Posts Tagged ‘ shoes ’

They Want Our Shoes Too?

January 31, 2012
By Hello Ladies

Source: Uploaded by user via Hello_Ladies on Pinterest

 

Some pay us less than our fair share. Some want to control our bodies and make us pay more for health insurance. Others want us to run only after dawn and before dusk and never with headphones and never alone. Being a woman requires nerves of steel.

And so many of us reward ourselves for perservering, heck, powering through, by focusing on what’s fun about being a woman. Like being a mother. And having girlfriends. And shoes. We love our shoes.

But now new data threatens to ruin that pleasure. A study from The Journal of Applied Physiology is garnering lots of alarmist headlines:

High heels, high danger

Study says high heels cause permanent leg damage

High heels ruin the way you walk: study

Before you toss your Manolos, know this: the researchers studied only nine “habitual high heel wearers.” That’s not a very extensive research field. If you’ve ever donned a heel higher than three inches, you don’t need a study to know high heels aren’t  natural. But sometimes the emotional benefits of wearing a Louboutin outweigh the risks. Just be careful of your calves.  And for more footwear choices, check out our “Complete Wardrobe” board on Pinterest.

 

Image from Le Petit Poulailler

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News from around the Web

March 6, 2011
By Hello Ladies

woman reading newsAnother week as busy as we were. Here’s what we missed:

Charlie Sheen. No we don’t live under a rock. We just have no interest in the demise of a Hollywood actor. But this op-ed in the New York Times, “The Disposable Woman,” is a must read. Author Anna Holmes writes of Sheen, “And while his self-abuses are endlessly discussed, his abuse of women is barely broached.”

Speaking of op-eds, Connie Schultz writes on Cleveland.com about the two fetuses who testified in court last week in Ohio. Yes, you read that right. Two fetuses were witnesses at an Ohio legislative committee contemplating a bill that would outlaw abortions after the first heartbeat can be detected inside a woman’s womb – in other words, often before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

Speaking of abortion, The House Judiciary Committee cleared the way for the full House to debate H.R. 3, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortions Act,” but they did remove the outrageous “forcible rape” clause. Federal funds are not used or allowed for abortions under the Hyde Amendment. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) said “this bill seeks to expand restrictions in current law and to impose an unprecedented penalty — by use of the tax code — on privately funded healthcare choices made by women and their families. Its goal — and effect, if ever enacted — is to make abortion and coverage for abortion services completely unavailable.”

Speaking of attacks on women, a man caught speeding, up to 100 miles per hour, with his wife on the hood of his car, tried to plead guilty in court, but the judge wouldn’t allow it. The court ordered a psych evaluation and wanted to be sure the man understood the implications of his plea. How about making sure he understood the implications of his abuse?

A reader asked why we cover so many “dark” topics and don’t write more of the “fun” stuff. Because dear readers, there is a lot of “dark” stuff we ladies need to pay attention to and take action on. But we like to have fun too. So, after you call and/or write your legislators and tell them to stay the hell out of your body, check out this fun site we just discovered www.shoedazzle.com. Based on an online questionnaire, Shoe Dazzle selects shoes that supposedly work with your wardrobe and personal style. When you join the service, for $39.95 per month, you receive a personalized shoe selection and a pair of shoes.

If Husbands Were Shoes

March 2, 2011
By Hello Ladies

Bass Weejun Loafer

Love of my life

(This post first appeared on Skirt!)

If husbands were shoes, I always thought I’d marry a stiletto. A stylish, beautiful stiletto of course, maybe a Manolo Blahnik or a Jimmy Choo. If I didn’t marry a stiletto I’d at least end up with a Prada pump. I imagined Mr. Right wearing a well-tailored suit to the office every day. He would work in the city in finance or law. On Friday nights we would open a bottle of red and order take-out from a Thai restaurant.

But when it came time to settle down, I made a very different choice. The truth is I never even dated stilettos or pumps. They sounded great on paper, but in real life I was always attracted to loafers. If my husband was a shoe, he’d be a loafer — not a Gucci, not a J.P. Todd, but a Bass Weejun, to be exact.

