TheShoeGoddess.comThe Shoe Goddess

So… not only are these just ugly, I learned something (potentially) awful about them yesterday from a very reputable source here at the WSA show.  I spoke to a designer (who will remain anon.) who went shopping for leathers and found "frog" and "chicken" among the skins to choose from. Needless to say, she was appauled… Upon hitting the stores to check out Springs latest from other designers, she could swear that Blahnik was using frog (you can spot it apparently by the small bumps on the skin. yikes!!!!) Judge for yourself. (hint: pick up a pair of your favorite patent leather shoes and compare… there is a stark difference!) To play Devil’s advocate, maybe this was a conscious decision in the design of the shoe to make it different?!

 Manolo Blahnik Strappy Sandals $665.00  Neiman Marcus

TheShoeGoddess is turning a year old this month! I never imagined what a fantastic journey I was about to embark on when I first started selling my shoes on E-bay to raise money to support APCH, my favorite charity.

After receiving a lot of e-mails from e-buyers, asking for shoe advice, I decided to create TheShoeGoddess, a small blog for shoe lovers. What started as a fun little shoe lover site has grown beyond my expectations.

I couldn’t handle it alone anymore, and this is when Randy came aboard (TheShoeGoddess’ fabulous web designer), followed by Hilary,  And recently a new contributor from New York, Gallit, has joined the blog and will contirbute regularly.

Our commitment to our dear readers is to improve our site, bring new features, interesting designer interviews, as well as introduce talented new designers. Stay tuned!

As I look forward to many more years of blogging and sharing my passion for shoes, thank you all for your continuous support.

Here’s a little treat for you all as we get closer to Valentines’ day — a glimpse into "the pink department" of my shoe collection.

The Hot Pink

From left to right: Rene Caovilla jeweled sandals, Christian Dior platform pumps, Christian Louboutin horatio slingback, Rene Caovilla rhinestone sandals, Stella McCartney satin pumps.

Softer Pink

(Left to right) Manolo blahnik barbie mule,Christian Louboutin satin slingback, Roger Vivier satin pump with jeweled buckle, Moschino satin pump with velvet bow, Hollywould satin mule with rhinestone buckle.

Ballet flat :Lanvin hot pink patent ballet flat, London Sole ballet flat

These are a little too frou-frou for me, but I can still look!  Using feathers on shoes can result in a sort of “bedroom” look (add a nighty and some champagne and… you catch my drift) but i do happen to like how the aqua feathers stand out against the black satin. I would go very simple with the rest of your outfit, nothing too flashy (What are you doing, trying to blind us? You’re already wearing feathers for God’s sake…)

Manolo Blahnik Feather Trim D’orsay $645.00 – Neiman Marcus

Gilded and dainty, these are the modern day Cinderella slipper!  These heels are so light and airy they appear as if they were formed from gold leaf itself.  The ribbon shape quality this shoe takes on is the stuff of fairytales if you ask me. Absolutely gorgeous.  I would pair these with, you guessed it, a gown fit for a princess

Last but not least, in our “needs improvement” list  Manolo Blanhik. I cannot comprehend how Manolo went from the hottest shoe designer to the “old lady” shoe maker?  Manolo, que paso’ ?

Lately most of his collection has been extremely disapointing and we have seen the same styles over and over.

Our friendly advice to Manolo: Renew your design team, hire some fresh blood, pay attention to other people’s opinions; you never know, they could be valuable! And please, improve your styles.  We want to dream again, but not necessarily snooze when we see your collection.

 Like these: Manolo Blahnik patent leather lace up pumps.

or these Manolo Blahnik ankle-strap sandal with cutout leather detail.