Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 35 & 36

*This blog was started back in October and never finished. I post it just to explain here*

Honestly? I just scanned my phone to see if I'd missed any shoes since life has been what it has the last year. So these are the "missed" shoes.

I am trying to find myself in this new world. Shoe posts are suffering because of it. I want to get back to my passionate self when it comes to my heels, and I can see it happening. My passion for heels has not died. It's just the drive to do the pictures, blogs, etc. The fact I'm more "this pair is tied to this story" rather than just the shoes and the outfit helps a lot. I do better when I can speak my heart/mind.

That being said, I've waited WAY too long to try and do that with this post.

So I'm posting the shoes and telling you what I think.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Emia

Store Shoedazzle.com

Review: 4" heel. Fits true to size. LOVE these shoes. So girly, but a little sexy as well. I find myself prancing in them. Prancing is always good. 

The wrap dress caps it off! :-) 

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 32

I'm making an effort these days to do things that make me smile. Life is really just kicking the crap out of me/my loved ones the last 6 months. But if it has taught me anything, it's that you have to keep making attempts to find reasons to smile. Some days are easier than others. But I've decided I'm no longer just settling for things as they are. I tackled something that has been bringing me down for years at the beginning of this week. No guarantee that anything will change, but I did at least do my part to make the situation better. That's all you can do. You have to learn that some things are just out of your control, and it's what you do about those situations - speak up, leave, bite your tongue and be miserable 24/7 - that affects your every day life. I have been known to speak my mind on occasion...

*insert raucous laughter from friends and family here*

...however, when it comes to a situation that affects my daily life (i.e. friends, family, work), I tend to hold my tongue. Usually at the cost of my mental health. I don't want to hurt the feelings of people I love. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable in a day-to-day situation. And so, I stay quiet. Sometimes (like in this case) for years, where things build and get worse until I finally break. My goal is to get better about this. It will probably take baby steps, but I'm at least making strides. While I still don't want to hurt people I love, I know they also don't want me to be hurt, and that requires me speaking up. 

Speaking up for myself aside, I've also decided I'm living life this year. Taking weekend trips with friends, going to movies alone when I want to see something but no one is free, seeing a pair of shoes I want and not thinking twice before hitting the checkout button, etc. Which brings us to today's pair.

I am switching everything up for a while. Since most of my outfits are usually 90% the same, given they're work outfits, I'm going to start picking and choosing when I post outfits. Spring/Summer you'll probably see more outfits than Fall/Winter. Just more options when it's warm. Plus you can see the shoes better in a skirt than in long pants. So today, we focus on the shoes and accessories.

This pair is SO MUCH FUN. And totally me. Anything that has a rocker edge, I'm good with. I instantly go to "I can wear these to an Aerosmith concert!" (sidenote - I have a new ring that is SO AEROSMITH-worthy, I geeked out when I saw it; you'll see it at some point)

Brand: Style by ShoeDazzle Name: Yousra

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 4" heel. Fits true to size. I'm not going to go into the typical ShoeDazzle vs Katie's long toes in their pumps story here. These are actually pretty comfy, as long as you're used to walking in heels with no platforms. And SO rockstar, right?! No? Super plain, you say?

Sssssssssssssssilly you, for thinking I would tease a rocker shoe, and not deliver. Plus, I love a little toe cleavage. Sexy, edgy, different. LOVE.

So why not pair it with a matching ring? A 4-finger ring, at that (excuse me while I switch into Bama mode for a second - FOUR FANGERS! FOUR FANGERS!). Note: if you have never worn a 4-finger ring, prepare yourself. It flat-out does NOT work in an every day world. I had it off for most of the day at work. You can't do most tasks, because you can't separate your fingers. But if you're wearing for a social engagement, it's fine. Not uncomfortable for several hours wear, as long as you don't need to type, write much, etc.

And then a little extra special touch on the other hand. LOVE this ring/fingertip accessory ring. The spike ring on my pointer finger is hard to see, but the rocker vibe was carried out. 

So for now, dear blog readers, I bid you adieu. But hopefully soon, I'll have a lot more to talk to you about, and not just shoes. 

