Category Archives: shoes

Favorite flats

Posted on January 8, 2010 by | 1 comment

Ms. S&C has been busy, busy, busy getting ready for her biggest work event of the year. It is one of those all-consuming — yet somewhat exhilarating — work periods. I’m reminding myself about work things in the shower. I’m thinking about new ideas walking home from work. I’m working late. And working more means blogging less.

Ms. S&C has made time for a few other activities to help keep her sanity. Yes, there’s a weekly yoga class. But there’s, of course, the no-fail retail therapy. One recent purchase (100% work-related) included a new pair of flats. Plain black flats. Exciting shoes, right? They’ll compliment my black rolling suitcase nicely.

Except. I am excited. I think fashionable flats are so hard to come by (and I’m  not the only one). These plain black flats from BCBGeneration, found over at Zappos, may be my favorite flats yet. The pointy style is dressy, the off-center rosette is whimsical, the short heel is comfortable. And they’re perfect shoes for my upcoming (work) occasion.P.S. It is New York City I’m going to. Even for work, even when it’s cold, New York City is New York City, and it’s something to look forward to.

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Best of S&C in 2009

Posted on December 31, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Happy New Year! As we say goodbye, au revoir, arrivederci to 2009, we’ll leave you with a little recap of Shoes & Cocktails during the past year. According to WordPress’ snazzy blog stats feature, here are our most popular blog posts. Thanks for reading (and Google searching random things)!

  • Cake and punch — By far the most viewed blog post of the year. I’d like to think it was because of my bright, cheerful, sparkling Pomegranate Champagne Punch, but I think it was because of the colorful and festive rainbow cake.
  • S&C spotted–Keds comeback — I can’t say for sure that Keds are replacing Chucks as the new hipster shoe of choice, but this blog post got a lot of hits.
  • The Brothers Voltaggio — I think my favorite Google search phrase is: “Is Michael Voltaggio married?” While S&C doesn’t have the answer to that question, you can read a lot about the Voltaggio Brothers in our Top Chef recaps and drink pairings.
  • One fine muddle — People like muddled cocktails, evidenced by the number of visits to our mojito and caipirinha blog posts.

P.S. We didn’t do a “Best of S&C” in 2008, but we did do a “Year in Review,” in case you’re curious.

Wishing you all the best in 2010!

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Quick Roundup of Christmas Picks

Posted on December 22, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Some seasonal cocktails practically scream “Christmas.” Eggnog, for example, is essentially synonymous with the holiday season, and for good reason. Other cocktails meet the “festively seasonal” criteria in a manner a bit more subtle. Today, we’re exploring a few cocktails that fall under the latter category.

The folks over at the Atlantic Food Channel (a fantastic, must-read blog) have a great recipe for a drink for a crowd: their champagne cocktail mixes bitters and pomegranate seeds with bubbly.

For those sweet-of-tooth, Jonathan Miles of the New York Times recommends the posset, a creamy concoction which Mr. Miles describes as a precursor to eggnog.

Many people detect prominent notes of pine in gin. At Christmas, the pine flavor takes on a whole new meaning. Put gin to holiday use in a brightly colored and super-flavorful cherry gin-gria from Foodnetwork.com.

Also from the Foodnetwork.com is Emeril’s ruby-red rocket cocktail, which uses plenty of seasonal citrus, brown sugar and cassis or raspberry liqueur.

What shoes will Miss Mojito wear during this seasonal sipping celebration? I’m a big fan of traditional, romantic velvet used in untraditional ways during the holidays. And while these AMAZING Christian Louboutin pumps with an audacious velvet bow (left) might be a smidge out of my price range, these feisty purple velvet platforms by Poetic License (right) inch much closer to my budget.

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Ms. S&C’s holiday wish list–part 2

Posted on December 16, 2009 by | 1 comment

The special occasion shoe. Ms. S&C can’t think of a better category of shoes to be on her wish list. The special occasion shoe is the polar opposite of Miss Mojito’s staple shoe, as these shoes are typically more unique, not so versatile, and not one where comfort is expected. And, they’re probably overpriced. Despite these underwhelming selling points, they are so much fun — and, usually worn at fun occasions, no?

Ms. S&C currently has an affection for gold shoes, especially when they’re contrasted with black tights (it can be quite a contrast, but a spectacular one). Here are a few of her personal faves for upcoming holiday parties, New Year’s Eve, or any festive event.

There’s a reason why the Kate Spade (left) special occasion sandal is named “Glamour.” This suede sandal, detailed with a patent trim and a gorgeous, grosgrain ribbon laced through the gold chain-link t-strap, is so feminine and so lovely.

