Chelsa Skees

By Chelsa Skees

Even though they are not seen by many, my boring brown moccasin slippers were really in need of spicing up. So I decided to color-block them with a fun, hot pink in an attempt to rejuvenate their look. Here is my easy how-to tutorial on how you can brighten up yours as well: 

Supplies:

• Small, flat paint brush
• Fabric paint (I used Jacquard Textile paint for natural or synthetic fabrics)  
• Moccasins in need of sprucing

Chelsa Skees

Directions:

1. First, flip up the fringed flap to begin painting. Be careful around the edges to ensure you get a nice clean line.

Chelsa Skees

2. Let the shoes dry for 2 hours, then apply a second coat of paint to guarantee a smooth, all-over color that will pop!

Chelsa Skees

3. After your second coat, let the shoes dry completely before wearing. Viola! Now you can wear your new stylish slippers around the house — even when guests are over.

Chelsa Skees

Tip: I wasn’t concerned about getting paint on the underside of my fringe flaps. However, if you are, you can use binder clips to simply clamp them back while you are painting.

Chelsa Skees is currently working as a freelance fashion stylist and writer. Her favorite color is grey and can beat just about anyone in a bubble blowing contest.  

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Shopbop.com

Want these Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes? Too bad. They're already sold out on Shopbop.com.

Marc Jacobs is no stranger to bright and bizarre style, but the designer’s latest footwear design seems especially … unique. The new Marc by Marc Jacobs leather sneaker wedges, currently woo-ing over many a fashion editor, looks like Barbie’s Skipper raided the Legos box. Currently available in numerous Gymboree-esque color-blocked styles and solid hues, the pricey and slightly impractical 4” sneakers can be found at Marc Jacobs stores and are already sold out on Shopbop.com.  

Marc isn’t the first to venture into expensive high-heeled sneakers territory; similar designs have been created by See by Chloe ($375) and Ash ($225). Are you a fan? And is this a trend you'll embrace this summer?

Saks Fifth Avenue

These See by Chloe wedges feature leather and suede detailing and are made, of course, in Italy.

Marc Jacobs

The new Marc by Marc Jacobs leather sneaker wedges are not recommended for gym use.

freepeople.com

Free People suggests pairing these Ash shoes with your "favorite skinnies for the perfect model-off-duty look."

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TODAY style editor Bobbie Thomas

By Bobbie Thomas

From textured tips to multi-tasking tights, TODAY style editor and Bobbie.com's Bobbie Thomas shares brand new beauty buys:

Caviar manicure
More than just stylish clothes came down the runway at a recent Cushnie Et Ochs show. The fingertips on the fashion label's models inspired a new textured manicure craze, and sent nail fanatics in search of micro-beads to recreate the look. Now Ciate's new Caviar kits offer everything you need to DIY a 3-dimensional finish, sure to create conversation (Avail on Apr. 10, $25, ciate.co.uk).

Ciate

Designed by the small London-based polish company Ciate, the look is created by sticking tiny beads to two coats of base polish.

Reinvented remover
Last month nail care brand Cutex launched its latest Advanced Revival remover.  While most formulas with a high percentage of acetone can strip nails, this blend quickly cleans away polish while leaving behind a nourishing coat to strengthen nails. Said to be one of the only innovations in remover in over 15 years, Advanced Revival can help your nails look shiny, smooth and healthier than ever before ($3.49; drugstore.com).

Tanning tights and more
Believe it or not, Skin Kiss has introduced the world's first hosiery that gives you a faux glow, while their caffeine-infused variety aims to firm and tone ($15.90 or $40.54 for 3 pack, tightsplease.co.uk). UK-based brand Pretty Polly has also developed double duty tights. Their Naturals line is enriched with Shea butter and a 'cooling agent;'  they even offer up an almost invisible open-toe option, so your legs can look better than bare just in time for sandal season ($6.36-$11.12, prettypolly.co.uk).

More: Caviar manicure? Extreme nails are here to stay
Under $100: Minty green style

AP, ShoeDazzle

Kate got a special surprise for her birthday — a heel designed in her honor by Kim Kardashian, ShoeDazzleUK's chief stylist.

Kim Kardashian announced yesterday that she was helping celebrate Duchess Kate’s 30th birthday in her own special, reality-TV star way — by designing a shoe in her honor. The black heel, naturally, is dubbed “The Duchess.”

In a video posted on Celebuzz, Kim wished Kate a happy birthday (“welcome to the thirties club!”) and expressed her need to help ring in the royal’s new chapter. “I personally love Kate’s classic style and this shoe has gorgeous, classic quilting and a really graceful silhouette,” Kim wrote. “This shoe would make any girl feel like a princess!”

