Rihanna does a Goth!

Above:Rihanna attending Fashion's Night Out

If Maison Martin Margiela's mono-lens sunglass was a bit on the edgier side, what would you say to Rihanna's spiked blinders? I agree Fashion's Night Out had the entire New York city brightly lit but was the city this blinding? And whats with those super spiked earrings and that bracelet piercing right through her flesh (see picture below), not to forget the black gloves with extreme black claws? If recession made it tough to afford body guards then maybe its not a very bad strategy! As for those blinders, well Rihanna seems to believe in the adage that appearances can be deceptive and decided to sense fashion and not get deceived by the brightly lit stores and the huge posters trumpeting the event! And with those spiky spikes would anyone dare to touch those blinders?

To muse, would you do an extreme Goth? Well she's a singer and all that, so its understandable that the need to grab attention and stand out could play an important part in her wardrobe choices.Apart from that can you give a thumbs up to this look? Eccentricity for eccentricity's sake or avant garde fashion? Do let me know.

Above:Rihanna attending World of Giuseppe Zanotti on Fashion's Night Out

Image Source:www.zimbio.com

Valentine's Day Pick

Add a splash of color to your LBD on Valentine's day and dance the night away on Montmartre. And yes, I dare you to climb all the way up!!!

Image Source:www.style.com

Giuseppe Zannoti's Murder Spree

How else could one justify this Fall 2009 shoe design right from the sketch pad of Giuseppe Zannoti? Kudos to Zannoti for adding a whole new dimension to the concept of "killer heels", and as for you ladies, you have got less than an year to get your balancing act right!!! Someone please tell me that Zannoti was just designing for the "Impossible Shoe" contest and not for Fall 2009!!!

Image Source:www.wwd.com

Black And White Morning

Giuseppe Zanotti E96125

As you get ready for work on Monday morning, for once you are thankful for still having a place to go on every weekday called "office".With the days passing by, the only change that seems to be happening in your life is the number of your friends getting laid off.After a Thanksgiving week of sorts, you reminiscence how your mother always warned you about the ups and downs in life.Heaving a sign you reach out for your handbag, look at your shoes (pictured above), which your dear hubby was kind enough to bestow upon you as a little Thanksgiving present, and wonder why the highs and lows of your life cannot blend as harmoniously as the white and black on your shoes!!!So long, life goes on, another week, another challenge in another pair of shoes!!

P.S:Black and white color combo is a hot trend for spring 2009, which makes this pair very trendy and fashion forward.

Image Source:www.zappos.com

Hail The Old, Ye Lasses - Part 1 Flats 2 of 3

Giuseppe Zanotti Mesh Ballet Flats

Giuseppe Zanotti Primary Colors Sandals

Jimmy Choo Jola leather flats

Christian Louboutin Balacorta Patent Flats

To see the first part of this series click here.With sale going on in full swing there is never a better time to discuss about the best picks from the previous season.Every women knows the importance of flats in her collection, for without them how would our feet withstand all those calorie intensive gruelling shopping escapades!!!With a plethora of choices available one gets confused about getting the best worth of one's hard earned money.With innumerable options in flats, the choice has never been easier and the good news is that flats are getting trendier by the day.

Buckles had been a big trend last season and it would be bad to complete your shopping without one.The Mesh Ballet Flats pictured above is a cute way to accessorize your skinny jeans, adding a spurt of youthfulness to your feet.Nothing can go better with your cute gray colored shorts than the Primary Colors Sandals.Jola Leather Flats are for those days when you are tired of wearing black shoes to work and want to add some color to your formals, yet remaining within the periphery of formal work wear.There is no better way to glam up an evening than with a pair of Balacorta Patent Flats.Go out and shop your pick!!!


ImageSource:www.net-a-porter.com

Electrifying Blues

Giuseppe Zanotti Suede Ankle Boots

Can someone please tell me a better way to welcome fall? Aaayyy!!! This fall as bright colors, boots and pointed toe shoes make a comeback, should I spell out what fun this season's dressing is gonna be!!

