Eeewwww

No. Just... No.

And a big "Hell, No" to these being $238.

Eeeeewww.....

This shoe is $480. 

There is something terribly wrong in the world.

Peter Non... what are you thinking???

Eeeewwww! Christian Dior Tahiti Espadrille Pump

Isn't Christian Dior generally known for classic understated glamorous looks?

What the hell happened here?

These "Tahiti Espadrille Pumps" from the Spring 2011 runway are:

•Lizard-embossed calfskin d'Orsay with topstitched detailing featuring canvas laces that tie around the ankle.

•Basketweave-capped square toe sits on 3/4" stacked, mixed-media platform.

All this says to me is that here is a whole lotta crazy going on.
 
No, just no, Christian Dior.
 
Christian Dior Tahiti Espadrille Pumps - $1,550

Eeeewwww!

I love you Miu Miu, but no. 

Much, much too clunky for my tastes.  Anyone have a way they would rock these and prove me wrong?

Miu Miu Suede Peep-toe Wedge booties - $660

What in the World?

I was clicking through my favorite store site, Bergdorfs, and came upon this Akris outfit. But it wasn't the unusal jacket/skirt/pants combo that stopped me.  It was the crazy shoes.

Don't these look terribly akward and uncomfortable with their forced downward slope?

I just can't fathom them.  Why?????

Eeeewwww!!!

I don't care if "the 80s are back" this is just wrong.  I can find my own socks.  Thanks anyways, Converse!

Converse Women's Chuck Taylor Sock Roll Down High-top sneakers - $39.94

Eeeeewwww!!!!

Is it just me or does a woven raffia shoe still look cheap even if it's Dolce & Gabbana and over $500???

What do you think?

Dolce & Gabbana - $545 at Neiman Marcus

Eeeeewwww!!!!

Bad Ralph Lauren!  Very bad!

When you see the words "Authentic cowboy boot-inspired detailing" and it's not a cowboy boot, then it's time to put down the crayons.

It's not bad enough that they tortured and killed the lizards to make shoes, they made tacky hideous shoes too.

Smart-alec-y-ness aside, the exotics trade is truly horrendous. What follows is a very powerful and distressing video about the exotics trade and the way these animals are captured, tortured and used - often skinned alive.

I do admit I have some items, mostly vintage that have snakeskin and lizardskin (I think, they may be stamped), bought before I made the connection between the animals I loved and the ones killed for a mere accessory. 

All of these injustices are wrong. From using animals for food and entertainment to the seal and whale hunts to the animals used for their skins and wool.  But I find the fur and exotic trades some of the worst along the scale of abject cruelty... because they are so unnecessary. 

Fur, snakeskin, lizard, eel and stingray.  The use of their skins is for nothing more than show.  Some could argue that the leather made from cows' hides are needed because of their durability etc., but you can't argue that about these others.  The delicate nature of their skins mean they are abused even more so than the cows, pigs, goats, kids and calves that are more commonly used for our shoes, gloves and purses.  And the purchasing of products made with them can be easily avoided altogether.

So what does it say that they continue to be killed... when there is no good reason other than sheer vanity? 

Eeeewwww!!!! Prada Winter Camo Boot

Prada, the people that buy camo winter rubber-soled boots are not your target audience. Please see People of Walmart to better understand these consumers.

Then fire whatever designer or marketing person who told you this style was right for your brand.

Prada camo boots at Neiman Marcus - $495 (!!!)

Eeewwww!!!!

I probably shouldn't be so harsh.

I'm sure there's a dress or some cropped pants that these would look great with.

But for me, it's a big "Eeeeeewwwww!!!!"

I'm sorry, Prada. I'll love you anyways.

Prada Perforated Raffia Wedge - on sale for $275 (from $690)

Eeeewwww!!!!

This shoe has no redeeming qualities to me. NONE!



Especially not for $355 at Barneys. How is it possible that it's almost sold out?

Eeeewwww!!!!

All I can say is that it is rare that a shoe incorporating denim is ever a good thing.

This is not that shoe.

Can you imagine how bad these would look on???

I beg you, please don't spend $285 on these shoes. Don't spend $2.85 either.

High Top Oxfords by See by Chloé

Avarice and Greed

So I'm headed out to BlogWorld New Media Expo tomorrow housed in the most artificial town I know - No... not Orlando. Nooo... not L.A. Okay, okay. Las Vegas.

Geez!

Since I have a lot of work to finish and packing and traveling, I though I would leave you with a short story about someone just as fake.

Dina Lohan.

Normally I don't give a crap about celebrity or celebrity lines but this is just really pushing any level of feasibility. How can the CEO of this company even talk about her new shoe line (?!?!?) with a straight face.



As reported by NY Magazine (oh, and bolding is mine):

The Paradox of Dina Lohan and Her New Shoe Line

Dina Lohan, “The Most Famous Mom in the World” according to the press release, appeared at the Trump Tower to discuss her new shoe line for LoveMyShoes.com this afternoon. Aside from us, a handful of tired-looking reporters and a couple of nice ladies serving cheese and crackers on paper plates attended. A few tabloids, fittingly, were scattered on the floor. DiLo was introduced by the CEO of LoveMyShoes.com: “After 30 years, this is one of the most important days in the company’s history,” he announced, which makes you wonder about the history of this company. LoveMyShoes.com is trying to head in a more sophisticated direction, he explained, so who better to head this mission than Mrs. Lohan? Lohan took the stage in leather knee-highs, a black skirt, and an Alexander Wang vest.