The shoe is available on Shoedazzle.com for £39.95. Ever so helpful, Kim suggests pairing it with a camel cashmere dress and a thin leather belt “to meet the boyfriend’s parents for the first time.” Ya know, if said parents live at Buckingham Palace.

Rina Raphael is a TODAY.com editor who ushered in Kate's birthday by eating no less than four TODAY anniversary donuts.

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By Justin Fenner, Styleite

For decades, women have walked the streets of a certain fashion capital in sky-high heels, constantly in danger of twisting their ankles by getting stuck in cobblestones. But now, that city is trying to make its streets easier for women who choose tall shoes to walk on.

Getty Images stock

Too high a price to pay? Stylish legs on piazza di spagna in Rome, Italy.

The mayor of Rome announced yesterday that he will repave some streets in his fair city to make them less dangerous, “especially for women in heels.” Gianni Alemanno says that the renovation will begin on one of the city’s most highly traveled streets, Via del Corso.

The upgrades will try to preserve the character of Rome’s iconic streets — some areas will get asphalt, but many will simply get new cobblestones that are more even and easier to walk on. The renovation should extend to three other streets, Via del Teatro Marcello, Via Petroselli, and Piazza Bocca della Verità, later in 2012.

This means that Italian fashionistas will have no trouble running in heels through their capital city. We won’t hold our breath for the same thing to happen stateside, though.

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Miss Piggy's "look at moi" style and attitude has inspired the Jerome C. Rousseau for Walt Disney Signature Diva Glitter Pump, available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $595.

Kermit must be flush with cash, because that pig sure has expensive taste.

To promote her newest Muppets movie, Miss Piggy has charmed her way into the footwear aisle – specifically, Saks Fifth Avenue's. The fashionable hog has inspired an envy-inducing pair of heels, the Jerome C. Rousseau for Walt Disney Signature Diva Glitter Pump, for sale in January.

The Jerome C. Rousseau for Walt Disney Signature Diva Glitter Pump, available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $595.

The only issue? The official movie merchandise sells for a cool $595. (Her recent stint editing at Vogue Paris sure had repercussions.)

We brainstormed how to get Miss Piggy's look without the Hollywood price tag (we're on a tighter, more Gonzo-esque budget). With the help of DIY style blogger Geneva Vanderzeil of A Pair and a Spare, we explain how to recreate Miss Piggy's pricey hooves for a fraction of the cost:

This project is so incredibly easy and is really great for rejuvenating a pair of worn out heels. For my version I actually used a worn-out pair of bright pink patent Louboutins that I found in a market in Hong Kong for $5. The patent finish was completely ruined and peeling (the previous owner had tried to fix it with ill-matched pink nail polish which ended up looking very bad). So they were perfect for my glitter project.

You Need:

• High heels
• Glitter
• Acrylic glue
• Sandpaper
• A paint brush
• Spray-on lacquer (find it amongst the spray paints)

A Pair & A Spare

A Pair & A Spare

How to:
1. Clean the shoes, and then lightly sand them to rough up the surface so the glue sticks properly.
2. Mix the glue and glitter together in a container.

A Pair & A Spare

3. Paint the shoe with the glitter glue.

A Pair & A Spare

4. Sprinkle the shoes with extra glitter to fully coat them. Don't worry about getting glitter inside the shoes, just clean them up once the glue has dried.

A Pair & A Spare

5. Once you are happy with the glitter and it has dried, spray the shoes with a coat of spray on lacquer. This will stop the glitter from falling off. Voila!

A Pair & A Spare

Intimidated by DIY? You can also buy the trend, at a far more affordable price than Miss Piggy's selection. TODAY style editor Bobbie Thomas spotted several glitter shoes: Fergie Women's Awareness ($79.99, FergieShoes), Valeri Pump ($59.95, DSW), and Bordello by Pleaser ($59, Endless.com). Bobbie also recommends a DIY-light version, via Krylon Glitter Blast spray, which offers a sparkling glitter finish in a can (if messing with glue ain't your thing).

krylonglitterblast.com

For more great DIY ideas, visit A Pair & A Spare.

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Miss Piggy hogs the fashion spotlight

Splash News

Kristen Stewart gets comfy at UK premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" at Westfield Stratford, London.

Posing with hotties sure must be exhausting. Why else would actress Kristen Stewart change into sneakers at the premiere of “Breaking Dawn”?

