I'm a shoe girl. Never been a bag girl. Not a mountain-of-accessories girl.
Unequivocally a shoe lover. For me, one dress + 14 pairs of shoes = 14 different outfits. But something has been niggling me about certain styles of shoes we've been seeing a lot of and I've finally found a definition for it! Thanks to the following quote from Tom & Lorenzo and their "fabulous and opinionated" critique of fashion and style.
"Let's all light candles and pray for the end of 20-lb. shoes of anger. We're tired of starlets walking the red carpet looking like they have bear traps on their feet."
Unequivocally a shoe lover. For me, one dress + 14 pairs of shoes = 14 different outfits. But something has been niggling me about certain styles of shoes we've been seeing a lot of and I've finally found a definition for it! Thanks to the following quote from Tom & Lorenzo and their "fabulous and opinionated" critique of fashion and style.
"Let's all light candles and pray for the end of 20-lb. shoes of anger. We're tired of starlets walking the red carpet looking like they have bear traps on their feet."
That was it! (After all, aren't we all starlets?) I've been confounded by the "bear traps!" The "angry shoes!" The "horses hooves!" Below is a perfect example...
Bear traps.
Bear traps.
Philosphy di Alberta Ferretti - Gilt
Not bear traps.
Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti - Gilt
Camilla Skovgaard
GRRRR!!!
Extreme bear traps!
Seriously angry shoes.
Oscar de la Renta - the Outnet
Not angry shoes.
Sigerson Morrison
Grouchy, clomp-clomp horses hooves.
(And not because of the wedge heel. Wedges are great!)
Jimmy Choo
Happy, walking-on-air shoes.
net-a-porter
I don't think it's a color issue because, look! Nude bear traps!
Jimmy Choo
And I don't think it's a strap issue, because I wouldn't call these angry shoes. Nor bear traps. (Would you?)
It seems to be more the "weight" of the shoe - both visually and literally speaking. A shoe could be made of neoprene and technically weigh nothing but still look heavy and hoof-like on the foot.
I've been loving all the 40's and 50's silhouette's that designers have been tapping of late. And I like pairing a retro style with a modern shoe. Keeps the outfit from becoming a costume. I don't mind a sturdy shoe. It can add a necessary touch of toughness to an otherwise frilly outfit and looks great with jeans and trousers. I even like aggressive shoes, on occasion. They can be unique and fun. But Tom and Lorenzo hit the nail on the head - too often the shoes come off looking angry and at odds with the rest of the outfit. Take the below ensembles as an example...
BCBG
BCBG
See what I mean! Truly, "bear traps" and "angry shoes" are perfectly accurate descriptions. So what are your thoughts? Are you digging the angry shoes or hoping they disappear? Are they the perfect shoe to grab for those times when you're listening to Alanis & Jagged Little Pill? Or do they not really have a place in your closet and you opt for feminine footwear? Me, I'm in the latter category. I just don't find myself drawn to them. I'll admit, it's a very fine line between aggressive and angry shoes, but I prefer feminine, flirty, sexy, retro and unique over bear-trap, growling, horse hooves.
Havaianas - Rue La La
And a final note... just in case you were thinking it.
Lightening up in the footwear department doesn't mean it's acceptable to wear flip-flops everywhere. That trend (thankfully!) died over a decade ago.
Save these for the backyard and beach.
