By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife
The upcoming party season (which begins for me tomorrow!) has most of us gals thinking about what we will wear. Personally, I always start with the shoes and get inspired from there. This year, I am NOT about to get another pair of black shoes. I already own a pair in every heel height and comfort level. But I am thinking of dressing up my heeled pumps with some sparkly shoe clips. We’ve seen the high end designer shoes get embellished with all manners of adornment. But I’m not into paying $895 for a pair-of-party-shoes-that-I’ll-only-wear-a-couple-times (for example).
It’s gonna [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

I have boots in my closet that I have worn for years. Basic black and brown with basic heels. They’re always right there, on the edge of being fashionable but they have never quite gotten there. Until this…!
The two trends I have noticed this fall are ankle boots, which I have, and fur. Lots of fur accents, coats, shoes, vests and so on.
Donna Salyer’s Fabulous (faux) Furs has the cutest Fur Boot-Toppers to give my ankle boots just the right update. You can go either wild  or tame, either option adds an eye-catching accent in [...]

By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife
Just like any other perfectly normal, healthy, emotionally well-balanced woman, I have a thing for shoes. Do NOT ask me how many pairs I have. That is completely irrelevant to this conversation.
I know you understand. There are so many reasons to love shoes. They can elevate a seemingly blah outfit to one that begins new trends. They can make you feel like can conquer the world… Comfort? Pfffftt… No kingdom was ever conquered on the basis of comfort. Or walkability factors.
But, most of all, I’m quite certain that women love shoes so much because they are [...]

We know the joke: “You’re unique. just like everybody else“. But joking aside, we still like to think that we are unique. Which is why at The Succulent Wife, we always like to feature lots of indie and artisan businesses. Because when we shop with them at least we know that the stuff we buy is NOT like everybody else’s…
And, that goes for shoes too. Probably, especially for shoes. And so, we love this company… Shoes of Prey.
Shoes of Prey is a site that allows women to custom design their own shoes. Pick from a variety of heel heights and [...]

I have a new craving this fall. It’s hitting me hard. I’ll need to satisfy it soon…It’s for a desert boot, with updated styling à la 2011.
FYI, the Desert Boot is now 62 years young. This enduring style with the crepe sole has many fans. My sister and I were among some of the early fans. I remember us both sporting a pair of the “originals” (but we didn’t need to call them that back then…) as little girls and feeling very cool in a tomboyish and powerful sort of way.
And now is the time to revisit the timeless design. [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
We love to support companies that do great work here and abroad. By now, we are all now quite familiar with (and wearing) Toms Shoes and we love the great work the company does around the world (Did you know that Toms does eyewear now, under the same One-for-One principle).  In fact, we wrote about them three years ago already. Here are some other shoe companies that also do great work in their own way, whether it is helping the environment, fighting poverty or helping women.
 
For the Young Ones
Chooze Shoes – Here are some perfect [...]

I love to travel. I hate to look like a tourist. Especially in a metropolitan setting (it’s a whole other style discussion if I’m going to trek up and down the Grand Canyon). The ubiquitous camera is the first dead giveaway. And then the shoes. The comfortable, sensible walking shoes. Might as well have TOURIST tattooed in all caps on your forehead, right? You’re with me, I know it. It’s not that I need to wear 3 inch heels when I’m about to take the 3 miles city walking tour. I just don’t want to look… dowdy in my comfortable [...]

I haven’t checked the stats, but I’m pretty sure that this has been the gloomiest spring on record. Ever. Which has me craving  technicolor. A little bright spot of color on my feet will change my day. I know it. So, I thought I’d bring you along on my virtual shoe shopping ride so that you may also experience the juiciness that is wanting to adorn your feet.

Dolce Vita Lulu in Magenta Suede:  This flash of pink is sweet but not nauseating. Wear these slip-ons with anything from skirts to pants or shorts. Perfect spot of color to put a [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
If your mother is like my mother-in-law, she is at an age that she dislikes shopping for shoes. She has a pair for walking, casual wear, summer, winter and dressy that are all comfortable, simple and go with anything. Now, as us ladies know, shoes and handbags are our statement pieces. My mother-in-law’s shoes say “Please don’t look down!” I love her dearly and she is always impeccably dressed but for the life of me I can’t get her to buy a new pair of shoes. She simply states that she dislikes the “breaking them [...]

It’s following my quest for the perfect nude colored summer shoe that I decided that, really, my efforts should not go to waste and that I should share my short list with you. Because, if I assume correctly, you are, like me, fashion conscious, though not a slave to trends. Being over 40, we want something that is sexy without being trampy; something dignified without being stuffy; something comfortable that isn’t frumpy; something affordable that doesn’t look cheap. And something that we can actually walk in, since our lifestyle doesn’t really permit a whole lot of the shoes that can [...]