It turns out the Weejun is the perfect fit. Weejuns are classic like Levis, navy blazers and Timex watches. They have solid New England values. With a Bass Weejun, what you see is what you get. They are never pretentious and they don’t make other shoes feel bad about themselves. They are at home in any closet. Weejuns are just as comfortable hanging out with Christian Louboutin as they are with Kenneth Cole. Weejuns tell it like it is. They don’t buy into fads or trends. They come in a standard oxblood color that will never be in style but that never goes out of style.

My Weejun is dependable. He feels comfortable in that just right, broken in kind of way. He is familiar, a safe choice, and he keeps my feet planted firmly on the ground. When I’m with my Weejun I can dress up in Armani or dress down in jeans. No matter what, I know he’ll be in Dockers and a golf shirt. On Friday nights, I kick of my Delman flats and we order burgers from the local pub. He drinks Coke, from the can, and I have a glass of white. My Weejun and me, we make a great pair.

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Footwear and the Midterm Elections

August 28, 2010
By Hello Ladies

Kate Spade "Halle" wedge

Sometimes, I know I like something, but I don’t know why. I could be enjoying a cabernet sauvignon, for example, and then someone with a better palate than mine says, “This is so deep and rich. So many tannins. Do you taste the chocolate?” And bingo! It all becomes clear.

And so it is with politics. For years I thought my interest stemmed from a sense of civic duty, a desire to make the world a better place, from wanting to hold my legislators accountable, demand justice, transparency and equality. But recently it’s become clear to me. I am interested in politics because I love shoes.

Shoes, you see, matter a great deal in politics. The voters in Colorado understand this. They just gave the GOP primary nod to Senate hopeful Ken Buck, the man who said he deserved the vote because he doesn’t wear high heels. He will face Senator Michael Bennet in the general election. Bennet is too frequently photographed from the waist up and so I need to learn more about his footwear. Florsheim? Cole Haan? Gucci? Time will tell.

Senator Michael Bennet

And Bennet should not take this scrutiny lightly. After all, you remember what happened in the Massachusetts Senate race, don’t you? After easily winning the primary, Attorney General Martha Coakley foolishly underestimated her “age-inappropriate Mary Jane shoes” and lost the general election to Scott Brown, who most likely learned the importance of shoes from Helen Gurley Brown.

Congressman Stephen Lynch gets it. He won’t make the same mistakes Coakley did. Not him. Lynch is paying close attention to the message Massachusetts voters sent in January. And that’s why he is touting his footwear as a reason to vote for him, not challenger Mac D’Alessandro. Fashion forecast for fall: red is the new black and work boots are the new barn jacket.

The New York Times gets it. Last week some women were upset about a story in the Times featuring Congress hopeful Reshma Saujani which dedicated half a sentence to her political goals and 13 paragraphs to her shoes. While I think the story should have appeared in the Style section and a separate, more substantive piece on Saujani is owed New York voters, I did find the article informative. Reading it I learned that the 3 inch high, $300 Kate Spade Halle wedge is the footwear of choice for women in politics. Wearing these shoes you can canvass neighborhoods, run to catch a flight and have “drinks at a new hotel lounge with tech entrepreneurs hungry to see their kind in politics.”

I am going to buy a pair. And then I am going to run for office. I may not be a shoo-in to win but I will certainly be a shoe-in.

Stop with the Female Empowerment

June 2, 2010
By Hello Ladies

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

When I mention to people that I write for a feminist blog, they sometimes get uncomfortable. The “F” word can really make people squirm. Personally, I think the other phrase that begins with “f” is much more disconcerting. I’m talking about “female empowerment.” Search for the phrase on Google. Mixed in with articles about teaching girls in third world countries to support themselves financially, you’ll find stories about “Sex and the City 2“, pole dancing, stripping, red lipstick, high heels, Spanx and vajazzling. Yes, I said vajazzling.

