Contest?! Yes, indeed!

I know what you’re all thinking: finally.

So let me take a moment to explain.

We recently got a new shipment of Vans in (more colors to add to Solestruck.com’s 65+ colors of the Classic Slip-On), and among all the beautiful slides, I happened to find one design that I found particularly enjoyable. It’s the Classic Slip-On in “Paint by Numbers.” Yup, you read correctly…Paint. By. Numbers. Like when you were a kid? You know, the times when you plastered your walls in velvet posters and you enjoyed dabbing cheap brushes into tiny pots of acrylic paint that had numbers one through six marked on top?

It’s the same idea with these shoes. It’s the outline of a doe in a forest with some water. I mean, all of this except the deer is debatable, as it’s only partially filled with color. The rest of it is “blank” canvas with numbers one through six marked inside.

This gave me a great idea. Which brings me to…

…The Contest

Download my black-and-white “coloring book” image of the shoe on my Flickr page. From there, use MS Paint or Photoshop, print it out and use crayons–I don’t care–but take the image and fill in the blanks. Paint by color! Be creative! Let out your inner child!

When you’re finished with your work of art, email me the image (the JPG file if you used the computer, or a photo of it (with you, perhaps?) if you didn’t) along with your name and email address to danielle@solevoice.com, and we’ll post them on Solevoice. One lucky participant will be randomly chosen to win this pair of Vans Classic Slip-Ons.

Sound good?

That’s what I thought!

This contest ends Monday, 4 August 2008, at 5 p.m. Pacific.

Look at other entries by clicking on our “Contests” tab, or by visiting my Flickr set.

We can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store!

-Danielle

Whether you call them clam diggers, pedal pushers or capris, cropped pants have become a staple for the modern woman’s wardrobe during the warm summer months.   For clarification, in this article we’re talking about pants with hemlines that fall somewhere between the knee and several inches above the ankle.

As with any outfit, several factors must be considered when selecting the appropriate footwear for cropped pants, including one’s body shape and the rest of the outfit.  Still, I’d like to offer a few general styles and guidelines that can help you narrow down your options.

Flip flops: Always great for a laid-back summer look, flip flops are a no-brainer (shown at left: me with the Roxy Mimosa).  Flat styles will of course work just fine, but with capris you have the option of adding a little height.  Aim for balance though … skinny straps should be paired with a kitten heel, and broader bands with a micro wedge.

Pumps and Peep Toes: Up the class of those “clam diggers” with a dressier, pointy or peep-toed shoe.  A medium heel and fab feminine details will look ultra stylish, but avoid chunksters or skyscrapers that will take attention away from the rest of your outfit.

Wedges: Like toes and nail polish, wedge sandals and cropped pants are a natural combination.  Wear with care, though … wedges are bulky by nature so you’ll want to show as much skin as possible on the top of the foot, and look for minimal detail to avoid embellishment overload.

Ballerinas and Skimmers: When your cropped pants fall on the shorter side of the line, closed flats like ballerinas and skimmers ought to be considered.   Those with more muscular calves or who feel “vertically challenged” (like me!) will have more trouble here, especially if the capris are wide-legged.

Tall Boots: Knee-high boots, although undesirable until the weather cools down, are an option if you want to extend the life of your cropped pants into the autumn season.  Best when paired with a wider cut, and although some would disagree, we think the boots should be tall enough to overlap a few inches under your trousers.  Note: this “what to wear” option is probably the hardest to pull off, but we’ve got faith in you!  Try it with the BCBGirls Damita and a plaid pattern like the one shown at right.

– Katie

P.S. Come back tomorrow for the sequel:  What NOT to wear with cropped pants!

There was major buzz within my circle of friends a few months ago when my good friend Krista was called for an interview with MTV. There was even more excitement when she was commissioned to be the style coach on an episode of MADE.

The fashion assailant? A Roseburg High senior named Diana Kiester (far right), who wanted to be transformed from anime-loving gal to a “dating diva” and score a dream date to prom. And believe it or not, Roseburg, Oregon, wasn’t the ultimate place to find high-fashion footwear. Being the industrious fashionista that she is, Krista scoured all of Portland’s stores and boutiques for the perfect pair of pumps for grasshopper Diana, but to no avail. However, a last-minute phone call to her friends at Solestruck.com yielded much more desirable results.

