Archive for the ‘Shoes’ Category

Coming Soon to a Salon Near You: More Disney Tie Ins

Wednesday, September 26th, 2012


We all know that many brides are inspired by fairy tale ideas when planning their weddings. And when it comes to fairy tales, is there one that has inspired more weddings than Cinderella? I would suggest not. I’m guessing a lot more brides are basing their Cinderella weddings on the iconic Disney version than any other.

Yeah, not many couples do the Grimm’s version. Can’t imagine why. It only involves the bride’s stepsisters losing hunks of their feet, after all. It’s not like that one ended in dozens of dead bodies. For Grimm, it’s positively Disneyesque.

But I digress.

What’s the point of all of this? Well, next month Disney is hauling Cinderella back out of the vault for release on Blu-ray. At the same time, there will be bridal tie-ins from both Alfred Angelo and DSW. Alfred Angelo will release a limited line of blue wedding gowns inspired by the blue ballgown Cinderella wears in the film. Here’s a sketch of one of them that I found at Bride’s.com:

As for DSW, they’ll come out with a line of shoes based on the theme, too.

Two Wedding-Related Articles That Make Twistie Go Ugh!

Friday, May 25th, 2012


See Priscilla Chan, now married to Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook? See that ring on her finger? Yeah, apparently it’s too small and not diamond enough for The Daily Mail. Oh, and Zuckerberg clearly didn’t spend enough on the ring. You see, from one blurry photograph a jeweler estimated it might have run roughly $25,000, and that simply isn’t enough, you know.

In fact, the Mail seems highly offended by nearly every aspect of the couple’s low-key wedding, from the bride’s off the rack dress, to the sentimental choice of the brand of chocolates they shared on their first date as a wedding dessert.

Me? I firmly consider such decisions on the part of people who didn’t consult me in the matter very much Not My Business. If pressed, though, I think it’s nice that they valued sentiment over pomp and circumstance. I think it says a lot about them as a couple that Zuckerberg designed Chan’s ring, and chose something culturally significant in her background as a Chinese American to symbolize their love. I think it’s their money and they are entitled to spend it (or not spend it) in the way they choose… and I would still say that if they had thrown a massive bash to put Kim Kardashian’s lavish wedding to shame. I think how disappointed I would have been had I been forced to accept a ring at the outer limit of Mr. Twistie’s available budget rather than the ring that means so much to me simply to make people who aren’t us not snark.

To attempt to guess the price tag of the bride’s ring is crass beyond expression. To then attempt to shame the couple for holding the celebration they prefer is hideously offensive. Nobody was harmed in the creation of this wedding. In fact, the few details that have come out have frankly impressed me. Not because of the price tags or lack thereof, I hasten to add, but because it’s clear that they made their decisions based on a combination of sentiment and their personal preferences. They wrote their own vows, he designed her ring, they served food from two of their favorite restaurants, and their beloved dog walked the bride to the altar.

Just because a couple has money doesn’t obligate them to spend it on a wedding that will then make the Daily Mail chastise them for not sending the money to feed starving children or blast them for being so hypocritical as to want a party for a significant life change. Because you know what? Whatever they did, some media outlet or other was going to poke fun at them or shake an angry fist at them. When you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t… do what feels right and most authentic to you.

But while the Mail was pointing fingers and laughing at a couple for not wasting money on a celebration they didn’t want, the Telegraph ran a story on a terrifying and hideous new wedding accessory that would have The Manolo crying AAAIIIYYYYY! and begging for a cold compress for his feverish brow as he retires to his tastefully decorated chamber: bridal UGGs.

Yes, UGG has released a line of bridal footwear which is simply their usual comfort over style footwear only embellished with sequins and honking rhinestones. Oh, and a rather frightening pair of furry flip flops that I was concerned might eat my feet through the computer monitor. Don’t believe me? Check this out:

UGG. The most appropriately-named shoe company in the world.

