And who doesn't like bamboo-esque? I esque you. Sorry.

But yes, you want these.
On my ebay shop.
http://ebay.to/12iHvMI

Costume National sandals, available on Yoox

How cool are these sandals from Costume National? Comfortable. Stylish. Designer. Within the realm of affordable. The only catch is you have to be a size 8. Which I am not. Have at it someone!

Love her color combo: royal blue knit and taupe patent.


If you ask me, these shoes are a great leg-lengthener.

With my trusty stealth camera, I got this shot on Wednesday evening. Yes, I was totally in plain sight, but luckily she wasn't looking my way. Otherwise she'd probably be pretty creeped out. I have blurred her face to protect her identity, because what I really liked were her shoes. Or at least the color of her shoes paired with her royal blue knit dress. I have an Essie nail polish shade that matches these shoes. And a patent belt too. Okay, off to Endless to hunt them down.


If you like this post, you may also like my In Hot Pursuit of a Handbag series, which I must seriously continue. I like finding the fashionable in NYC. There are so many good outfit ideas walking around on the streets.

TSUBO Women's Cavell Wedge
Comfortable like a sneaker. Hugs your foot. Good heel height.
Excellent texture on the heel.


Bandolino Women's Outloud Wedge Sandal
It was the "metallic" black that sold me.
And of course the silver inside, that matches my toenail polish.
The heel turns out to be a rich suede. Very dressy.
Love the cross-strap.

I don't want this to read like a cheesy testimonial, but I can't say enough good things about Endless.com, a shoe Website owned by Amazon. Endless beats Zappos. Simple as that. Endless does better on price, on variety, on in-stock sizes, and on shipping. Zappos, whose claim to fame is great service and free shipping, will likely have to step up their game. Endless offers free 1-day and 2-day shipping! I ordered two pairs of shoes and they were each delivered 1 day early. How can you beat that? I love both pairs so much. They are comfortable! They are stylish! And they were both a great price. I am hooked.

The above is my opinion as a customer. As a merchant, I have different thoughts. Like how will other Websites compete with the Endless business model? Time will tell.

My comfortable sandal search is on again. These seem like they would be comfortable, but I'm sure they're not. They heel looks comfortable. But it's probably too hard. The straps probably fall off your feet and then you fall off your shoe and twist your ankle. Bah humbug. Can't they make a comfortable shoe?

***
Update, 7.26.2010
Thanks for the comments and helpful hints! Much appreciated. I clicked through the link to the above Nicole sandal in black and they were sold out today! Of course, that made me want them all the more, and decide that they must have been comfortable after all. I did find them elsewhere, and for much less! Oh. But not in my size.

Gentle Soles by Kenneth Cole
O Me O My in stone

These shoes seem like they are so comfortable. I tried them on, not even in my size, and they were comfortable. Now I have to hunt them down in all Kenneth Cole stores all over the city. They are half off right now! I love the stitching. Very karate belt.

I have now come to the conclusion that Kenneth Cole shoes are worth the investment. After wearing these for a year, my feet are so happy, even on the unforgiving NYC pavement.

Black elastic strap wedge sandals by Bandolino, on sale $39.99
Quite comfortable.

My blog is back!!! My blog is back!!!

I have been wanting to post about these shoes since 6.2.2009. Admittedly, not a very earth-shattering post to come back with, but it is the principle of the thing. Wow, 6 full days without my blog was a sad 6 days!! I hope it is fixed for good.

I have hope that it is.

A note on the title of this post. My desire to find elastic strap sandals did all start on 6th Avenue. On the corner of 6th and 39th actually. I was about to cross the street when I saw this woman wearing these comfortable-looking elastic strap sandals. I ran up to her and asked her where she got them. (When you clomp around the streets of New York, you become obsessed with finding comfortable (but non-frumpy) shoes. Do they exist? No and no.) Well hers were last season by Calvin Klein. A little bit crushed, I kept searching. And found the above from Bandolino. On sale! Pretty darn comfortable. Although not for covering ground, to be sure. Better for standing still. Or sitting quietly in a chair. But very nice looking. And you know how I love a wedge. (See margin comments at left.)

Ibiza Zebra flip flops from Sanuk, $18.

Sanuk always manages to add a pleasing twist to an old standard. These Ibiza flip flops come in lots of colors. Check them out here.

Modern Vintage black cracked leather 'Ully' sandals
available on Bluefly, $80.99

These look comfortable. The wide strap. The textured leather. There is something friendly yet sexy about them. They look Belgian. And by Belgian I mean Martin Margiela or Dries, or Ann Demeulemeester. I like these.

Dolce Vita brown leather 'Ginger' sandals
available on Bluefly, $108

I've had it up to here with studs. Too many studs. But these studs I like. I think they are leather. That is what I like about them. But will this trend be over too soon?

Charles David black patent 'Tinker' slingback wedges
available on Bluefly, $97.20

How about these? The straps look super comfortable. The heel is very YSL. But I am not sure if platforms are totally out. What do you think?

Marc by Marc Jacobs
[image from luisaviaroma.com]

Guiseppe Zanotti
[image from Piperlime]

How do you like your cork sandals? For me, it can get sometimes too corky. I like just the right amount of cork.

[image from Piperlime]

Yes, a bit.