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 31

Well, as usual, life got the better of me for a bit and I am now behind on blogs - and on shoe wearing. The blog part, meh. Can always catch up several at a time, as I have clearly demonstrated in the past. But behind on shoe wearing?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? IS THIS THE END OF THE WORLD? HAVE I STARTED THE APOCALYPSE AND WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE LOCUSTS TO SHOW UP?!?!!!!!!

Ok, so that might have been a bit dramatic.

Anyhoo, this pair that I'm about to show you I have actually had for a while. Had only worn them once prior to this, and realized they're a smidge big. Decided I was going to buy an insole to put down near my toes to help hold my foot at the back of the shoe... and well, that never happened. Cut to me wearing them months later to work, and realizing it had never happened and barely being able to walk all day. At some point I'll get all of this straight, I swear. Life will start to fall into place, and all will be right in my shoe world again.

Speaking of life falling into place, I am hoping this near year will bring some calm into my life. It's certainly not starting that way, as right now I have a sick kitty to worry about, but hopefully after his follow up next week (*sends prayers up for good news*) all will slowly return to peaceful. Or as peaceful as life gets with two kitties and an 80-lb ball-of-energy pup. I am never once to make resolutions, as I feel you just set yourself up for failure, but I do have a couple things I am excited about getting in to in the new year. I have always been a fan of making my own pasta, but the process without the right tools is SO tedious. Everything was by hand, and usually turned out yummy, but not quite what I knew it could be. I have a KitchenAid mixer and all of the pasta attachments coming to me this week, and I am excited to be able to experiment with different recipes and just play in the kitchen again. It's been far too long since I have  really cooked and I feel my inner chef is screaming to be set free. Also, in the spirit of getting back to my creative side, I have gotten my brand new (3 years old, but still in the box) sewing machine out of storage. I have no plans on what my first project will be, but I have had numerous ideas over the years, and now I just need to stop thinking and DO. The one possible snag in that plan is I'll basically have to teach myself to sew all over again. I haven't been behind a sewing machine in probably 15 years or so. And even then, wasn't a pro by any means. So, we'll see.

On to the shoes:

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Nadira

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 7" heel. Fits large in length, width is fine/slim. It's hard to see in the picture, but these have a great gradient effect from the pink in the front to the black at the back. Super fierce. And the pink is WAY more intense than these pics reflect. 

I'm going to have to find a new place to take outfit pictures at some point. These are just serving their purpose, not really giving you a good view of the outfit/shoes. 

At whatever point I actually wear the other two new pair I have, the blogs will come. And who knows, if I stick to this whole pasta-making/sewing plan... maybe some different blogs, too!

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 30

Two blogs in one day? What is going on? Who is this girl?!

I almost considered just putting them in the same blog, given they essentially have the same story. This was the other half of the buy one, get one mentioned here. Except this was the pair I was excited about. You'll notice almost all of the shoes I buy are black & white or black & hot pink. While that might seem repetitive, that's most of my wardrobe, too. So it allows me to change the same old, same old outfits up just by switching up the shoes depending on mood.

These bad boys don't play around. I have compared them to the pink & black masterpiece you met here, but they might just have taken the prize for tallest heel. And they are DANGEROUS right now. I need to scuff the bottoms up some to give them more grip. I almost slipped and fell several times the day I wore them. Luckily, given I stay on 5"+ heels 90% of the time, I have become very skilled at regaining my balance when hitting a slick spot on the floor, uneven surface, etc. I'm sure one day that luck will run out, but until then, I am claiming it as a valuable skill. May even put it on my resume. I'd be sure to get a promotion to the top of the company simply with that change.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Tichina

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 7" heel. Fits true to size, maybe a smidge small *insert standard long-toed ShoeDazzle disclaimer here*. This, as has become standard for me with closed-toed ShoeDazzle shoes, requires skill to get them on just right. But once I do, they're not uncomfortable.

You can pretty much tell just from this picture how tall these heels are, given my legs look 5 miles long. I *do* have long legs. But not that long. Haha

Alright kids, that does it for today. I have one more coming soon, for the pair I have on today. And then two new pair that haven't been worn yet. YAY, SHOES!

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 29

Is it bad that you are buying shoes so often, they don't really have a story? I say, with how little I'm actually spending out of pocket each time, NO IT'S NOT! 4 pairs of shoes over two orders for under $40 is not too shabby, if you ask me.

