The Pretty Pear

These shoes rule.

I ordered these shoes from Zappos on a total whim. They make it so easy to return stuff that I do that sometimes - order something, mostly expecting to send it back but hopeful anyway. Much to my surprise and delight, these shoes rule.

I ordered an 8.5 wide and not only are they comfortable, they're almost a touch too wide. I always have trouble with shoes like this fitting my instep (the area between your toes and ankle on the top of the foot) so the fact that these fit and are comfortable is nearly miraculous. That buckle in the front is functional, too.

My only complaint is that the back strap isn't adjustable so it slips down a bit on me. The wedge heel is a little taller than it looks online but even I can walk in them without toppling over. There's a gel cushion thing in the heel and the cork is sturdy but not heavy like a freakin' brick. I'm really tempted to order another pair in red but I'll restrain myself. I got the black and will wear them with bright red toenail polish. Whee!

Warning: if anyone comments and calls them granny shoes, I'll cut you. Having wide feet makes finding cute shoes nearly impossible and these are super cute, even for a wide width shoe. Otherwise, if you have wide feet and need a fun summer sandal, this one might be your winner.

Shoes of the week!

Torrid is having their 50% off clearance sale, which means really good prices on some great stuff. You just have to be willing to dig a bit! Keep in mind that sizing is limited, especially in the shoe department. If you’re a size 7, you really should check it out. Most of the shoes Torrid carries are wide width but some aren’t, so make sure to check the item page.

Black Faux Lizard V-Front Finella Heel, $15
A little edgy but still feminine, these heels would look great with straight leg pants or a simple dress.

Cobalt Patent Malia Heel, $12.50
Torrid has a bunch of different colors in this style. I really like this bright cobalt blue patent.

 Purple Faux Leather Finella Ruffled Heel, $15
These are just begging to go to a holiday party. The ruffle is cute but definitely not over the top.

The never ending quest for boots that fit

For the past five years, I have been all over the internet looking for boots for larger calves, specifically my own. If there’s a source for boots, I’ve probably found it. While there are more styles out there now than there ever were before, not much has changed in regards to which retailers are actually selling wide calf boots. I’ve found very few new sources since writing my post about how to shop for wide calf boots in 2004.

This is really surprising to me. I know from watching people coming here from Google that there are a lot of ladies out there looking for boots made to fit a large calves. I recently updated the post I linked above and I barely had to change any of the links or add anything.

And what’s really interesting is that the sizes that are available haven’t changed much either. The widest calf you’re going to find is 20 or 21 inches. There have been some available above that but it’s very rare and I’ve yet to see a pair of better quality boots that are made for those sizes.

A very sparkly shoe of the week!

Available in sizes 5 - 12 in medium and wide widths, Dasha from Romantic Soles might just be the perfect party shoe. The $65 price tag is pretty fab, too. I'm seeing the black with a simple dress for cocktails or a jewel toned satin dress with the sliver sequins for a fancier occasion.

Wide calf boot of the week

I’m learning that people have immensely varied tastes in shoes, especially boots. If you didn’t like last week’s wide calf boot, maybe you’ll like this week’s pick?

Check out the button-trim boot from Jessica London. They’re faux suede with decorative buttons, side zip and elastic for comfort. They’re available in black, brown and amber in sizes 6 – 12, medium and wide widths. The calf size ranges from 17" for size 7 to 20" for size 12. They're on sale for $64.99 - $69.99 from Jessica London.

Wide calf boot of the week!

How’s this for a wide range of sizes? The Dove boot from David Tate is available in sizes 4 – 13 in narrow through extra wide widths. With a 15 inch shaft height, 20 inch shaft circumference, and elastic gore inlays, these are sure to appeal to many of you who have trouble finding boots that just fit. They’re leather too, so if your calves are bigger than 20 inches, you can have them altered to accommodate your size.

The Dove boot from David Tate is $150 from Zappos and is available in black or brown leather.

Shoe of the week: Peigi by Vigotti

I like this week's shoe so much that I've created an entire outfit around it. I’ve shoved as many fall trends into this one look as possible. All that’s missing is the matte nail polish.

