Hi there, this is Daria of Kittenhood, here to talk to you about what seems to be the best pair of shoes for this summer – the Zara neon canvas platform sandals. What makes them so great is that they fit in several trends of the season – color blocking, neon colors and platforms! We’ve seen them on fashionistas around the blogosphere, worn in all sorts of combinations – just look at Fashion is a playground for example!

The fact that they’ve got three colors makes them go with a wide variety of other colors – you could wear them with red, orange or pink, but also with blue, black and white and every other neutral in the book.  Their classic shape makes them perfect for different stylings as well as several possible occasions – wear them with pants or dresses, for your stylish brunch or for a night out.

Here are some cute dresses that go perfectly well with the Zara heels. The simple chiffon yellow dress from Dorothy Perkins can help you transition from day to evening with no effort. The strapless My Label dress can either be worn as is, for day, or with a blazer for a fancier event. And as for the Topshop dress, it can be your bridesmaid dress just as well as it can be your next date’s outfit. Just don’t leave your Zara heels at home!

For Spring 2011 Loeffler Randall and SUNO collaborated for a small 4 piece shoe collection. Two of these shoes are flats while the other two are high wedges.

The Loeffler Randall + SUNO Audra Flat Sandals are a great vibrant pair of shoes that are available in two different color combinations. The first are a navy and white combination and the others are yellow, white and lavender. The pattern on the navy Audra flats is a mix of large polka dots with narrow stripes. Some of the stripes go through the dots creating a very unique look to the shoes. The white, yellow, lavender shoes have subtle stripes on the ankle areas and the foot area of the sandals has a yellow with lavender accent pattern. Both combinations feature snapped straps at the upper and ankle and covered wedge heel.

Click the link or picture below for more information or to buy these sandals

SUNO Loeffler Randall + SUNO Audra Flat Sandals

Even if you gravitate towards mono chromatic colored clothing like black or white, it is always a good idea to have a little bit of color infused in your look. While you can do this with your accessories, I think it is better to add some colorful shoes to your outfit. While a standard bright color is great, why not try something a bit more daring and wear a pair of neon colored shoes.  Neon is the perfect way to invigorate your wardrobe.  Wearing neon footwear though is not only for when your palette is basic, you can wear these shoes even if your clothing is colorful or  a pattern.  Just be careful if your clothing is busy and that the neon shoes you choose complement , not compete with your clothing.

Miu Miu has a great pair of neon colored flats that come in both pink (pictured) and in yellow. These feminine ballet flats have a multi layer bow at the toe area. The bow has fine black stitched detailing giving the shoes a bit of an edge to  them. These are fun and playful shoes that would look great with a casual outfit. I would stick to a solid skirt or short and a top that has some color to it. If you want to wear clothing that is neon try to find something that has a neon accent and is not too bright.

FLUORESCENT PATENT BALLERINAS

Also made by Miu Miu are some great high heel shoes that are predominantly black and have neon pink accents. The first shoes, the Two Tones Perforated Slingbacks, are a skinny neon color strapped slingback sandal with perforated detailing at the toes. Unlike most perforated shoes, the holes are not see through, rather there is some neon pink shining through. There is also a bit of pink at the back of the heel and at the front of the footbed. The other shoes, Tri Color Leather Strappy Sandals, are a black double strap sandal with neon pink, black, and white detailed patterning at the back of the shoe as well as the heel of the shoe. Adding to the detailing at the back of the shoe is an exposed gold zipper. You can either use the double straps to put on and remove the shoes or the back zipper. Both of these shoes are great to wear with a black or white dress because they will add a pop of color. The tri color shoes especially add a surprise detail since the color is only seen in the back and from the front it appears that you are just wearing a pair of double strap sandals. You also can pair these shoes colorful clothing if you prefer.

TWO-TONE PERFORATED SLINGBACKS

TRI COLOR LEATHER STRAPPY SANDALS

Though wearing neon may be a bit of a risk taking task for some, if you really want to take this look to a whole new level then you need to own the Jimmy Choo Neon Magnum Sandals. These shoes are almost 5″ high though there is a small platform at the front to make wearing such a high heel a bit easier and comfortable. An exposed back zipper makes it easy to get this shoe on and off. The detailing of the shoe is just as impressive if not more so than the actual shape and style of the sandal. Caged neon green mesh with is accent trimmed with snakeskin that is dyed to match the shade of neon green. There is also the same snakeskin on the footbed and back of the shoe. This shoe is appropriate for almost every occasion. You can wear it day or night whether a casual or formal event.

