October 28th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum
My stomach full of Sunday brunch and my head a little foggy from three Bloody Mary’s, I peruse many a New York City flea market fur stall for a classic mink coat or vest or stole or that thing with the head and the paws that you wear as a scarf. Beaver and rabbit also appeal to me and I would not say no to fox or chinchilla. Call me Cruella DeVille, I like fur. Often people have told me I’m too young to pull off the coat and I say, “Yeah, probably,” but it’s just my way of making myself feel better that I haven’t found the perfect one yet. And when I do and they say I can’t pull it off, I will know they’re just very jealous. Sorry friends. If you’re nice, I might leave it to you in the will. Though chances are, I’ll leave it to the loyal house keeper who nursed me on my Park Avenue penthouse death bed. Look what a fabulous life I’m going to lead some day!
Back to fur, I also like it on boots.
The Barefoot Tess ‘Tahoe’
Usually slippers are the type of footwear that you only allow your family and closest friends see you in. Not these! These slipper boots are so cute and versatile that you can even wear them out of the house, like to the supermarket or on a first date (somewhere casual.)
The Manitobah ‘Muluk’
America’s original winter boot, these Mukluks will keep you warm and look cute whether you’re traipsing over the Great Plains or through the mall.
The Tess by Barefoot Tess ‘Amelia’
Channel your inner Anastasia in these Russian Royalty inspired faux fur boots. They’re flawless and feminine when paired with everyday-wear and while fleeing from a revolution.
Of course you can find all of these fab boots at Barefoot Tess. And make no mistake girls, you too can pull off a fur coat maybe.
Answer this survey and receive 15% off* because all we want to do is make the site better so you like it more. Want a free pizza to come with your shoes? Want the delivery guy to do a song and dance about big feet? Want a pony? Whatever you want, let us know and we’ll try to make it happen. We’ll try hard.
October 17th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum
Introducing Kobi Levi, designer of the wackiest, most interesting, and totally wearable shoes I’ve ever seen. A graduate of Bezalel academy of art & design in Jerusalem, Levi is a freelance footwear designer. He has his own line and collaborates with many designers internationally, from Israel to Brazil. His work has been featured in exhibitions in Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, Tokyo, Verona, St.Etienne, Berlin etc’…
He says of his designs, ” In my artistic footwear design the shoe is my canvas. The trigger to create a new piece comes when an idea, a concept and/or an image comes to mind. The combination of the image and footwear creates a new hybrid and the design/concept comes to life. The piece is a wearable sculpture. It is “alive” with/out the foot/body. Most of the inspirations are out of the “shoe-world”, and give the footwear an extreme transformation. The result is usually humoristic with a unique point of view about footwear. Another aspect of the creation is the realization. All the pieces are hand-made in my studio. The challenging technical development is the key to bring the design to life in the best way.”
Check out some of his coolest work.
He also has some more racy designs–one made me blush. (Kobi Levi)
October 11th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum
As a child, I used to beg my mom to let me wear the little white socks with lace trim with my dresses and Mary Janes and she flat-out refused, forcing me to wear tights. White in the spring, black in the winter, and sometimes she’d throw in a bright color or a knit for fashion’s sake, but it was always tights. I didn’t understand this. The socks were so cute and tights itched me. Frankly, I still don’t understand it and tights still itch me. But they’re very much in style and I’ve come around to them despite my traumatizing youth. (Seriously though, I would have looked like Shirley Temple had she let me wear the damn socks!)
Tights were all over the runways this season and the look has most definitely trickled down. Everyone and her sister is wearing colorful and textured tights with flats, with heels, with peep-toes and clogs. Check out some of the best combinations with Barefoot Tess shoes.
October 8th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum
Rock stars (no offense, actresses, royalty, and the cast of Jersey Shore) are the coolest of all celebrities. They do what they want (trash hotel rooms) all the time because they can, they ride around in vehicles that look like a bus on the outside and a house on the inside, and stadiums of a trillion people show up to see them perform and buy a $35 tee shirt to commemorate the event. They are simply the definition of cool. Therefore, they have cool shoes.
Want to own footwear as cool as a rock star’s? You’ve come to the right place.
Gwen Stefani
Jessica Bennett ‘Neo’
Lady Gaga
Madeline ‘Gabean’
Rosario Dawson (not actually a rock star), Taylor Swift, Rihanna
October 6th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum
I reported on this last fall, but to be honest I wasn’t seeing many people on the street reflecting the trend. Now however, the sidewalks of SoHo are full of women rocking this look. Everyone is all about showing off their socks.
What’s exciting is that this works really well with shorts, skirts, dresses, and pants, all of varying lengths and levels of dressiness. Here are a few Barefoot Tess shoes with which I think this look would fare very well.
Today was the first day of the fall that I sat in my apartment and thought, “I need a blanket and slippers and a full cashmere bodysuit..” To be fair, they haven’t turned the heat on yet, but even when they do it’s going to be sweltering in my bedroom and frigid in the kitchen and the living room. And that’s all the rooms my apartment has! (I don’t count the bathroom, but that’s also a cold room.) It was also freezing outside and wet too, so my poor little feet in their skimpy inadequate ballet flats were hopelessly cold and wet.
The problem was that I wasn’t wearing sweater boots. They’re comfy, they’re cute, and they’re perfect for indoors and out. Whatever your style, you can find a pair that matches your wardrobe. Check ‘em out!
Sweater Boots from Muk Luk, Blowfish and Barefoot Tess all available at Barefoottess.com
October 1st, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum
It’s tough when there’s a piece you’ve loved all summer and then the season changes and you feel you have to abandon it. And you still feel like it’s in your wardrobe, but it’s not. This is Phantom Clothing Disorder and it’s not a joke. I don’t have a cure, but I do have a way to quell the symptoms. Some pieces, though at first they seem specific to a certain season, and actually much more transitional than you think. I had Phantom Clothing with my denim cut-offs until I said, “No more! I will stand up to this disease and transition these shorts clear into the next season!”
Do you also cry yourself to sleep at night, the memories of your cut-offs dancing tortuously through your mind? Get some tights and some nice outerwear and your problem will be solved. Trust me– I’m a doctor (PhD in Wardrobe Issues)