Image Source:www.net-a-porter.com

Hail The Old, Ye Lasses - Part 1 Flats 1 of 3

Girls, bring out all those tiny scrapes of paper on which you have meticulously made your wish list for the past six months, all those little pieces of heaven that made your heart flutter in joy and eagerly wait for that sweet four letter word to be whispered in your ear.Well before your float in romantic waters thinking about your "knight-in-shining armour" thundering towards you to whisk you away and fulfill all your desires, please be cautioned that I didn't mean the most used / abused four letter word "LOVE' but the other one "SALE" that justifies all your hard work over the past season tolerating gruffy bosses and running noses to dash towards office as if there was no tomorrow.Well the summer sale is in full swing and its time to pamper and treat yourself to all the goodies that you so patiently slogged for.

I have got a lot of queries asking my help in picking out the "Best Shoes On Sale".I'm overwhelmed by your queries, appreciate them and please do continue writing to me.But due to immense time pressure of late, I'm unable to address your queries on an individual basis.What I decided on is that I'll give you all my favourite picks in a serial manner.So girls pick up your bags and shop till you drop!!!

There is nothing like a beige colored Fendi flat to partner your many outfits on a casual shopping day.Add a spurt of color to your LBDs or floral or printed dresses with the JimmyChoos shown below.Masculine dressing never got any better than this season.Embrace the trend with the Rupert Sanderson pictured here.Metallics can never run out of vogue, add a shimmer of glamour with the jewelled Giuseppe Zanotti flats.

Fendi Flat Basketweave Sandals

Jimmy Choo Aspen Elaphe Sandals

Rupert Sanderson Joyce Jazz Shoes

Giuseppe Zanotti Jeweled Appliqué Flats

Jimmy Choo Fife Flat Sandals

Image Source:www.net-a-porter.com

Readers Ask

This is what Emily, our last week's winner of Whose Baby Am I? contest wanted to know.

Hi Fashionpicks,

I'm looking for a multi colored shoe to complement my light colored dresses in shades of white, green, gray, yellow etc With the coming of fall I would like to experiment with pale colors for my clothes but I want my shoes to reflect the autumn hues, essaying all the colors found in a tree with yellowing leaves.Can you find one such shoe?
Regards

If only the likes of Claude Monet and Gustave Caillebotte had made shoes instead of paintings then you would have had a whole closet of shoes to choose from, for your "dream shoe" draws a huge parallel with the impressionist style of painting, big bold brush strokes in bright colors rhyming with nature.Well since these painters, remained painters for the rest of their lives we have to look towards our SHOE GODS to see whether they can satisfy our dear Emily with their creations.And when I spotted this pair by Giuseppe Zanotti, my belief in the Gods only got strengthened!!!

Giuseppe Zanotti I86207

A perfect blend of autumn colors, the pleated front and the peep toe are more than enough reasons why this is a must have shoe this season.For all you shoe lovers, who have liked the hues on the shoe but would prefer a bootie instead, you are not out of luck for there is one in bootie version too.

Giuseppe Zanotti I87039

Image Source:www.zappos.com

Salute The Tri-Color

Giuseppe Zanotti Tri-color pumps

I never thought that playing Peek-a-Boo with your feet could be such a tease.Its quite alluring to show off those toe nails that had been patiently cut and filed to the right size before coating them with a fresh coat of Chanel polish.Just as I was knee deep wading through these pleasant thoughts, I was awakened quite rudely from my pleasant reverie by the irritating sound of my door bell.I sleepily floated my way to the drawing room, only to be greeted by my cheerful young nephew, who was all too excited to share his happenings at school.The matter was the boy had made a scrapbook on the "Flags of Nations" and as I sat flipping through its pages, he so inquisitively popped the question "Tell me, why do so many countries use tri-colors on their flags?".As I sat there scratching my head, thinking of a suitable response, I saw these pair of shoes peeking out from my closet.I was elated, for this was my moment of salvation, tri-colors are classy and effortlessly exuberate patriotism, be it towards country or shoes.Hail the tri-color and long live Giuseppe Zanotti, the maker of these stunners!!!

Image Source:www.net-a-porter.com

Gladiator Of Comfort

Leather T-Strap Sandal, Giuseppe Zanotti

Giuseppe Zanotti has run for colors while designing these flats ideal for a summery stroll in the park after spending long hours at the museum on a Sunday.Of late, a lot of designers are spurning out cute flats transitioning them from their grandmotherly image(read to worn by people physically incapable of wearing high heels) to a more youthful and vibrant one.The fact that quite a few celebrities have taken to flats as a means of offsetting their height difference with their not so vertically endowed partners, only helps flats in becoming all the more trendy and hip.The lack of a lean silhouette offered by high heels is more than compensated by the colossal comfort and freedom of movement offered by flats.Now, with designs like these, one can have the comfort afforded by flats without compromising on style since one can never escape the requirement of flats on days when one's feet scream for mercy.

