Shoes

One of my vices in life.

Shoes.

I love shoes, especially high heels. I have around a hundred pair I am guessing, I know it's a sick little hobby.

Thees little beauties are sure to become a favorite, a platform peep toe, black patent, 4 1/2 inch heel.

I was shopping Friday afternoon and had to spend some saving cards at the mall. I am a V.I.B. at Sephora (Very Important Beauty).....so they sent me a card, spend $40.00, get $20.00 off.

Victoria's Secret also sent me a $10.00 off card, and they both expired this weekend, so off I went to "save".

I ended up at Nordstrom Rack somehow and these jumped right out at me.  No, they are not Christian Louboutin. As you can see, the sole is not red, but they are the classic "Very Prive" style you see without the $725.00 price tag. I just cannot bring myself to spend that much money on a pair of shoes.

As a child, Louboutin would regularly sneak out of school, from the age of 12, to watch the showgirls at Paris nightclubs, because he was fascinated by their costumes. He cites this as his main inspiration for becoming a shoe designer: "[The showgirls] influenced me a lot. If you like high heels, it's really the ultimate high heel - it's all about the legs, how they carry themselves, the embellishment of the body. They are the ultimate icons."

Although Louboutin faced much opposition following his decision to leave school so early, he claims that his resolve was strengthened after watching an interview on TV with Sophia Loren in which she introduced her sister, saying she had to leave school when she was only 12 but when she turned 50 she got her degree. "Everybody applauded! And I thought, 'Well, at least if I regret it I'm going to be like the sister of Sophia Loren!"

Louboutin helped bring stilettos back into fashion in the 1990s and 2000s, designing dozens of styles with heel heights of 120mm (4.72 inches) and higher. The designer's professed goal is to “make a woman look sexy, beautiful, to make her legs look as long as [he] can.” While he does offer some lower-heeled styles, Louboutin is generally associated with his dressier eveningwear designs incorporating bejeweled straps, bows, feathers, patent leather and other, similar decorative touches.

In his U.S. trademark application, Louboutin explains the inception of the signature red soles:

"In 1992 I incorporated the red sole into the design of my shoes. This happened by accident as I felt that the shoes lacked energy so I applied red nail polish to the sole of a shoe. This was such a success that it became a permanent fixture."

Louboutin received inspiration for his lethal-looking stilettos from an incident that occurred in his early 20s. He had visited a museum and noticed that there was a sign forbidding women wearing sharp stilettos from entering for fear of damage to the extensive wood flooring. This image stayed in his mind, and he later used this idea in his designs. "I wanted to defy that," Louboutin has said. "I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident and empowered."

Louboutin has topped The Luxury Institute's annual Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) for three years; the brand's offerings were declared the Most Prestigious Women's Shoes in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

Someday, I will own a pair of Christian Louboutin Very Prive Peep Toe Pumps, in black kid, but for now, I am happy with these. Anyone wants to send a gift, I wear size 9 in these, they tend to run a little small! Bergdorf Goodman has my information and carries all of his shoes.

Nike Girl

Recently I wrote about my new shoes, Nike Free Run+. I love them! They weigh only 7 ounces each, I feel like I am barefoot when I wear them.

The first day I wore them to the gym, I went over to  show them to "A" since he is a runner and works for Nike in some sort or fashion.

I know that because he gives me "family and friends" coupons for 30% off at the outlet stores.

Actually, he is more than a runner, he ran in the 1974 Olympics! Not sure if he got any medals, and that doesn't matter, the fact that he even made it there is enough for me!

He said "Where did you get those and how much did ya pay?!"  I told him I got them at Big 5 and the price.

He said "Don't do that, I will get them for you! And at half price! What color do ya want?"

I told him as bright as possible, any color, just not black.

I got an email the other day from him, he said they were at the desk at the gym, and he hoped I liked them. I  had to go in and do my cardio, so I picked them up on my way in and wore them right then and there!

What color did "A" select for me? PINK! With a dark gray top panel and a light gray swoosh...

"A" stopped by as I was training with cables the next morning, telling me what racy pink shoes I had on, and in fact, my shoes matched my outfit! (Yes, I planned it that way....)

He said he can pick up more, in fact, they had some purple ones he was going to get for me, but wanted to be sure I liked these first. He flies out there every week, and said he will pick them up next trip.

I am thinking maybe some lime green and I do like the baby blue also....and now Cooper wants some too. This could become an obsession!

 I am now free x 2!

 Isn't that a happy face?

Free

Nike Free Run +

I just bought these shoes and I love them!  I usually wear Chuck Taylor's because SC told me that when you are lifting heavy, you don't want the typical running shoes that everyone wears to the gym, the kind with the big cushy heel. This will not provide a stable base.

So when I would lift with SC, the rules were barefoot or Chuck Taylor's and nothing else. Well, I am not lifting with SC any longer, which means I am not squatting more than 185 because I am on my own. Deadlifts- I am at 195. None of that is so heavy I need to worry about my shoes so much.

These puppies are amazing! They feel like wearing slippers. They are a slip in model, with laces to tighten, but very few seams, and they weigh a whopping 7 ounces each!

Here is a bit from Nike's website about these:

Barefoot running. Everyone's talking about how great it is, but is it truly beneficial? We think so. And here's why.

Barefoot running frees up your foot's range of motion, allowing you to strengthen muscles you don't normally use in a typical running shoe. But we understand that you aren't crazy about squishing your toes in mud or dodging broken glass with bare feet.

Enter the Nike Free Run+. Its flexible design closely mimics the natural movement of your foot. And unlike a lot of regular running shoes, its flexibility provides a world of comfort on the run or while walking around.

Other features:

-More flex grooves promote an even more natural, barefoot-like stride

-Increased support under the arch for improved stability

-More cushioning for an exceptional ride

-A completely new midsole design for a better fit

-A precisely engineered upper for targeted support

-Asymmetrical lacing for added comfort

-Nike+ ready

Are you ready to free your feet?

 

Are you curious what the Elites have to say about the new Nike Free Run+? We were too. Here's what Asafa Powell, Kara Goucher, Paula Radcliffe and Ariane Friedrich shared with us.


Sprinter Asafa Powell called the Nike Free Run+ "light as a feather." He finds the shoe great for his training for several reasons. "I like the flexibility of the sole because it really allows me to push off the ground properly, but it's also very comfortable and still as supportive as I need it to be."


Distance standout Kara Goucher said that she wears the Nike Free Run+ during her cool down runs because it makes her feet stronger. She noted, "The stronger my feet are, the more stable my entire body becomes and the less likely I am to become injured."


Paula Radcliffe considers the Nike Free Run+ to be "an integral part" of her strengthening program. She commented: "They are more flexible than a regular training shoe so they allow my foot to behave close to its natural movement." Radcliffe added: "I also find they really allow my feet to recover well after long workouts and runs."


But don't think that the Nike Free Run+ shoes are just for runners. High jumper Ariane Friedrich is a fan. "I train with the Nike Free Run+ to strengthen my feet and lower leg muscles; this gets them ready for competitions at the highest level."

Three women in the locker room this morning said they were getting some! They come in many other colors and I may just have to find some of the purple or turquoise ones.

My feet are happy. My feet are free