Vajazzling, for those of you who remain blissfully ignorant, is the art of bedazzling your vajayjay. And guess what? It is supposedly empowering. That’s right, according to some people, calling your vagina a made-up word and decorating it with crystals somehow sends a message to the world that you are woman, hear you roar. I haven’t quite figured out how. Go ahead and own your sexuality. Adorn your body. That’s all great. But don’t tell me that anything involving your “precious lady” and a $100 cash outlay is empowering. Fashion items and beauty habits that take up our precious time and hard-earned money aren’t acts of empowerment. They are simply fashion and beauty. And even that’s questionable.

Also in the “not” empowering category are Spanx, despite what psychotherapist, author, speaker Jane Shure wrote on the Huffington Post when the undergarment company rolled out a male version, “Men now get to experience some of the worst that our modern-day culture has to offer us in the way of self-empowerment. They, too, will get sucked into believing that they’ll feel more attractive and hold greater confidence when wearing this apparel.” That’s right, Spanx do suck you in – to your skinny jeans, not into the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

“Female empowerment” has been co-opted by marketers trying to hawk cosmetics, pushup bras and 4 inch heels and by those who profit from scantily clad women dancing on bars. But you know what this female finds empowering? Earning a living, getting a fair wage for my work, supporting women-friendly candidates, and mentoring other women. And, if I can do all of that Spanx-free, then more power to me.

So if Robin Givhan isn’t sexist…

May 26, 2010
By Hello Ladies

Robin Givhan

By now you’ve probably heard that Washington Post fashion columnist Robin Givhan took on Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan and her wardrobe in Givhan’s column this past weekend. She wrote about Kagan, “mostly she embraced dowdy as a mark of brainpower.”

Why is it the media always assumes women who don’t relish fashion are making some kind of statement? Last month Kate Betts at The Daily Beast tackled Hillary Clinton’s wardrobe and “distinctly dowdy pumps.” Betts wrote about Clinton’s Oscar de la Renta suits, “She wears them to fit in, not to stand out, and that’s what bugs me.”

How does Betts know that? And how does Givhan know Kagan dresses to send a message about her brains? They don’t. Yes fashion can make a statement – a powerful one at that – but only for the people who care about that stuff.

Remember that episode of “Sex and the City” when Berger says to Miranda about a guy who never called after the first date, “he’s just not that into you“? Well guess what Givhan and Betts, some people just aren’t that into fashion. Some people, believe it or not, wear clothes because they have to – clothes keep them warm and prevent sunburns in uncomfortable places. Just like some people eat to live, not because food is a passion or a comfort. It’s surprising these fashion writers don’t grasp that.

More surprising however, is Givhan’s critique of Kagan’s posture. Writes Givhan, “In the photographs of Kagan sitting and chatting in various Capitol Hill offices, she doesn’t appear to ever cross her legs. Her posture stands out because for so many women, when they sit, they cross.”

Givhan claims she wasn’t being sexist when she wrote that. I don’t buy it. First of all, this appeared in the Washington Post. Second, we’re talking about the same woman who once covered Hillary Clinton’s cleavage. And third, how many powerful men have poor posture, bad wardrobes, or worse, boorish behavior that the media never covers? I have been in meetings on three different occasions when three different men clipped their nails. Were those men sending a message or just being gross?

The way I see it, if Givhan won’t admit she was being sexist, then she should at least admit she doesn’t know much about fashion. So which is it?

  

If the Shoe Fits

January 6, 2010
By Hello Ladies

In a January 2 interview on NPR, the fabulous Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York, talked about woman’s fashion during the last decade. His take: the last ten years was a masochistic period for fashion. His examples, “shoes became ridiculously high and very painful to wear” and women thinking “legs never long enough, boobs never big enough, faces never Botox enough.”

What do you think? Are you wearing higher heels? Or are you still trying to rock the Croc?*

When you look at these shoes do you think fashion forward or iron maiden?

 What about these boots? Dominatrix or dominated?

Ironic isn’t it, or maybe just plain hypocritical, that Barney’s sells all of these shoes. They also sell 17 so called beauty treatments that contain hyaluronic acid. From Wikipedia:

Hyaluronan (also called hyaluronic acid or hyaluronate) is an anionic, non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan distributed widely throughout connective, epithelial, and neural tissues. … One of the chief components of the extracellular matrix, hyaluronan contributes significantly to cell proliferation and migration, and may also be involved in the progression of some malignant tumors. T… Hyaluronic acid is also a component of the group A streptococcal extracellular capsule,[3] and is believed to play a role in virulence.[4][5]

Does that sound like skin care to you or skin hate?

