Wearability.us

Behold the 'Drift' mary-jane from BCBGirls.  At a relatively affordable $112, they are a sensible alternative to the much-celebrated and sought-after studded 'Pigalle 100' pumps from Christian Louboutin.  I actually think I like the mary-janes better because the strap makes it so much more practical and wearable, plus I kind of prefer the suede over the leather.  If it weren't for the daunting 4.5" heels (even with a 0.5" platform), I would totally buy them.

I'm just a bit bemused by how much these shoes really 'borrow,' 'steal,' 'reference,' what have you, the original Louboutins.  For an industry that is so obsessed with protecting designs and intellectual property, it seems the line is very fuzzy and muddy indeed.

Cost aside (these babies are $550 - $650 even after the 50% gilt.com discount), which one would you choose?  In my humble opinion they are all too perfect for words.  Alexander the Great strikes again.

Look at these two amazing specimens of beautiful sneaker craftmanship. The Chuck Taylor Allstar and the Adidas Superstar. Both of them are basketball shoes with history that is counted in decades!

The Adidas Superstar debuted in 1969. They are the classic hip hop casual shoe. But when they were first unveiled, they were widely used in the NBA as pro basketball shoes. The shoe is also immortalized by Run DMC in their song "My Adidas" and is now a mainstay in hip hop fashion.

Chucks were first produced much earlier -- 1917 to be exact. Apparently they weren't popular until Chuck Taylor (NBA basketball player at the time) gave the shoe its namesake in the 50's and 60's. He preferred white high-tops, as did James Dean. Like the Adidas Shelltoes, Chucks became popular throughout the 70's and 80's among musicians, this time punk and new-wave. The Sex Pistols rocked them in their US debut, and Kurt Cobain preferred them too.

To me, there are no other sneakers. For just kicking around town and being comfortable, all other shoes can only aspire to be someday as recognizable, original, and iconic as these two sneaks. They're reliable, cheap, and a clean pair will always be appropriate -- be it with jeans and a t-shirt (classing it up with your choice of legendary footwear) or with more formal attire (flashing your break-the-rules sense of style).

Chucks can be bought online for ~$25, and original Adidas Superstar I's retail for about ~$50. They really just plain can't be beat. If these shoes are good enough for Johnny Rotten, James Dean, Kurt Cobain, Jam Master Jay, Jay-Z... shoot, they're good enough for me.

The folks at InStyle approached several designers and asked them to sketch their respective takes on a wedding dress for none other than Bella Swan, the heroine of the Twilight series.  Now, I don't really think any of these really "fit" the character or her fondness for Chuck Taylors, but I do like the dresses by Monique Lhuillier and Christian Siriano (who is only 23 years old!  Good gracious!).  

I was flipping through the September 09 issue of Details and came across this picture (above) for Fall '09 for Dolce and Gabanna men's line and I let out an audible gasp (a good one).  

I think the title of the post says it all.  I totally love Report's regular shoes because they are so deliciously cute and wearable, but lately I find my imagination held hostage by their higher-end line, Report Signature, which are probably the most UNwearable shoes I've ever seen in my life.  I couldn't wear them in a million years, because I would break my ankles in about five different places and dislocate both my knees trying to toddle down the stairs from my apartment.  

The shoes average a 4.5" - 5" heel.  Geez Louise, who can wear such an absurdly tall heel?  And yet, maybe the fact that they are so unattainable for the average gal makes them that much more awesome.  Is it even possible to make outstanding shoes like these but with, say, a 2" or 3" heel?  Sounds like a potential business plan...

Thanks Robyn for inspiring this post!