Posts with tag cole haan

Last week the Wall Street Journal continued their groundbreaking coverage of shoes.

In this latest installment reporter Christina Binkley did a comparison of several expensive high heels that are purported to be "comfortable."

Last week, a friend of Styledash asked for help in finding a gift for his wife for their 3rd wedding anniversary. After getting over the amazement that marriage has lasted that long (we live in LA and all we hear about our "marriages" that last no longer than the morning line at Starbucks), we started to panic. Third anniversary? What does one get one's spouse for a third anniversary?

Leather.

Putting visions of chaps and riding whips aside, we decided that a handbag would be the perfect leather gift. With a budget of $100-$200, and a willingness to go slightly over if it promised benefits, we found nine bags that would be perfect:

• Kenneth Cole Large Buckle Satchel - for a woman who has an entire shelf of black or brown leather bags, red is a great addition to spice things up. $204 at Bluefly.com
  
• Cole Haan "Paige" Medium Tote - A classic Cole Haan bag will always be the quintessential piece and will last forever, just like your marriage. $186 at Bluefly.
  
• BCBG Aloe Leather "Montana" Handbag - Shaped like a Boston bag, this handbag is functional and fashionable, especially in the brownish green aloe color. $161 at Bluefly.
• Hype "Canela" Satchel - Though camel color is usually associated with the warmer months, the Canela satchel is sturdy enough to work for fall and winter. $135 at Bluefly.com.
• Hype Chocolate Leather "Assago" Shoulder Bag - Chocolate colored leather is the perfect all-around bag since it dark color works well with both black and brown. $113 at Bluefly.com
• Via Spiga Pewter "Madeline" Leather Hobo - The hobo, though a relatively new-again trend, is now here to stay. In pewter leather, it's definitely "in" for the metallic trend of fall and winter. At Bluefly.com
• Via Spiga "Neela" Tassel Hobo - Another hobo style, and perhaps the best bargain of the bunch, the Neela is slightly more interesting with the addition of a tassel. $99 at Bluefly.com
• Furla Ivory Leather Logo Tote - Who says you can't wear (or carry) white in the winter? Furla certainly doesn't, with its simple, sophisticated ivory leather logo tote. $94 at Bluefly.com.
• Michael Kors "Wetherby" Large Shoulder Bag - This is the splurge for our friend, but the stylish lines of a functional shoulder bag are wrth it. It's Michael Kors. $348 at ShopBop.

Cole Haan, you are dead to me.

Why? Because as I write this post, my feet are bleeding and blistered from what I swear will be the last pair of Cole Haans to ever step foot into my closet.

The truly unfortunate part is that I knew this was going to happen! When I bought my first pair of Cole Haans about seven years ago, I could barely walk for three days afterward. When I bought another pair three years ago, it was again the same old story. In fact, every pair of Cole Haan shoes I have ever tried out have put my feet through the same cruel, flesh-mangling torture, and I'm sick of it.

Make no mistake, Cole Haan, I want to love your shoes. I love the idea of creating stylish shoes that are practical for walking, but seriously, sticking Nike Air soles on pair of toe graters is a lot like sticking lipstick on a pig.

Walking shoes usually have negative connotations -- old lady colors, boxy heels, unflattering toes -- but the latest crop of cushiony city shoes are actually quite chic. One of my favorite cool-comfortable collaborations is Cole Haan, which now uses Nike Air technology in many of its shoes ranging from four inch pumps to sleek thong sandals. It's a pretty revolutionary approach towards footwear, and as a woman who cares about her feet, I can only hope that other shoe companies will move in this direction.

Since metallics are especially popular this spring, Cole Haan's Air Beau Mary Jane is a great way to look up-to-date and comfortable. The perforated leather upper features a nubby rubber sole with visible Nike Air technology, which adds its own bounce to your step. Air Beau Mary Janes come in silver and gold, so you can even match the shoes to your favorite metal.

