Coach Rose Sandal

When gladiator-style sandals first came out a few years ago, I hated them. Hated, hated, hated! Like, with a deep-seeded passion. However, since then, I've come around since then and have found a few pairs that I like. Granted, these aren't "true" gladiator-style sandals, but in the summer time, I wear mostly flip flops and open-toed wedges and heels, so to me, these are really outside my comfort zone.

These are the Rose sandal from Coach. I think what ultimately won me over was... well, the roses. The sandal has black roses and silver metallic leather straps. They are pretty low to the ground, and do not have a platform or a lot of padding on the inside, so that took a little getting used to. Every time I walked, I felt like I was barefoot! But, walking aside, these sandals are great!! The bottoms are rubber (unlike the other two pairs of gladiators I have, which have smooth bottoms), so they grip well to the sidewalk. The roses also have little studs in them, which help jazz them up. I also like that they are black AND silver, so I can wear them with either color outfit!

These also come in an all-silver version as well (not a dark silver like this, but a white silver color). I got these because I don't trust myself with light-colored shoes -- they always end up getting incredibly dirty! These sandals originally retailed for $158, but have since been marked down and are now available for only $79!!! They are available to order in both colors and a variety of colors on the Coach website. They run a little big, so you can probably size down by a half-size.

L.A.M.B. Tammy Heels

I do apologize for the lack of posts - things have been really busy and I've been away from home for a while, so I haven't had a lot of time to swatch, take pics, post, etc. I don't have a Designer Series post today -- hopefully those will resume tomorrow or later on tonight! I will schedule a few posts to go up, so it won't be so long between posts for me!

I recently got these:

They are the Tammy heels from L.A.M.B. (Love, Angel, Music, Baby - it's Gwen Stefani's clothing line). I saw them at Nordstrom Rack a while ago (must be at least 4-5 months) and they had one pair, and it happened to be my size. But, at a price tag of $200, it was a little over my shoe budget (and that $200 was down from the original price of $369). So, you can imagine how giddy I was when I saw them marked down the last time I was there. They were sitting on the clearance shelf with all the other lonely shoes and I ended up paying... drumroll please... $65!!! For a pair of $369 shoes!!

I love anything that is strappy and I love heels, so these are perfect for me! The heel height is almost 5 inches, so it's a little higher than I'm normally used to (I can walk in up to 4 inch heels comfortably), but I am slowly getting used to it by walking around my house in them to break them in. I cannot wait for the weather to get warmer so that I can break these babies out!!! I'm so excited! I guess it goes to show you that patience is a virtue, but it really pays off!!! :-)

Coach Booties! Brandie and Alexandria!

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted anything except nails! So, it's time to dedicate some blog space to one of the other loves of my life - SHOES! I mean, every girl loves shoes, right??

Coach recently had a shoe sale on a lot of their winter styles and I picked up a few pairs of high-heeled booties. The first is the Brandie, and I got them in *both* gray and black, because I couldn't decide which color I liked better :-P I've been lemming after this boot for a while, but at $218 retail, I couldn't justify the cost. Also, an open-toed bootie seems ridiculous to me. You're supposed to wear boots in the fall/winter, but come that time, it is far to cold to wear anything open-toe. Also, they have a stiletto heel and non-grip soles, so I had NO clue when I was going to wear these. But, they were just too gorgeous to pass up, so I had to snatch them when they went on sale. And, at almost 50% off, I practically got both pairs for the price of one :-D My fellow shopaholics have got to appreciate that!

My next boot purchase was a little more practical -- they're called the Alexandria and they come in both brown and black. I got the black:

This boot is made from the softest, most buttery nappa leather. It also has a stacked heel, which makes it more comfortable than a stiletto heel, and the bottoms are rubber, so I can walk around without fear of faceplanting on the sidewalk. They are also SUPER comfortable. They look great with a pair of jeans, or dressed up with a skirt or black slacks. I love versatility :-)

Okay, no more shoes for a while. I've had about as enough as I can stand, and now that snow will be a permanent fixture on the sidewalks and streets for the next two months, my Uggs are just about all I wear every day. Brrrr!

My Favorite Things: Crocs Prima

Before anyone kills me, I need to preface this entry by saying that I used to think Crocs were the most hideous things on the face of the Earth and I would have been caught dead in a pair. Since then though, I've actually had a chance to wear them and I *really* like them.

It all started innocently enough -- every child I know owns a pair. Literally, I don't think I know any kids, whether they be a toddler or a preschooler, who does not own a pair of Crocs. You know which ones I'm talking about -- the clog/mule-shaped ones with the holes in the front and the slingback. I still think those are somewhat ugly, but for my fellow Croc-haters out there, have you ever tried a pair on?? After I did, I started to like them. I have really high arches on my feet, and Crocs are so incredibly comfortable and lightweight. After I slipped into a pair, I feel in love.

Of course, after I realized that I wanted to own some, I read that the company was in financial trouble and might have to fold soon. Grrrrrreat! So, my quest for colorful and comfy Crocs just hit a little speedbump. No biggie.

I decided not to start off with the ugly-looking Crocs and decided to get the Primas instead. The Prima is a ballet flat and is actually kinda cute!



I came across a pair in my size at my Nordie's Rack, and they were only $15, so I picked them up. I wore them all weekend and absolutely LOVED them. I decided I needed more. So, I found a website, www.endless.com that had them in a bunch of colors and sizes. The ones I got at Nordie's were light pink, so I also ordered a black pair and also a red pair. Endless.com is amazing -- the Primas were between $19.95 and $24.95 and they had free overnight shipping. Yep, you read that right -- FREE overnight shipping. I ordered my shoes at around 4pm on Monday and they were at my doorstep at 1pm on Tuesday. Is that amazing service or what?? I don't think I can recommend Endless.com nearly enough.

Anyway, now that I have three pairs of Croc Primas to whet my appetite (I am wearing my black ones today), I am going to try and look for some colorful Caymans (that's the name of the traditional Croc style that most people are used to seeing). I am debating what color to get next -- I am kinda diggin' on the green, but there are a million colors, so I will most likely change my mind (or just buy multiple pairs... haha). Another Croc convert here!! Wow, there are four words I never thought I'd say.

Oh, and for sizing reference, I believe Crocs only come in whole sizes. If you are in between sizes, you can most likely size DOWN. Happy shopping!