Shoes

Cushe Shoes

March 26, 2013 By Moe Leave a Comment

Shoe love runs high among women from varying educational and socioeconomic backgrounds. some of us like spiky heels, some like spikes on the shoes, some dance in their flats, while others while away the hours in their clogs. I think there is one thing most women can agree on, we appreciate a cushy shoe.

I came across a new (for me) company out of UK (yes, they ship outside) called Cushe Shoes, cute name for a brand that carries some cute shoes that look pretty comfie. Their main goal is to provide shoes that “conform to your foot’s natural shape”.

My absolute favorite is the Seirra Sandal ($85). I love the blue (more colors available), the strap design, and the imprint on the sole. I could see these being my go to sandal for the spring and summer months.

My next absolute favorite are the silver Boutique Sneak Leather ($67). Of course I love the blue trim, but the silver sparkle rocks and it does not over do — shiny without being obscene about it. They are so cute, I could see me wearing these a lot too.

I also like the Pad It Out Lace ($80), Ohia Textile sandal ($75), and the Hyper-Lite Lace flat ($60):

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* Get your cushy shoes from Cushe Shoes

Moe

Maureen (Moe) Wood has been writing for the Large and Lovely site at BellaOnline for over nine years. Her plus size shopping blog, My Favorite Things, will celebrate its sixth anniversary this summer. Read more about Moe on her about page or follow her through her social network links below.

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Filed Under: Shoes Tagged With: comfortable shoes, women's sandals, women's sneakers

Designer Shoes Warehouse

March 13, 2013 By Moe Leave a Comment

I am crazy for wedges. Heels are great too but there is something about the stability of wedges that oozes safety — anyone who has ever broken a heel knows what I am talking about. Wedges have come a long way in terms of style — while under the right conditions I am sure they can be sexy, mostly they just scream fun. Like these beauties from Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW).

From left to right:

Audrey Brooke Ebony Wedge Sandal, $49.95
SM Women’s Rise Wedge Sandal (more colors), $49.95
Tommy Hilfiger Hazel Wedge Sandal, $59.95
Bandolino Efficial Wedge Sandal (more colors), $54.95
Carlos by Carlos Santana Tiona Wedge Sandal, $59.95
Audrey Brooke Naomi Patent Wedge Sandal, $49.95
Lucky Brand Reese Wedge Sandal, $69.95
Bamboo Pippa-20 Wedge Sandal (more colors), $34.95
Franco Sarto Cerla Wedge Sandal (more colors, $59.95
Missoni Printed Fabric Wedge Sandal, $299.95

These are just a few of my favorite styles, DSW has over 600 wedges to choose from. The majority of the ones I looked at averaged $60 but there were some as low as $30 and upwards. It looks like they have free shipping at the moment.

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* Get your wedges from Designer Shoe Warehouse

Moe

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Spring Wedges

January 31, 2013 By Moe Leave a Comment

Is it too early for spring wedges? I am sure it is somewhere but Nordstrom’s want you to be ready so they have been toting their spring wedge shoes, espadrilles and all. My favorite colors this year seems to be anything with green or coral but I am open to all sorts of springy and not so springy colors when it comes to wedges. Here are my fave shoe pics from Nordstrom’s collection – they have over 500 to choose from ranging in price from affordable to really high-end:

Do you like your wedges super strappy or with more coverage?

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* Get your spring wedges from Nordstom’s

Moe

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Filed Under: Shoes Tagged With: espadrille, women's sandals, women's wedge shoes

Cut-Out Boots

January 5, 2013 By Moe Leave a Comment

I fell in love with these when they hit my inbox. Strangely the photo there was more of a purple underlay while the site photos look more reddish. Love them either way. These, to me, are decadent boots. First because of the price — yes, I consider $260 pretty decadent. Secondly, I would not want to take these off because they are so pretty. I might even sleep in them.

Purple inlaid western boots for women by Corral.

These boots are by Corral and can be found at Country Outfitter which has an extremely pleasant assortment of western boots for women. I fall in love with every second pair.