As I mentioned earlier, male actors turned models seem to be popping up everywhere. I checked out Cole Haan's spring catalog this morning only to find the cleft-chinned handsomeness of Aaron Eckhart smirking at me. Eckhart, who has also appeared in Gap ads seems an odd choice for fashion. Not because of the looks, he's certainly pretty enough, but because he always appears to be slightly mocking whatever he's selling. There is a picture of him inside the catalog online where he is holding up a Cole Haan satchel and he has the bemused and slightly embarrassed expression of any man who has ever had to hold a purse for someone else. His look seems to say "I'm not sure why I am holding this bag but I sure hope they pay me well."

First of all, are you entering every weekday? If not, why not? Well, the answer to that, yesterday, was that the contest turned up missing. My apologies. I'm the one posting the contest entries, and I was travelling this week. Things went fine until a cancelled flight kept me away an extra night. In the confusion and spotty WiFi access, I did not post the contest installment number 26, which should have started Wednesday and ended Thursday. So the contest skipped a day, and resumes today. I apologize to everyone for whom the contest has become a daily ritual!

The good news is that our designer handbag giveaway returns today, interrupted but undaunted. Only five of the 30 handbags remain! Get over there and place your entry! It's easy: no skill is required. today's bag is a beauty from Cole Haan, pictured here. Good luck!

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! (After an interruption of one day.) Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag to a lucky reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like wear clashing colors. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our 26th giveaway, we are returning to the village satchel by Cole Haan. Perfect for carrying a dachshund, this sausage-shaped accessory is (so I'm told by my eye-rolling wife) is beatufiul and stylish. It's certainly pricey -- click the pic for more info.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to Beatles lyrics, but we'd appreciate a trip down memory lane.

2) No duplicates! Identical twins may each enter once. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. We know you deserve to win every day, but others have feelings, too.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the 30-day contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Friday (10/20), when the next giveaway will be posted.

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag to a lucky reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like wear clashing colors. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our 23rd giveaway, we are returning to the Cole Haan village satchel. What can you say about a bag that looks as if it would rather be a hot dog? You could start by saying I'm a clueless style bonehead ... and you'd get along great with my wife. Anyway, click the pic for more info on this pricey designer accessory.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to love sonnets, but if you've got love to give we'll receive it.

2) No duplicates! Identical twins may each enter once. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. We know you deserve to win every day, but others have feelings, too.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the 30-day contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Monday (10/16), when the next giveaway will be posted.

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag to a lucky reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like take style advice from Burger King. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our 20th giveaway, we are returning to the village satchel by Cole Haan. Although this bag looks as if it has been through a sausage roller, people go wild for it. It's perfect for carrying kittens. Click the pic to learn more about the hardware and software ... not to mention the retail price.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to love poems, but if you've got love to give we'll receive it.

2) No duplicates! Please curb your multiple personalities. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. Doing so would anger your personal good luck deity. Besides, it's against the rules.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the 30-day contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Wednesday (10/11), when the next giveaway will be posted. Congrastulations to Marlene Schooler, who won the Marc Jacobs hobo in Day 19!

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag to a lucky reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like run in heels. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our 17th giveaway, we are returning to the village satchel by Cole Haan. I don't know what village you might wear this in ... perhaps a Lilliputian village where everything is squashed down? But pay no attention to me. My wife has tuned me out completely on the subject of these handbags. No need to pity her, but your sympathy is appreciated. Anyway, click the pic for more info. This is a highly accessorized and pricey squashed-village bag.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to rhymes involving the words "village" or "purse," but we'd be delighted to hear them.

2) No duplicates! Please curb your multiple personalities. If you try to double-dip (or triple-dip?) we'll catch it.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. We know you already own 35 purses. Get a grip.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the 30-day contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Tuesday (9/19), when the next giveaway will be posted. Congratulations to Will, who won the Marc Jacobs "Hobo" in Day 16!

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag to a lucky reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like wear paisley bandannas. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our 14th giveaway, we are returning to the village satchel from designer Cole Haan. Specifically designed to carry a dachsund, this bag can probably also accommodate a wallet, car keys, and a few other items. Click the pic for more info on this $335 bag: Tan leather, silver hardware, zip top. My wife, who can distinguish between a designer statement and a squashed purse, tells me the village satchel is of the former.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to Beatles lyrics, but we'd enjoy the trip down memory lane.