Now I’m not trying to trash Barneys. I love Barneys. And God knows, I am a fool to take on Doonan. After all, after one blogger criticized his work, Doonan responded in the New York Observer saying, “… I see now that there are two kinds of people in the world: In the first group, we have those who “do,” and in the second group, we have those who sit at their computers on their ever-widening asses blogging, platforming and commenting on the not-always-perfect efforts of the first group.”

But I am just so tired of fashion insiders lamenting the state of the industry. If they don’t like the anorexic models, the unattainable standards and the ridiculous products, they are in a better position to change things than their customers are. Yes we can vote with our (designer) wallets but if the stores don’t gives us a reasonable selection. What are we supposed to wear?

*Oh and btw, ladies, you can never rock the Croc. Never

Shopping: Recession Style

November 25, 2009
By Hello Ladies

shopLike most born salespeople, I enjoy the hunt — even when it comes to shopping. I find the pursuit of the perfect black pump or patent tote bag immensely more satisfying than the actual purchase. This trait has served me well during a recession. Money is scarce, but I still need to dress for success. Luckily, I’ve been able to use my prospecting skills at thrift stores, consignment shops and on Ebay.

And I’ve “closed” some incredible deals. I bought a Sonia Rykiel coat for $8, brand new Prada boots for $44, an Escada sweater for $4 and a vintage Douglas Stannard necklace for $29. Thrifty shopping requires a mix of luck and skill. As far as the luck, you’re on your own. But I can help with the skill. Here are my top ten tips for thrifting.

 1) Shop frequently: Merchandise moves fast in thrift stores. Shops usually bring in new stock weekly. Find out when the new inventory arrives and try to visit the same day.

2) Be willing to leave empty handed: If you don’t find something you need or love, don’t buy. Remember, an acrylic sweater with appliqué flowers is always hideous — no matter how inexpensive it is.

3) If it’s under $3, don’t hesitate: That being said, if you are on the fence about whether or not you “need” an item, ask yourself two questions: Can I think of a place to wear this? Is it $3 or less? If the answer to both questions is yes, than buy it. I still remember the $1 metallic Patricia Field bag I didn’t buy. I went back for it two days later, but it was gone.

4) Invest the time: You don’t need to spend a lot of money when you thrift, but you do need to spend some time. Thrift stores don’t employ merchandisers. There are no well-lit displays that show you what top goes with what pants. Often times these stores are very large and the racks are packed tighter than my closet. To find a treasure, you need to dig through the junk.

5) Shop for what you need and what you love: Only shop for items you need or love. On my Blackberry I keep a list of what purchases I need to complete my wardrobe or a specific outfit. The only things I buy that are not on that list, are items I absolutely, positively love, like the red Stuart Weitzman pumps I found last week for $70.

6) Know what clothes cost: It’s helpful to know the going rate for items before you shop – especially when bidding on Ebay. If you’re competitive, like me, it’s easy to get caught up in wanting to “win” against anonymous bidding opponents. Don’t pay $300 for an item that retails at $199.

 7) Find a good dry cleaner, tailor and cobbler: A good tailor and cobbler can make gently worn items look new again merely by replacing a zipper or re-soling a shoe. And never hang previously worn clothes in your closet without dry cleaning them first.

8) Don’t skimp on quality: Thrift doesn’t mean cheap. It means inexpensive. Always keep the same standards whether you’re shopping at Salvation Army or Neiman Marcus. Look for quality fabric and construction and check for a good fit.

9) Cultivate an individual style: Many people think thrift is synonymous with bohemian and eccentric. That doesn’t have to be the case. Sure you can find retro styles in vintage shops, but you can find classic items as well. You don’t have to sacrifice your style in order to save money.

10) Learn to accept a compliment graciously: When someone says, “I love your outfit,” try to say “thank you” and nothing else. For me, this is the hardest part of thrifting. I can never resist responding, “Thanks. It was only $5 at Goodwill.”

