If you can buy only one new footwear item this winter, then you should buy an ankle boot. They started coming on the scene a year ago, and are still going strong.

Charles David Shik in Black Leather

Charles David Shik in Purple Leather

This boot is the easiest way to update an outfit and make it look hot and fashionable. Look plain? Put them on the leg with some tights and they’ll be brilliant! I never stop getting compliments on mine.

Wear with fishnets or nylons (so 80’s!) or with skinny jeans or trousers. A slight platform is great. Make sure to get the boot height that is at or below the ankle bones—this is most lengthening to the leg, and the most NOW cut. The short boots that go over the ankle just aren’t as sexy.

Pelle Moda Kammi — something a little wilder.

Pelle Moda Kammi in Pewter Foil Calf

The new Marc Jacobs spring show features a lot of ankle boots. They have a nice way of providing some gravity to skirt outfits, but never look cumbersome.

More fantastic ankle boot choices

Betsey Johnson Richelle in Black Patent

Betsey Johnson Richelle in Red Patent

and BCBGirls Dana Bootie

BCBGirls Women’s Dana Bootie in Black

Bootylicious, darling.

Giuseppe Zanotti E96208

When she awoke and looked up, she saw a young woman sitting on a bench above her. The woman was holding in her hands a box. She cradled the box in her arms as if it were a lover, and the little mermaid was curious to know what lay inside. Some form of exciting land-food, she assumed. She was tired of chewing raw fish and wondered what culinary thrills were available that did not taste of salt water.

L.A.M.B. Sidney

The woman opened the box. From inside she withdrew two objects, identical but with a slight difference in their shape, each tuning to the other like dolphins nosing towards a kiss. They were red. They shone like mirrors. Where the human toes should be placed, they lay open. At the back, something quite strange occured — they rose up to a colossal height, towering, pin-like.

rsvp Kaiya

A young man approached the bench. The two seemed to know each other, for he greeted her with a kiss. She showed him the shoes, crumpling in her hand as she did a small piece of paper. He laughed and caught hold of her fist and tried to pry it open, but she raised her arm and threw the paper into the river, where the little mermaid swam after it, but the paper had dissolved and anyway, mermaids can only read the navigation systems of the stars.

Stuart Weitzman Fever2

When she looked again at the pair on the bank, the woman was standing. The shoes were on her feet. There was something about her that was completely different. She had on a grey suit and a white shirt, very much like the Atlantic on a blustery day, the sea and the sky indistinguishable, but when she put on the shoes, she reminded the little mermaid of some of the haughtier goddesses who occasionally visited from behind the clouds. Is this how humans become divinities? A change of shoes? And was it the *lack of footwear* that accounted for the humble status of the sea world?

Luichiny Chariot

Reluctantly, the woman took off the shoes, put them back in the box, and shrank back into her grey suit. And now, with all her heart and soul, the mermaid understood that it was not just a merboy she wanted; she wanted red shoes.

Dolce Vita Madison

In the December 2008 issue of British Vogue, four authors were asked to write a ‘fashion fairy tale’. The above tale is an excerpt of Linda Grant’s wonderful story, which seems inspired by both “The Red Shoes” and “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Anderson.

I am planning on someone getting me Malindi Crocs for either my birthday or Christmas. Hey, the word is OUT that I like them, right?

Looking at my two O.G. Crocs, I see that the very first pair (Red Beach Crocs) are very very thin near the ball of the foot. The soles are worn and they’re a little slippery on damp sidewalks. I’ve had two friends examine them and say they should be retired.

But it’s hard to throw away your friends!

Here’s one better: RECYCLE your CROCS. I looked on the Crocs website– they have a program called SolesUnited that will grind up used Crocs and make them into new soles for shoes. The new SolesUnited shoes are then donated to those who need them around the world. This is good upon good upon good — comfy shoes for self, recycling, helping the environment with a green solution, and aiding the needy.

Finally, there are many authorized collection centers for these worn-out Crocs, and the website has a handy location finder.

Out with the old, in with the new!

My boyfriend has been wearing these Eastland Newport shoes constantly for at least 1.5 years:

They go to football games, business meetings, and even Chez Panisse. They are still going strong but are starting to wear around the edges. He’s decided to make the big decision to get another pair of shoes. Yippeee! I immediately insert myself into the shopping process.