Fall 2009 will be all about playing with silhouette and shape. I like the pairing of a slouchy top and oversized bag with sleek pants and a chunky heeled boot. I also like the mixture of feminine ruffles and the open toe on the shoe with masculine details like the grungey plaid pattern and a big, stainless steel watch. It’s time to mix things up!

Shoes: Peigi by Vigotti from Zappos. Sizes 5 - 12, medium and wide(!!!) widths. Available in the black leather shown above, black nubuck and dark brown leather.

Top: St. John's Bay ruffle placket plaid shirt from JC Penney in sizes 1 – 3X for $22. Available in the firebrick plaid shown above and three other colors.

Jeans: Seven7 slim leg jean from Lane Bryant in sizes 12 - 24.

Watch: My Fave Boyfriend by Fossil from Zappos. Stainless steel with black enamel face. This is a woman’s watch so it’s smaller than an actual men’s watch but definitely makes its presence known.

Bag: Jimi by Big Buddha from Piperlime. I love gray always and the zippers are awesome.

Shoe of the week: Cole Haan Mary Jane Wedge

I'm so curious about these Cole Haan Carma Air Mary Jane Wedges. First of all, they're really cute but more importantly, they have concealed Nike Air technology in the insole! How neat is that? And they even come in wide widths! I really want to order them just to try them on but I’m afraid I’ll fall in love. But they might be worth the $300! Waaah!

One of my guiltiest pleasures…

I love cheap shoes. The pair pictured left are from last Spring and were maybe $10 from Old Navy. The funny thing is that I get more compliments on these $10 shoes than any other pair in my wardrobe. They’re flimsy, they offer zero support of any kind, and they’d probably disintegrate if water touched them. But the pattern is really cute, they’re not horribly uncomfortable and I just love them. I really wish I had gotten a second pair for when these fall apart.

I picked up these cheetah print flats from Target for $13 over the weekend. They’re just as unsupportive and cheaply made as the Old Navy flats.  Sometimes I just say “whatever” and accept that my $13 shoes probably won’t last for years and years. They’re cute, fit well for a cheap shoe and I quite like them. They come in a bunch of colors and patterns, too.

Cheap shoes are not a guilty pleasure because I think you have to spend a ton of money on shoes. They’re a guilty pleasure because I know they’re totally impractical! The thing about cheap shoes is that you have to be realistic and highly selective about wearing them. If you have any kind of foot, knee, leg, hip, or back issues, wearing unsupportive shoes will make it worse. And if you do any amount of walking in cheap shoes, you’ll live to regret it.

This is why I suggest reserving the cheap shoes for when you’ll be doing a lot of sitting. In other words, don’t wear the flatest flats in the world to go on a walking tour of Paris and then cry about how your back hurts. You’re kind of asking for it. I have a pair of super supportive New Balance sneakers for when I’ll be on my feet or walking a lot.

Another thing to be mindful of is that cheap high heels are generally a lot more uncomfortable than well made, sturdy high heels. A good heel requires quality craftmenship and you’re not really going to get that from $15 pumps from Payless. If you’re going to be doing anything other than sitting and looking cute, invest in a decent quality heel. They’ll last longer and your back will thank you for it.

Shoe of the week! Sistine by Naturalizer

If you have wide feet, you know how hard it is to find cute shoes that are the right fit and are at least somewhat comfortable. I was so excited when I first spotted these wedges from Naturlizer and immediately started thinking about how cute they’d be with summer dresses and capris.

My foot is a size 8 in length but about an 8.5 in terms of width. Not all of the shoes I wear are wides but I always choose that option when possible, especially when shopping online. I ordered these in an 8 wide and hoped for the best.

They are really super cute on but the instep is too tight and the top of my feet puff up around the edge. It’s not a cute look but it’s a problem I run into a lot. I’m going to try them in an 8.5 and I think those will work.

The wedge isn’t too high at all, even for me and I don’t handle heels well. There’s a good amount of padding in the footbed and overall, the shoe is pretty great quality for $60.

Sistine by Nautralizer is available in four colors and one print, sizes 5 – 12, narrow – wide widths for $60 from Zappos.

Shoe of the week: Nike Mary Jane

I love these shoes. They were instantly comfortable with zero break-in time and while they’re not technically a wide width shoe, they fit my wide-ish feet just fine.