“I’m wearing YSL, I buy Gucci,” she said, later adding, “We’ve all been affected by the recession — I’m hurting, too, whether you believe it or not.” Since Dina is now focusing on affordable fashion, everything in her shoe line will be under $100. She plans to offer sexy styles for pretty young things and more sophisticated shoes for grown-ups and moms like herself. Dina confessed she's “paranoid” about what she wears, because the press often slams her for dressing too young. “Lindsay sent me pink Ungaro heels,” Dina said. “‘Mommy, you look so hot in them' — we bickered about it. I can’t wear those. I’m old.” (Today she wore knee-high boots.) So will her daughter, now gamely employed at the high-fashion house of Emanuel Ungaro, ever collaborate with her on a line? “We’ll see,” she said, adding that her daughters would at least advise her on this collection.

So, back to talking about Lindsay: “She’s just a little girl and God gave her this gift. She’s just trying to create. She did great in Paris, don’t believe what you read. She’s genius at fashion.” Talking to an Access Hollywood reporter on camera, she continued her pleading: “It’s just evil. When I was 15, I wouldn’t go to school with a zit. Imagine walking through an airport and seeing that on the covers of magazines. Please, talk about me, but not my girls. They’re just gifted, and the press has been so hard on us for the past five years. They’re little girls — please keep their personal lives personal.” This reporter wouldn’t stop, either: What do you think of Michael Lohan exploiting your daughters? What’s up with Lindsay, etc. etc.? And, seeing Dina nearly tear up for a minute, we got it: This was a mother, after all. A woman trying to protect her baby cubs from the “evil” vulturelike press. And then the Access Hollywood cameras turned off, and Dina exhaled, gave said “evil” vulture reporter a big kiss on the cheek, said “Love ya!” and clicked away in her YSL heels.


Vomit. (That was me, by the way)

Thank you Mike Vilensky for a perfect take on this nonsense.

I beg of you. No matter what these look like. Please please please do not buy anything from this line of shoes.

If it ever sees the light of day that is.

Eeeewwww!!!!

As if regular UGG boots aren't bad enough...



... lets add a big clunky sock to it too. That way we can cash in on the "over the knee" trend while maximizing the opportunities for behind the knee sweat.

Awesome!

Should I even tell you where to get these??? Ugh (ha!), I guess so. Here, fine. Just don't tell me if you buy them.

Eeeewwww!!!!

Umm..... all I can say is:



Heatmiser? Is that you???

Giuseppe Zanotti Women's I90110 Open Toe Flat Sandal - $679 at Endless

Eeeewwww!!!! to the infinite power

As I was looking through the BG site, I came upon these horror shows.

They are the Manolo Blahnik Cava Fur Trim boot.



It's not bad enough that they are ugly and make you look like something out of 1 Million Years B.C. (and not in a good way like Raquel here).



No, the worst part is that the fur element, which is bad enough, is ocelot fur.

Ocelots are endangered species.*

Endangered because of loss of habitat and due to hunting them for their fur. Supposedly they are legally protected. I'm not sure how the Manolo Blahnik company was able to get fur for these boots.



I know I talk a lot about shoes on here most of which are made of leather. This is a transition I am personally working through.

But I put fur on another level altogether. And the fact that this fur comes from a threatened species just makes it all the worse.

I have written a letter to Manolo Blahnik via the contact form on their site addressing my displeasure and disgust at this practice. I also think I will be taking an additional step.

I will be boycotting Manolo Blahnik.

I hope I get some sort of response from the company. I'm not sure if I will or not. I suggested they recall the boots. Will they? I don't know. I'd like to hope so.

I'll let you know what they say.

If you want to write to them, the easiest way is to use the contact form on the site. Let's see if we can reach them!

UPDATE: Ocelots are officially listed as "Near Threatened" with their population trend as "Decreasing" by the IUCN Red List. However, the use of this animal's skin and fur could potentially still violate the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is being looked at by a lawyer, so more info to come.

Imitation = Flattery?

So would you call this recycling or an evolution of design?

When I see this ruched pump from the Prada Fall 2009 line...



I immidiately see the Miu Miu Fall 2007 line (not that Prada hasn't pulled from that collection before!)



But what explains this? Here are the hideous Marc Jacobs boots (known to me as the Hefty trash bag boots) from last year....



And these equally horrible boots from Prada this Fall.





Why? Why? Why?

Eeeewwww!!!!

Ummmm..... No!

That is all.

Robert Clegerie patent loafers... $685 at Neiman Marcus

Eeeewwww!!!!

I don't think it's fair that I go on Net-a-Porter to look wistfully at lovely things and then get visually assaulted by hideousness (btw, I love that my spellchecker has that word in it).

If you like these, I'm sorry. I mean it. I'm really sorry for you. These are just ick. Or maybe I should be sorry for me because I am so mentally limited that I can't see how these are good. Either way.

I've seen these Sergio Rossi boots for a while now. They just will not get off the site. Okay, some of the sizes are sold out. And these things are $1500. I don't know, I'm not a fan.



I'm not a huge fan of cowboy boots of any kind and I really don't like these. Givenchy, who are you trying to appeal to with this mess?




Is is just me or does anyone else think Luke Skywalker? Anyone? Anyone? You have to look at the outfit image they paired these Brian Atwood boots with on N-a-P. Even with all the fabulous clothes they have these still look horrible. Total FAIL.



But hey! They come in blue too!

The good thing is that all of this is making me slightly queasy so I quickly fled the site and didn't want to buy anything.

Yeah, aversion therapy!

Eeeewwww!!!!

I didn't like the moldy wedge look the first time around, even when it was done my YSL.



I certainly don't like it any better done in cheaper materials by BCBG.



But, oddly, I do kind of like the look of black on the toe cap over the cork. Is it because the shoe is a more elegant shape? Not sure.




Not that I'm getting any of them....Blah!