After an exhaustive search on Zappos, where he tries to branch out to say, laces in a shoe, I realize that in actual fact, he wants the same shoe, but will not admit it.

Then I spotted this slip-on shoe called Timberland Rippler:

See how it is the same shoe but with some subtle but stylish improvements? It’s a little flatter, which is definitely more current. It has some details but not SO many details that only Italian men can wear them successfully. I like the leather paired with oiled canvas uppers, and the small tread on the sole. Importantly, they make them in EE width.

Both are great choices for men with very wide feet who don’t want anything too flashy or too bulky.

I was the first in my neighborhood to get Crocs *PREEN*. Shortly, everyone in my social circle had a pair. BUT this was three years ago, and I’ve been thinking that Crocs are over. No further pairs needed.

Then one sunny day I was having brunch at an outdoor café with my girlfriends. Some people sat down at the next table….one of them was a stylish girl. She was young, brunette, and tanned, with a chic black strapless sundress. But what made her outfit interesting is….she was wearing Crocs! Flame red-coral ballet slipper looking flats which are Malindi Crocs to be exact, in a color called Pulse. They looked so awesome with bare tanned legs.

They would also look very cute with skinny jeans. Or anytime you would wear ballet flats but want to avoid sore feet or blisters.

Now I am in love with Crocs again!

Crocs Juneau promises something new for women with its retake on the popular slim Crocs ballerina styles like Crocs Prima and Crocs Malindi. Just only colour combo for the Crocs Juneau (pronounced Crocs Juno) – Brown and Khaki. Looking for something a little different – well Juneau could be a great wardrobe addition.

Wall-e Crocs. With the aclaimed release of Wall-e the new Disney Pixar movie about Wall-e (Wall.e) the sentient Garbage Collector Robot, Crocs has release a special Wall-e Cayman Croc shoe for kids as part of their Disney Crocs collection. Based on the now famous Kids Crocs Cayman shape, the new Wall-e Cayman Croc boasts features Wall-e graphics on the side of the shoe and on the heel strap as well as all the comfort benefits of Crocs’ proprietary PCCR material. The new Wall-e Crocs shoe comes in two colours Electric Blue and Lime plus Lime and Sea Blue. A perfect gift for young Wall-e fans!

The Crocs chart for July is based on page views that I received on the All the Shoes website over the previous month. July showed a strong interest in the new summer 2008 Crocs styles with Crocs Cayman and Crocs Athens still popular with US Crocs shoppers.

1	Adult Crocs Cayman
2	Crocs Baya
3	Crocs Cyprus
4	Crocs Athens
5	Kids Crocs Cayman
6	Crocs Yukon
7	Crocs Bistro
8	Crocs Beach
9	Crocs Malindi
10	Crocs Sassari

Discounts on YOU by Crocs sale prices are shown on my new YOU by Crocs price comparison page which I uploaded this morning. There are some good price reductions for this Crocs fashion range this month. For those who think of Crocs just make Clogs might want to think again when they see these fashion forward designs.

YOU by Crocs is the high end Womens shoe, sandal and boot range by Crocs. Crocs has cleverly fused the legendary comfort of its Croslite™ close cell technology with some exciting and stylish designs aimed at the fashion conscious woman. The spring and summer collections complement a range of high end winter boots launched earlier in the year. Quality materials like suede and patent leather are used throughout the YOU by Crocs range.

Click the image below to see my YOU by Crocs deals.

The All the Shoes US Crocs website has been gradually gaining traffic over the last month and so I’m ready to put out my first Crocs US chart based on page views on my Crocs Price Comparison pages. There has been a strong uptake on the new Crocs styles with Crocs Cyprus, Crocs Baya and Crocs Baja all giving the ever popular Crocs Cayman a run for its money. It’s good to see it’s that some of the Crocs classic styles are still featuring strongly and Crocs deals are out there aplenty.

1	Adult Crocs Cayman
2	Crocs Cyprus
3	Crocs Baya
4	Kids Crocs Cayman
5	Crocs Athens
6	Crocs Beach
7	Crocs Baja
8	Crocs Malindi
9	Crocs Sassari
10	Crocs Alice