August 23rd, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

So you’ve been invited to someone’s country cottage for the weekend.  You’re probably picturing yourself with a pitchfork and overalls, but don’t be fooled–that’s not what they mean by country cottage.  They mean a beautifully decorated rustic-style house outside of the city with all of the amenities the city has to offer besides the ability to order in Chinese food at 11pm.  Cottage doesn’t mean small.  It’s just what you call a house when you want it to feel quaint.  The same type of people you pass during your commute in midtown will pass you on your walks through what they’ll refer to as “the town centre” or “the village.”  Together you’ll smell nature and browse boutiques and antique shops.  There will also be  highly-acclaimed and expensive restaurants, many of them in what will look like a rustic-style house, so there really is no need for the 11PM Chinese food anyway.  All the while you’ll be eating local and commenting on how nice it is to get away.  You might even hear some buzz about what it was like when Chelsea Clinton got married last month.

On what to pack: The style is laid back, but your still amongst city folk, so don’t go thinking you can schlep around all weekend in rags.  Hippie-chic is an appropriate look.

July 23rd, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

You know when you’ve assembled an outfit and it’s not like you just threw on jeans an a t-shit, this is an outfit outfit?  Sometimes it’s a look you really want to stand behind and you think it looks awesome, but you’re a little nervous that you might have crossed the line between edgy and “what was she thinking?”

You know when you dig an old vintage piece out of your mom’s closet and it smells a little weird, but you want desperately to wear it despite the fact that you’re not quite sure how? With bangles? Unbuttoned? As a dress?

You know when you have a simple black dress and for the love of god, you have to accessorize the hell out of it or you know you’ll just end up looking like a legal assistant? But which accessories and does your scarf clash with that wide belt?

And finally, you know when you have this great look put together but you’re trying to decide between two different pairs of Barefoot Tess shoes? Both look cute, but there’s got to be a winner in this equation.

Sometimes you just need help.  Fashism is a website that allows you to ask an entire website of followers their opinion before you leave the house.  You upload your picture and the feedback just flies in.  Because sometimes you don’t want your sister to know you took the tags off of her new short, or your roommate is napping, or your mom will tell you that sweater is garish–you just don’t get it, mom.

July 16th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

It’s not enough anymore to be told, “we’re going to the beach,” and know what you’re going to wear, because every beach has it’s own distinct feel.  Show up on the glamorous French Riviera in your preppy Cape Cod suit and you’ll stick out like a sore thumb, mostly because you’re not topless, but also because you’ve got the wrong style all together.  Of course if you’re going to your grandparents dorky lake beach for old people you have the right to wear a bikini as opposed to a full support one-piece, but in general, the beach dictates the beachwear. (In a fun way!)

And of course no matter which beach you choose, Barefoot Tess has the sandals!

July 2nd, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

When assembling an Independence Day outfit, it’s easy to get carried away.  Everyone is always temped to dress entirely in red, white and blue, but unless you own a sailor dress, it’s tough to make that work.  And be forewarned that if you do wear your sailor dress, you’re going to see yourself coming and going.  Rather than throwing some flag-colored clothes together into a look that is probably going to end up more kitschy than cool, try dressing in a classically American style.  It’s a more sophisticated hat’s off to our great nation, and you’ll be the best dressed girl at the party.  It works in any setting and sparklers make the perfect accessory!

June 24th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

I was walking past the Apple store yesterday and I noticed about 7 people lined up in lawn chairs outside of the store.  “Oh,” I realized.  “The new iPhone comes out tomorrow.”  I shrugged it off and kept walking. “Wait,” I thought.  “It’s 4pm.  These people are going to wait outside upwards of 18 hours for a new phone?”

Later I passed a dad not watching his kid run into the street, a homeless man sleeping on a bench, and drunk girl falling.  I didn’t judge any of them, but I could not help thinking about those people waiting in line.  What a half-baked plan.  “I’ll waste an afternoon, a night, and an early morning so I can be one of the first 7 people to get a phone at this location.”  What I found utterly ridiculous was that if they’d gotten online this afternoon, they’d wait maybe 5 hours.  That’s a lot, but nothing compared to 18.

It’s true–maybe there wouldn’t be any white left and that would be disappointing.  And the iPhone is the single most amazing phone/tiny computer ever created.  But seriously, 18 hours?

All that aside, the iPhone is a beautiful accessory in any season.  Here are some shoes to match.  You can wear them while sitting in a wireless network video chatting your other friends who have new iPhones, free time, and happen to be sitting in wireless networks as well.

June 17th, 2010 by The Barefoot Intern: Eliza Zweig

June has been declared Aquarium month. Who knew? So get out your DVD’s of Finding Nemo, retrieve your saved episodes from Shark Week and take part in the celebration!  If you’re feeling really ambitious, you could even head over to your nearest aquarium.  It’s easy to get hypnotized by the gigantic tanks inhabited by peaceful turtles, graceful stingrays (although Steve Irwin might disagree…) and the schools of small spunky colorful fish darting around.  Either way it’s the month of June and thus the season must be honored with a trip to Sea World, a new pet goldfish, or at least a viewing of The Little Mermaid.

