Shoes: 10 you need and 10 you just want (or at least I do)

Call it a gift, call it blasphemy, but I've been told that I'm the worst person to shop with. I have a magical and innate ability to justify any and every purchase, and I tend to rub off on my shopping mate. Pink patent pointy toe heels? You need them because what else would you wear with your dark skinny jeans and black silk halter? Another pair of Gap jeans identical to the pair you already own? Well, what if you spill cranberry juice on your current pair right before leaving for a Friday night dinner. Plunk down $68 immediately for that backup pair, sister!

I guess I have a bit of a flair for the dramatic.

Be that as it may, there are lots of fashion items out there that you, my friend, need. You need to own them, you need to wear them, you just need them. Don't fight me. I know these things.

Today we're going to talk about something very important. Shoes. Shoes should be every girls best friend. As the great Jennifer Weiner, and many others, have pointed out: shoes always fit. Pants and skirts mock you when you gain a few pounds and taunt you with an ugly muffin top. Shirts point and laugh at you when you're bloated; who hasn't sat down in a button down shirt and had that pesky gap between the top two buttons?? Well, shoes don't do that. Shoes are our best friends in the fashion world. Shoes should be adored and celebrated.

You should own many pairs of them.

I've spent much time pondering the very notion of the shoe, and I've concluded that they fall into two categories. First, there are the classics. These are the good old standards that have remained seasonless for a reason; they always work and they always look posh and put together. I might be so bold to say that no woman's shoe wardrobe is complete without at least a variation of the 10 pairs of shoes below.


The black pump. Its the Linus' security blanket of the shoe world, except its not a cartoon and its not a blanket. Don't even try to go on a job interview if these aren't on your feet. Here, from Nine West.



And the black pump's less popular cousin, the brown pump, here from Bandolino. You need these because if you wear black shoes with brown pants, I will point and laugh at you. There might even be spitballs involved. Who knows.

A peep toe pump is a great alternative to the standard pump for early spring and late fall. This pair is in camel - a great neutral - and is from Banana Republic. I especially enjoy a camel colored heel (or bag) because it can be worn with both black AND brown outfits, as the colors contrast just enough. A black peep toe shoe is also a great item to own because in a pinch it can take the place of a dress shoe.



Sometimes your feeties just need a day off from heels, and I find a wedge to be the most comfortable alternative. Here, from Gentle Souls. Plus, I love their ironic and pun filled brand name.

These flats, from Kensie Girl, are a great basic shape, and come in 7 colors!

For workdays in the winter, you MUST own a pair of high heeled black boots. You must, I tell you! They're great under dress pants, and equally lovely under a pair of jeans. These are from Giuseppe Zannotti, however, I own a great pair of Steve Madden ones that I bought on the clearance rack for $18 because it was the middle of the summer! Try looking for boots now - you can find them for rock bottom prices.

The knee high boot (here in Cognac from Steve Madden) is an excellent winter basic. You can wear them under pants; you can wear them with a skirt or dress; you can wear them with skinny jeans tucked in; you can wear them with hot pants and a sports bra.

Its good to have some classic, neutral sandals on hand for vacationing and just generally wearing when you go out of your house to various places, for example Taco Bell or Walbaums. I love an espadrille. It makes me feel very Martha's Vinyard-ish. This pair is from Banana Republic.

I say that your life isn't complete unless you own a pair of Havaianas. Once upon a time, I'd never heard of Havaianas. I walked all around Manhattan Beach, California in a pair of sandals. Oh no, I developed some nasty blisters! Well, I stopped into a little shop and picked up a pair of flip flops. From that moment on, my life was changed forever. Thank you, Havaianas, for getting me back to our destination blister free.

When shopping for an evening shoe, its best to stick with black for first pair, and to choose a shape that doesn't seem overly trendy. This pair, from Nine West, will match many different styles and won't look outdated in 6 months.

And this concludes our lesson in stocking your closet full of must-have basic shoes.

Girls, there's much more to life than plain old black leather heels. There are pink platforms and yellow flats and leopard print sandals to be had. When I think of Eden, I don't think of apple trees and pear trees and snakes. I think of trees abundant with glittering gold leather gladiator sandals and purple flip flops. Let me reach up into that tree, oh what do I find? A pair of Jessica Simpson royal blue strappy platform dress shoes in rich velvet.

These aren't your every day shoes. You might not wear them to the office - you might not even wear them that often - but, my friends, these are shoes that you should have. When you open the door of your closet, I imagine you smiling as you see rows and rows of shoes smiling back at you - shoes that are kissed by every color of the rainbow. Ah, shoes. I love shoes.

These heels from Steve Madden are denim! How impractical is that? God I want them so badly. How adorable with a white dress and little red cropped sweater?

Nine West, oh how you make such pretty pretty shoes. These are like the trifecta of hot shoes: they're fuschia; they're platform; they're snakeskin! They make me want to take Bpics all over again.

These shoes make me feel like I'm Jane out on the prowl at night looking for Tarzan. Although they're probably pretty impractical for all of that swinging from vines crap that they partake in. Nine West.


Gladiators are not, by any means, a basic sandal. They're probably going to go out of style in about 6 seconds. For years I fought it, and then today, I walked into the Steve Madden store in the Smithhaven mall... and our eyes locked from across the room. It was like West Side Story. I was Maria and this shoe, below, was Tony. Now we're together forever, and as a bonus it was 50% off.

When I see these shoes it makes me want to put a pile of Banana's on my head and dance to some Ricky Ricardo music. Steve Madden.

These dress shoes, from Bcbg Girls, looks basic at first glance. Upon further inspection you see that it is a subtle gold animal print.

A basic flat? Nay. Adorable in the fall with ankle length skinny dark jeans and a chocolate brown sweater. Nine West. (Wow, Nine West is to shoes as Loft is to clothes for me, apparently)

Ok, so let me tell you the story about these Jessica Simpson shoes. I love them, and I saw them online for $89.50. Eh. Well, today I saw them in Macys Smithhaven for $69.99. Ehhh. Well, my darlings, they have them at Marshalls for $49.99. Should I buy them? I'm so torn, as they are SO incredibly impractical. I'll revisit them on payday and Fate will decide if I should own them or not.

I know, what is with the weird stripe on these boots, from Fratelli Rosetti?? Well, I have a few pairs of wedge boots, and they are my go-to shoe for the winter months. They give me height while still providing the necessary comfort. These are so interesting. The stripe wouldn't be visible under most pants, but secretly I'd feel like a crew member on the Star Ship Enterprise in these shoes. Commander Data, engage.

These heels, from Steve Madden, would make me feel like a secretary in a 40's detective novel. They're equally alluring in red, or the royal blue, below.

As the great visionary Lita Ford once said, "Stiletto, I look at it more as an attitude as opposed to a high-heeled shoe."