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* Get your western cut-out boots from Country Outfitter

Moe

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Filed Under: Shoes Tagged With: Corral Boots, cow-girl boots, cowgirl boots, fancy boots, women's boots, women's western boots

The Leaning Tower of Tall Boots

December 20, 2012 By Moe 1 Comment

Tall boots are a great accessory for every woman’s wardrobe unfortunately they can be a flop to deal with in the closet or the shoe storage area because they have a tendency to fold over. This can some times lead to permanent creases in the boots that can affect the fit and appearance; not to mention the tidiness of your shoe display.

I have been noticing lately that my black leather boots from JJ’s Footwear are starting lean like the leaning tower of Pisa.

Leaning black leather boots.

To help combat this there are boot inserts I could have bought to help them keep their shape. Store brand boot shapers can range in price from $10 to $30 for one pair. I decided to go for a more budget friendly do-it-myself method. I spent $5 on a blue swimming noodle (that’s what I said, a blue swimming noodle — I know you are shocked I chose blue) and was able to cut shapers to fit one pair of tall and two pairs of short boots. What a bargain!

Not all swimming noodles are created equal. There are the cheapy brands in bargain stores which tend to have a smaller circumference and are not as firm. I find the ones from regular department stores, which are $1 to $2 bucks more, are thicker and sturdier. So do not skimp. Look at the instant difference with the noodle inside my right boot (left in image):

Boot with first noodle.

To make your own, stick the full size noodle into your boot and gently push it down until you feel it pressing against the sole of your boot. Take your sharp scissors and make a small cut to mark the length of the soon-to-be boot shaper. Pull it out and continue to evenly cut through the shaper. Don’t worry it cuts pretty easy. I chose to have the boot shapers extend just above the boots (I may cut them down later) but you can cut them lower so the bright color is not so predominant when you look at your beautifully shaped boots.

Mark height with a small cut.

Once cut put the boot shaper back in your boot and then follow the same directions for the second boot until you have your two booty shapers.

Push noodle down to sole of boot.

Save the remainder of the noodle for a future craft project or cut for another pair of boots.

Adding noodle to second boot.

Store your boots and admire how tall they stand!

Boots Sit Up Straight

This is a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution to help keep all your boots standing tall.

Moe

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Kick-Ass Zombie Boots

December 19, 2012 By Moe Leave a Comment

Deep red Dr. Martens Triumph combat boots from Zappos.

If you follow me on Twitter then you know I am a zombie movie lover. As of last year I am a huge fan of AMC television show The Walking Dead which is a total zombie-fest with a wonderful cast, great writing, special effects, music etc. I would be lying if I denied that the possibility of a zombie apocalypse had not crossed my mind. I consider weapons, hoarding food, beauty supplies, toilet paper… and clothing of course.

Which brings us to today’s post about kick-ass zombie boots. I love boots on a good day so they would be a necessity on a bad day. I would definitely want some heavy duty boots that could take a lot of walking, kicking in doors or windows, and most importantly able to withstand a zombie nibbling at my feet. I would want a thick sole for stomping on zombie brains too. So here are my favorite picks from Zappos for zombie kickers (you can click for bigger image):

: Dr. Martens Triumph 1914 — $160

: KORS Michael Kors Addie — $260

: Fergie Command — $120

: Dr. Martens Triumph 1460 — $160

: Easy Spirit Ludlow — $119

: Naughty Monkey Stomper — $72

: Frye Rogan Biker Lace Boots – $378

: Blowfish Mistress — $89

: Roxy Ponderosa — $64

: VOLATILE Chimney — $65

: Cherry Red Dr. Martens 1460 — $120

: Frye Jenna Cap Toe Lace Up — $428

As you might have noticed I have a passion for Dr. Martins (3 featured above) and they would probably be my #1 go to choice for kick-ass zombie boots.

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* Get your kick-ass zombie boots from Zappos
* My favorite zombie movies

Moe

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Filed Under: Shoes Tagged With: combat boots, Dr Marten's, frye boots, women's boots

Western Boots with Kick

December 7, 2012 By Moe Leave a Comment

Country Outfitter definitely knows country when it comes to western style boots with kick. There are so many styles to choose from popular brands like Dingo (personal favorate), Ariat, Laredo, Justin, Tony Lama and many more.

