Brand Love: Chie Mihari

I recently popped into Anthropologie and left with the best shoes. My Anthro store used to carry shoes, then didn't for a while, then suddenly did again in an odd shoe-tent sort of thing erected in the middle of the clothing section. Now the shoe-tent is gone and there are stacks of shoe boxes in the sale section, including boxes containing these Chie Mihari sandals, a steal at $89 from $358 (my own photos).


Do you see those straps? Grey, beige, black and three shades of brown: these officially go with everything. And let me tell you, they are the most comfortable heels I've ever had on, and I say that after wearing them both shopping and to the airport.

Of course, I've been watching Chie Mihari on eBay. Here's a link to their collection on Piperlime. I adore these two pairs, as well as the maryjanes.

One Stop, Four Stores: Brillant Move for the Gap

Check this out: Go to the website for the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy or Piperlime, and you can shop at all four of the stores at once, and shipping is seven bucks for your whole order. You just click the tabs at the top of the sites to go from one collection of goodies to another.

So I can get myself some shoes from Piperlime, go to Old Navy and pick up some new flannel shirts for Cheapy Jr., then click over to the Gap for some super-on-sale jeans for Cheapy, and checkout all at once. So cool.

Zappos No Free Next Day--What's Up?

My lovely mother-in-law gave me a $100 gift to Zappos for my upcoming birthday, so I just bought the yellow Camper Helena pumps I'd had my eye on.

I had a little surprise at checkout, however. Free shipping, but no free overnight shipping! I was excited about ordering my shoes today so they'd arrive at my door on Monday, which is the actual date of my birth. Now they'll show up on my porch while I'm on vacation. When did this no-more-free-overnight-shipping situation happen?

Endless still has free overnight--I wonder if that will last. (Piperlime has free shipping, but not free overnight shipping.)

Fellow shoppers, close-to-instant online shoe gratification may be becoming a thing of the past. Say it ain't so!

You by Crocs Boots on Their Way

This morning I got an email from my observant friend Meg (on of my favorite people in the world to shop with) telling me the You by Crocs wedge boots I decided I wanted were now on sale for $147.50. I had actually purchased them two hours before she tipped me off. Since it's the first of the month Shoes on a Shoestring reduces their yellow tag items so I'd been waiting to check out the new price of the boots, which had been on sale for $198 (from $300). I'm anxious to see if they are comfy and good-looking in person. (The photo of these pewter leather boots looks better on Piperlime than on SoaS, so I'm hoping that's what I'll see when I open the box.) If I like the pewter leather I'll check back on March 1st to see if they have the black wool wedges on super sale--and still available in 8.5.

Note shoe lovers: Shoes on a Shoestring is offering free ground shipping this weekend on all orders. (It's usually free if you spend over $100)

Crocs That Aren't So Ugly They Should Be Illegal

Like many other shoe lovers out there, I think Crocs are an eyesore. My son has a pair. In black. He's three and they're cute on his tiny feet. But once you get past about age six--ick. The bigger they get the uglier they are. Sure, you can rinse them off if they get muddy. But are a lot of adult females tromping around in mud all day? I'm sure they are quite comfy, because why else would such hideous footwear be so popular? (See also: the Birkenstock.) My Rockport boots are silly comfy and have a three-inch heel.

Crocs have come up with some better looking shoes as late (such as their ballet flat and their Mary Jane), but I was still shocked to come across the YOU by Crocs line while perusing Piperlime. They offer some very cute styles (love the Highball boots below!) with some sort of Croc-ified insides. Croc lovers who aim to up their style might be shocked by the price tags, however, but, hey, you can't put a price on looking good.

Searching for Things That May Not Exist

It's a snowy day here in the hometown of the Material Girl HQ, and dressing for cold snowy days annoys me. Every time it snows I look in my closet and remember that I have no appropriate footwear and nothing appropriate to wear other than jeans.

I ask you fellow shoppers. Do the following exist?

• Cute snow boots that work with non-skinny jeans. Yes, there are plenty of furry/fleece-y knee high snow boots out there. These are great if one is in Utah skiing or on some such wintery vaca. I merely want to walk to and from my car, keep my feet warm, and look moderately stylish doing it. Material Girl does not do skinny jeans. I possess too much T&A (that's tummy and ass) for them, so tucking jeans into snow boots is not an option. Here's what I want: I cute pair of shortish boots, perhaps a little faux fur, ankle-ish height, that won't look weird under my bootcut or flare Gap demin. I also want a little bit of a heel--a wedge would be nice. I perused Zappos, Piperlime and Endless this morning and I found only one pair that could possibly work, the Marisa boot by Maxine of Canada, but they seem to only exist in size 10. (If you wear a 10, and share my snow boot desires, the black suede version pictured is nicely on sale on Endless--snap them up.)
• Tights that don't give me a muffin top. That T&A I mentioned above? Let's just say the A is tad firmer than the T; the T is a little swishy here and there. And the top of tights--they're just too tight. I look at tights when they come out of the package and the elastic always seems more the appropriate size for my ankle than my midsection. I don't want to wear a soft jersey dress and make myself bulgy underneath. And why do they always stop north of the navel? I prefer to wear my skirts lower on the hips, and it's not attractive to have tights going six inches above the top of a skirt. I really love the look of tights, particularly with shorter skirts and boots. I love to wear skirts in winter but I hate chilly breezes whooshing up my bare legs. I ask you fellow shoppers: Can you give me a recommendation for tights that won't squeeze my tummy like Mr. Whipple on a roll of Charmin? I've got several months left of winter and I'm tired of choosing between jeans and goosebumpy gams.