On Your Toes: How to Keep Your Feet Comfortable at Your Wedding

Monday, December 12th, 2011


Let’s face it: on your wedding day, you’ll be on your feet a lot. From the time you put on your gown, you’ll probably spend most of the rest of the day standing, walking, posing, dancing, posing some more, walking, and… well, you get the picture. Believe me, I’ve known a lot of brides who never got to sit down again once they got going!

And if there’s one thing I know from my many misspent years in retail sales, it’s that miserable feet make it extra-difficult to keep up a picture-perfect smile. When it came time to plan my own wedding, comfortable feet were among the less traditional priorities I chose. It paid off, too. When I got ready for a quiet evening of basking in being married to Mr. Twistie, my feet felt as good as they had that morning when I rolled out of bed.

The funny thing is, it wasn’t all that difficult. If you’re thinking about how to keep your feet happy all day, I’ve got a few tips to help you in your efforts.
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Put Your Best Foot Forward

Friday, November 11th, 2011


(Image via Scotimages)
Let’s talk for a moment about feet, shall we?

The simple fact is that on your wedding day, you’re likely to spend a lot of time on your tootsies. Standing around in your wedding finery trying not to let anything get wrinkled, walking up the aisle, the receiving line or table hopping to greet guests, dancing, and so on and so forth… chances are at some point your feet are going to get mighty tired.

And while I can hear plenty of brides to be chorusing ‘no problem, I’ll have flip flops!’ I happen to think there are a plethora of better ideas for foot happiness that would not make the Manolo weep into his favorite pair of peeptoes. Hey, it’s your wedding and I can’t stop you, but I can offer alternatives to consider.
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Bridesmaids: Put On Your Red Shoes and Dance the Blues

Monday, April 11th, 2011

I love the red blue combo for wedding color schemes, for outfits, and for interiors. On a recent rainy yucky day, I wore bright red shoes with a dark blue dress and felt absolutely springy and fabulous in total opposition to the weather. So if you’re still shopping around for a wedding color scheme or a palette for your bridesmaid attire, consider red paired with blue. Or blue paired with red, if that’s how you prefer to think about it. Isn’t it a lovely fun and bright combo either way?

Merrily mismatched red shoes from Ampersand Photography

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Inspiration: Bridal Shoe Clips

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

Should I be a little ashamed to admit that I didn’t ever once thought about after-market bridal shoes add-ons for my own wedding day footwear? Or that of my bridesmaids? Maybe not. But I am entirely ashamed to admit that I have gone my entire life admiring this shoe or that, never realizing that the pretty baubles adorning the back or the front of said shoe might not have come with the shoe itself. So hello, bridal shoe clips!

Shoe Clips for the bride are basically jewelery for your bridal shoes – any shoe that doesn’t already have decoration (or maybe just doesn’t have enough decoration for your tastes) can be transformed with shoe clips. Keep in mind that while I did say jewelry, shoe clips don’t have to be blingy. I’ve seen amazing peacock feather shoe clips and shoe clips with gorgeous felt flowers… not to mention shoe clips that look like miniature nests and adorable bows and more.

Popular in the 1940s – I’m thinking thrifty chicks who wanted more variety – shoe clips have made a massive comeback and are becoming the wedding footwear accessory of choice for more and more brides. What I can’t figure out is who was the target market in between the 40s and today’s brides since quite a few of the mass market shoe clips I’ve found have been baubles that one associate with sexy Halloween costumes.

Isn’t that weird? No matter. Want to know my favorite source for beautiful and fun shoe clips for the bride, bridesmaid, or regular gal? I love all the shoe clips at Fink Shop! Definitely give them a look if you’re in the market for this particular wedding accessory.

(Images via: 1, 2, 3)

Holy Crap, Is That a Speak & Spell?!

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

If you’re looking for wedding stationery that tells your personal story, Beyond Bespoke may be what you’re looking for. I love how comprehensive they are – the pre-design consultation is an in-depth interview where the goal is to get your perspective on the ultimate invites (and programs, menus, maps, place cards, table numbers, etc.). They want to see your fabric swatches, your fave album covers, and anything else that will help them understand who you and your intended are, design wise.

speak and spell save-the-date wedding

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