The “Twilight” saga star started off Wednesday night in a glitzy J. Mendel gown and Jimmy Choo heels, but soon slipped on black Nike sneakers to make the autograph rounds.

Granted, it was likely due to having suffered a minor ankle wound during filming her latest flick, “Snow White and the Huntsman.” According to press reports, she told reporters “It’s killing me right now,” adding that her shoes felt “not good, horrible actually.”

Dave Hogan / Getty Images

Well, that look didn't last long. Kristen Stewart, in heels, poses with Robert Pattinson at the UK premiere of "'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" at Westfield Stratford, London.

(This isn't Kristen's first time at the casual rodeo: she paired a Yigal Azrouel taffeta dress with Converse sneakers at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards red carpet.)

While most of us rarely suffer Hollywood-induced injuries, Kristen’s bold dress-down move sure seems familiar: How many of us have attended a wedding, bar mitzvah or gala and witnessed women slip into more comfortable footwear? Brides are often guilty of this, as they’re forced to endlessly macarena like they’re enrolled in some inhumanly grueling dance marathon. Who can expect them to keep their heels on? At the same time, I’ve heard more than one mother-in-law-of-the-bride exclaim how classless and immature it was to don sneakers at a black tie affair.

What do you think – is there a place for sneakers at fancy events?

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John Deeb/Profiles in History

Natalie Portman's Sansha Pro ballet shoes also come with an autographed portrait.

Ever wanted to strut your stuff in Paula Abdul’s pumps or dance your heart out in Ellen Degeneres’ navy Topsiders? Over 80 pairs of donated and autographed celebrity shoes will be auctioned off Wednesday November 9.

The event, called "Shoemania," will raise funds for the Orlando ballet, as DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse partners with Profiles in History.

Bidding for each pair starts at $200, either online via iCollector or in person next week at The Millennia Center in Orlando, Florida.

So far 16 of the 88 shoes on the auction site have received bids. The leader? Ringo Starr, whose Nike Air Max sneakers have a current bid of $700!

Check out the other shoes up for grabs. Would you pay for these celebrities' footwear?

John Deeb/Profiles in History

Teen singing sensation Justin Bieber donated these orange & pink Atlantis flip flops; his signature is on the left shoe. 

John Deeb/Profiles in History

Charlie Sheen’s Prada loafers are signed “Charlie” on the right and “Sheen” on the left.

John Deeb/Profiles in History

Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon donated and signed these Parade pumps.

John Deeb/Profiles in History

These Adidas hiking shoes are signed affectionately “The Hoff Hikers!” by David Hasselhoff, who wore them so often he decided to give them a nickname!

John Deeb/Profiles in History

Arnold Schwarzenegger said "hasta la vista" to his Lucchese Classics ostrich boots and signed them with silver ink.

John Deeb/Profiles in History

Tear up the dance floor with Kelly Osbourne’s Arika Nerguiz pumps, which she wore on "Dancing With the Stars."

John Deeb/Profiles in History

Be a tennis rock star in Andre Agassi’s Adidas shoes. Each is autographed by the former World Number 1.

Would you wear these celebrities’ footwear or preserve them forever in a glass case? Leave a comment and let us know what you'd do if you won the auction.

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Footwear News

Valentino’s lace-embroidered leather peep-toe pumps!

The winner of Saks Fifth Avenue and Footwear News’ 2011 Sexy Shoes contest was unveiled on Kathie Lee & Hoda this morning. Valentino’s hot heels were selected by more than 35,000 votes cast online.

“It won because it’s a beautifully designed shoe,” Kathie Lee said on TODAY. The shoes also happened to match Kathie Lee’s dress and with a little encouragement from Hoda, Kathie Lee tried on the sexy heels.

The editors of Footwear News chose the 25 Sexy Shoes finalists which included a number of top show designers including Dior, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Gucci, Givench, Stuart Weitzman and Oscar de la Renta.

Below are the three runner ups by Jimmy Choo, Prada and Chrissie Morris.

Footwear News

The first runner up was Jimmy Choo’s Swarovski crystal-encrusted sandals with double ankle straps.

Footwear News

Prada’s knee-high leather boot with covered platforms was the second runner up in the Sexy Shoes contest.

Footwear News

And the third runner up was the suede, mesh and stingray peep-toe ankle boots from Chrissie Morris.

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En pointe: TOMS to debut ballet flats for spring 2012

Caters News Agency

Lost in translation: Tom Boddingham says he's the proud owner of a slipper that's "the same length as a grizzly bear or a family car."