MAGNUM SANDALS

Neon is such a fun color and truly can make any outfit go to the next level of style and fashion.  If you are a bit hesitant about these bright colors the easiest way to ease into this look is with an accessory like a sandal or a heel. The above shoes are all great choices and I hope the styling tips mentioned will help you realize that neon is not a scary color to wear.

Fruit prints are a fun and cheerful look for clothing, shoes, and accessories. Most of these items that have fruit on them are done so with a print on the fabric but there are some great shoes that have fruit embellishment detail on them. Wearing a cherry or a strawberry on your shoe is a great conversation piece and it will liven up any outfit. Even solid colored sophisticated clothes are given a bit of whimsy with fruit adorned shoes and sandals.

Camper shoes is a brand that does not follow others. Their shoes are useful, innovative, and creative. The Camper motto in fact is “A little better, never perfect”. Each season their products are a bit more technologically advanced than the previous one. Camper is all about learning what works, what does not, and improving where they can. The most important aspect of their shoes is that they are fun and creative. The fruit shoes for spring and summer 2011 are most definitely shoes to talk about. The fruit on the right shoe is different from that on the left. On the strawberry sandal the left foot has a solid berry while the right one appears to have a small bite taken out of it. On the orange shoes the right shoe is a solid orange with a leaf and the left shoe is a slice of orange. The sandals themselves have a unique lacing system that makes the shoes easy to get on and off as well as giving the sandals more detail. Camper sandals are very comfortable so you can wear them for hours and your feet will never hurt.

Camper – TWS – 21476 (Red)

Camper – TWS – 21476 (Orange Multi)

If cherries are more to your liking than strawberries or oranges, you will love the D&G Dolce & Gabbana Cherry T Strap Sandals. Available in a white or a red sandal, each has a green leaved dangling cherry duo on the t-strap.

D&G Dolce & Gabbana Women’s DS2971 E1336 T-Strap Sandal

Since these shoes are low heeled and have such unique detailing you will want to show these off so you should wear them with a midi dress or shorts so you do not cover up the fruit.

Everywhere you turn it seems like shoes, especially sandals are getting higher and higher in height. While these shoes are great to look at, they are not so easy to wear. Not only do you have to worry about twisting an ankle or falling, but the high height can put a lot of pressure on your feet, making it uncomfortable to walk for long periods of time.  The good news is that there are so many sliver wedge sandals to buy and wear this spring and summer that are very fashionable, but more importantly, comfortable to wear as well.

The Gentle Souls by Kenneth Cole It’s So Fun are a low wedge sandal that comes in many colors. My favorite of the colors though is the silver and gold snake print shoes. It’s So Fun are the perfect shoe to wear when you are going to be on your feet for a long time and want something that is fashionable as well as comfortable.

Gentle Souls – It’s So Fun

A popular embellishment for shoes is chains and the Black Rooster Digit sliver wedge sandals are a less than 1″ stacked wedge heel sandal with a chain decoration. This sandal is available in black (pictured), tan, leopard. and zebra.

Black Rooster – Digit (Black)

A colorful, comfortable, and most importantly,fashionable sliver wedge sandal is the Nicole Devious Sandal in Ocean. This bright blue leather strap sandal has metallic accents all over and is the perfect shoe to brighten up an outfit.

Nicole – Devious (Ocean)

The Circa Joan & David Bechira Sandals have a gladiator look to them and are adorned with diamond shaped metallic accents on the shoe. The Bechira has two adjustable straps for secure closure.

Circa Joan & David – Bechira (Brown Leather)

No matter how attractive a 4″ or 5″ high wedge may be, you need to remain practical at times and choose a shoe that will offer comfort and support as well as style. Make sure to click any of the above links to learn more about the shoes and see what other great colors they come in.

