen to the podcasts.

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Shoe_of_the_moment_Brian_Atwoo.zip (112 KB)

The moment I saw this shoe, by Brian Atwood, all I could hear in my head was the Guns N’ Roses’ song “Welcome to the Jungle” and Axl Rose’s screaming voice accompanying it.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, exotic whipsnake skin
• Heel height, 14 cm (5½ inches)
• Hidden platform with back metal inset, 3 cm (1¼ inches)
• Peep toe with leather lining and sole

Why I chose this shoe: Brian Atwood’s Whipsnake Slingbacks stood out in the choice and colours of the snakeskin print for this shoe. The black and yellow merge together providing an edgy look and that isn’t too over the top. The metal detailing on the back of the heel mimics the underbelly of a snake and evokes images of the reptile slithering along the jungle floor of the Amazon. 

Images from Saks.com

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Balisi_brings_a_style_invasion.zip (3815 KB)

On a cold winter’s night Balisi rolled out the red carpet treatment with sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres for their loyal family, friends and customers at the grand opening of their fourth store in the bustling hub of Yonge and Eglinton.

Four seems to be a magical number for owners, Cory Kierstead and Rehlee Balisi who were also celebrating their four year anniversary in the fashion/retail business on the same night. To add to this happy occasion, they recently launched an e-commerce site and a mineral cosmetics line called Sinful, comprising of foundation, lipsticks and eye shadows.

Throughout the evening, over 100 guests flowed in and out of the store eyeing the latest wears by Lindsay Perry, Melissa Plastics and Hush Puppies while staff members cheerfully helped customers shop encouraging them to take advantage of the grand opening sale – I escaped with a dress by Alythea.

Balisi's newest store is a great addition to the Yonge and Eglinton area injecting substance and style with their fashion forward shoe picks. Happy anniversary to the Balisi team!

Images taken by Kimberly

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Shoe_of_the_moment_Cydwoqs_Bea.zip (89 KB)

From high heels to flats, I’ve chosen a CYDWOQ (pronounced “sidewalk”) shoe for this week’s blog post.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, vegetable-tanned leather 
• Heel height, not high 
• Colours - brown and gray, brown and gold

Why I chose this shoe: what attracts me to CYDWOQ’s “Beach closed-toe slip-ons” is its rough and rugged look which gives it a lot of character. This shoe is a different aesthetic from what I normally publish, but different can be a good thing. What I like about the CYDWOQ brand is that their footwear is designed to use the “fewest number of leather pieces possible to minimize stitching, and to improve comfort, quality, and durability,” and with time the leather ages moulding to the wearer’s foot.

Images from Gravitypope

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Shoes_of_the_moment_Christian_.zip (129 KB)

We all require a little colour in our shoe closet, but there needs to be a balance between footwear that is fashion forward and eye popping with ones that are subtle and can be worn with multiple outfits and on multiple occasions.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, panama straw-covered leather
• Colour, neutral beige
• Heel height, 12 cm

Why I chose these shoes: recently, I was out with several girl friends and our conversation turned towards the topic of footwear. We all agreed that a good pair of high quality, practical dress shoes is hard to find. For me, I’ve always had a difficult time looking for a pair of nude/neutral coloured heels – I still do. Therefore, when I saw these Christian Louboutin Titi 120 Panama straw pumps my jaw dropped opened, they are a dream. I love how Louboutin paired the neutral colour with the textured straw-covered leather, and his signature red sole puts this almost normal looking shoe on the edge.

What about you? What type of shoes do you have a difficult time looking for?

Images from the Net-A-Porter

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Shoe_of_the_moment_jewel_platf.zip (247 KB)

The first thing which comes to mind when looking at this shoe is Christian Louboutin must have been inspired by a rainbow and then went nuts (in a good way) when using his bedazzler on this shoe to recreate the meteorological phenomenon.

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, blue spechio with all over multicolour jewels
• Heel height, unknown but it’s high!
• Peep toe with a hidden platform
• Made in Italy

Why I chose this shoe: I’ve been in a colourful footwear mood lately (as seen in last week’s Shoe of the Moment) and the Jewel Platform Slingback by Christian Louboutin is an indicator that it's time for spring to start. This is a fun statement shoe that should be worn with a very simple outfit, all black or with a pair of dark jeans and with minimal jewellery. If you have $2,830 USD in your back pocket to spend at Bergdorf Goodman then go nuts and buy this shoe.

Images from Bergdorf Goodman.

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Shoe_of_the_moment_Mason_Suede.zip (195 KB)

One of the hardest things to do when picking a shoe for the week is not the choosing but the self control and restraint I have to exercise from dropping a couple hundred dollars on footwear and say to myself, “Credit card bill be damned!”

Shoe specifications:

• Outer, suede
• Colours – green, pink and yellow
• Heel height, five inches and one inch covered inset platform
• Leather sole

Why I chose this shoe: the vibrant colours of the Mason Suede platform pump by Elizabeth James instantly captures my attention evoking images of spring time and warm weather. I absolutely love the vibrant green and the simplicity of this design which also has a subtle edge with the one inch inset platform. Who would have ever thought that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen could design a decent shoe?

Images from Shopbop

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Today marks my one hundredth blog post for The Souls of My Shoes. It’s hard to image since I started this blog in July that I’ve written 100 posts to date. I won’t go into too much detail about the how and why since I already mentioned the reasons here.

I just want to say thank you to my readers and for those of you who are new to the site welcome and enjoy – here’s to 100 more reasons to love fashion.

Best,

Kimberly

Shoe pictured: Christian Louboutin, Carnaval Nodo Satin d'Orsay Pumps from Saks.com

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