Sleek, studded, and sexy.  These 3 words are all the makings of a great shoe. BCBG has stepped up the metal details from studs to full out lining.  The gold lining along the wedge of this shoe look classy and sophisticated without sacrificing style.   I suggest wearing these shoes at night. When the patent and gold reflect of the night time lights, you can be sure that you won’t go unnoticed.

Get Them: BCBGMAXAZRIA ‘Harper’ Wedge 

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Gladiator sandals are everywhere and I can’t help but love them!  I do admit, I have posted a good amount in the past few months that I was able to post from Italy, but designers just keep getting better at creating them.  Enzo Angiolini went in the perfect direction of putting studs up along the main strap and strategically putting 3 buckles along the sides.  In my opinion these sandals look best with a pair or leggings or jean skirt and a t-shirt.  Don’t get too fancy, these shoes should be the main focus of your outfit.

Get Them: Enzo Angiolini ‘Tells’ Sandal 

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So I’ve got to give a shout-out and an online “high-five” to my buddies over at Marshalls.  They’ve rolled out with this Shoe Megashop department in their stores that make it easy to shop and find shoes.  I’ve browsed around and really like their selection of sandals and casual shoes.  Two words to describe them? Cute and comfy. Plus, being Marshalls, their shoes are all reasonably priced so go wild and buy 3 or 4 summer sandals in one go =)

Check them out online and tell me what you think @: Marshalls Shoe Megashop 

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After the last 5 posts I thought I’d go through a rewind like I did with the Bridal Shoe Series a while back. Here’s the recap of the styles that I fell in love with when I was traveling through the UK, Germany, Italy, and Austria this past May.

Here goes…

The traditional ballet flat: these will never go out of style. Invest in a quality pair that comfortable and don’t be afraid to get them in different colors. I know it may seem kind of outrageous to buy such a simple looking shoe for what seems like an inflated price, but when you’ve been wearing the shoe for the next 4+ years, you’ll be glad you bought them “way back when.” The French Sole Sloop is a perfect example of the everlasting ballet flat.

Get Them: French Sole Sloop

Related Post: European Flats I: French Sole Sloop

The sling-back flat: A properly fit sling-back can add comfort to your feet if you have been walking all day and provide some much needed air that the closed in flat doesn’t. Once you have your traditional ballet flat the sling-back flat the Cole Haan Air Aiden Sling is a worthy next purchase. Keep things interesting by choosing one that has different colors, or like the Aiden has texture.

Get Them: Cole Haan Air Aiden Sling

Related Post: European Flats II: Cole Haan Air Aiden Sling

The in-between season flat sandal: Nowadays with weather being as unpredictable as it is these days, the end of Spring doesn’t always mean that the barely there strappy sandal is weather appropriate. That’s what the in-between season flat sandal is for. This Frye Cameron Skimmer is enough of a shoe to keep your feet from freezing when the temperatures are a bit chilly and/or rainy and enough of a sandal to keep you from being disgruntled about not being able to wear the tank top and shorts near Summer. Go for different colors and a basket weave look to keep the style fresh and light. Then, when the weather does become that perfect sunny and 75, you’ll be able to pair the shoe with summer wear.

Get Them: Frye Cameron Skimmer

Related Post: European Flats III: Frye Cameron Skimmer

The Embellished Flat: if you already have your traditional ballet flat (or think that they are too simple for your style), try the ballet flat with added detail like this Corso Como Drew Flat. A flower at the top, bow, or buckle are all welcome details to the flat. Keep in mind that a gigantic bronze cut-out at the top of the shoe may not necessarily look bad as long as it goes along with the theme of the shoe. On the flip side, a big ol’ mess of small embellishment are just as likely to make the flat look too busy and unbalanced, so be sure that the shoe is not overwhelmed with added details. And remember, colors are your friend so feel free to look for contrasting colors in the different textures and materials of the flat.

Get Them: Corso Como Drew Flat

Related Post: European Flats IV: Corso Como Drew Flat

The tennis shoe style fabric flat: It’s a mouthful to say, but this shoe style is great for everyday. I love that we can wear this more casual shoes style (with or without socks) without having to resort to wearing actual tennis shoes. The other great thing about these tennis shoe style fabric flat is that you can find them almost anywhere and they tend to be a bit less pricey than their leather counterparts and don’t have to worry about keeping them super clean because they are more like tennis shoes. The Tommy Hilfiger Katie Slip-On here is a great example of this type of shoe with the rubber sole to keep you from slipping and the fun patchwork/leather material combo. It’s also cute enough to wear with a denim skirt or casual summer cotton dress.

Get Them: Tommy Hilfiger Katie Slip-On

Related Post: European Flats V: Tommy Hilfiger Katie Slip-On

Posted in Cole Haan, Corso Como, Flat, French Sole, Frye, Sandal, Slingback, Tommy Hilfiger | No Comments

Last but not least in the European Flat Shoes Series is the fabric tennis-shoe type patterned flat. From Zara, to H&M, to the small boutiques I visited it seemed like they all had a version of this flat. This post on the Tommy Hilfiger Katie Slip-On is my homage to them. The patchwork look of the Katie keeps the shoe playful and casual for everyday and especially out on a sunny day in the park with a light cotton sun dress (an of course the shorts and t-shirt combo). The top strap matches perfectly with the patchwork colors. I also like that the front edge of the shoe is covered with rubber while the toe and sides are bordered with leather. This will help the shoe to last longer by protecting the material at the front from getting discolored or scuffed (plus it’s makes the shoe a bit more ‘fun’). Oh, and an added benefit for those of you that love socks..these shoes will definitely look just fine with a pair of thin ankle socks or barefoot.

Get Them: Tommy Hilfiger Katie Slip-On

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Embellishments added to the traditional ballet flat was something that I saw and loved as well. These Corso Como Drew flats are a perfect example of added detail without overwhelming the entire shoe. This flat is wonderfully balanced in eggplant with the slightly geometric flower petals at the gathered toe of the shoe. And a detail not to be missed is the very very slight heel in the contrasting stacked wood. I’m all about the details and the Drew is a simple shoe that you can tell a lot of sophisticated thought has been put into to make it a flat the most fashionable would wear without looking like they tried too hard.

Get Them: Corso Como Drew Flat

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Weaves – gotta love’em. You saw how great they are on a modified flat with the Cole Haan Air Aiden Sling, and here it is again with the Frye Cameron Skimmer. I saw similar shoes in London paired with matchstick jeans. The weather wasn’t quite nice enough in rainy London to go full-out with the barely there sandal, but these types of shoes are a great way to get variety from a peep toe flat in slightly gloomy weather. And seeing as how it’s been rainy in Seattle, I don’t doubt that there are others around the country dying for a change in shoes from boots and pumps. Then when (or if it already has) the weather warms up some more, match these skimmers up with a skirt or shorts of any length. The Cameron is the perfect alternative because it keeps you foot a bit farther from the ground before opening up to keep them clean. I really like this color because it looks a little distressed and will go great with dark and rustic urban colors. Basically everything!

Get Them: Frye Cameron Skimmer

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