Shopping for footwear online is always fraught with a measure of peril. As a rather astonishing case in point, consider the tale of Tom Boddingham, 27, of London, England.

Boddingham special-ordered a size 14.5 slipper for his left foot, which is slightly larger than his right foot – and said he was shocked when he received a size 1,450 slipper in the mail instead.

The Chinese manufacturer who made the slipper said workers missed the decimal point in Boddingham’s order. The slipper he got is 7 feet long.

Monster Slippers — a UK company whose slogan is “for the animal in you” — has apologized to Boddingham for sending him a slipper the size of a very large animal (or a small car).

“We have apologized to Mr. Boddingham and are making him a replacement slipper of the right dimensions,” a spokesman for Monster Slippers said. A spokesperson for the factory in China said workers thought the slipper was for a store window display.

For his part, Boddingham seems to be taking the whole experience in (furry) stride. He said he’s planning to sell his enormous shoe on eBay.

“I reckon I must be the owner of the biggest slipper in the world,” he told the UK newspaper The Telegraph. “I’m going to sell it online and if I can make a few quid out of it, then all the better.”

Of course, the shipment of one GIANT monster slipper (and one much-smaller one) begs the question: Any chance this was a public relations stunt? Speculation has started swirling in that direction, but Monster Slippers is insisting the manufacturer's mistake was an honest one.

“Have you ever been to China?” Danny Jennings, the director of Monster Slippers, told the UK's Guardian newspaper. “Lots gets lost in communications. This was one of those situations.”

However, the revelation that Boddingham bears a striking resemblance to Monster Slippers' website manager Joe Jennings has led to even more assertions that the story must be a stunt.

Stay tuned to The Look for updates on the great Slipper Saga — which, under any circumstances, involves what just might be the coolest slipper ever made.

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mr-kennedy.com

Precious metal shoelaces? They'll certainly cost you.

There's never a shortage of ridiculous luxury items (see: $430 diamond dust hair treatment, $39K backpack etc...), but there is a limit. And we think our TODAY style editor Bobbie Thomas found it: $19K for shoelaces made of 24-carat gold.

Mr. Kennedy created the world's first-ever precious gold laces using "ancient, artisan jewelry techniques"; each set is handmade by Colombian workers and takes 120 hours to produce. The best part? Your blinged-out strings will be delivered by security and "laced for you anywhere in the world." The bad part? You're limited to only 10 units.

Colin Hart, creator of Mr. Kennedy, told us he has already sold a pair to "someone in the rap industry." While Hart admits that regular shoelaces work perfectly as well, he envisions selling his items to those who want that extra something. "Shoelaces are so boring and my gut is that people who have a love of the 'practical made special' will buy them," he said.

mr-kennedy.com

Bored of cotton? Mr. Kennedy's "ultimate" laces come in silver and gold.

Of course, if you can't afford the latest in footwear fads, you can also opt for a cheaper version: silver laces for just $3K.

Or, if you're like us, you'll just DIY: Get yourself some gold spray paint and $3.99 shoelaces. No security necessary.

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From InStyle.com

Whether tall and slouchy or short and structured, this season InStyle.com has you (and your feet) covered with the hottest fall 2011 boot trends — from edgy ankle wedges and menswear-inspired lace-ups to traditional stacked leather heels and classic riding boots.

Piperlime.com

Stacked heel
The '70s reign with this easy-to-strut-in knee-high style. Try them with leggings or a midcalf skirt.

Faux leather, Gomax, $75; piperlime.com

Dyad Photography

Lace-up
Complement fall's menswear styles with a heeled or platform style. Pair them with a jacket and trousers for the office and with jeans on the weekend.

Faux leather, Mia, $89; miashoes.com.

Dyad Photography

Slouchy
Those searching for perfect off-duty boots can relax. Make sure to wear these with bare legs or fitted pants — because baggy with slouchy is more hobo than boho.

Faux suede, Express, $88; express.com.

Dyad Photography

Ankle wedge
Favored by fashion-forward women, this short version is modern and edgy. Balance the heavy shoe by aiming for a sleek, lean silhouette.

Leather and crepe, Ciao Bella, $99; piperlime.com.

Dyad Photography

Harness
Rock out in skinny jeans and one of these strappy models. Avoid combining with a motorcycle jacket — too many buckles.

Faux leather, Michael Antonio, $69; piperlime.com.

Dyad Photography

Riding
They don't come more classic than this. Black or brown equestrian boots will never, ever go out of style. They're great with everything from flirty dresses to slick trousers.

Faux leather, Restricted, $80; kohls.com.

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