You Got It, Dude: Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen Launch Elizabeth + James Shoe Collection

Pint-Size Designer’s Leave An Even Bigger Fashion Footprint

Tiny twosome Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have teased us for months with news of their first-ever shoe collection, a collaboration with Steve Madden.  “Design aesthetic” this.  “Style philosophy” that.  Yeah, yeah show us something, already!

Mary-Kate gave us a taste of their designs when she sported a promising prototype (try saying that three times fast) at Fashion Week.  It was cute with a hint of the unexpected, just what you’d expect from the blonde titan who regularly outfits herself like a slightly mad Himalayan Sherpa just to grab a venti latte at Starbucks.

So, behold.  Their Elizabeth and James shoe collection hit stores recently and we are . . . under-whelmed.  Objectively it’s fine.  It’s a mix of trendy and traditional silhouettes at a relatively reasonable price ($195 to $500).  Well, reasonable compared to three-digit couture, anyway.

We had high hopes for a “oooh, pretty!” inhale.  But instead of a Alexander McQueen-esque edge meets Betsey Johnson WTF-ness, the line is a bit “hmmm, where have I seen that style before?”

Take a gander:

Mary-Kate’s been spotted rocking these suede flat gladiators so they’re definitely downtown-darling approved but they’re also the newest residents of Meh-ville, in our humble opinion.

And these menswear-inspired moccasins.  MOCCASINS.  The word alone offends us, never mind what they look like.

The look are missing something: like, a slew of buckles and  zippers and cutout details.   And . . . feathers.  Yeah, that would have been AWESOME.  Or at least visually interesting.  It’s as if deciding which over-sized layer to mix and match with which bedraggled, too-long pair of pants zapped Mary-Kate and Ash of all their creative energy.

That said, some looks did catch our eye:

What size queen couldn’t use four extra inches of fabulous? We j’adore the ‘Haley’ slingback strap and the sexy arch of naked foot these reveal.

And if you’re drooling over the season’s fetish footwear look, but aren’t ready to fork over big bucks for shoes like Louboutin’s ‘Differa,  ‘Luella’ is a brilliant alternative.

Word is, the Olsens will stick with Steve Madden for another shoe collection next season.

Are thigh-high boots on the way??

Sleek, sexy and sky-high.  Make a statement without saying a word in these BCBG slingbacks.

By ShoeMinx “Uncle Jessie” Fan Paige Muller

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June 7, 2009 | Filed Under CELEBRITIES, Celebrity, Celebrity Shoes, High Heels, Mary Kate Olsen, SHOE DESIGNERS, SHOE TYPE, Sexy heels, Slingbacks, Steve Madden, Wedge, Zappos | Leave a Comment 

Yee-Haw! Nicole Kidman’s Country Couture

The Former Mrs. Cruise One-Ups Katie Holmes On The Red Carpet

We admit, it took us half a tick to figure out what the heck Oscar winner Nicole Kidman was doing at the Country Music Awards.

Some kind of desperate promotion to save Australia from a Razzie nomination? What? There are cowboys and flannel shirts in the trailer so it would kind of make sense.  A PR blitz to generate buzz for an upcoming role as a botox-ed bronco rider in an Annie Oakley flick?

Oh right, she’s Keith Urban’s plus one.  He’s so man-tanned and waxed we tend to  think of him as just a really pretty prop.  Like an awesome “Screw Tom Cruise and his weak DNA” accessory.

From the front, Nic is all BUSINESS in a glittering floor-length, long-sleeve L’Wren Scott turtleneck dress, but SASSY from the back.

It’s like the sartorial equivalent of a mullet, which is both fitting for the event and a delightful lesson in similes and metaphors. She continues the coy concept with prim and proper meets wooo! open bar, peep-toe slingbacks.  Layers of whimsy!


Finish a bold look with an understated, but elegant, shoe, like these Kate Spade satin ‘Gwen’ slingbacks, available from ShoeCompare.com.

By ShoeMinx Red Carpet Watcher Paige Muller

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April 16, 2009 | Filed Under CELEBRITIES, Celebrity, Celebrity Shoes, Designer Shoes, Dress, High Heels, Nicole Kidman, SHOE DESIGNERS, SHOE TYPE, Sexy heels, Slingbacks, Women's Shoes | Leave a Comment 

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