For all those who want to confirm to this season's gladiator style but are a tad shy to wear them all laced up and high, covering most of your calf, this flat is a welcome respite, for its a "conservative" gladiator in the sense that it just covers the foot.Add to this, the play of colors and voila you have for yourself the perfect spring/summer flats.The colors too are very muted and subdued going well with a mellowed-down-yet-so-chic look.

This sandal will come a full circle when paired with a white or black dress with a little bit of embroidery thrown in to break the monotony and usher in seductive feminine freshness.

Left:JWLA For Johnny Was Pamela Embroidered Sundress

Right:JWLA For Johnny Was Suzani Peacock Sundress

Image Source:www.elle.com www.neimanmarcus.com

Casually Chic

Giuseppe Zanotti E7302(Denim/Pewter)

Giuseppe Zanotti's shoes never fail to impress and this one is no exception.I like the shoes for the elegance that they seem to exude through their simplicity, a welcome break from all the glamorous shoes one has been so accustomed to see so far.Another scoring point for the shoes is their muted colors which can do an excellent job in grounding neons and fluorescents, letting you wear dresses in bold colors unlike many of the other spring shoes that come in such bright colors that one is forced to pair them with dresses in muted colors.The materials of which the shoe is made of, beautifully complement each other, the pewter leather upper adding a whiff of glam by breaking the monotony of the denim and the wooden stacked heel delicately balancing the whole color scheme and polishing off a clean look.I cannot think of a better shoe to wear on those casual Fridays at work or on a lazy Sunday afternoon shopping spree.

Pairing the shoes with a white or a bright colored dress can do wonders for your effortless-yet-so-chic look.

Left:Tracy Reese Eyelet Dress
Right:MARC by Marc Jacobs Maydie Jersey Dress

Image Source:www.zappos.com www.neimanmarcus.com

Flat Is Fashionable

Tapeet by Vicini Women's Y80006 Flat Thong Sandal

Tapeet, is a line of fashion forward shoes characterised by decorative hardware and attention seeking stones, from Vicini, the company owned by Giuseppe Zannoti, a genius in spurning creative shoe designs.

A fashionable flat thong is very tricky to pick up since it lacks the sexy silhouette offered by high heels and has only the vamp to showcase its prettiness.This pair of thongs wins the "Miss Summer Flat Thong" title with panache what with its big tumbled stones in odd shapes and bright colors of purple, blue and olive green decorating the vamp and accentuating the olive green knotted straps.This pair offers comfort without compromising on style.Pair it with a denim shorts and a monochromatic tee for the most stylish summer look.And don't forget to give a sly smile to your sisters on the street struggling to match steps with you in their high heels.Wicked isn't it!!!!!

Image Source:www.zappos.com

Reach Dizzying Heights

Giuseppe Zanotti Women's E80173 Platform Wedges

Giuseppe Zanotti in his early twenties traded his DJ headphones for a career in shoemaking thus confirming to the traditional occupation of his native town San Mauro Pascali.His early thrust was towards developing new styles through intense research.After a few years, finding that he was yet to come to terms with his talent he acquired a company transforming it into an expanded style office and making style, creativity and research its strong foundations.From then on there has been no looking back for this man who has relentlessly combined style with technique to create the most fashionable, delectable and sought after shoes the fashion industry has ever seen.

The shoes featured here are sculpted platform wedges with a whooping heel height of approximately 6".The first thing that struck me when I set sight on this pair is that its so retro and full of attitude.The fresh youthfulness that these shoes symbolise are further emphasized by the buckles with gold tone on the vamp and the ankle.Wear them on a day when you feel young at heart and feather footed in your soul.Since its so easy to go wrong with these shoes, wearing them with the right outfit would speak volumes about your fashion quotient.Team them with either a short dress or a denim with wide flared legs to achieve a "she knows her fashion" look.The shoes look best on those with chunky calves.

Strap these on with a dress like the one below to radiate the spring attitude of fun filled freaky funkiness.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Joelle Scalloped Dress

Image Source:www.couture.zappos.com www.neimanmarcus.com