

I know in the Northern Hemisphere, everyone is still enjoying their summer, however when you are stuck in the middle of a cold Winter on the other side of the world, the Fall forecast for footwear looks appealing, especially for this shoe-a-holic!
This fall you can expect to see rich tones in satin and leather in every silhouette from basic ballet flats to towering platform stilettos. For hard core fashionistas… party shoes embelished, entrenched and covered in delicate feathers, tulle and sequins will be huge.
The animal kingdom still reigns strong, including skins from creatures that swim, slither, fly and prowl, and rock chic gets got a dose of sophistication with grown-up shoes laden in studs, spikes and all manner of tough tittivation.
I almost can’t wait till the end of summer just to get my toes into some of these new offerings!
Photos courtesy of California Apparel News

Jessica Alba & husband, Cash Warren welcomed a healthy baby girl into the world over the weekend, only 3 weeks after their ’secret’ wedding.
Honor Marie Warren was born on Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
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Tori Spelling & husband, Dean McDermott also paid a visit to Cedars and also welcomed a little girl into their family. The couple have named their newborn daughter - Stella Doreen McDermott.
I have always thought of Karl Lagerfeld as the Willy Wonka of fashion trends at times… he has the right amount of imagination, talent and zaniness to create couture that dreams are made of… however his inspiration behind Chanel’s latest offering, the Cruise 2009 collection was a gun.
Now one would assume he would be inspired by this strong and unusual image of a gun in his designs.
Instead the designer took it one step further offering the image to Chanel’s shoe designer Laurence Decade, who made it into a heel instead, apparently it’s not a catwalk only piece, word on the fashion grapevine is the shoe will actually be stocked in Chanel boutiques worldwide!

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Know in the Chanel world as “The Miami Vice” shoe, I can’t help but wonder if this shoe will make an appearance in the new James Bond film, could thievettes everywhere be sneaking into to Chanel to get their paws on this stylish piece? Are bullets included with the Chanel insignia?
I am getting ghastly images of a celebrity fueled showdown… which starlet could land in the slammer after popping a Chanel cap in someone’s ass?
Getting those through airport security could be interesting…

Sometimes, it can take a little while for massive trends to trickle down here to Australia, over the past few months during my travels around various international online stores, I have come across a shoe called “FitFlops” now for those of you in the UK or USA reading this, with a big sigh - thinking to yourself which rock has she been under… gimme a break… FitFlop mania has not yet prevailed on Aussie soil. For those of you like me who are a little hazy on the FitFlop phenomena here is what this wonder shoe claims to do…
(taken from the Fitflop website)
- FitFlop midsoles incorporate patent-pending micro-wobbleboardTM technology, to give you a workout while you walk. Developed by Darren James and Dr David Cook at LSBU, the FitFlop’s unique safely -tapered midsole places varying densities of EVA under your feet each time you step, to challenge the support and balance muscles of the foot and leg.
- They challenge hard to reach muscles more. FitFlops are engineered with a multi-density midsole that stimulates your muscles more while you’re wearing them. In independent University testing, FitFlops have been shown to trigger increase gluteal muscle response, increased hamstring response, increase rectus femoris (thigh) response and increased calf muscle response .
- Every step you take in your FitFlops helps tone and trim your legs:
- FitFlops work your bum muscles more. FitFlops have been clinically proven to increase the amount of time that the gluteus maximus muscle is ‘activated’ during every single step.
- FitFlops have been shown to have a significant effect on the toning muscles of your thighs: The rectus femoris muscle (one of the large muscles in the group of muscles in your thigh) is activated for a longer period of time while walking in FitFlops than while normally shod or barefoot .
- Walking in FitFlops is like walking barefoot, but a little bit better. According to a study done at the University of Salford in Manchester, UK, the FitFlop wearer’s gait is very similar to that of a barefoot walker, but the added cushion provided by the EVA midsole helps reduce joint strain and absorb shock. In fact, several FitFlop wearers have already reported relief from back pain after a few days of wearing them.
- FitFlops make it easier to stay in shape. Just throw them on while you’re running errands, walking to work, or working around your house. Most first-time FitFlop wearers report feeling their muscles working more, while ‘fitter’ wearers feedback has been more toward great comfort and cushion. One woman reported feeling like she’d had a ‘bum-blasting’ workout after a half an hour of FitFlop walking.
I am curious can a flip flop that works like a wobble board really banish your bum, tone your thighs, and create tight calves or is it marketing magic?
So I am asking, has anyone tried the fitflop and found success… Let us know is it fact or fad?

My name is Mama and I am a shoe-a-holic… I admit I can be found at 3am scouring the internet for the latest and greatest designer foot ware. I gravitate towards a shoe store, like a kid to a candy shop and would give up my first born for a pair of vintage Chanel pumps.
Ralph Lauren has launched in time for summer the perfect garden shoe, simple, black and strappy, with an oversizes rose on the toe… I am in love!
Meet the Mini Suede sandal US$575 available from Ralph Lauren
Photo Courtesy of : Style.com
