Recently in Sandals Category

Everyone from Gisele and Sarah Jessica Parker, to Leighton Meester and Jessica Alba have    worn Matt Bernson's shoes and given that the designer's motto is "sex + comfort," are you surprised?! I first spotted the New York-based brand - started by an ex-construction worker -- at Bergdorf Goodman, but the label has grown immensely over the last year and is now available at a wide variety of retailers. Most of the shoes retail for between $120-$180 and they're all hand produced from eco-friendly materials. It's so hard to find nice, non-flip flop flats that are comfy, especially strappy ones. Matt Bernson flats have the most cushiony, padded, comfy soles, and all the straps are easily adjustable. The two styles below are my favorite, but he's got so many comfortable, covetable, affordable finds that odds are you'll find it hard narrowing it down and just buying one pair:-) See the collection here!

No one does the L.A. boho chic quite like Cameron Diaz. Sporting the right accessories helps, natch! The actress landed at LAX in Los Angeles over the weekend looking fresh and relaxed--and her sandals no doubt helped. Cameron wore Lanvin's leather and macramé t-strap espadrille with pearl embroidery, toe ring and adjustable ankle strap while exiting the airport and they looked chic with her cropped jeans and simple navy blue tissue-thin long sleeve tee. What I love about these flats is that Alber Elbaz included some whimsical references to his Lanvin ready-to-wear signatures: the pearl accents are a nod at his signature tulle-wrapped necklaces; the raffia at some of his delightful hats. The leather soles give these flats an instant boost in luxury--perfect from the countryside to the country club.

$595, available at www.barneys.com

Barring from the beach, I am just not a flats wearing kind of girl.  To give you an inkling why (if you have not seen me in person), my son's 5 yr old BFF said to me the other night: "Miss Tina, you look like you're 8 years old."  Needless to say, he got TWO cookies that night but seriously, it's because I'm so short that he said that (tho I'd like to think I have the same dewy skin as a teeny bopper!).  As much as I love a high heel, however, it's really taking a toll on my back so I'm on the hunt for cute flats.  Of course it would be Diane von Furstenberg to make flat shoes flattering and sex!  Check out the Kula strappy sandals with glittering hardware-- are you thinking what I'm thinking?  A Mediterranean summer?!?!  Yes please!   
DVF Kula Sandal for $245

It takes a certain level of confidence to pull off an aggressive sandal. Naomi Watts has never been one to back down from a challenge, be they Gucci bondage sandals or, as this photo from the "You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger" Cannes photo call illustrates, a pair of Stella McCartney yellow satin sandals. Naomi is on the petite side, and normally I would refrain from recommending a thick ankle strap because it cuts the legs oddly, but these work on Naomi--perhaps because the hem of her wildly exotic dress is cut higher up front, thus showing from leg. These Spring 2010 cork platform shoes are oddly reminiscent of last season's Versace runway sandals aren't they? I do, however, like that Stella calls "Sunflower"--very cute!

$795, available at Stella McCartney boutiques

Did I say I was all done with buying new shoes?!  Apparently I spoke too soon as I just picked up these amazing glittering platforms.  I could not resist pink sparkly shoes!  Did I mention they're super lightweight and ultra comfortable?  Jimmy Choo made the shoes (left) as a limited edition item for Saks and according to my SA, only Beverly Hills and Dallas locations got them.  I was actually on a Lulu Lemon Athletica run when I happened upon these shoes walking to the valet parking.  I slipped them on for fun and they fit perfectly, begging me to take them home.  Never one to leave gorgeous shoes homeless, I did.  I also brought home the shoe on the right, the metallic color was too pretty to pass up and after looking at 4 figure shoes, $425 seemed quite reasonable for fabulous shoes.  Or am I just insane? 
Jimmy Choo Limited Edition for Saks

Simply put: Pierre Hardy shoes are hot. In all my years working in fashion, I have never met a pair of Pierre Hardy shoes I haven't loved--or loved on a woman's feet. To wit, check out Leighton Meester, who donned a vertiginous bronze leather heel with gold hardware. Yes, it is an intense shoe, verging on terrifying for most women perhaps, but for the adventurous type with the calf muscles to pull it off, the rewards are plentiful. First off, given the multi-strap ankle tie, it would be fair to warn petite women or those with less-than-slender legs to be cautious wearing these shoes (translation: they can cut you off at the ankle and make you look short). But once on, they make such a fabulous statement on the foot--particularly if paired with a more subdued color or overall look. I'd dare wear these shoes with a minidress as I would a tailored wide leg pantsuit.

$1,240, available in alternative colors at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills CA or at www.pierrehardy.com

Last week I reported on Kate Bosworth's fun and fresh Prada archival print dress and white Loewe bag with pompoms. I was so enamored by her shoes, however, that I felt they warranted their own post. I was none too surprised to learn that they were by Phoebe Philo for Céline. Just check out the clean, spare lines of the shoes; the richness of the calfskin leather melds beautifully with the stark and uncluttered debut collection she staged for Spring 2010. Yes, they do look a bit reptilian (kind of like the flats version of Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 runway stilettos), but I like how they look on the feet--kind of like a gladiator flat, but minus any sort of metal decoration. I would, however, recommend only those with a narrower foot to indulge in wearing a shoe such as this.

$630, available at Barneys New York

By far the hottest shoes in my wardrobe this season! These Oscar de la Renta snakeskin and raffia d'orsay are all I need for the summer when going out. Everything goes with the snake and the raffia give it a casual and cool vibe. I normally cannot wear d'orsay because my feet are too wide, but the strap that run along the side elongates everything and make my feet slender and sexy. It is great to wear black and white with florals. I even wear these with dressy shorts - I can do that because I live in LA, it is a fabulous summer look. At Net-a-Porter for $695.

If there is one thing we love as much as bags, it's shoes. I know, so cliche but we can't help it. We're known to scoop up multiple pairs of shoes during a good sale without blinking an eye. I mean how easy are shoes to justify to your parents/husbands/accountants? It's not like we can run around BAREFOOT which makes shoes as necessary as food. My most recent splurge are these Christian Louboutin Star Prive studded slingbacks. It was one of those shoe moments that I live for, when a pair of shoes beckon me like a beacon of light and hypnotizes me. The entire shoe department disappears and all sounds are muffled as my heart trembles with desire and I know I must have them no matter what the cost is. Thank god for our "funny money" made from blogging because I'm certain my husband would have committed me in a mental institute for the bag and shoe crazed by now. I do not regret getting these at all, I wear them so often the cost per wear is about the same as my other lower priced shoes. It's all about cost per wear, if you buy a beautifully made item that lasts you 10 years it is the same as a cheap item that only lasts 6 months and fall apart. Yes, there is a calculated method to my madness.

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN - STAR PRIVÈ STUDS SLING BACK SANDALS here

Three more weeks until school is out which means I'll be packing up the family to roam around the globe as we please!  I love traveling in the summer months-- for one thing, my clothes and shoes are lighter to pack.  Three or four tiny little dresses and a pair of neutral high heels will take me literally any where!  I've got my eye on this pair of Donna Karan Raffia and suede platform sandals in the perfect shade of pale gray this season.  I'm picturing it with all my white dresses and pants (I have a white pant fetish and own at least 20 pairs!)-- the tinge of gray is just the thing to make all my white outfits interesting.  1.5" platform girls, with 5" heel, which means they will be comfy to boot!   
Donna Karan Raffia and Suede Platform Sandals for $740

Also available at Zappos.com