Krista decided to give Diana a gorgeous pair of Sundae heels by Oh Deer!, delicate and covered in iridescent sparkles with an extra sweet four-inch striped stiletto heel. While Diana enlisted the help of her friends to support her as she wore the heels an entire day, people went gaga over the fantastic shine.

In the climax of the show, Diana wore a pair of red Nina Ferlins to match her Coke-bottle red dress at prom.

To read a full recap of this episode of MADE, and to watch behind-the-scenes clips or look at still photos, check it out here. Check your local listings for the next time this episode will air!

And be sure to look for these lovely styles and more, on Solestruck.com.

-Danielle

Celebrity Spotlight: Songstress Aubrey O’Day sported the menswear trend this week with the ankle-baring Report Ellis shoe bootie.

O’Day (left), who owes her notoriety in large part to MTV’s reality show Making the Band and the resulting girl group Danity Kane, attended Vitaminwater’s MLB All-Star week celebration on Monday in New York City. In typical Aubrey fashion, sideviews of her “frock” resulted in plenty of press coverage … or non-coverage as the case may be.  

Here at Solevoice, though, we’re more interested in your feet than frocks, so we have to point out that no matter what else she was wearing, Aubrey looked fab from the knees down.

Get your own pair of these stiletto shoe booties, available at Solestruck for $179.95.

– Katie

You know it’s true … you just love shoes.  Why else would you be here?  Well, you’re not alone.   Dozens, hundreds, even thousands of other women out there are shoeaholics just like you and me … and one lucky lady is going to win a pair of Enzo Angiolini Legs Strappy Platform Sandals (right).

That’s right.  The Shoe Goddess and Solestruck have paired up to bring you a fabulous little contest, and all you have to do is leave a comment here, telling the Goddess your shoe size and why you love shoes.  The deadline is Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. EDT, so don’t wait!

– Katie

I’ve been doing it for years, and it’s probably some major fashion faux-pas, but I’m going to tell you anyway:

I put my shoes through the wash cycle. Let me back that train up and be a little más específico, now. I have not, nor will ever try to, put leather shoes or heels through the washing machine. That said, my method to keeping my shoes clean has always worked perfectly for canvas sneakers (I have a pair of Chuck Taylors that are a solid five years old that look maybe one).

To clean foamy platform sandals, I’d always ended up just using an old toothbrush and bleach.

But this last weekend, I threw my Reef Sandys in with my whites. Just like anyone who has a regular pair of well-loved flip-flops, mine got really dirty, really fast. Especially since the thong straps were a lighter color AND fabric. They were getting pretty brown, and I was almost embarrassed to wear them (although I continued to do so because the sandals are so darn comfy!).

Anyway, to make a long story short, the flip-flops turned out…seriously…as good as new! Super clean, even the soles. No harm done, and now I can walk with clean style!

-Danielle

What do you do if you’re several months pregnant and bored at home?

Begin a stationery company, of course!

And that’s just what paper and shoe company owner Bonnie Marcus decided to do. As a former New York wedding planner and Events Coordinator for the 92nd Street Y, she knew that something was missing from the wedding invitations she saw regularly.
The Bonnie Marcus Collection is the fabulously fashionable solution to this problem she saw. It began with fun and stylish stationery inspired by fashion sketches and airy drawings that covered almost any event that needed a card: baby showers, weddings, birthdays, Bat Mitzvahs, and winter holidays. Now, the Bonnie Marcus line dominates not only the world of fabulous notecards and invitations, but it’s beginning to invade the world of footwear!

Yes, it’s true! These gorgeous designs and signature style can now be found on the footbeds of the new Bonnie Marcus flip-flops that you can find at Solestruck.com!

Sticking with a theme that’s fun and feminine, these comfy shoes have entire scenes painted on. Know someone who’s expecting a bundle of joy? Show her you care with a pair of Expecting in Style sandals. Walking down the aisle? Treat your bridesmaids to a pair of Special Bridesmaid sandals. And of course, if you are none of the above, just show your enthusiasm for the fair weather with the Day at the Beach flip-flops.