I am sorry that I did not get a more clear shot of these espadrilles on the escalator in front of me this morning. We were in rather tight quarters, and it was difficult to maneuver my stealth camera without alerting others. Brown canvas open toe with ankle strap. The straw heel had brown strands braided into the mix. They captivated my attention the entire ride.

Nanette Lepore 'Flirty Flower' topstitched wedges, $297 on bluefly.com
Spotted on Popgloss

These wedge sandals by Nanette Lepore are a little bit Prada a few seasons ago and a little bit geisha. Although I like looking at them, I believe I would fall right off of these running for the subway, and it wouldn't be pretty. My quest for the comfortable summer sandal continues. One viable option so far.

Kenneth Cole 'Walk on By' in black patent, $110 on kennethcole.com
Try this shoe on at the store on 5th Avenue & 17th Street. Ask for Wilson.
He knows his shoes, and he is Halle Berry's personal shopper. Neat.

Why are all sexy shoes so uncomfortable? Why are all comfy shoes so frumpy? The patent leather 'Walk on By' sandal by Kenneth Cole is a viable option and current front-runner in my quest for a comfortable summer sandal.

Here are the pluses as I see them:

• Stylish
• Shock-absorbing rubber sole
  
• Perfect color for everyday
  
• Flattering on the legs; ankle strap looks good with skirts
• The silver perforated leather inner, although hidden, will make me feel happy; it will match my silver toenail polish too

If you are conducting your own shopping research and have found sandals that will keep your feet happy and blister-free for miles this summer, please do not hesitate to comment below. Please provide any shopping links too.

This season calls for a little update to your espadrille. Look for an espadrille with an extra-high wedge heel, a faux dupioni silk fabric and a little criss-cross action on the toe. And remember to avoid the puddles! Your espadrille will stiffen as soon as the straw heel hits water, and you'll feel like you're walking the plank. Most unpleasant, I say from experience. Above, my new espadrilles I got for mere pennies. 2499 pennies to be exact, at Fabco.

Here is an attractive dressy-casual sandal that can take you from shopping to dinner, or from the office to dinner depending on your lifestyle. I always love to choose a toe color that matches the inside of the sandal, in this case a pinky-lavender. The leather flower is a lovely touch with a smart crisp waxy cotton pants-suit, don't you think?

Once again, I would choose a black power-clutch, as I like to call it, to go along with these shoes. You know the kind: an exaggeratedly long rectangular black clutch in stiff yet buttery leather. Maybe with a subtle silver clasp. A retangular sleek clasp of course. To accessorize your shoes, try these pieces from elaineperlov.com. (If the shoe is really great, I do think of the clothing as the accessories. Go figure.) Links: Chungking, Bamboo, Pinstripe, Windows




Footnote
The wrap-around ankle strap is very comfortable as is the low heel. The toe straps however, are not built for distance. Take a cab. Choose an occasion that will require lots of sitting and looking lovely.

I know you are asking yourself, are espadrilles still in this season? Well of course they are. Do they ever go out? Just don't wear them on a rainy day or step in a puddle, because the sole will turn into an unpleasant, unflexible plank, forever. I found this pair and reconfigured the tie (shortened it and resewed). I don't really like something lacing up my leg, so I just tie them in a bow in the back. Short and sassy.

Espadrilles are a great basic to wear with your fancy-casual weekend wear. Perfect for outdoor patios, iced cappucinos, cupcakes. These shoes, with the right outfit, can take you from shopping to dinner! Try them with textured pieces like the Eyelet Tunic, Denim Skirt, Chungking Vest, or Embroidered Obi Sash, pictured below.




Footnote
You probably have decoded the pattern from the last few posts that the footnote is where I dispell the fantasy and tell you if these shoes are really possible or comfortable or realistic. Espadrilles are. Find the right fit, and you can walk for miles (on dry land only, please).

Managing and maintaining your shoe collection. I thought that topic deserved a how-to hints post. And since I'm on the topic of shoes already, why not.

A great way to maximize your shoe collection is to know exactly what you have, at a glance. How many shoes in your collection go unworn all season because you forgot about them? How much money do you waste buying new shoes that are exactly the same as the old ones you forgot you already owned?

It is time to start enjoying and making the most of what you have. It is time to catalogue! Photograph every pair you own, on a white backdrop. You will love this trip down memory lane, believe me. What girl doesn't love her shoes in a far too precious way? During this exhaustive process, you can dust off the cobwebs, give some pairs a polish, assess the damage, weed out the duds, create a "to-be-reheeled pile" and add up all the protective shoe bags you will need to buy, going forward.

Shoebox method
Make 2 copies of each photograph. Tape one photo onto the box; organize the other in a look book. Do this with your belts and bags too. This way, you can coordinate outfits at a glance and really maximize your minimalism!

Shoe bag method
On the plus side, the bags take up far less room than the boxes. On the minus side, the at-a-glance idea doesn't really work as well. Label the bags and let the labels show. You can attach a photo here as well. The important thing is that your shoes are dust free and protected. Take a look through your look book more often so you don't forget what treasures are hidden in the bags.



Here are pages and pages of products to help organize and protect your shoes, from the Container Store. Happy browsing. Now get photographing!

mini archive
how-to hints #1
how-to hints #2
how-to hints #3