If you haven’t got it. Fake it! Too short? Wear big high heels, but do practice walking!” – Victoria Beckham

It’s all well and good to buy that last oh-so-perfect dress on the rack, even though it is 4 sizes too small. I mean you can admire it from your closet right? Hang it up like a piece of art? No?

I would say it is the same with a beautiful pair of shoes that are simply too high for comfort.

Many scoff and say comfort? No, beauty is pain and that means fashion too. If you want comfortable shoes you might as well go and buy some orthopedics or even, gasp, Uggs.

I own quite a few pairs of shoes, and I have had to learn to restrain myself when it comes to sky-high heels. Sure, they may look absolutely delightful in a picture, or when you receive them in their perfectly papered splendor. On your feet? Not so much.

When women wear shoes that are obviously uncomfortable, it shows. And nothing tarnishes your look like the duck waddle walk – you know the one.

However, designers don’t seem to feel my pain. In a 3 inch heel I can go all day long, and in 4 inches I can make it standing for several hours. But in 5 inches? I don’t know how stylish I would look spilled on the ground. It seems as if season after season, we are seeing higher and higher heels. I keep hearing that low heels are coming back into style, but when I see the shoes we receive, they seem as if they have taken growth hormones! For instance, since the beginning of the LAMB line, shoes have gone from this:

LAMB Georgina Heel in Camel in 2008

To this:

LAMB Rhett Sandal in Red in 2009

To this:

LAMB Zan Sandal in Black in 2010

Granted, all these shoes have different platform heights, so the actual slope of the shoes may be comparable, I believe there is definitely something to be said by these climbing heel heights.

Personally, I just can’t do it. I would love to see more shoes in the “wearable” range with the awesome stylings of all these shoes.

Well, it seems there is also another option. If you are really committed to a pair of shoes, and you have a great shoe repair person, you may be able to have the heels taken down. Or you can ship them away to NYC and get them a complete makeover, like below!

Top Image Credit: Inna Panasenko

I don’t know who invented the high heel, but all men owe him a lot.” – Marilyn Monroe

One of my all-time-favorite trends, is a girly sweet look.

Image Source: Fashionation

I’m absolutely inspired by the Gossip Girl and the Japanese hime gyaru princess girl trends. While these two examples may be totally over-the-top, I think there are parts that every girl, even ones like myself who are not your typical high-maintenence girly girl, can incorporate into everyday life to bring a little bit of sweetness to a look.

One easy way to incoporate more sweetness is to add bows! Be it in your hair (maybe on a headband a la Blair Waldorf?), on your coat, on your finger, or, of course, on your shoes.

We have recently received several styles that are all bow-ed up and ready for a night on the town! I love these shoes and they are the perfect cherry on top of any ensemble.

Harajuku Lovers Dalle Heel in Red

Luichiny Gal Lop Sandal in Fuchsia

Paris Hilton Senorita Heel in Gold Metallic

Harajuku Lovers Delaney in White

As you can probably tell, bows make me smile! They add a touch of Marie Antionette without the stomach ache of too many sweets ;)

Image source: Apartment Therapy

A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.” -Anonymous

Today I was browsing through some industry articles and I came upon an article stating that the fashion trend itself is going out. I was pretty schocked by this declaration as I am daily coming across statements decreeing that x is so in, while y is so last year.

The article from the Wall Street Journal cites these causes of the change to the “no-trend”:

1. choosing flattering clothes rather than trends
2. dressing to each profession
3. the dilution of trends from referencing past trends
4. fast fashion from stores like H&M and Forever 21 that rip looks off the runway before the designer can put them into production

While these are all valid points, I think figure flattery with the frugality introduced by the recession is a major reason for a lessened interest in purchasing trendy fashion. Personally, I am willing to spend a lot of money on an item that is basic, well constructed, and a good fit. As mentioned in the article, the trench coat trend is not really a trend at all but an investment item that will last a lifetime. Other examples of investment items are a great pair of jeans (hello designer jean revolution), the perfect black winter coat, and the LBD that flatters your figure just so.

However, where the WSJ article gets it wrong is the analysis of the fashion at retailers like Zara, H&M and Forever 21. The author believes that this is a case of too much too fast where consumers are confused; however, this is not correct. I believe consumers pick and choose trends that strike them, while F21 may be offering every trend in the book, consumers know what they are looking for. You can definitely spot trends as they come and pass in these stores. For fast, trendy fashion, consumers don’t want to spend a lot. I think this actually propels trends because everyday shoppers can get in on them. Also, it leads to more personal interpretations of the trends.

What about shoes!? Well, in my mind, I think of shoes the exact same way. There are basic shoes that every woman needs in her closet: a classic black pump, versatile and comfortable flats, metallic heeled sandals, nice black high heeled boots, flat casual boots, flat sandals, and some excercise shoes. For these types of shoes I believe the more you spend the better.

For trendier shoes, standards aren’t so high and I’m willing to sacrifice some comfort for a pair that won’t be worn very often. But with designers like Steve Madden and Paris Hilton offering up immediate interpretations of runway shoes, regular people can add a bit more fashion into their lives.

Overall, I think consumers in general have less to spend and therefore want to put their dollars in things that will last rather than items that will only get worn a few times. But the death of the trend itself? I don’t think so.