Manolo for the Big Girl

Recently I have been obsessed, OBSESSED I tell you, with buying a pair of green tennis shoes.

The number of pairs of athletic shoes I have purchases in my life number exactly two.

One pair of Vans skate shoes purchased back in 1999 for some yet unknown reason, which I wore twice before giving them to my friend Craig who probably still wears them, and one pair of no-name gym shoes in 2004 that I bought because they were black and matched the rest of my workout gear. I still have the right shoe, but clearly the same person who stole my right Pour la Victoire patent leather pump with the red scoop heel has made off with my left sneaker (honestly, isn’t that much more likely than me accidentally leaving them some place?)

But I’ve not been able to shake my yearning for a pair of green tennies for weeks and, being a classicist even in my casualwear, I have narrowed it down to the following:

Onitsuka Tigers by ASICS “Lawnship”

Pros:

• I love the leather construction, and the padding looks dead comfortable.
• The laces and lime-green lining are great and very fashiony-in-a-good-way.
• Red soles! As a fashion person I think I’d get a little self-mocking giggle out of having a pair of red-soled shoes that so OBVIOUSLY aren’t Louboutins.
• My pal Joey –who is a sneaker savant– says Onitsuka Tigers are the best made shoes he’s ever worn, and since he’s spent most of his working life covering sports, I’ve got to think he’s had access to a lot of high-performance footwear.

Cons:

• Iconic, but are they iconic enough? If I’m going to wear sneakers, I want them to be within a defined fashion vocabulary.
• Socks. I hate them.  Esp. when visible. Do they make sock that are low rise enough to not make their presence know and still stay on, or do I have to find one with deely boppers on the back?
• A little more butch than my ideal personal aesthetic?

Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars Hi Tops

Pros:

• Classic classic classic. They are THE iconic athletic shoe.
• Hi tops potentially easier to wear vis a vis the sock issue.
• Would be cute with a variation on the jules et jim boyfriend jeans look, which is what I’m wanting.

Cons:

• I hate buying fabric shoes as I don’t trust them not to fall apart at the seams
• Not as well-constructed or padded as the Tigers. Would I want to work out in them? (Am I even planning on working out in them anyway?)
• Laces are boring and white, and while I could replace them, I know myself well enough to say I probably wouldn’t.

What say you, loyal readers?  Put it in the comments!

Now we all know the Irish are going to get their little green butts whooped up on by the vastly superior Welsh rugby team tomorrow in Six Nations rugby action, but just because the (still vastly superior) Welsh are going to beat up on them like the redheaded stepchildren they undoubtedly are doesn’t mean we can’t support the Irish sartorially.

Here’s a lucky little selection of green kicks on sale that’ll cover pretty much any activity you have planned.

Order them today, get them tomorrow and wear them on Wednesday for St. Patrick’s Day.

Left to right, top to bottom:

Apepazza “Flipper”

Nine West “Beaulah”

Kate Spade “Sabrina”

Onitsuka Tiger by Asics “Lawnship”

Alexander McQueen “Bud/Bud Star” (wah.)

Lucky Brand “Chantel”

Hunter “Hunter Original”

Report “Olwyn”

Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars Hi Tops

Have a great weekend y’all!

Love.

(click for shoe link)

…but is it art?

click for links

I don’t think it will come to a great surprise to any of you that I have what might be described a “a lot” of shoes.

Like China has “a lot” of people and the Vatican has “a lot” of sex scandals.

And while there are a few pairs I regret buying, and a few dozen I’ve never actually you know, worn, I have a fairly well-edited collection and as far as these things go, I suppose you could (though probably wouldn’t) say I’m actually fairly restrained in my shoe purchases for someone whose collection at this point probably had an original retail value of probably close to $40,000.*

And of course I have favorites.

Some sentimental–the baroque Elisa Ferare peeptoes of moss velvet and gold-washed snakeskin with corderie oak leaves that were handmade, the favorite of a boy I loved and lost– and some practical, like the little Miu Miu flats I’ve worn into the ground over the past two years.

But I don’t harbor under the delusion that all my shoes are necessary. In fact, I think if worst came to worst I could make do with one pair of heels for the rest of my life.

The Michael Kors Collection Cairo pumps in natural python. With an almond toe and a slightly conservative cone heel I scored a special edition that had –are you ready for this– gold leaf soles for 90% off (about $100) years ago and they are flaw.less.  I can pretty much wear them with everything except the most formal of evening dresses and they will never, ever, EVER be out of style.

YOOX has an excellent sale on an excellent pair of snake skin heels that will be fabulous for a lifetime:

ELIE TAHARI on sale for $98.

Good almond toe, nice classic detailing and do I even NEED to tell you how fabulous your legs will look in these? If you can walk in high heels, you’d be a fool not to buy them.

These look to me like water snake and not python and YOOX’s color reproduction is notoriously wonky so they might be a shade or two off in either direction, but these are an excellent investment for someone who wants the look of exotics but isn’t quite willing to shell out for python yet.

Incidentally, I sat on this sale for about a week until all my clients had a chance to order theirs, so if you’re one of my girls and you haven’t bought them yet (and why not?) don’t say I didn’t warn  you when they’re gone by this evening.

WHERE’S MY JETPACK???

My friends, Francesca has been beside herself over the death of Alexander McQueen.

May his soul rest in peace.

SILHOUETTES will take an extra 25% off clearance with code SCL25. Ends tonight at midnight.

KIYONNA will take 20% off everything from their site, and give free shipping on orders of $100 or more, through midnight tonight. Use code RESOLUTION.

CHADWICKS is having their first sale of 2010.

TORRID has new swimwear. Francesca’s pick.

SHOEMALL is having a sale.

LA GRANDE DAME will take 25% off everything on the site with code NEWYEAR, through Friday.

CHICO’S will take $25 off purchases of $100 or more with code 6712, through Sunday.

B & LU is having a terrific post-holiday sale, with many fantastic party/night-on-the-town tops now for under $20.

JESSICA LONDON is having a winter clearance sale.

AVENUE is having a “winter sidewalk” sale. If you can wear empire waists, check out this fun “Sosie Geo Print” dress for the summer, costing just $12.96 on clearance.

FIGLEAVES is having a nice sale, with items up to 50% off.

ALIGHT has a sale going on.

ZAFTIQUE’s clearance sale ends on January 11.

JUNONIA, the wonderful source for cold-weather clothes and activewear, is continuing their after-Christmas clearance sale.

SMART BARGAINS is having a big liquidation sale with truly excellent deals. Women’s apparel. Shoes. Fine Jewelry. Women’s watches. Handbags and other accessories.

Francesca’s picks: Check out these incredible designer-shoe opportunities:

• Charles David leather boots for $72.
• Isaac Mizrahi satin peep-toes, $72.
• Taryn Rose Cap-Toe Wedges, $143.
• Charles David crocodile stiletto boots, $192.
• Cole Haan “Genevieve” copper pumps, $98.
• Taryn by Taryn Rose double-strap Mary Janes, $66.
• Cole Haan “Lucetta” Mary Janes, $104.