I got this pair mainly because I needed a second pair in a buy one, get one situation. They didn't necessarily blow me away, but they were super cute, and part of Gwen Stefani's new line for ShoeDazzle, which I had been anxious to try. So into the cart they went. Now having worn them, can't really say I'll be buying any more from that line. Shoes, anyway. Maybe some purses, if I strike a deal on them.

A lot has changed in my life over the last two months. Actually, mainly just one big thing, that I might feel up to blogging about at some point, the time for that isn't right just yet. With that being said, though - I anticipate my next few posts will be fairly succinct. My brain is having a hard time maintaining focus, and being exhausted on top of that isn't helping matters. But, far be it for me to keep that from sharing my lovelies, so here you go!

Brand: Gx by Gwen Stefani Name: Hoshi

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 4" heel. Fits... weird. Small in the toes (like pretty much ALL ShoeDazzle shoes), and the ankle straps almost made me wonder if I got a botched pair. I have pretty slender ankles, and I could barely get the ankle strap buckled. At first I thought I wasn't going to be able to get it buckled at all, but after adjusting where it hit on my ankle, managed to get it fastened on the last hole. As you can see in the above and below pictures, they're really cute. But the quality was just not there for the price (luckily I didn't pay full price).

A side view for better reference on the ankle strap. I think it's because it's cut so far in front of the heel. Think about a foot/leg actually being in there, that is extra strap that isn't accommodated for.

Yeah, you can't really see the shoes all the way, but you get the idea.

On to the next! :-D

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 28

They say it doesn't matter how much they hurt, as long as they look good. So the fact I had a bloody/scabby leg (seriously, see pic below) for a few days afterwards with these is worth it, right?!

ShoeDazzle keeps luring me in with good sales that I can capitalize on when I have accumulated enough VIP credit and don't have to spend a lot (if anything) out of pocket at that moment. Overall, I'd say the site has gone downhill with nicer stuff since Rachel Zoe took over. If that makes sense. The whole premise of the site when it was started was every shoe was $39.95. Now hardly ANY are. I don't think Rachel grasps that not everyone rolling is money like she is. Just like her Zoe Report newsletter. When they showcase fashion "on a budget", rarely is anything under $100. One item (ESPECIALLY a non-shoe item) for $100 is a fairly large splurge for me. A budget purchase would be like a sweater for $15. But I understand she's catering to her LA clients so she can keep bringing in the big bucks. I just wish she wouldn't also have let that affect the concept of ShoeDazzle. I've debated leaving a few times lately, or at least cutting off my VIP (paid) account. But, as you'll see over the next few weeks/months/however long it takes me to wear and blog all of the shoes I've bought from them recently, they're definitely still pulling my money in right now. BUT not as much as they'd be getting if I weren't waiting to strike at the right moment.

That being said, this pair was exactly that. The other half of the buy one, get one deal you read about here. And honestly, these were the pair I kind of "settled" for. The pair I REALLY wanted sold out before I could snatch them up. After wearing these around for a full day at work, I almost wish I hadn't even bothered. But they ARE super cute. I'll just have to remember never to attempt to wear these again without applying, and being armed with extra moleskin. My legs will thank me for it.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Jaffie

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 4" heel. Fits true to size. I included a stock picture of them below so you can see the whole shoe. So that part that goes up the leg rubs like crazy. I don't know if maybe they were tighter it wouldn't... regardless it does. Wear with caution and moleskin. 

This was the result of me not heeding that advice - though I didn't know to give that advice until after this happened, but I digress.

And here is a very dark picture of the outfit. I need to rethink this AGAIN.

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 27

And now we've made it back to the SERIOUS shoe posts. Meaning the shoes are serious. Not the posts.

The last blog will be a tough act to follow. I mean, going from love and paradise back to just plain ol' Katie and her shoes... it's a lot of pressure. But who am I to try and silence my love for heels? It can't be done. And so, we soldier on, people.

Given that my budget is a LOT tighter these days than it used to be, the only time I really get to make new purchases is when I can find a really great deal, or have several month's worth of ShoeDazzle VIP credit to spend. This month happened to be both. Caught ShoeDazzle on a Buy One, Get One sale. I honestly can't remember if it was free or 1/2 off, but that plus my credit balance, I got two pair for practically nothing.