I slip them on for running errands or whenever I’ll be on my feet but don’t want to wear a full sneaker. They’re absolutely perfect for travel, too. I have them in black but the gray pair pictured is totally cuter. The Nike Mary Jane is available for $60 from zappos.com.

Shoe of the week: Naturalizer Holdup

This cute little Mary Jane by Naturalizer looks like an autumn shoe to me but I couldn't resist posting it. It's available in sizes 5 - 12, medium and wide widths for $69 from shoes.com.

I really like the gray suede but it also comes in bronze, a dark hunter green, and black leather. This is a versatile shoe that could be worn with a skirt or trousers for work or with jeans for casual days.

Coupon: Save 15% off at shoes.com with the code JUNE15!

Love it or hate it?

I wish Zappos had a feature that would filter all of the wide width shoes to show just those that are “cute” and/or “trendy.” I really am happy with how much better the selection of wide width shoes is becoming in general but I get extra excited when I spot a shoe that’s super trendy. Sometimes, my vision gets clouded by the trendiness and I forget to ask myself if I actually like the damn shoe. Funny, that’s how I am with plus size clothes, too. Hmm.

Anyway, this is the Kellie by Gabriella Rochar in the black and white patent option. Putting aside the fact that it has a 4 inch heel and I’d never be able to walk in them, I think they’re pretty cute. I do have to ask myself whether I think they’re cute because they’re actually cute or if I’m just excited that they’d maybe fit my wide feet.

So, do you love them or hate them? Pretend that a 4 inch heel is totally easy to walk in and you’d never, ever snap an ankle while wearing them.

Oh yay, boots that fit my ankles!

(I'm easing back into this blogging thing so forgive me if things are slow for a while. I also have some pretty squee-worthy news that I can't share just yet but I will soon. It's big!)

I finally had to bite the bullet and find a pair of snow boots that were actually made for snow. I'm happy with these Snowflakes boots by Trotters, with the caveat that they're not totally waterproof. I live in Chicago, where every street corner is a miniature pond o'slush that you sometimes HAVE to walk through. These boots don't totally protect the foot from getting wet but it's better than nothing, I guess. To put it gently, I have a very thick ankle so I'm just happy when I find something that fits. They're not very attractive but I wear them with jeans so it's not a disaster. Well, it can be a disaster for my pants but... sigh, whatever. Y'know?

I chose these boots because of the laces but uh, the laces aren't really functional. The reason the shoe fits my ankle is because they're cut lower at the front and they are super roomy. I could've probably gone down a half size or so but it's fine. You do need an insert because there's very little padding in the sole but the faux furry lining is nice and cozy. They're not the boots of my dreams but damn it, they fit. I won't make many concessions when it comes to clothing but with shoes, I'm willing to compromise some.

So, I guess I'd give these boots a rating of "eh, whatever." If you have really thick ankles and you're sick of looking, either click that link up there or Google "Trotters Snowflakes." They must be popular because I can't find a site that has the full range of sizes/colors in stock.

I do need to find legitimate boots that will keep my feet AND pants dry. I'm thinking very seriously about ordering a pair from Boots for Broads. Their boots are 100% custom made - you send them all kinds of measurements and they make a pair of totally unique boots just for you. The prices are very reasonable, too. They're based in Australia but it looks like they'll ship all over. I'll post a review if I decide to order from them.

I know a lot of people love Duo boots but their widest calf size isn't wide enough for my very wide calves. Woe is me!

So, um.

Torrid has done the impossible: I'm speechless. I don't even know what to say about these. Perhaps you can think of a situation where Bad Santa boots would be an appropriate choice in footwear?

Kidding aside, I don't know if I'm a square or if Torrid is aiming for a younger and younger demographic. I am grateful that a retailer is selling trendy items for young plus size women and if I was 18, I'm sure most of my clothes would come from there. However, the clothes are growing increasingly over the top in terms of trendiness. It feels a bit like they're pushing away slightly older women like myself who enjoy trendy pieces but don't want something to go out of style before it even arrives in the mail.

If anything, I'm a bargain shopper and how many times will you REALLY wear slutty Santa boots? Cost per wear! Cost per wear!

To their credit, the calf circumference is 21 inches and up, so there's that.