Top Ten Favorite Western Boots Under $150

When it comes to a western boot I expect to see quality workmanship and detail that I would not see in a traditional boot. For me it is about the color and the stitching. I want to see a boot I can live in. Like these beauties:

For some people wide calves are less of an issue with western boots but if it still a problem then try the mini western which bypasses most of the calf.

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* Get your western style boots from Country Outfitter

Moe

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Filed Under: Shoes Tagged With: Ariat, Country Outfitter, Dingo, Justin, Laredo, Tony Lama, wide calf boots, women's western boots

Five Things I Like About Fall & Winter

November 27, 2012 By Moe 1 Comment

Ever since I was a child the fall and winter have been my favorite times of year for at least five main reasons:

Snow

I grew up surrounded by beautiful trees in the fall and meter high snow banks in the winter. When my husband and I moved away we never thought we would miss snow but we do. It has been ten years without a real snowy season. We will get a couple inches of beautiful snow then it will rain for a few days, clear up, and then more rain, maybe a little more snow — it other words it is cold and damp all winter long. I miss the crunch of snow under my boots for weeks on end. I miss snow men block after block. Ever try making a snow angel in slush? It sucks. It is so much warmer when the snow hangs around for a few weeks. Snow is definitely one of my favorite things for this time of year and I feel deprived of it.

Sweaters / Cardigans

I love to snuggle into a sweater or cardigan that has some weight to it. It is like walking around with a warm hug all day.

Plus size cardigans and sweaters from Addition-Elle.

Big Boots

I have a big pair of white Sorel boots, and I do mean big. I could probably fit three pairs of wool socks on and still have room. And while I do not feel sad that I do not have to wear them — there are so many other boot options that are perfect for winter. One of my favorite things about this time of year is being able to wear big clunky boots.

Clucky boots for women.

Big Scarves

My head is too big for hats so I can really appreciate a good scarf. A good scarf to me is either really long so I can wrap it around my neck a few times or if it is really cold, around my head too. Thick or thin works great if there is enough length. I also like the short, thick infinity scarves that can be put on with a twist or two.

Soup

Hot soup never tastes as good as it does this time of year. My two favorite go to soups are an onion recipe from the novel Promegranate Soup . This is a hearty soup made with a lot of diced onions (and tears), red lentils, turmeric and curry. The other is a pumpkin soup, hearty and spicy with black beans and tomatoes — it is my go to comfort soup craving. I found the recipe on flickr one day a few years ago (although my ingredient list has evolved a bit) and it has been my favorite ever since (I even make it in summer).

What do you like about this time of year?

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Topic Links
* Sweaters from Addition-Elle
* Boots from Zappos

Moe

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Boot Styling for Wide Calves

November 21, 2012 By Moe Leave a Comment

Avenue has a surprisingly wonderful selection of wide calf boots (32 styles with multiple color options on top of that) for these season. They also have a few extended calf sizes. If you check out the sizing information for each boot you will find the circumference for each size (measure both your calves and use the biggest number for a proper fit).

Here are a few of my favorite styles:

Wide Calf Boots for Women from Avenue

From left to right:

Kristen Tall Buckle Boot (black or brown), $80
Madge Tall Buckle Riding Boot, (brown or black), $74
Cynthia Tall Platform Button Boot (black only), $84
Stevie Furry Lace-Up Boot (taupe or grey), $84
Bailey Tall Ruched Wedge Boot (wine, black, or cognac), $68
Carissa Tall Buckle Detail Boot (grey, black or cognac), $74
Garcelle Tall Stretch Snake Wedge Boot, $80
Lana Lace-Up Boot (brown and black), $68

What color are your favorite boots?