The day I decided to wear these, I had my outfit picked out the night before. I had kind of noticed earlier that day at work, my toe was hurting. But didn't think anything of it. Figured I just stubbed it, or something and it would be fine the next day. So I get up that morning, start getting ready for work, look down, and:

This picture actually doesn't do it justice. Hard to tell, but the whole toe was black and blue, and much darker than it appears here. So I apparently either REALLY jammed it, or somehow managed to break my toe... without having a clue it happened. Not sure if this should concern me, or I should be grateful. Either way, you can't keep a good girl down... I wasn't letting one measly broken toe stop me from workin' these new shoes out!

And so, off to work I went. Got a couple of comments during the day, either from people who had seen my post on Facebook about my broken toe, or ones that were looking at my shoes, and could see the multi-colored toe peeking between the straps, "Doesn't that heel put too much strain on your toe?" To which I gave the only acceptable answer, "Hey, when you're devoted, YOU'RE DEVOTED." 

Shoe love is real, and it's DEEP, y'all.

Name: Zofia Brand: ShoeDazzle

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 5" heel. Fits true to size, length-wise. I know I am always telling y'all about my crazy long toes, and how ShoeDazzle's pumps usually squish them like crazy if I don't put them on JUST right. Well, these shoes prove my point. The only toes that stayed on the shoe during the day were my big toe, and "pointer" toe. The rest, as I walked, I could feel them touching the floor/ground. The tip of the shoe is SUPER slender. But the shoes themselves are comfy, and the straps are loose enough that you don't get that digging in, like you do with some strappy shoes.

I had to improvise on the outfit picture, as I was going out for drinks after work, and knew I'd forget to take it by the time I got home. Since I knew I had some time to kill between work and meeting people out, I went to "shop", i.e. pretend I'm trying something on, so I can use the dressing room mirror for my outfit pic. 

Whatever works, right?

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 24

So this post is going to be a bit of a hodge podge, as I was still in transition with the how's and where's on picture taking in my new location. Following this post will be all of my "found a good-enough spot" posts until the next move or I find another way to take the pics.

Rather appropriate that post #24 - 24 being my favorite number - has one of my all-time loves (other than shoes), houndstooth. Being a Bama fan, houndstooth is obviously a huge part of the history there. Bear Bryant is god in Tuscaloosa, so if he said houndstooth was fashionable, who are we to question him?

ROLL TIDE ROLL.

It only helps my cause that houndstooth is one of those patterns that NEVER goes out of style. It is timeless. As a result, you can find it everywhere, on everything. Clothes, purses, shoes, etc. etc. etc. And it also allows me to be myself (I've always had the reputation for being overdressed, when my friends are casual) when representing my team. While this might "help my cause", it also can be dangerous to my bank account. Because when you combine two of my biggest passions, fashion and Bama football... let's just say I have to limit my internet shopping. Bills, ya know?

But anyway, on to the shoes! This pair was part of the purchase you read about here. They immediately jumped out at me as being something different, and something that I would not usually buy. For whatever reason, the combination of those two things made me crave them. I have tried stepping outside of the box with my shoe purchases before, and it usually ends up being a waste. While I love the shoes, they usually don't go with 90% of what is in my closet, and thus end up gathering dust for years on end. Since this pair was black & white, I knew I stood a much better chance of this not occurring. My wardrobe is broken down as follows: black/white 60%; red 20%; pink 15%; everything else 5%. And while these aren't houndstooth, I knew I could get away with wearing them with houndstooth, since it was still a black & white geometric print. So I added them to my cart, and here was the result:

Brand: Paper Fox Name: Kit

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 4" heel. Fits TIGHT. I wouldn't necessarily say small, because the length on these is fine. But it takes some time to get them on and off. I think it's because the straps are so tight, and that makes it hard to zip up the back of the shoe. I'm hoping the more I wear them, the more they'll loosen up and this won't be an issue. Right now, they're more of an office shoe than a party shoe. My feet look like they've been mauled when I take these off.  

Just another view (from the website), so you can see what the whole shoe looks like.

As you can see, this picture is from my old apartment, and I do not have the above shoes on. This WAS the outfit I had on that day, but again - working on logistics for pictures in the new location. I'll get it right, eventually.

Let's continue on, shall we? 3 more blogs heading your way!