Jessica Simpson (center) has a simple, yet eye-catching, cracked metallic d’Orsay pump with a mary jane strap. This is the most versatile pair of the three picks, and more importantly, the most affordable.

And finally, who could resist this other brilliant Kate Spade (right) peep-toe? The metallic sequins and the oversized, sculpted bow on the slingback make it sexy, glamorous, and almost fairy tale-esque.

Ms. S&C wants to know: what special occasion shoes will you wear for holiday festivities? Or, what shoes are on your holiday wish list? Share in the comments below!

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Go-To Footwear: Exploring the Staple Shoe

Posted on December 11, 2009 by | 2 comments

Last week, we explored go-to cocktails: those superlative beverages that are full of flavor, come together in a flash and are perfect entertaining staples. This week, we’re applying the same concept to our footwear, and taking a look at staple shoes.

So what makes a shoe a staple?

  • The most obvious requirement for a staple shoe is versatility. You can wear it to work, you can wear it out on the weekends, you can wear it shopping. Heck, you could even wear it sleeping, were you to nod off for a bit of nap whilst wearing said shoes.
  • Staple shoes have some element of the classic about them. That doesn’t mean that they can’t have a unique detail. One of my favorite staple shoes, for example, is a classic black kitten heel with a very non-classic studded star pattern. But these aren’t trendy shoes – they can return to your wardrobe season after season, with a little help from your friendly cobbler.
  • I hate to say it, but a shoe won’t work it’s way into my staple wardrobe unless it’s reasonably comfortable. Obviously, this rules out some fantastic and much-loved four-inch heels.

The latest acquisition to my staple shoe collection is a fantastic charcoal riding boot. The riding boot is my winter go-to shoe thanks to its fashionable warmth. This particular version comes from Nine West’s Vintage America collection. I love the rough-cut edge at the top of the boot, and the brass detailing adds a nice touch to this wardrobe classic. You’ll find me in this staple boot at least several times a week this winter. (And check out the awesome discount over at NineWest.com!)

Miss Mojito wants to know: what constitutes a staple shoe in your wardrobe?

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Shades of Fall and Aperol

Posted on November 13, 2009 by | 1 comment

Miss Mojito was excited to meet a new-to-her aperitif during Richmond Restaurant Week. Aperol is an Italian liqueur that sings strongly with both sweet and bitter notes. In particular, you’ll notice a strong orange flavor that’s tempered by hints of rhubarb and herbs.

I encountered Aperol in a fantastic cocktail called the Hummingbird at IMG_0904Acacia Midtown (check out the fun presentation in the photo at right – I love the mini pitcher that accompanies the glass). Unfortunately, Miss Mojito was not the best reporter this particular evening, and so I’m blanking on ingredients. What I do recall is fresh pineapple juice. I’m thinking a mixture of Aperol, tequila, pineapple and agave might be right on the mark. But if you’re looking for something a bit less experimental, I might steer you in the direction of the Aperol Spritz, which I found over at the fantastic-but-soon-to-be-extinct-Gourmet.com.

Aperol Spritz
Serves one

  • 1 1/2 ounces Aperol
  • 2 ounces Prosecco
  • Sparkling water
  • Lemon twist

Pour Aperol and Prosecco in a champagne flute and top with sparkling water. Garnish with lemon twist and serve.

Aperol is easily recognized by its distinctive, burnt orange color, and since that color is a harbinger of fall, I thought this would be the perfect opportunorange_shoeity to highlight some autumn-inspired shoes.

(Top) Lovely People Ambrose Open-Toe Platform Bootie, $119 at Piperlime.com

(Middle) Samanta T-Strap Q Pump, $96 at Endless.com

orange_shoe2(Bottom) Nine West Elkie Sandal, $89 at NineWest.com

orange3

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Remix, PR Style

Posted on November 6, 2009 by | Leave a comment

The latest Project Runway episode brought back the remaining designers’ most successful outfits. The designers were charged with reinventing those outfits by creating a new, companion design. Creativity-wise, I thought most of the designs were lacking a bit in the inspiration department. Althea created another paper-bag-waist ensemble; Christopher went for drama with a heavy gown; Irina went for oversized glam; Carol Hannah put together yet another simple (but ridiculously cute) dress; and Logan and Gordana disappointed. Here’s a quick recap.

  • I’m so glad to see Logan go (thanks to his 80’s-inspired black dress). It’s too late in the game to hold on to a designer who can’t claim a single win.
  • The claws came out this week as the designers took turns accusing each other of stealing design ideas. The drama is fun to watch, but isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery?
  • This week’s guest designers seemed to work really well together. PR alum Nick Verreos and actress Kerry Washington provided thoughtful feedback and seemed to click with Nina and Heidi.
  • Speaking of Heidi, did everyone see her and Seal’s crow costumes for their annual Halloween bash? Pretty fantastic!