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* Get your wide calf boots from Avenue

Moe

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Black Shoes

November 12, 2012 By Moe Leave a Comment

Is there such a thing as too many black shoes? No, I think not. That would be like saying we only need one black dress. Sure, we could get by with just one black dress and one pair of black shoes but seriously, what fun is that when there are so many variations to play with. Zappos is a gold mine (or should I say coal mine — you know, because it is black) of black shoe options — here are thirteen of my favorites:

Black Women's Shoes

From left to right:

Anne Klein Christa, $56
Nine West Bettergo, $80
Fossil Maddox Pump, $89
Sofft Marisol, $115
Dansko Nell, $165
Indigo by Clarks Wessex Cross, $125
Gabriella Rocha Athens, $69
ALDO Labove, $100
Nine West Cavewoman, $70
VOLATILE Cash Eyelet, $60
Dansko Reeny, $155
Softspots Maven, $85
Big Buddha Jane, $43

How many pairs of black shoes do you own?

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* Get your black shoes from Zappos

Moe

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Carlos Foot Tapping

October 23, 2012 By Moe Leave a Comment

When I first fell in love with Carlos Shoes they were all about deep heels and rich colors. Today, if you want them, you can still find deep heels but the line has also extended to include some wicked kick-ass boots. These are just a few of my favorites circulating this fall:

Carlos Santana Boots

The top two are the Women’s Ashford ($100) and the first thing I thought was these would make good zombie boots. They look like something I could squash zombies with as well as comfortably sleep in. And I am not saying that because my feet happen to be cold at the moment. I am showing two colors here because I could not decide which I liked better taupe or cognac but I think I am leaning towards the latter.

The blue Women’s Pizazz ($80) are just so pretty. I am surprised they could not come up with a better name for the blue. Love the color. But I also love the feminine shape these ones have.

The taupe Women’s Lafayette ($160) boots have some cute side fringe and I love the worn detailing on the toe and heel. It is an in-between boot, not to tall and not too short.

The Women’s Grenadine-Kate ($75) with its thick sole and modest heel looks like a work shoe with a little edge. The red shoelaces are a nice touch too.

It is a good start to the season for boot-candy at Carlos Shoes.

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* Get your Carlos Boots from Carlos Shoes

Moe

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Boot Therapy

September 30, 2012 By Moe 1 Comment

More and more clothing companies have heard the complaints of plus size women when it comes to wide calf boots. Now while we shop for our clothes we can shop for boots all in one store. Torrid has really been the leader in offering wide calf boots ALONG with their clothing line for a few years. Two years they even offered a thigh high boot that had plus size shoppers in a tizzy.

Even at a regular prices Torrid’s boots are pretty affordable — the ones shown here about $75 regular (they are currently on sale for less):

wide calf boots from Torrid

Other companies allowing you get some boot therapy while you shop for clothes include:

Lane Bryant — The ones shown here are about $80.

wide calf boots from Lane Bryant

Penningtons / Addition-Elle — They just unveiled their new boot line this fall and are priced between $80 and $170.

wide calf boots from Penningtons and Addition-Elle

Avenue — They have a wide variety with prices ranging from $68 to $80.

wide calf boots from Avenue

Yours Clothing — is a UK store with international shipping. While they do not have a huge selection (5 blacks of varying style for $135) they do offer two different sizes of foot widths to go with the wider calves.

black wide calf boots from Yours Clothing

Evans — Another UK favorite which have been offering footwear for a few years too — they have many styles (my favorites of the bunch) and prices range from $70 to $210.

wide calf boots from Evans

When ordering online it is important to read the shoe and sizing information for each store, especially if you are from another country. Always, always measure both of your calves and keep in mind if you wish to wear something tucked into your boots other than a thin hose or sock — if you are wanting to tuck in a thick denim then you will probably need a larger calf size depending on the style of boot.

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* Get your wide calf boots from Torrid, Lane Bryant, Penningtons/Addition-Elle, Avenue, Yours Clothing, Evans

Moe

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Not Your Ordinary Ugg

September 19, 2012 By Moe Leave a Comment

When it comes to Uggs, people either love them or hate them. For the most part the image that comes to mind is the suede bootie style lined with sheepskin but Ugg makes a whole line of fashionable footwear to whet any fashion diva’s appetite for more shoes from sneakers to boots. I am actually very excited by this falls offerings from Shoes.com. Here are just a few of my favorites — I am so in love with grey this year.

UGG fashion shoes and boots