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 23

So, a lot has changed since last I really dove into my personal life on this blog. Not that I've ever really gotten all philosophical on you, or anything. But from time to time (i.e. Aerosmith and Wizard of Oz) I give you a glimpse of Katie in more than just a story of shoes.

Aerosmith... dangit... I still have that blog/review I was going to write like a year ago...

After a LOT of life changes in the last year 1/2, I've moved in with Dad to try and get back on track financially, and just with life in general. It's been almost 5 months, and I can proudly say I finally am starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I still have a ways to go. But compared to where I was just a few short months ago... PROGRESS.

That being said, with a new location comes a new challenge of finding the right location, lighting, etc. for my shoe/outfit pictures. So, bear with me while I work on that. You'll still get the general idea.

While I am and always will be a sucker for a good pump or strappy sandal, I've come to find out I also have a weakness for over-the-knee boots. Stylish and sexy, they make a good alternative when you want to switch things up, and ESPECIALLY when winter rolls around and strappy shoes aren't an option unless you want frostbite.

So when my ShoeDazzle (shocker, right?) balance got up to a hefty amount thanks to my monthly fee and cashing in my Style Points for a $39.95 credit, I figured I might as well see what kind of fun I could have on the site. Ended up purchasing three pairs of shoes that day. These boots had sold out when I still wanted them, but they either restocked or someone returned one in my size. Fate!

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Jahmesia

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 4" heel. Fits true to size. I was a little worried about them not zipping up all the way around my thighs. Thankfully, there is a bit of elastic right at the top inch or so of the boot, and that was enough to allow the room. If you have thick thighs... oh gosh, it seems like there was an Allison blog related to, or mentioning, this topic - now I can't remember... these might be a stretch. No pun intended.

Again, working on where to take the outfit shots, so for now excuse the blurriness. And not being able to see the bottom of the shoes. I'll figure it out. :-)

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 22

Ahhhhhhhhh, how I love this pair. Nothing says Katybug like pink and black. Especially hot pink and black. Add a 7" heel and I'm in love.

This is another ShoeDazzle purchase (shocker), so there's not really a new story to tell about them. But it's gloriously fun feeling like a giant when I wear them. As long as I don't stand next to Allison. There will never be a time I feel tall next to her. I don't even think these shoes would make me her height.

This will be one of the only times you see her in heels. My heels, at that. We like to make fun of ourselves.

So, back to the shoes! Here they are:

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Joss

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 7" heel. Fits true to size. *disclaimer about my freakishly long toes here* These shoes have a pretty tall platform, so even though the heel is over 6", you don't feel like it is. 

Yet another picture that makes me miss my tan. This outfit was a smidge risque for work. But hot shoes require a hot outfit. There's no going against that logic. 

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 21

Oh, the joy ShoeDazzle brings to my life. While it HAS made me abandon my other shoe searches, therefore probably missing out on some shoes I would like to have, the whole letting-store-credit-increase-until-I-find-something-I-really-want aspect is just fabulous for a girl on a budget.

New shoes, without the guilt.

This pair is actually way out of the box for my normal purchases. I very rarely buy anything white/nude because most of my wardrobe is black/red/pink. Also, I hate gold. Many times I have fallen head over heels for a pair of shoes, until I see the accents are gold and not silver. Instant mind change. But for whatever reason on this pair, the way the straps came diagonally across the foot really grabbed me, and I decided to look past all of that. Tossed them in my shopping cart along with one other pair (which you'll see whenever I get around to typing up the next blog), and a super cute ring. All of that for $30. Thank you, VIP credit!

Even after I ordered these, I wasn't sure what I would wear with them. So they just sat in my closet, biding their time until the right moment came along. Lo and behold one morning I grabbed one of my favorite dresses from the closet. Usually I wear various slip-on sandals with this dress, simply because I've never found a pair of heels I like that go with it. 

LIGHT BULB MOMENT!

I happen to have a brand new pair of neutral shoes in the closet... slipped them on, and... PERFECT. I now have the perfect shoes to wear with a fabulous dress. I'm sure they'll make their way into other outfits after this, but for now, at least I know they have a purpose with this dress, and thereby solidified themselves as a worth-it purchase.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Leyla

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 6" heel. Fits true to size.* As usual, with a ShoeDazzle pump, they're a bit "small" on me because of my long toes. Basically fits true to size, I just have to slide them on just right so my toes aren't crunched in weird I'm-not-supposed-to-bend-that-way positions.