Featured are: Ciao Bella “Petunia” wedge, Faryl Robin “Madison” wedge, Cocobelle “Starfish” sandal, and Cocobelle “Maasai” sandal

May 27th, 2010 by The Barefoot Intern: Eliza Zweig

Now that classes are finally over, I am no longer forced to read textbooks with itty-bitty print and stare at colorless charts that do nothing but confuse me even more. The time has begun when I can finally read something that catches my eye and draws me into a story.  “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson has gained the privilege and honor of kicking off the unofficial season for diving into a great book.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with this book or its storyline, there is an interesting cast of characters. One in particular, Lisbeth Salander, really caught my attention.  She is a talented, spunky sleuth employed by a conservative security company in Sweden.  Her appearance, to say the least, sticks out like a sore thumb in such an environment.  She is described as having “…hair as short as a fuse , and a pierced nose and eyebrows.” Not quite who you would expect in an uptight office.

Her perseverance to disprove her superiors’ false first impression to be wrong is inspiring.  These Ed Hardy sneakers are the epitome of her edgy, independent spirit and make me feel like I can be just cool as her just by slipping them on.  So maybe I’ll wear them today and see what happens…

“Low Rise Dubai”

“Organic High-Rise”

“Low Rise Santiago”

What shoes remind you of the book you’re reading?? Post a picture of the shoe with the title of the book and share with us.

You can get these shoes and more at Barefoot Tess!

April 23rd, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Commuting, no matter where to and from, is a nightmare.  In L.A. it means sitting in traffic or leaving at the crack of dawn to beat it and then still ultimately sitting in traffic.  In New York it means elbowing the other suits on the train and speed walking in the street to avoid the sidewalk foot traffic.  And I think in Tokyo it means getting groped on the subway.  It’s never pleasant.

There are certain things I like about the New York City commute–the fact that the newspaper is free, albeit a rag (I’m lookin’ at you, AM New York) and the fact that everyone agrees that in the morning, silence is in order.  8am, the uptown 6: you could hear a pin drop.   And then there are things I hate, like looking at people’s ugly shoes.  I sit (if I’m lucky) in my spot on the train, coffee in hand, thinking, “Dear God, if I have to look at another white New Balance sneaker paired with a lady’s pant suit, I am going to pry open the doors of this moving train and throw myself out.”  Flip-flops, Uggs, anything would be better.  But you know what would be the best?  A nice flat–stylish, sensible, comfortable.  The right pair will match anything from business formal to smart casual, and you’ll look like you care what you look like!

The greatest change though will be that you feel empowered.  Whether you notice it or not, when you like the way you look, you’re more confident, more dynamic, more poised.  It will work wonders in the workplace.  So give it a try, and don’t be surprised when you end up in the corner office, or at the very least with an assistant who brings you coffee just the way you like it.

And now for the best commute-friendly flats:

The FS/NY ‘Welsh’ ($159), The Dolce Vita ‘Cairo’ ($69), The Barefoot Tess ‘Classic’ ($169), The All Black for BFT’Quilted’ ($129)

All available from Barefoot Tess!

April 22nd, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

In these tough economic times, whether they be tough because the economy has failed you or because you’re simply in your early 20’s like me, we can’t go around buying everything we see in our favorite shop windows.  It would be lovely, but impossible to do that and pay the rent, so here we are with less than our fantasies demand.  This is no excuse not to look great all the time though.  The key is to pick your pieces carefully, paying attention to how well they will match the rest of your wardrobe.  Of course some shoes are suitable only for a black tie gala or your spin class, but in general, they should work on a broader spectrum. For instance, Spring to Fall or Day to Night.

I know what you’re thinking–everyone is going to remember that you wear the same things all the time.  No. No, they will not.  They might remember specific outfits, but as long as you mix and match and change up the accessories, (scarves, jewelry, cheap sunglasses) you’ll always have a fresh look.

For example, this outfit: Notice the shoes, shorts and top are the same.

The Shoes: Faryl Robin ‘Madison,’ ($199), Available at Barefoot Tess

April 9th, 2010 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Spring is very officially here and with it comes a whole new outlook on life.  We all smile more and feel healthier and suddenly foods like sushi and frozen yogurt have more appeal than pasta and cheese burgers.  We want to walk places again.  We listen to the dance playlist on our ipods, and we’re more likely to leave our jacket and bag in a pile by the fence and go join the kids on the swings.  Because what Spring brings is a new lease on life.

I noticed yesterday though, as I was walking around SoHo, that some people’s new leases were a lot stronger than mine.  It was as if a fairy stylist had flown around the streets poofing people’s outfits into looks fit for the runway, or at least to appear on The Sartorialist.  It was undeniably inspiring, but it also had me saying to myself, “I wish I had all new clothes and shoes.”  An entirely new wardrobe is out of reach for the majority of us, or rather the bottom 99%.  We all want all new stuff though, and so it helps to know where to get the good stuff cheap.  For instance, let’s say you can afford to spend $200 on new shoes: you can get one pair, or you can get three.  In terms of sandals, I favor quantity every time.  I like to have options and we all know how the shoes can completely change the look.

The Sandals: The Poetic Licence ‘My Haven‘ ($69); The Blowfish ‘Mirage‘ ($49): The Gwyneth ‘Valerie‘ ($79)

Of course they’re all on Barefoot Tess dot com!