Shoeflyer | Shoes, Trends & Reviews

That’s right, green – and no, we’re not talking environmentally-friendly — just the color. Green is on its way back and already surfacing among some shoe designers, at least, that’s what our friends at The Shoe Dish are saying. While they concede, however, that we won’t see the color’s popularity in full force until next spring, hints of the fashion trend will be appearing throughout the fall and winter. And when spring does get here, Shoefly wants you at the forefront of fashion instead of trying desperately to catch up. Here are a few ways for you to set the trend, not just follow it.

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How do you know if something is trendy? Aside from what advertisers tell you (plaid?), it’s hard to know what’s actually turning heads out there on the streets. Since designers showcase their seasonal wares at shows scheduled months ahead of the relevant season, even their best efforts could be way off mark. When you think of it in these terms, following fashion is like following a school of fish that’s constantly shifting shape and switching directions. That’s why it takes focused attention and in-depth analysis to figure out what the average consumer will see as trendy over the next few months–yet the folks over at Forbes report that it is possible.  According to their article on Fall 2009 fashion trends, Lazard Capital Markets’ analysts gathered and combed through ten issues of fall 2009 fashion magazines to discover which trends will be big this fall.  (Tough job they have over there… maybe I should think about becoming an analyst…) Here’s a summary of their findings:

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Perhaps a tad premature, Shoeflyer’s got an inside scoop on next spring’s fashion trends. While some may say it’s too early to be thinking about fashion that far off, I think it’s our duty here at Shoeflyer to keep you informed and current on the latest developments in the world of shoes. Even though next spring is several months (and seasons) away, it’s never too early to begin preparing, especially in order to keep your eyes open for great deals during the off seasons. So, what exactly do we know?

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With the fall fashion season just around the corner, it’s time to start taking a shoe inventory. For many, fall is the start of  a new busy season where the light at the end of the tunnel looks a lot like — dare I say it — Christmas. Hopefully, with a thorough assessment of your current shoe status, when fall gets here you’ll be able to hit the ground running, so to speak. Fashion author Samantha Cabrera says there are some “must-haves” styles for any closet regardless of the season, so take a moment to round up any shoes gone astray and head to your closet to give it a once-over. Then ask yourself: Do I have the following shoes in my closet?

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The fashion community prepares for seasons far in advance. The Fall 2009 pieces, for instance, were catwalked last winter.  Although I understand why it’s necessary to show fashion lines so early (so that distributors, ready-to-wear-ers, and marketers can do their thing), it does seem strange that designers should be mum now, when women are actually beginning to think about what they’ll wear this fall and winter. And so, all this week, Shoeflyer has been featuring fall trends, to help you get ready for the chilly days ahead.  At least you have one consolation as the summer fades:  fall and winter mean you can wear more leather!  Today’s trend is all about leather (or imitation leather).  Perhaps due to the tough economy, designers have been pairing leather with plenty of biker/punk flair, including buckles, safety pins, grommets, and hooks.

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Welcome to the second installment of Shoeflyer’s exploration of fall shoe trends.  Yesterday, we welcomed back booties. Today, we’re glitzin’ it up with ornaments.  I, for one, couldn’t be happier that glam rock seems to have invaded the shoe world.  This is another trend that will stretch past this summer.  Sequins, feathers, bows, and ruffles are here to stay, at least for one more season.  To get in on the glam, look for luxurious, Moulin Rouge-esque materials and eye-popping heels.

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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.

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There was an article in the New York Times a couple weeks back heralding the return of white bucks – ivory-colored buckskin leather shoes with red rubber soles. The shoes were originally crafted for the game of tennis, however, now they’re more synonymous with country clubs and “preppies.” Personally, I think they’re one of the most worthless shoes ever designed. To use a baseball analogy, white bucks take three hard swings at practicality, relevance, and value, but end up striking out every time.

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Forget the rainbows; give us clouds! This sort of approach may represent the future of men’s fashion.    A recent New York Times article offered a simple messge from Miuccia Prada’s latest show: in men’s fashion, gray is the new black. In her article, “Prada’s Gray Elegy,” Suzy Menkes writes that Ms. Prada “turned the dullness of gray, from dove to anthracite, into a shaded palette.” I have often felt that the economic meltdown has turned the whole world gray; nothing is black and white anymore, it seems.  All the more appropriate, then, that men’s fashion designers would choose to show how beautiful gray can be.

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The current craze for big, brash shoes is making waves in the fashion world.  With the advent of five-or six-inch heels decorated with everything from pearls to pistols, the shoe has come back into its proper role as the “it” accessory.  The demand for deliciously outlandish shoes is even overpowering the economic crisis, as shoe sales, especially for gladiator shoes, are strong.  Still, this trend only represents the new wave of a larger ocean of towering, extravagant shoes.   Shoe history is merely repeating itself; impossibly tall, unusual shoes have enchanted divas for centuries. (more…)