Alexander McQueen 219632 Platform Sandal

La Fashionista — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:57:23 +0000

The cool thing about creating any kind of art, whether it’s painting, writing, music, or yes, fashion, is that it lives on after you’re gone. The bad thing is that sometimes, that art, in whatever form, might not be something that should live on. Hundreds of years later, we still appreciate sculpture and paintings created by artists like Michelangelo and Da Vinci. We still listen to compositions written by Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. Can you imagine a hundred or so years from now anyone listening to Britney Spears and calling it any kind of art? I’m kind of embarrassed for us. Those future people will have to wonder what the hell we were thinking, making that bimbo famous for her music. If some future archaeologist unearths this blog at some point, let me just apologize for that crap right now, ok? Anyway, even though Alexander McQueen is gone now, his designs are still here for us to enjoy. If you already own any of his designs, hold onto them and make them last! And if you don’t, you can still get at least one thing of his before they’re all gone. His name and company might, and probably will continue, but nothing that company produces will ever actually be designed by him, so get an authentic original now. You can start with this Alexander McQueen 219632 Platform Sandal.

Its full name is actually Alexander McQueen 219632 WADM1 2363, but that’s just a bit cumbersome to say, don’t you think? So I added the platform sandal part myself. You’re welcome. This is a kickass spring sandal. Not for everyday, and definitely not for the beach or the boardwalk, this platform sandal is made for looks and not utility. The strappy upper is all leather, and the straps twist at the center of the vamp, and at the ankle, contrasting from the cheery Tuscan yellow to a dark brown. The lining and insole are also leather, as is the outsole. You wouldn’t expect anything less from Lee, would you? At five inches, the heel requires some balance, but the one-inch platform will make it feel like just four inches. Yeah, much better. The coolest detail, though, is the wishbone shaped buckle closure at the ankle, which you have to see up close to appreciate. Surprisingly, the sandal is on sale. It’s normally $1,069, but you can get it right now for $478 at Zappos.com. Let’s face it, that’s a steal for a McQueen design.

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Steal or not, 478 bucks is still pretty steep. Besides, you’re probably saving up for that awesome summer vacation you’re going to take, or for your upcoming June wedding and honeymoon. Ooh, just wait until you see what I’ve got lined up for all that! Anyway, let’s get back to spring sandals. If you can’t afford the McQueen sandal, the Frye Joy Huarache Sling sandal is the next best thing. Ok, it’s not. Come on, look at that McQueen sandal. It’s hard to match that design. Still the Joy is a pretty spring sandal, also in a springy yellow. In fact, it looks like it’d probably be more comfortable, don’t you think? The upper, lining, and footbed are all leather, so the sandal will form to your foot the more you wear it. The sole is also leather, but with a rubber heel tap to add traction. This is a great feature on any show with a 4.75-inch heel, even if the 1.25-inch platform offsets it a bit. There’s a little cushioning in the footbed for even more comfort. I love the braided straps, too. And get this—if yellow’s not your thing, the Joy also comes in blue, green, orange, purple, red, violet, cognac, dark brown, and natural. If you can manage it, get a couple of pairs. The Joy is $198 at Zappos.com.

You can still get a similar look for even less with the Pierre Dumas Blonde-2 platform sandal. It’s also huarache-inspired, but with more of woven look than braided. The yellow leather straps are interwoven with natural leather ties for a contrasting detail. The adjustable ankle strap gives you the perfect fit. The Blonde-2 also has a five-inch stacked heel, which is offset by the 1.25-inch platform. It’s also available in tobacco brown, if you prefer. Get both since it’s only $49 at Piperlime.com.