Fall Fashion Trend: Naked with a Burberry Umbrella and a Diet Coke

October 21, 2009
By Hello Ladies

“Our ability to accessorize is what separates us from the animals.” – Steel Magnolias

runwaymodelI am an accessories girl. So this season I have my eye on the Verdura cuff The House of Chanel is releasing in honor of the famous jeweler’s 70th anniversary. Chanel will issue a limited edition collection of 70 cuffs, 35 of which are signed and numbered. The price tag is around $29,500 –each. I love the Fulco cuff. Love it. But I refuse to buy one. Because this season I am banning Chanel. (Unlike every other season when I just can’t afford Chanel.) Verdura ivory enamel cuffs (small)

Why? Because last week, German fashion magazine, Brigitte, said it was no longer going to use professional models in its editorial. Instead, the magazine is looking for “real women” with whom who readers can better identify. Apparently the editors are also tired of photo shopping the models to camouflage their protruding collarbones.

 
Well, in response to the Bridgette team’s news, Karl Lagerfeld, head designer for Chanel, told another German magazine, Focus, that “No one wants to see curvy women,” and, “You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly.”

So while some in the fashion industry are working to promote healthier body images, others, like Lagerfeld, are not. And speaking of Photoshop….

When it comes to accessories, shoes are my absolute favorite. This season I have my eye on the Carminda boot from Ralph Lauren. These boots are fabulous: brown burnished leather, pointy toes and 4 inch heels. But alas, I will not buy them. No, not because they cost $1200. Nor is it because there is no way this fat, chip-eating, TV-watching mother can get them over her calves. It is because this season I am banning Ralph Lauren.
Ralph Lauren, you see, doesn’t use Photoshop to plump up its models. No, they use Photoshop to distort their models. Apparently size zero women are just too fat for their campaigns. They prefer size physically impossible. RL Photoshop

The company did apologize after this photo shopped image (Eds. note: Images will not appear on Hello Ladies homepage. Click story headline to see the picture.) caused an outcry on the Internet. But now there is news of another retouched image causing a stir.

I am tired of these men dictating what is fashionable to women. So, next time you see me, I will be naked, holding a Burberry umbrella and drinking a Diet Coke.

Why I Hate Breasts

October 2, 2009
By Hello Ladies

breast cancerBreasts. I hate them. They are nothing but trouble.

A few months ago, I found a lump in my right breast. As I waited to see my doctor, I imagined what might happen. Best case scenario: there would be no lump. I’d have imagined it and would get felt up for no good reason by some man who couldn’t even remember my name. It wouldn’t be the first time. Pretty darn good scenario: It would be a cyst and I would have to lie topless on a table surrounded by strangers with big needles who wanted to aspirate it. Aspirate, you see, is a fancy word for lance. Worst case scenario: my breasts would kill me. After all, breasts killed my aunt and they killed an estimated 40,000 American women last year alone.

I was lucky. It was a cyst. But may I just say I think it sucks that I have these two potentially deadly inconveniences hanging off the front of me. I didn’t ask for them. And had I been given a choice, I would have said, “No thanks.”

No thanks, I don’t want to spend money on bras at $30 a pop for the rest of my life. My idea of accessorizing isn’t a sports bra, a lace bra, and a bra that works under white t-shirts. I’ll spend my money on shoes thank you very much.

No thanks, I don’t want men looking at my chest instead of my face when I talk to them.

No thanks, I won’t miss getting mammograms. I can always just walk naked into a crowded room if I have an overwhelming need to experience discomfort.

No thanks, I think I have enough PMS symptoms. Moodswings, pimples and cramps are good enough for me. I don’t need tender breasts every month too.

And no thank you, I don’t need my body parts to relocate after I have children. My c-section scar is memento enough.

Now before La Leche comes after me, let me just say that I nursed my children. I am both appreciative and awed by the fact that my body could grow and then nourish a human life. But why did it have to be breasts?

But breasts it is. So please, remind the women in your life to get an annual mammogram and give them a hug. Just don’t try to cop a feel while you do it.

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