Each flip-flop has intricate detailing that truly makes your choice in sandals stand out. Footbeds include complicated designs such as images of people, bouquets, beach-scapes, and gifts, along with cute descriptive words to go along. And instead of your average $2 rubber sandal, these are friendly to flat and sensitive feet with a super-soft footbed, comfy fabric (or fabric-lined) straps, and special arch support. A light traction outsole makes these a little less slick, too.

Now, if you’re still not smitten, check out my video:

-Danielle

It may only be midsummer according to calendars, but in the fashion world it’s already time for Spring 2009. The next WSA Show is just a few weeks away, and we’re already hearing about what our favorite brands have in store for us.

Sugar shoes (logo shown above left), for example, is stepping into the upcoming season with a brand new design team, according to a preview on WSAToday.com. Ranging from flirty flats to pretty platforms to adorable athleisure styles, the line will feature a vintage flavor influenced mainly by the ‘70s and ‘80s. Connoisseurs of this sweetness will also be seeing a lot of green from Sugar shoes this season … and no, we don’t mean the color. Apparently, a select number of the new styles are designed from 100 percent natural fibers and other eco-friendly materials. With these looks, granola girls stay true to their standards and still look totally glam.

And just in case you’re wondering, these new additions don’t mean saying goodbye to the old favorites. Sugar’s signature Floatie (right), so named for its handy habit of floating on water … will once again sport a colorful array of prints and patterns.

– Katie

It’s been a while since we blogged about the celebrity scene, so when I spotted a certain sandal making the rounds among not one, not two, but three stylish stars … I knew I had to write about it.

The shoe is the Sam Edelman Gilda (left), a snakeskin gladiator flat also featured on Solevoice in May.   Rachel Bilson (below left), best known for her role on The O.C., choose a casual grey dress, gold belt, oversized handbag, and fedora to top her pair of Gilda sandals.

Katherine Heigl (below center) of Grey’s Anatomy opted for a dressier look with a scoop-necked red dress and few accessories.  Both Rachel and Katherine, though, knew their simple, mid-thigh frocks would serve to lengthen their legs and minimize the “cut off at the ankle” effect that tends to occur with strappy sandals like these.

Finally, the most casual of the three, Vanessa Hudgens (below right) from High School Musical paired her Sam Edelman Gildas with skinny jeans and a colorfully printed top.  By creating a single, long line from hip to toe, Vanessa is also able to give herself a lithe silhouette.

Want to replicate the look of one of these lovely ladies?  Get your own pair of Sam Edelman Gilda gladiator sandals.  Rachel, Katherine and Vanessa all opted for black, but we’ve got it in white, too!  Just $79.95 at Solestruck.com and as always, the shipping’s on us.

– Katie

Wow! I’m seeing a lot of influence from men this season. Well, menswear, I suppose. Last week we talked about blücher detailing, but the influence goes beyond that!

Enter Word of the Week…brogues. Originating from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic word bróg, which means “shoe,” brogues is actually quite common in men’s dress shoes, and is another way of describing a wingtip-style toe on most frequently an Oxford.

They’re identifiable by the “W” pattern at the toe cap, which resembles a bird with its wings spread (hence, the wingtips). They also generally contain brogueing, or perforations, which normally creates a pattern on the shoe.

While women might not wear full-on lace-up brogue-style Oxfords, this trend is definitely apparent when looking at some of this season’s pumps. Take, for example, the Nina Dolls Anytime. This fun T-strapped mary jane found on Solestruck.com has the feminine touches of a wedge heel, but also includes the brogue “W.”

An even better example comes in the form of the Nina Dolls Just Fun, also found on Solestruck.com. This has a similar T-strap and wedge look, but instead contains a double-”W” for even more emphasis. But don’t think that these looks are too tomboyish for you! All of the extra details combined with the demure nature of brogues styling create a super feminine and altogether lovely look that you should definitely keep your eyes peeled for.

-Danielle