Alexander McQueen Houndstooth Pump

La Fashionista — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:18:01 +0000

So after Alexander McQueen passed away so unexpectedly, I was shocked to find I hadn’t yet featured any of his designs on the blog. As promised, I’m remedying that. McQueen was known for a lot of outrageous, provocative, and unusual designs. You know what I keep thinking is that he had the same last name as Steve McQueen, who was known as a total badass because of most of his film roles. Sheryl Crow even wrote a song about him, which is one of about three songs of hers I can tolerate. So it’s fitting that Alexander McQueen earned a reputation as a badass in the fashion world, bucking tradition, and in many ways being a nonconformist. But he was also versatile, and did create some classic, sophisticated designs. I mean, even First Lady Michelle Obama has worn some of his clothes. Can you see her walking around in those lobster claw shoes Lady Gaga wore in her “Bad Romance” video? You’re imagining it now, aren’t you? Heh. Anyway, in that vein, I ran across this shoe that’s a little on the conservative side and fell in love—the Alexander McQueen Houndstooth Pump.

Ok, I made up the houndstooth pump part because the shoe is actually named Alexander McQueen 230446W0JU1, which is a mouthful and not fun or descriptive at all. Don’t get me started on the hideous alphanumeric names designers use. Anyway, it’s a classic shoe with a contemporary spin. The houndstooth section of the shoe is woven fabric, while the heel, pointed toe cap, sole, and dual straps are leather. The straps are adjustable with dainty buckles in silver tone hardware. And I love the shape of the heel. It mimics the curvy shape of a woman’s leg. At 3.5 inches high, it will give your legs a lift and an elongated look. I suspected that after his death, McQueen’s product prices would skyrocket, and while that may be the case in his store or elsewhere, it’s not true online. This pump usually costs $874, but it’s on sale right now for $567 at Zappos.com. Buying it would be like owning a small piece of fashion history.

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Just like houndstooth is a classic pattern, animal prints never seem to go out of style. They’re more trendy at some times than others, but have been a fashion staple for decades. As long as you do it right, you don’t have to look like you just stepped out of the trailer park. At an airport once, I saw a woman decked out from head to toe in leopard print. Shoes, blouse, ankle-length coat, hat, and even her carry-on bag. It was already overkill, but it was really hard on the eyes because each item was a slightly different leopard print, in slightly different shades of brown, tan, and gold. I mean, if you’re going to go all out with one pattern, at least make sure it’s uniform. The odd thing was, this woman was walking around the airport like she’d just won a best-dressed contest. Maybe she was color blind. Or pattern blind. Anyway, if you’re going to wear or carry anything in animal print, use it as an accent, not the whole shebang. Leopard print shoes with a color coordinated ensemble. A zebra print handbag with your little black dress. You get the idea. And please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t fall victim to those not-occurring-in-nature animal prints in neon colors. That’s just all kinds of wrong. This Nine West Buttermilk Pump is a good example of how to wear animal print. It’s subtle, but paired with a pair of black cigarette pants or a tan pencil skirt, they’ll add a spot (Get it? Spot? Ok, fine.) of excitement to your outfit. The upper is calf hair, while the sole is man made, and they sit on a 3.5-inch heel. They’re available in several more colors, including a couple of those hideous unnatural colors I just warned you about. Don’t let me catch you in those! The Buttermilk is just $88.95 at Endless.com.

To round out the classically patterned pump theme, check out this J. Renee Alisa pump. It’s retro, which is all the rage right now. When isn’t retro all the rage? You can wear just about anything old or out of style and call it retro, and you’re suddenly trendy. Fashion is so weird sometimes. Anyway, the Alisa features a daintily plaid fabric upper with a high-shine leather, pointy toe cap and embellishment on the vamp, which is accented by silver tone hardware. I love the little v-cut detail at the top of the vamp. The 3.5-inch heel is also covered in that same shiny leather, and has a nice silhouette. The insole is lightly cushioned for comfort, a welcome feature in any pump. It’s also available in a saucy red, which would be great with a black and white ensemble. The Alisa is just $85.95 at Endless.com.

Style Cynics » Alexander McQueen Shoes

Alexander McQueen 219632 Platform Sandal

Budget Saving Alternatives

Alexander McQueen Houndstooth Pump

Budget Saving Alternatives