One of the biggest, most fashionable  looks that came from the late 1960s and early 1970s was tie dye.  This homemade look was created by the hippies who dyed tee shirts, dresses, socks, hats, or whatever other cotton materials  they could get their hands on.  Manufacturers eventually picked up on this trend and started producing tie-dye clothing themselves.  Over time the outrageous colored clothing has become more refined, muted, and elegant and has expanded to be part of designer runway collections.

One of the most interesting and unique ways to wear tie dye for spring and summer 2011 is with a pair of tie dyed shoes.  There are not too many choices when it comes tie dye shoes but the ones that are out there are trendy and will most definitely make a statement.

80% 20 is a brand you may not have heard of but the meaning of the name should resonate with you. The designer of the brand, Ce Ce Chin, believes that we wear our favorite 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time and that it is this small percentage that makes the biggest impression. For Spring 2011, the inspiration of the shoe collection is “surfer in the city”. These shoes are ones that are going to be fashionable for the city girl but with a twist of a laid back surfer vibe. One of the biggest patterns for a laid back look is tie dye and 80%20 has two great tie dye shoes. The Georgie Tie Dye Leather Concealed Wedge Open Toe Boots are a tie dye open toe leather ankle boot with ruching at the front and a bow at the side. Hidden in the shoe is a wedge heel so it appears as a flat but in reality you get some lift in height. These are great shoes to wear with a pair of shorts and a shirt or with a maxi dress. The other great tie dye 80%20 shoe is the Dawn Tie Dye Cork Wedge. This shoe is a leather peep toe shoe with a bow at the front and open sides. A 3″ cork wedge gives this shoe height and style. This is a great shoe to wear with a midi or maxi dress as well as with shorts.

80%20 Georgie Tie Dye Leather Concealed Wedge Open Toe Boots

80%20 Dawn Tiedye Leather Cork Wedge

Another great tie dye shoe is the Loeffler Randall Yumi Sandal. This black tie dye shoe is classic and timeless in style but given a bit of an edge with the tie dye pattern all over. The Yumi even carries the tie dye pattern to the heel of the shoe.

Loeffler Randall – Yumi (Black) – Footwear

Since tie dye shoes are so visual, it is best to wear them with a simple outfit that does not compete with the shoes. You will want the shoes to grab the attention, not compete.

Clogs have been around for centuries and were originally created for workers to protect their feet at the farm or the factory. Over time though clogs have become fashionable and mainstream. Top designers like Chanel and Louis Vuitton have put models in these shoes to prance down the runways in Paris, Milan, and New York. As the shoes have become more fashion than function the look of clogs has changed drastically but the common ground for all clogs is that they are comfortable, slip on shoes though currently designers have stretched this definition a bit and created clog sandals that has a strap that needs to be buckled. Most of these new clogs have wood heels and stapled or riveted uppers which are common to a clog.

The Tuleste Market Brooke Rosette Clog Wedge Sandals are a high wedge sandal with metal rosettes on the ankle straps. The neutral color leather uppers make these sandals a great shoe for summer and will match almost everything. Though the Brooke Sandals have an ankle strap, they have rivets along the sidewalls like a traditional clog shoe.

tuleste market Brooke Rosette Clog Wedge Sandals

The Ash Vicky Crisscross Clog Sandal is another great wooden shoe with studded sidewalls. This shoe is more of a sandal than a clog and a great all around shoe. I love the crisscross straps and double buckle closure. This clog sandal is available in black and in natural.

Ash Vicky Crisscross Clog Sandals

The Giuseppe Zanotti High Platform Clog Sandals is a 5.5″ high sandal with 2.5″ platform. Like a classic clog the base is a solid wood and the uppers are attached with studs. These are the perfect shoe to wear with a maxi dress.

Giuseppe Zanotti High Platform Clog Sandals

The Diane von Furstenberg Flynn Clog Sandal resembles a clog the least of all the shoes mentioned. It is a great sandal with sidewall studs like a clog and does have a wooden heel but the overall style and shape of the sandal does not resemble a clog. The Flynn is rather easy to slip on and off since it has an elastic sling back strap.

Diane von Furstenberg Flynn Clog Sandals

All of these  great clog sandals are perfect for summer outfits especially if you are going for a retro 70s look.