Bucolic Wedges for this Summer

Bring any ensemble to new heights in these insanely comfy, leg-lengthening wedges. Raffia, cork, straw, wood.... the platform shoes are adorned with natural materials, inspired by a seventy bohemian look tinged with fantasy.

Dolce Gabbana

Stella McCartney

Jimmy Choo

Yves Saint Laurent

Missoni

Miu Miu

Valentino

Christian Louboutin

DKNY

Ralph Lauren

Gucci

Chloe

Alaia

Images via Voguefr.

Fashion with Feathers

Back in the 1930s and 1940s, Hollywood divas Carole Lombard and Jean Harlow had already adopted the look, inspired feather dresses. Then in the 1950s, it was Marilyn Monroe. Today, the Spring/Summer 2011 feathers style trend echoes the old time Hollywood. Ostrich, pheasant, peacock or other bird's feathers are embedded in breathtaking evening gowns, sandals, accessories or adornments.

A look at the old Hollywood glamour

Carole Lombard

Jean Harlow

Marilyn Monroe

These pieces are one-of-a-kind. A selection of dresses, accessories and jewels whose craftsmanship borders on art.

Givenchy Couture 2011

Givenchy Couture

Alexander McQueen, Spring 2011

Pheasant feathers

Anna Sui's silver sequin-silk-tulle dress with feather-trimed

Roger Vivier Couture 2010

Manolo Blahnik, feather T-strap sandal

Valentino, satin, brass, and ostrich-feather clutch

Lanvin, pochette satin bag

Aurelie Bidermann, 18-karat-gold-dipped goose feather necklace

Pippo Perez, white diamond angel wing

Sydney Evan, feather on lotus seed beads

Lovely shoes, sexy shoes, the hottest heels of 2010

Nearly 8,000 customers across America weighed in on 23 designer shoes in the online Footwear News Sexy Shoes contest. The winning pair, by French footwear designer Christian Louboutin, was revealed during a special event on October 14 at the upscale New York department store Saks Fifth Avenue.

 Louboutin took the grand prize for his Swarovski crystal-embellished Maralena mesh peep-toe pumps ($2445). With a towering crystal-encrusted stiletto heel measuring 5.5 inches (14 cm), the design beat out Valentino’s studded snakeskin pointy-toe T-strap pumps, Roger Vivier’s turquoise satin platform ankle strap sandal with velvet-lined satin rosette, and Sergio Rossi’s nude suede gladiator sandal with crystals and plume among others.

The runners-up in the contest included heels from Giuseppe Zanotti, Dolce & Gabbana and Jimmy Choo among them.

Footwear News, a division of the fashion industry trade publication Women's Wear Daily, had organized the contest in partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue's shop department.

Christian Louboutin

Valentino

Sergio Rossi

Roger Vivier

Giuseppe Zanotti

Dolce and Gabbana, my pic

Jimmy Choo

Other heels as equally as sexy as the runners-up
Fendi

Givenchy

Miu Miu

Yves Saint Laurent

Courtesy WWD

Graffiti Prints the trend

Designs, lettering, layering and splashes of color to wear in celebration of street art and graffiti-art. Graffiti writing first appeared on Philadelphia trains in the late sixties. Then the trend expanded in New York in the seventies and reached maturity in the eighties. Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and John Matos "CRASH" were it's great exponents.

Photo by Steven Meisel

Jean Charles de Castelbajac

Marni

Cesare Paciotti

Tsumori Chisato

Diane Von Furstenberg

Furla

Vivianne Westwood

Wunderkind

Moschino

Haute Couture Ballet Shoes

Every piece is unique at the Atelier Apres-Midi Milan. All handmade, in glitter fabric with elaborate bow, flowers, fruit, leaves, feathers, little birds, rhinestones. Choose from the Circus model, inspired by Federico Fellini film la Strada, six exclusive ballet shoe lines,  Dolcetto , Topolino and Versailles.

La Strada

Versailles

Vegetarian

Wonderland

Paris

Topolino

Dolcetto

Images courtesy of Atelier Apres-Midi