2) No duplicates! Identical twins may each enter once. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. We know you deserve to win every day, but a solipsistic attitude won't win you any friends.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the 30-day contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Tuesday (10/3), when the next giveaway will be posted. Congrastulations to Theresa Shafer, who won the Marc Jacobs polo in Day 13!

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag to a lucky U.S. reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like pushing your BMI down to 16. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our 11th giveaway, we are returning to the village satchel by Cole Haan. Apparently inspired by a sausage, the designer bag features silver hardware, a tassel pull, and plenty of room for a pudgy cat. My wife, tremendously aggravated by my cynical and style-dumb comments, reminds you to click the pic for more information. The retail value is $335, which I think is pricey for a pet container.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to song lyrics, but if you've got a song in your heart, please share it.

2) No duplicates! Stay out of Kinko's. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. We know you deserve to win every day, but others have feelings, too.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the 30-day contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Thursday (9/28), when the next giveaway will be posted. Congratulations to John Longo, who won the Marc Jacobs "Hobo" on Day 10!

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

Much as Halloween candy starts to appear in stores in early September and Christmas decorations are out before the Thanksgiving turkey has cooled, department stores have started pushing their "resort" lines before the first autumn leaf has even fallen. Today I received an email from Nordstrom advising me to purchase my Cole Haan resort sandals now. Now? Talk about delayed gratification. Reserve today and they promise to ship them in 13 to 15 weeks. With visions of new fall boots dancing in my head and cooler weather feeling like a blessing, the idea of new sandals is far less appealing currently. Doesn't it make more sense to wait until we are sick of fall fashion to start selling us on resort wear?

The StyleDash 30-day handbag giveaway continues! Every weekday, we are giving away a designer handbag or book tote to a lucky reader. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like wear clashing colors. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute. First, today's prize:

For our fifth giveaway, we are returning to the village leather satchel from Cole Haan, pictured here. It looks a bit like a dachshund. Believe me, I get a lot of grief at home when I write stuff like that. I am instructed to tell you that this is a beautiful bag, but I'm sure you already know it.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to Beatles' song lyrics, but we enjoy trips down memory lane.

2) No duplicates! Please curb your multiple personalities. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it and hold a grudge.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. We know you deserve to win every day, but others have feelings, too.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon Wednesday (9/20), when the next giveaway will be posted. Congratulations to April, who won Day 4!

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!

For the first 30 days of this blog, we are giving away a designer handbag or book tote to a lucky reader, one each day. The emphasis is on "lucky," because we're not asking you to do anything difficult, like running for a bus in stiletto heels. You just need to drop a comment onto the contest page. We'll select the winner randomly. I'll get to the rules in a minute.

The first day of our 30-day giveaway was a smash hit, with over 1,200 people entered. Congratulations to Naomi, the winner! Naomi will receive a Marc Jacobs "Hobo" handbag. It's a droopy thing, but people seem to love it. We'll come back to that handbag next week, and give it away again.

For our second giveaway, we are offering the Village Leather Satchel from Cole Haan, pictured here. Looks perfect for carrying a small dog. Besides that much-needed functionality, this bag features silver hardware, a zip top with tassel, an extended front flap, and side straps.

The bag could be yours, if you follow these rules:

1) Leave a comment on this post. Doesn't matter what you say. No special consideration is given to saucy limericks, but we could use a couple.

2) No duplicates! That doesn't mean your identical twin cannot enter. It does mean that each of you can enter only once per contest day. If you try to double-dip we'll catch it and hold a grudge. Then you'll be barred for good and everyone will be sad.

3) If you win, don't come back for seconds. How many designer handbags do you need? Don't answer that.

4) Prizes will be shipped 30-45 days after the contest ends. Patience is a virtue.

Today's contest will stay open until noon tomorrow (Friday), when the next giveaway will be posted.

Good luck, and thanks for being part of StyleDash!