Reviews: Shoe roundup

I’m not really into the cult of celebrity but every once in awhile I see a star wearing something and think “NEED. NOW. Please.” Such is the case with Ms. Swift above, who is rocking Frye’s Mandy T-Strap Sandals. Not to go too far off on a tangent but it didn’t really warm up in NYC until August this year and so I completely missed the summer shopping season. As a result I have spent the last couple of weeks wondering where the heck to buy shorts and sandals. And after seeing her photo I decided I wanted those sandals in particular.

I had already scoured Bloomingdale’s, Wink and few other NYC outlets looking for the Mandies. Endless.com had them but not in my size. Then lo and behold I discover that Anthro carried them all along as the Aren Studded Slingbacks ($178). Anthropologie to the rescue…issue solved! These are quite darling in real life. I especially like the triangle heel which makes walking on cobblestones slightly more bearable. I alluded to this in my review that’s on the Anthro product page but you do need to break these in with a wear around the apartment. The toe is so curved it’s almost pointed and as a result your pinkie toe sits under the leather strap. It doesn’t pinch per se but the leather needs to stretch just a bit to be all-day comfortable. So bring flip flops along the first time you wear these out. They fit true to size but narrow so if your feet are wider you’ll want to go 1/2 a size up.

I also splurged on the Boulevardier Heels ($180). The combination of the black leather against brown soles is what did it for me. These sandals are so comfortable. I love how the footbed is made of a soft material with two leather pads to prevent foot slippage. The circular heel is interesting and so low that you barely even notice it. The leather is stitched and supple. We’ll see how these wear but everything seems to be in good order after a couple of days’ out. They’re Euro sized and I found the size 9 equivalent 39s to be perfect.

It’s the color and the worn-in appearance that make the Juxtaposition Booties ($210) by Antelope endlessly appealing. Yummy leather and each pair is different. I tried these on at the Soho Anthro and noticed that my pair in size 9 was slightly darker than the 6.5s on display. The zipper was a bit unrelenting but once these were on…wow. The insides of these boots are really soft. The treads on the soles are great and I really like the scalloped seams. It’s the details that count! Such a great fall color and that is my only concern — I don’t think I’d get enough wear to justify the cost but should I win the lottery these are on the list. Update: Shannon from Wardrobe Review purchased them and her review is here.

If you’re looking for booties that are a little more urban chic, try the Framework Booties ($178). Like the Juxtaposition Booties the leather looks slightly worn in. Love the asphalt grey color (gunmetal?) which reads as black in some lighting situations. I also found these to be true to size and the leg opening is wider than on many other booties. The inside was lined with leather so you’ll want to wear socks. These booties draw attention to the calves and mine are not worthy of many accolades and so this pair was a clear pass for me. Shannon from Wardrobe Review gave her take here.

The Oxford Grad Peep-Toes ($138) are ruffly, romantic and slightly confounding. I get that peep booties are all the rage this year; my question is why? It severely limits the amount of time you can wear these though I know fashion is not supposed to be practical. These are too cute to really denigrate anyway. I forgot to note it but I’m pretty sure these were Euro sized and once again my true size 39 was a winner. They looked very cute on but I was a little unsteady. I’m not sure if it was the platform or the overall shape of the shoe which left me feeling a bit like I was on stilts. The bottom has a cute keyhole detail which is visible in the second product photo from the left. Nice, but a pass for now.

I have not seen the Winding Ruffle Boots ($258) in-store yet but I hope they come in soon. More ruffles! I doubt these will fit around my calves but I’m going to try anyway. Pain is fashion. (Or is it the other way around?)