The Great Shoe Roundup – Part II

Starting last week, we took a close look at all the various shoe styles that are currently waiting to be snapped up by shoe-loving ladies. Here are seven more:

• The Sneaker The most remarkable sneaker I’ve seen lately is only sold at the Prada store at 575 Broadway in Manhattan. “This is a limited edition,” said the elegantly attired sales associate. The collection is offered in suede, leather or brocade. Each shoe is bedecked with dazzling Swarovski crystals.

As I stood clutching a gray suede slip-on priced at $1,350 (my favorite) I said, “Now really, does anyone actually buy these shoes?” There was a brief pause before he answered, “We’re almost sold out.” That stopped me cold.

For the rest of us, sneakers are usually made of canvas or leather and are very comfortable. They can be used as a running or walking shoe.

• The Flip-Flop is usually seen at the beach, right? Wrong. In recent years – at least in New York – I’ve seen them everywhere. Most flip-flops consist of a rubber sole with a y-shaped strap that goes across the top of the foot and between one’s first and second toe. The name comes from the sound they make and, if you work in an office that “slapping” sound can be quite intrusive. Let’s see them return to the world of sand and surf.

• The Clog or wooden shoe has a long history and is made from a single block of “non-splitting” wood such as willow. Today, many clog uppers are leather. Dancers wear a leather-topped clog with taps. In the Appalachians, clog dancing is a foot-tapping routine with stirring fiddle and bluegrass music. Remember the Banjo Duel of bluegrass music in the movie Deliverance?  

• The Mule We’re talking about the shoe here, not the four-legged critter, that is close-toed and backless. It may have a low or high heel that is usually chunky. In the 1990s the mule morphed into an open-toed model called The Slide.

• The Ballet Flat bears a resemblance to a ballerina’s slippers, e.g., close-toed, no heel and made of a sturdy material such as leather. These flats are easy to slip on and are great for travel because they’re flexible and can fit nicely in a suitcase.

• The Espadrille has a flexible sole made of jute rope and is usually made of cotton or canvas fabric. This shoe has been made in Spain since the 14th century. Espadrilles became fashionable in the United States in the forties. Lauren Bacall wore ankle-laced espadrilles in the movie Key Largo in 1948.

• The Mary Jane for young girls and mature females is one of my favorites. It is close-toed, low or no heel and has a strap. I got my first pair when I was very young and I thought I was in heaven. I’ve never felt that way about a shoe since.

Purchasing shoes has changed drastically thanks to a Las Vegas-based company named Zappos. Founded in 1999, it is one of the world’s largest online shoe stores partly because of its free return policy. In my office, one co-worker had 20 Zappos shoe boxes in her cubicle. When I said, “Wow, you’re buying lots of shoes!” She replied, “Oh no, they’re all going back.”

MAY WE SUGGEST… Summer travel can be carefree with our eclectic selection: we offer everything from boyshorts to body suits to camis.

- Shaun Nelson-Henrick

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