All this week at Shoeflyer, we’ll be reviewing and predicting shoe trends for this fall. Why so early? Partially because we like to be proactive. Also because, let’s face it, the stores are all going autumnal, too. (They’ll probably break out the Christmas stuff any day now…) And finally, I’m writing about fall shoes because the dog days of summer have me yearning for a crisp, refreshing fall. Today’s Fall Fad: Booties.
Although unusual and outlandish shoes have always been a sign of wealth, the recession has retailers scrambling to offer more affordable footwear options. As Stephanie Rosenbloom recently reported in her New York Times News service article, “Retailers switch how they do business,”* high-end stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks are offering more mid-priced merchandise. Furthermore, in a shocking turn away from his typical mortgage-payment prices, Jimmy Choo recently announced that a pair of his shoes will be available for as little as $55 in H&M stores in November. (I never thought I would write “retail” and “Jimmy Choo” in the same sentence.)
Although die-hard cyclists usually wear special bike shoes with clips, casual bike-riders will vouch that nearly any shoe may be worn on a bike. Sure, if you’re training for a race, you’ll want clip-ons. But if you’re just biking into the office, why not look cute? Canadians are already advocating a more European approach to biking fashion, as the Montreal Gazette recently highlighted in an article titled, “Cyclistas Spin Into Style.” Apparently, on the other side of the Atlantic, it’s considered normal– or even hip– to wear chic clothes and shoes while biking. In fact, over in Europe, entire blogs are devoted to watching bicycle fashion.
Chances are, you’ve seen shoefiti before. From the United States to Peru to Israel to Romania, people all over the world practice “shoe tossing,” i.e. throwing shoes over telephone wires. Just what does it mean when you spot sneakers or boots dangling from their laces? Explanations for shoe flinging are as wide ranging as diverse as the flingers themselves. If you ask a boy scout, he’ll say shoe flinging is part of summer camp. Someone who lives in the inner city would likely have a very different response. Shoes hanging from a wire are said to represent: (more…)
This season’s Fashion Weeks have expressed the fashion community’s responses to the festering, miserable economy. 
In New York, many designers worked from a selective palette of very basic tones: black, white, tan, and gray. Perhaps for New York’s designers, the frightening collapse of Wall Street required a fresh start with honest, somewhat somber ideas about the basics of fashion. In the UK, pretty punk and naughty schoolgirl ruled the week. (Why do I feel like I’m in The Breakfast Club?) The Brits’ trendy leading ladies let go of their fears and poked gentle fun at the mopey atmosphere across the pond. The eyes of the fashion world turned on Milan last week. How did Italian Designers respond to these dark days?
