Posts with tag jimmy choo

If the economic crisis has you cutting back on your fashion budget, take notice: spending on a pair of shoes may actually be a wiser investment than, well, investing.

Here's the logic, according to The Business Sheet: gently-worn designer shoes can command up to 80 percent of their original retail price at a used clothing store or website. The author points out that a used pair of Jimmy Choos--original price $785--are now on sale at Portero.com for $485.

"Now, say you bought shares of Wachovia on Monday. You'd be down 40%. If you owned the boots you'd already be ahead, and we're guessing you're going to be a lot more ahead next week. Advantage, boots."

It all sounds fine and dandy, but we kind of doubt most financial advisers will be ready to get on board with this kind of advice.

Jimmy Choo makes a fierce shoe – fact. Combine that with the gladiator trend and you've got one sexy, and very strappy shoe. We are totally smitten for the Choo's spotted on lovely ladies like Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nicole Richie, and Lucy Liu lately. They really ramp up an LBD or ground a flirty dress while still bringing an avant-garde factor into the mix.

Judging by the majority, it seems like the best way to pair these is with black, white, or metallic. Or you can go out on a limb and pair these masculine sandals with a feminine frock like Lucy. No more how you do it, if your wearing Choo, you're probably going to look pretty hot!

• Jimmy Choo "Glenys" gladiators, Saks Fifth Avenue, $1295

Gallery: Jimmy Choo gladiators

Now here's one to watch. Adorable actress Emma Stone, who is making rounds promoting her new flick, The Rocker, combines simple yet flashy pieces into incredible look after incredible look. Her formula seems to be a streamlined yet eye popping dress, the perfect belt , and killer heels to finish it off.

Here, at TRL, she channels a glamorous rock n' roller in her Mike & Chris shoulderless dress which was complimented by a sparkling, waist cinching belt and Jimmy Choo gladiator heels. With hair so brilliant, who needs accessories anyway?

On Thursday night's So You Think You Can Dance, we had just one thought on our mind. No, not which couple would be eliminated (I think we all saw the writing on the wall for Comfort and Thayne LAST week), our focus was squarely on the lovely Cat Deeley and her fabulous shoes.

Let's talk about the shoes, which the images we grabbed from our TiVo just can't do justice. They are fantastic. They are stiletto Jimmy Choo sandals in black with gold (we think) accents. We could not find the exact shoe on Jimmy Choo's website, but this style and this style are similar.

We're in love.

A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes. Some may argue with that logic, but it's true. Shoes can make a dull outfit exciting; they can entice the opposite sex, and they can make the same sex extremely jealous. Shoes are a powerful thing. Whether you have ten pairs or 200 pairs, there is one pair of shoes that every closet needs to have -- the classic high-heel black pump.

High heels themselves are a classic, as they originated back in the 1500s when their main function was to keep a rider's foot from slipping out their stirrups. In 1533 wife of the Duke of Orleans, Catherine de' Medici, commissioned a cobbler to make her a pair of heels for her wedding. Catherine wasn't planning on riding any horses. Oh no, she wanted to appear taller, and then the fashionable high-heel shoe was born.

The high-heel pretty much went into hiding until the 1950s, but once it came back it stuck. The classic high heel pump can be worn with practically any outfit: a business suit, a pair of jeans, or a lovely dress. The best part about this classic shoe is you can find it anywhere and at any price range -- and right now I am loving this pair from Jimmy Choo.

And I thought paying almost $500 for a bag was rough, now I am starting to think that I got a bargain. Jimmy Choo's newest debt creator, the Bari bag, is a limited edition crocodile bag that costs $28,000. Yep, there are three zeros. The bag also comes fully equipped with its own fur blanket, perhaps that can justify why it costs as much as what some people make in a year.

We can blame president and founder of Jimmy Choo, Tamara Mellon, for this mega-expensive bag. The bag is part of the Jet Set Collection; Mellon believes that this bag will be the perfect travel companion for her client's jet-setting lifestyles. The bag has a sleek, sturdy, and practical construction making it easy to open and close the tote rapidly for those perky trips through airport security.

Of course, anyone who owns this bag is probably flying in their own private jet and would never let their $28,000 bag get anywhere close to "normal" people. As Mellon says, "It's really a reflection of the times; with the increase in private air travel comes a demand for the epitome in luxury." The only luxury I can hope for with my time in the sky is that the guy next to me is not a fat dude that snores; I will spend my $28,000 on something else.

If this sparkly Jimmy Choo heel seems a bit otherworldly, that's deliberate. The satin Stardust sandal is named after the new movie which stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro and Sienna Miller. In the movie, based on the Neil Gaiman novel, Clare Danes plays a fallen star who wears a mystical pendant. The Stardust sandal features a faceted crystal with a gold chain that is reminiscent of the necklace Danes wears in the movie. You practically need to be a movie star to afford these shoes, the four-inch heels will sell for $850.

As the buyer for a women's clothing boutique, I constantly find myself trying to be creative with designer looks for less. You know, you want the $2100 look of the Chloé Silverado bag but with more of a $150 price tag. Would you rather spend mega bucks for the real deal, or save your cash but end up with a fake? It's a tricky subject, but Radar Online posted an interesting article last month about the consummate consumer desire to get more for less.

The bureaucratic regulations governing copyright laws in America are old, confusing, and (most of all!) boring, but to sum up, as long as you don't slap a Pucci tag on your Pucci look-a-like scarf, you're in the clear. So what does this mean for consumers?

There has been some backlash from the privileged few who can afford to buy designer originals, and to tell you the truth, I can see their point. If I had the cash flow to buy my very own pair of Jimmy Choo pumps any time I felt the urge, I might be annoyed that the girl behind the counter at Starbucks was sporting a knockoff pair of her own, but at a fraction of the price. I can see how luxury items gain their appeal by being just that - a rare treat, meant for only a few lucky consumers.

On the other hand, why should the rich and/or famous have all the fun? Isn't imitation the highest form of flattery? If Balenciaga makes a great looking bag, why shouldn't we all be able to afford some manifestation of it?

What do you think? Are knockoffs devaluing designer brands, or do they simply make luxury items more accessible to the everyday shopper?

Some people might think that the sexiest shoes come out in the springtime. And who can blame them? After all, it's hard to debate the overall sex appeal of a strappy sandal with a three inch heel. But that doesn't mean that we should all start belittling the alluring offerings of colder season kicks.

I'm of the opinion that luxe fabrics, good design and unique embellishments can more than make up for a lack of skin. And this fall's offering of shoes certainly does not disappoint. Between the boots, the heels, the platforms, and yes, the flats, we're well on our way to stealing the title of "Sexiest Shoe Season" from the warm-weathered spring.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Jimmy Choo Eleven leopard print pumps
What could be more sexy than leopard print and a sweet little heel? While many people might be put off by the busy leopard pattern, this shoe is actually extremely wearable. Pair them with black, white, denim, camel, or red and you are ready to go. Hot to trot, if you will.



Miu Miu Velvet jewel shoes
As far as shoes go, flats tend to get shafted when it comes to their sex appeal. But sexy doesn't have translate into a three inch heel. If you substitute the stiletto for a luxurious fabric like a rich velvet, flat shoes can be just as desirable as their taller siblings. Slip on these bejeweled shoes, and everyone will notice.