*Buggy revision: After a second time wearing these to work, I have determined they fit a little TOO tight in the front, even with my crazy long toes. I recommend going up a half size, unless you have short toes.

This dress is SO comfy. And now I can wear it more often because: SHOES!

Also, as I am looking at this picture, I am thinking "MAN, I miss my tan."

COME BACK, SUMMERTIME!

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 20

I know, it's been far too long. Life got the better of me there for a while. But rest assured, I haven't abandoned my heels completely. Just have a lot of blogging to catch up on.

I debated on even blogging about these because they're SO uncomfortable. But they're cute, and who am I to deny a pair of cute booties their chance to shine? So, away we go!

The first time I wore these, I thought maybe they felt uncomfortable because they were brand new, and I made the mistake of wearing them downtown. A lot of walking on uneven pavement, bricks, etc. By the time we left, I was sure the boots had to be filled with my blood. Back into the closet they went. Untouched for about 4 months.

Every year, for one of my co-worker's birthday, we do a big theme party. Fiesta, Luau, etc. This year, we decided to do a Cowgirl theme. I usually try and match my outfit to whatever that year's party is, while still staying within our work dress code. Well, I am about as far from cowgirl as a person can get. So I struggled trying to come up with something for this event. After giving up and coming to terms with the fact I have nothing cowgirl-ish enough - I decided to just go with the Western-y theme instead. So I grabbed my spiked booties and a snakeskin shirt with some khakis, and away I went.

By the end of the day, I realized that these boots are just not meant to be worn for any kind of walking/standing. Wear them only if you will be sitting all day long, or if you are used to walking in Dutch clogs all the time. Otherwise, I recommend passing them up.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Kourtney

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 5" heel, fits true to size. My story above pretty much explains how they feel when you're wearing them, but as far as the actual fit, they don't feel too big/small when wearing. You can't see in the pictures, but they are a bootie, not a boot. Go just barely above the ankle.

This was my cowgirl outfit. Of course you can't really see the shoes in this pic, but you get the idea. 

"Yee-haw!"

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 18 & 19

I decided to do these two together because they have the same story, and are too new to have developed additional stories of their own.

All in good time, my pretty. All in good time.

So I have been a member of ShoeDazzle's VIP program for several months now, and have to say, I really like it. $9.95 a month goes into your account, and you can either spend it, or let it roll over and accumulate - and standard shipping is always free. Given that Spring's big trend are wedges, and I think wedges are hideous, my VIP total began to build quite nicely. Then I had a store credit for a pair of shoes that I received damaged - they were the last pair in my size, and I am STILL devastated - and also had a coupon for $10 off. Seemed the perfect time to lunge on both of these without having to spend a lot of money. 

At some point, I need to quit being lazy and get my closets organized so all of these can be displayed beautifully, as they deserve to be. Right now they are just in a jumbled mess on the shelves/floor of my closet. But that's a project/story for another day. Back to the shoes.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Style Name: Martha

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 6" heel. Fits... well oddly. I'd say big is the easiest way to describe it, though there are areas that feel small, too. Maybe it's the open sides. I don't know. I don't see this being a pair I wear very often, though I DO love the look of them!

It's hard to see the heel in the pic I took above, but I bought these SPECIFICALLY because they match this skirt perfectly I mean, it is the EXACT same pattern. They'll look super cute with plenty else in my closet, but for the first wear, had to go with matchy-matchy. 

Brand: ShoeDazzle Style Name: Lottie

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 6" heel. Fits true to size, but again - I have established that the ShoeDazzle pumps do not really allow for long toes like mine. I wasn't uncomfortable in them, but they DID rub a blister on the top of one of my toe by the end of the day. I didn't know it until I took them off. Which I guess isn't a bad way to get a blister. Haha But I ADORE the look of them. You can never go wrong with black lace.

Just stuck with the colors of the shoes for the outfit, and kept it simple. 

I'm going to brainstorm a way to make these pictures better where you can see the shoes and it's not so dark on the bottom. 

'Til next time...

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 17

Another ShoeDazzle purchase! Came into a little chunk of change, and decided it was a prime time to grab up several outfits, shoes, etc that I had been eyeballing for a while, but didn't have the funds to purchase. This pair was in that group.

