{Maurie & Eve Creeper Wedge in Alligator}

Long before I got my hands on these  fantastic pants, I saw an awesome pair of wedges that I could not afford. They were over $300, a price I could not pay. But all I had to do was bide my time and wait for a good opportunity to come along. And voila! These surprisingly comfortable shoes (they give great arch support) are a late birthday present from family members who gave me ‘green’ birthday presents (they knew I’d spend it on something I’d enjoy).

The pattern is not as bold as the product photos make it out to be. It’s actually a soft light grey pattern on canvas, perfect for making a boring, dreary outfit look entertaining. I also think it’s a smart and adventurous way to incorporate exotic prints without the cruelty of having to farm and then slay living fossils. Not to mention the actual shape of the footwear itself, curving softly down at the back into an aggressive pointed toe right at the tip. The only thing I’m not a big fan of is the leather soles, which are made for leisurely walks at indoor attractions, shopping centres and sheltered pavements, not the chaotic terrain of Aotearoa.

Aside from that small issue, these are crazy fabulous and I love wearing them with a mixture of black, grey, white and blue. They’re not made for wet weather though, so playtime only lasts as long as the sunshine!

{‘Magdalene and the Flame’}

“Sexy is too vast to be defined, but more than anything, it’s an attitude much like elegance.”

–Christian Louboutin

So I went to Ponsnobby today to go redeem the voucher I won at Milly Boutique, only to find she had gone to Sydney to buy summer stock. Doh! Not wanting to waste an excursion into town we went to look at other stores in the area, walked into Tattys and saw these beauties for only $184 dollars. Considering a brand new pair costs around $380 I thought they were a fantastic bargain, but I wasn’t supposed to be buying anything this month. I asked Mr J to put them on layby for next month, and he said “Stuff it, I was going to reward you with a pair of shoes next month but I’ll get you these now so I don’t have to come back to flipping Ponsonby.”

And that, dear reader is how I was rewarded for not shopping by having a pair of shoes bought for me. I’m not sure how that logic works, but I’m not going to argue with it! After months of lusting and scheming,  I finally have my first pair of Kathryn Wilson shoes! I’ve been wearing them for six hours now, maybe I should take them off..

Usually I pride myself on never buying shoes over $100. Many people would never dream of doing such a thing, because of poor workmanship, cheap materials etc etc. I always find the people who complain about cheap shoes usually abuse their shoes or wear the same pair day in and day out. I am very obsessive about maintaining my shoes (every month you can find me cleaning and shining my shoes) and I never wear the same pair of shoes more than once a day, so I never have any problems. But for my birthday my husband decided to buy me two pairs of awesome shoes, on the guarantee that I wouldn’t ask for new shoes until next year.

So I decided I would get one pair for winter and one pair for summer- and I would get the very best I could find. These ankle booties are my winter pair- 4 inches (with a half-inch hidden platform) of awesomeness and made of real leather. They’re not made for novices, and they are perfect to wear with dresses and pants. I barely even touch my knee-high boots anymore, these are perfect for when I go out shopping and have date nights. I’m just mad that they went on sale for $100 less two weeks after I bought them! They’re from Max, and click on the picture to go to their online site.

And then there are my favourite summer shoes- my 5.5in (with 1in platform) Lipstik ‘Paze gladiator heels! I have never owned a pair of brown shoes in my life, and I am glad to make this pair the first. I figured that the Roman/Grecian/Gladiator style will be in for a while, and all I’d have to do is add some feathers and beads and they’d pass for tribal styled shoes. I have been wearing them around the house to break them in, but I cannot wait for the warmer weather so I can wear these! I also wish there was more information on the Lipstik brand as I do like their shoes (even if some of them are more for the boudoir than the boardroom). These were from Andrea Biani and you can click on the picture to go through to their website.

So will I continue to buy cheap shoes or have I converted to designer? I think it all depends on what you use them for and how trendy they are. I think my new shoes are pretty classic and have a long life, whether my cheaper shoes are good for a while and if they give up the ghost I can give them away with no problem. Don’t you think that's the best way to do it?

I really do love the Spring/Summer 08 Marni wedges. The shape looks futuristic and the colours are lovely and neutral, which I thought would make them perfect for investing in. It also helped that many of the fashion bloggers I idolise were wearing them in summer/autumn last year because they managed to snag them in sales (click on their pictures to see their blog).

Of course, I could not afford the US$735 for them, but I didn’t think about looking for copies of them until I found the picture of them in my old laptop.

