April 14th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Get yourself a glass of water and sit down.  I’ll wait.  OK, ready?  Barefoot Tess is running a sale today!  I know, you’re shocked because it’s not sale season and so you weren’t expecting this.  If the color has left your face, lie down.  If you feel faint, put your head between your legs.  If you’re hyperventilating, try breathing into a paper bag. There’s also Xanax.

Alright, drama queen.  Now that you’ve settled your nerves, listen up.  The sale is only running today and it’s 20% off the ENTIRE SIT’–all the hot new sandals and flats and wedges and heals.  So go for it.

Happy shopping!

Love,

The Barefoot Blogger

P.S. Use code ’20off’ to get your discount at check out!

April 6th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Hey girls, hey!

Barefoot Tess’s very own style ambassador, ESPN announcer and NCAA Championship coach Carolyn Peck, just gave an interview on the Steve Harvey Show and she rocked it.  Check it out here!  And from all us girls at Barefoot Tess, we wish Carolyn a great big congratulations.  You were great!

P.S. Carolyn wears a size 13 shoe.

March 11th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

The Mountain Jaunt

It’s always delightful to join the ranks of the Channel snow suit-clad beautiful people in the Rockies and on the Matterhorn.  It’s also way fun to rent a cabin with a bunch of friends, wear flannel, and go crazy, yo.  So whether you’re sipping après-ski champagne in a Swiss chalet or rocking out to your friend’s drunk guitar playing in front of the fire, you’ll want to look appropriately adorable (or chic in the case of the champagne.)  It’s always hard to have a good time when you’re cold, so mind the mountain weather and stick to boots.  Also remember that falling every time your try to get off the chairlift is totally OK, it’s normal to have trouble figuring out how the snowshoe fits over your real shoe, and no matter how appealing that outdoor hot tub seems, getting out is one of the worst feelings ever, even worse than burning the roof of your mouth on too-hot cocoa.

The Boots: The Koolaburra ‘Erika’ ($249); The Bernardo ‘Blondie’ ($228); The J. Shoes ‘Bridle’ ($179)

January 13th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

On my ‘About Me’ page I offer to dispense fashion and particularly footwear advice to anyone who e-mails me.  Now, I typed this feeling really excited about the prospect of spreading my own fashion knowledge, but knowing full well that no one was going to ask me a damn thing. Well, guess what!  After months of nothing, Annie D. finally spoke up.  She wrote,

“Dear Laura,

A bunch of my friends have been wearing Frye boots and I like them, but the big sizes are mens’ and way too wide.  Plus, I borrowed my sisters and despite the fact that they’re already broken in, they gave me a huge blister.  Frye is too expensive to get a blister from.  Do you know of any cute boots, like Frye that are cheaper? FYI, I’m a narrow 12, so that complicates the matter.  I want WOMEN’S shoes!

I’m sad,

Annie D.”

Woo, I’m practically the footwear version of Dear Abby!

Dear Sad Annie D.,

I have the perfect solution for you.  Check out J. Shoes from Barefoot Tess.  They have the same great utilitarian feel as Frye’s, but they also have feminine touches, like pretty ribbon laces.  BFT actually offers them below the suggested retail value, so check ‘em out! They come in women’s sizes exclusively at Barefoot Tess.

Forget about Dear Abby.  Watch me turn into Oprah!

P.S. Annie D.,

Since you’re the first girl to write to me for advice, I am going to send you a pair of J. Shoes ‘Bridles’ in your size and the color of your choosing!

Anyone else have fashion/footwear questions?  Post them to the blog or e-mail me and I will publish and answer them! Don’t forget: comment of the week wins 50 bucks and your questions count as comments.

January 5th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

I sprained my ankle in Zara yesterday.  I was strolling, minding my own business, hoping to spot a pair of gloves, (which they did not have–thanks for nothing Zara) when I spotted a stunning black coat. At that very moment, a very enthusiastic lady spotted the pair of beautiful boots on display under the coat. Additionally, it’s safe to say that both of ours interests were further piqued by the big red sale sign above the rack.  I turned gracefully to my right, to touch the coat while the lady must have gotten nervous that I would snatch up her boots.  She ran at full speed, knocking me down, and allowing a bead of her sweat to fall onto my eyebrow.  She fell over me, landed directly on my ankle, and before she could apologize, she reached for the boots.  Once they were safely in her hand, she realized what had happened.  I couldn’t blame her–she had been a victim of Sale Tunnel Vision.  It happens to the best of us.

“I’m so sorry!” she panted. “I’m so embaressed!”

“That’s OK,” I nodded and rubbed my ankle as she rolled off of it.

“It’s just that these are beautiful and I can never find my…”  A sales girl passed. “SCUSE ME!” the lady had forgotten about me already.  The sales girl, probably thinking the lady was calling for  my assistance, scooted over to us and began helping me up.  She couldn’t even make sure I was OK before the lady asked, “Do you have these in a size 12?”

At this point, I was standing and had worked up the nerve to take my first step on the injured ankle.  The sales girl looked at the size 12 lady blankly nodding no, I took the step, fell to the ground and in excruciating pain, looked back up and said, “You’ll have to go to Barefoot Tess for that.”  I then produced my card, the size 12 lady herself lifted me up with extraordinary strength, and we embraced.  It felt something like “Pay It Forward” and I know she will do just that.

The blog comment contest is officially back up, so tell me your shopping horror stories for a chance to win $50 this week.

And follow me on Twitter! Barefoot_Tess

December 22nd, 2009 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

When it comes to winter boots, they’re not all that hard to find if all you want is warm feet.  However, this past weekend, in the midst of that record breaking blizzard, it occured to me that warmth is important, but dryness is key.  When blizzard conditions hit, you don’t just want something fleecy and cozy– you want something made to shield you from the elements.

It’s not as if I was out in the driveway for hours shoveling the car out or had to traipse through the field into town to stock up on provisions.  I was just hanging out in my house reading and drinking tea.  But still, I know of other people that had to do those things and it seemed like they’d be better off had they been wearing the Sorel Caribou.  It’s warm.  It’s waterproof, and until I saw these, I felt like no winter boots were cute.  These make me WANT to shovel the walk!

October 9th, 2009 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

10. Your foot is the ideal canvas for a foot tattoo.  It can be detailed and intricate, and contain the names of all of your past lovers if you so chose.

9. Playing Footsie is easier:  You hardly have to move your leg because your foot is so big, it’s already touching his…and maybe his best friend’s too.

8. Ever seen a toe ring on a short, stubby toe? Ick.

7. You can squish more grapes with each stomp, therefore producing more wine.

Do it more like Lucy, than like this Lady.

Drink up!

6. While we’re on stomping, those cockroaches in your apartment don’t stand a chance.

5. Kicking balls is easier: Soccer, Football, Those of a dark ally attacker.
(Warning: Stay away from dark allies nonetheless.)

4. The bigger the foot, the better the balance:  You’re agile as a gazelle and you hardly ever fall when you’re drunk.

3. Victoria’s Secret models, with their elongated torsos and flawless physiques are to lingerie as big feet,      long and elegant, are to shoes.

2. More value for your money in terms of pedicures:  Greater toenail surface area puts you at an advantage   in showing off that gorgeous new polish color.

1. You have an entire online shoe store dedicated specifically to your footwear needs!  No small-footed girl can say that–probably because she’s too busy stumbling around her cockroach-ridden apartment with a scrunched up foot tattoo, ugly shoes, and a pedicure color you have to squint to see.

Now these are what I consider my Top Ten, but girls, I know you have more.  Let’s hear ‘em.  And don’t forget the contest!