AltheaBut back to the task at hand. Althea’s simple but sophisticated pants-tank-cardigan combo took tNicoleRichieop honors – and in my book, her shoes took top honors, too. The black pumps are almost tulip-shaped and are super-chic. But if I had my way, I might pair a pair from Nicole Richie’s new shoe line with this black, white and gray ensemble. The shoes won’t be available until January 2010, but we have this picture of an amazing, almost tribal platform sandal with ankle strap (above, left) to satiate us in the meantime. I think this funky sandal would totally liven up Althea’s outfit.

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Getting Spoooooky

Posted on October 30, 2009 by | 1 comment

Ghosts, ghouls and goblins bring with them a host of exciting cocktail possibilities to usher in the spookiest of holidays. And with Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, those opportunities for celebrating are all the more plentiful.

Here are Miss Mojito’s thoughts on some festive cocktails that might help get you in the Halloween spirit.

  • Go Orange and Black: Mix orange curacao liqueur, white rum and lime; garnish with a licorice stick
  • Go Creepy: Take a nod from Yumsugar.com and mix up a terrifying batch of Eyeball Highballs.
  • Go Spooky: Mix espresso, orange vodka and coffee liqueur for a brooding, macabre and delicious martini.

Shoe-wise, I think something equally black and broodIMG_0894ing is in order. Luckily, I came across these fantastic sandals at Nine West. The hardware toughens up the feminine shape. I’ve been eyeing this particular pair for a while now and am delighted to add them to my collection!

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Sense of place

Posted on October 29, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Milla Jovovich was the bright spot in last week’s Project Runway. She was insightful and smart, thoughtful and funny. She had a great rapport with Michael Kors. She even shed a tear over Nicolas. I want more Milla.

“Nothing says Greece like gray menswear fabric.”
-Milla Jovovich and Michael Kors sarcastically
commenting on Nicolas’ design

Otherwise, it was a rather dull episode. The designers were challenged to create a look inspired by a famous locale. Only seven designers remain. Christopher took on Santa Fe. Irina used Aspen for inspiration. Nicolas chose Greece. Gordana designed for Park Avenue New York. Carol Hannah picked Palm Beach. Logan turned Hollywood into young Hollywood, and Althea was enthusiastic over her St. Tropez pick.

“If this was project-I-didn’t-mind-it, he would win.”
– Milla Jovovich on Logan’s very average design

PR-aspenIrina’s Aspen inspired luxe snow bunny look

frye-studded-bootsIrina’s Aspen design won. Yes, there was a little too much camel color, but it was definitely the most complete look. The ski-inspired pants, the open-back cowl neck sweater, the faux fur vest — all very sophisticated. Too bad her personality isn’t as warm as these clothes. But, no doubt she’ll be a finalist at Bryant Park.

For the shoe pairing, I love the Frye ‘Deborah’ Studded Ankle Boot. The distressed leather, embellished with sparkly beads and studs — the boots are Western yet urban. Considering Irina’s snow bunny would likely be drinking champagne at the lodge instead of on the slopes, it is reasonable to chose style over function in this circumstance.

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Sequins, Glitter & Bob Mackie

Posted on October 22, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Thank goodness for Christina Aguilera – as the client and guest judge for last week’s Project Runway episode, she inspired plenty of creativity in the PR contestants in the form of sequins, feathers and fun. And with designer Bob Mackie on board as a guest judge, we knew we were in for a runway that would be anything but boring.

  • I must admit that I’m happy to see Shirin go. Her whiny ways seemed to get on everybody’s nerves, and her Halloween-inspired costume for Christina received a big thumbs-down.
  • CHRISTOPHER – WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? Hot pants? Bustier? No, thank you!
  • Althea was a hit with her grey sequined gown, but the huge feathered shrug she paired with the lovely dress ruined the look for me.
  • My favorite pick won top honors. Carol Hannah’s gown–a black floor-length number with tons of feathers and texture–was a stunner.
  • While Carol Hannah won with a beautiful design, Nina Garcia truly stole the show. Did anyone catch a glimpse of that enormous turquoise necklace she was wearing? Too fun!

dressfeathers

These feathered sandles from Gwen Stefani’s line, L.A.M.B., hit the nail on the head with their sequin-feather combo, and I think they’d make a terrific shoe pairing for Carol Hannah’s fun and fanciful design.

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