Now I'm sure these shoes would have a sweet little blog to go with them if I had typed it when I first got them and took these pictures. However, I soon learned they are incredibly dangerous. I now have multiple permanent bruises to prove it. Ok... in fairness, it's probably the escalator's fault, but...

Let me backtrack.

I had only had the shoes for maybe a week. Wore them once to work in the below outfit. Decided to wear them on a Friday the next week, because if anything can put the exclamation point on a Friday, it's wearing a new pair of shoes. We had a meeting downtown that afternoon. Were headed downstairs at the convention center to the seminar room... stepped on the escalator... and somehow, someway... my heel got caught in the grooves. My ankle twisted, I tried to catch my balance with my other foot, but it landed two steps apart, and as the steps separated, I quickly learned the skirt I had on did not allow for the splits. Down I went. Thankfully, my co-workers were in front of me. Far enough they couldn't catch me, but close enough to keep me from tumbling all the way down. We got to the bottom of the escalator, I got my bearings, and looked down at my legs... already black & blue where they were scraped up. 

To the seminar we went. I happened to glance down at my shoes when we sat down, and saw the one that got caught was scraped to hell on one side. Not kidding you, I almost burst into tears. I was more upset about my shoes than I was my mangled legs. This was only the second time I'd worn them! And now they looked like they had been mauled by a bear. When our seminar was over and we were all walking back out to the car, everyone was all concerned for my legs. "Are you ok to walk?" "Does it hurt?" I said "I'm fine, but my shoes... :-("

The only comfort I have is that I have the below picture of when they were still in pristine condition. And I WILL say the scratches have faded a tad since then (they're made of sort of a faux suede material). But still there, and I still have the bruises over three months later - though they've faded, too.

Brand: ShoeDazzle Name: Sami

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 5" heel. Fits true to size. HOWEVER: now that I've worn these a few times since the escalator incident, I find that every time I am kind of losing my balance, or not real sturdy on them. I finally figured out that it's because the toe area is so small - as I've said before, I have very long toes - and I think I'm losing a bit of feeling in them, therefore throwing me off my walking game. Because we all know I'm used to the heel height, so that can't be it. So if anything, I'd say they fit a tad small for long-toed freaks like me.

Do you want a girl with a short skirt and a lonnnnnnnnnnnng jacket?

Not too shocking - I was representing with my Bama-themed accessories.

I have now discovered the perfect phone holder to set the timer on my camera and take pics, so this is the last blog you will see the selfies in. Though, I guess even if you're not holding the camera... if no one else is either it's still a selfie. Right? Someone get back to me on that.

Shoes, Glorious Shoes! 15

And the ShoeDazzle love affair begins...

I signed up for ShoeDazzle about a year ago, maybe a little less than that. Bought the purse that I carried to the Aerosmith concert in July, but then honestly didn't pay much attention to the next few months' links.

Now, if you don't know how ShoeDazzle works, you basically fill out a quick survey when you first sign up for the site. It asks you about your tastes, gives you examples of shoes and asks you to pick your faves, etc. From that, their team of stylists picks out a monthly showroom that matches your taste. As your membership continues, you're occasionally sent chances to tweak what choices you're getting each month, in case you're not satisfied. Almost everything on the site is $39; so really affordable, especially for the shoes. It's probably a little much for some of the purses/jewelry. But then again, my love is stronger for shoes, so maybe if I were obsessed with purses/jewelry I would be inclined to spend more on them.

I got this pair during one of the promotions they were running. That's usually when they reel me in. I look at my monthly showroom, sometimes see a couple of things I like but usually talk myself out of it. Until I get the "Today Only!" e-mails. Then... it's all over.

Brand: Shoe Dazzle Name: Pansy

Store: ShoeDazzle.com

Review: 6" heel. Fits true to size. I really don't know if you can go wrong on the comfort factor with boots. Maybe if you had the wrong size... regardless, these are very comfortable. I will say, my ankles are pretty skinny - you can see how much extra space there is at the top of the shoe - so the zipper did start to rub a bit by the end of the day. 

There's not much I love more with an ankle boot than either a bulky sweater or a sweater dress. While they work with pants/long skirts, too - I think it's more fun to let them stand out on their own and get the attention they deserve!