So I found a BCBGirls chunky heel version of them for US$50 on Amazon (click on pictures to buy), and I really had my heart set on the black ones. I really wanted to get these straight away, even though it’s winter and I just bought a new pair of boots last week. Why? Because tribal styled shoes are going to be the next big thing when spring comes around and there was no way I wasn’t going to be caught dead with such tacky sandals! So I had a huge debate with my husband on whether they were any good to buy or not- but he ended up winning the debate by pointing out that shipping was more expensive than the shoes itself and the ankle strap on the original marni wedges  was too large and could make even the most slender girl’s ankles look chunky. I realised he was right, and as soon as I had given up on them, he started to take a liking to them and offered to get them as a early birthday present. But I had already given up, and decided that I would have a much better birthday without the shoes.

My husband then went to look online for a version that were closer to home and came across these Siren platform heels on RoyalT, a New Zealand online shoe store, but I wasn’t very happy with them either. Because of the three colours, I was at a loss on how to wear them, and at NZ$180+ p&p, they were more expensive than the shoes from Amazon.

So, what do I do? Should I bother buying any of these? Or should I just let them pass me by?

I just love Oh Deer! shoes so much I had to show you a few more that I really, really like. Just click on the picture to head through to the online store.

These are the black and gold versions of the yellow shoe I have. The black one is quite nice, but a little boring for me (so I guess good for those who want to play it safe). I really like the gold shoes, but I really don’t wear enough gold to justify buying them.

How about a sequin houndstooth open toe bootie? I think someone who likes the brogues bootie look would be very impressed with these. I usually like my booties to be plain, but if I didn’t already have a pair of houndstooth-style shoes, I would definitely get these instead.

And last but not least, these fantastic black shoes with gold/purple paint splatter pattern on them. Normally I would shudder at the thought, but these would be great party shoes for going out at night. And they really do grab your attention. Sadly I can’t really afford to have them shipped to the bottom of the Pacific, so I will just have to look after the pair I have!

Taxi Yellow by Foxylicious

Last December, Pantone put out a press release for the Colour of ‘09. They picked Mimosa (a shade of sunshine yellow) for ‘09 because it symbolises the nurturing warmth of the sun, and also because mimosa is a hue that ‘sparks imagination and innovation’.

I’ve never really been enthusiastic about wearing yellow. It’s not that I don’t like the colour- I just don’t know how to wear it.

And then I bought these shoes. Modcloth was selling them as Taxi Heels (they have since sold out- check out Solestruck instead). This was a while before the idea of statement shoes came through- and boy do these make a statement! I had to stop wearing them to lunch because people would compliment the shoes and ask me where I got them from. Hell I even lost a label whore frenemy over these shoes. She called them a cheap plastic chinese shoe from the Warehouse, and when none of her friends agreed with her (they thought they were fantastic) she went into a drunken rant about how at least she was skinnier than me, and how she had a rich boyfriend who bought label clothes from Italy for her. I suddenly realised how shallow she was and went my own way.

So not only will these shoes make a statement, they are also a great frenemy detector! These shoes are still my favourites, and I love to wear them out with a simple black wool dress or black dress pants with a blouse/coat (since it is winter here). But for those lucky enough to experience summer, why not try out some of the items I picked above? I’m actually thinking of painting my nails yellow  (like Natalie Portman) too- I just hope OPI is still selling the summer shades somewhere!

This collection came out about a month ago at Paris Haute Couture Week, but of course I was too busy ogling the sculpted paper hats at Chanel made by Japanese hairstylist Katsuya Kamo.

I read about Roger Vivier's collection, but never saw any pictures of the actual shoes themselves. When I read about the shoes, I thought: Wow, a shoe that goes from a kitten heel to a high heel. How convenient! Then I actually saw pictures of the shoe and thought: Wow...the shoes are alright, but what's with the kitten heel/platform attachment? How ugly!

The 'platform' was inspired by 18th-century ladies socks, who used them to cover their delicate shoes whenever they stepped out onto the pavement. The One is Too heels can be made-to-order, as well as the strap on platforms (you can pick between snakeskin or crocodile).

Now don't get me wrong, I love these shoes. If you have £9,500 and can wait for a few months, I would advise you to go ahead and get these shoes. I also love Roger Vivier- what woman wouldn't be awed by the man who invented the stiletto? I also adore his more practical £315 'Pilgrim' shoe as well.

But those strap on platform kitten heels look like a Boy Racer's car- extra pieces tacked on to make it look more exclusive. It makes something perfectly beautiful by itself look ridiculous instead.

Check out this link if you want to see the 'Dovima', a pair of £30,000 heels. They're gilded silk mesh with jewels 'embellished' with pink dyed taxidermy birds that have gold and crystal heads. Because nothing says luxury like dead animals on your shoes!

“Avoid leading with the ball of your foot instead of the heel. This helps you walk upright without leaning forwards. If you walk with the feeling that your legs are extending from your core, this will help you achieve a more upright position. Start with a medium heel –­ about three inches – or you’ll end up with lower back pain, and walk with your bum sticking out and your knees bent. Just practicing around the house will make a difference.”

-Chyna Whyne of Walking In Stilettos