April 11th, 2012 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Neons are the ultimate accent colors. Not only do they breathe chic life into your neutrals, they’re also eye grabbing, so don’t be surprised if you grab the attention of a street-style photographer and end up on some fabulous fashion blog. Pair neon shoes from Barefoot Tess or a neon accessory with your denims, your leather jackets, your tennis whites, just to punch them up. You’ll look amazing. plus it will be easy for your friends to spot you in a crowd.

March 20th, 2012 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Spring is here early this year, and while there’s no telling whether or not it will stay, I’m betting it will…so…yeah. The streets of SoHo were a confusing sight today. I saw a woman in a coat and scarf walking next to a lady wearing tiny white shorts and sandals. Both looked out of place, but everyone was confused about what to wear today.  It’s March! As I walked behind the white-shorts lady, I thought, “too soon, lady” and then I heard a passerby snottily say to her friend, “Ugh, why is she wearing white before Memorial Day?!” I thought about it and I came to the conclusion that I was more thrown off by the sandals and the tininess of the shorts, rather than the color.

I think the whole Memorial Day to Labor Day thing is completely outdated and only observed by people who are very safe in their fashion choices. There, I said it. There are plenty of ways to wear white  year-round, especially as Spring is coming into bloom and fashion changes so quickly that there’s no point in following those guidelines. The lady with the white shorts was dressed for an August heat wave. I was offended by her because she was being dramatic. I shouldn’t have judged her at all though–her fashion choices are her own. And in this case, they reflect her personality–dramatic! Or maybe I was also being snotty and this lady was just excited to be walking around SoHo on this gorgeous spring day and excited about her new summer clothes and she didn’t care how she looked and she was going to wear those tiny white shorts because she loves them. Good job, lady! It’s not too soon after all! Nice legs!

Check out some season-appropriate whites here!

February 28th, 2012 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Every year, each district sends a boy and girl to represent them in the Capital and fight to the death in the Hunger Games. Well, not really really, but in the book. For anyone who hasn’t read the book, the hype is not unwarranted. Just pick it up and within three days, you’ll have read the entire trilogy. You too will have Hunger Games fever. You’ll go to the Imax movie premiere at midnight, dressed up in your Katniss costume and wearing…wait for it…HUNGER GAMES NAIL POLISH!

Yes, China Glaze has made Hunger Games nail polish, which will make for the most suspenseful and dangerous mani-pedi of your life. Check them out here!

Dress Me Up (District 8 – Textiles)

Foie Gras (District 10 – Livestock)

Fast Track (District 6 – Transportation)

Hook and Line (District 4 – Fishing)

Stone Cold (District 2 – Masonry)

Smoke & Ashes (District 12 – Mining)

Agro (District 11 – Agriculture)

Mahogany Magic (District 7 – Lumber)

Harvest Moon (District 9 – Grain)

Riveting (District 3 – Technology)

Electrify (District 5 – Power)

Luxe & Lush (District 1 – Luxury)

Rumor has it that Hot Topic will carry the line. My own knowledge of mail polish makes me think that you’ll be able to get them at CVS and Walgreens. I know for a fact you can pre-order them here. Enjoy!

January 17th, 2012 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

We love catching glimpses of our favorite women of Hollywood skipping around LA and New York in their “regular people” clothes. Some of them actually have terrible style, but here are some who look fabulous as always.  Getting their look would be pretty simple, especially considering you can get shoes just like theirs at Barefoot Tess!

Sarah Jessica Parker

Miz Mooz ‘Renee’ ($119), Bloch ‘Arabian Ballerina’ ($119), Miz Mooz ‘Renee’ ($119)

Eva Mendes

Matisse ‘Grifter’ ($269)

Jessica Biel

All Black ‘Banded Flat’ ($49)

Beyonce

Gwenyth ‘Paisley’ ($149)

Frieda Pinto

FSNY ‘Brickle’ ($219)

January 11th, 2012 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Online shopping is full of perks. We avoid the crowds of vicious sale shoppers and really really vicious teenage girls having tantrums at thier mom in the fitting room. We can do it pajama-clad from the comfort of our nice warm bed. And we don’t have to try anything on. This is my favorite perk, considering last week at Arizia, I was so lazy in trying on a pair of pants that I decided to leave my shoes on while doing so, thereby ripping the pants with the heel of my desert boot wedge. I bought them anyway. Citizens of Humanity bell-bottoms for $75– you would have bought them too. Luckily my friend is an expert sower and she’s going to stitch the tear when she hems them. I digress.

Lately more and more online clothing stores have been popping up.  They’re way cheaper than their mall chain-store counterparts and the clothes are among the trendiest available anywhere.  Check out some of my favorites!

Mod Cloth is the first of the online stores to grab my attention as a serious clothes-shopping destination.  They have a combination of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces and vintage-inspired new stuff. Their dresses range from cute and kicky daytime to sultry evening, with the vast majority of them in the $34-$80 price range. There are also some splurges on the site. Their outerwear section is also not to be missed, with coats in shapes and patterns you’ve been craving and searching for for seasons on end. Their Be the Buyer section is also awesome. Free ground shipping over $50!

Lulu’s has all of your hot going out clothes, your edgy pieces, and the trend of the moment. They stock hundreds of dresses, ranging from gorgeous to sexy all between $30 and $70 and then of course the obligatory reason to visit them is that they have the best selection of sequined shorts anywhere. (also $30-$70) And free shipping over $75!

This is simple. Do you love Anthropologie, but wish it were way cheaper? Here it is! That’s the aesthetic. That’s the inspiration. That’s where you need to shop. So much lace and big scarves and jewelry that looks like an heirloom. Countless dresses under $80, plus a truly inspiring collection of affordable blouses and purses. Go! Go now!

Of course if you’re on the market for shoes rather than clothes, Barefoot Tess is the place to go!

December 2nd, 2011 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Christmas and Hanukkah are coming and we all know what that means– tons of people are getting iPads! I personally don’t feel like I need one because I have an iPhone and what is as iPad really, just a bigger iPhone that doesn’t make calls, right? I don’t really know. This isn’t a tech blog. However, I’ve been noticing recently that there are thousands of really chic iPad cases out there. Almost every designer makes them.  With a brand new accessory available that you can only carry if you’ve got an iPad, I have to admit, I’m now kind of into the idea of getting an iPad.

Check out some of the best iPad cases I’ve found and shoes from Barefoot Tess to match!

November 11th, 2011 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Motorcycle Boots: they’re the epitome of bad ass.  They’re a little scary though.  A lot of people see them and think, “I hope the girl wearing those doesn’t break a bottle over my head” or “What am I going to wear with those? I don’t actually want to look like I’m about to jump on the back of a Harley.”  Here’s the thing though, you don’t have to pair them with other bad ass pieces.  In fact, it’s best not to. Their strength, their beauty, their allure is all about contrast.  Pair them with preppy or fancy or trendy and you’ve got yourself a bad ass-chic look.  No one’s going to mess with you because your boots are scary.  Everyone’s going to respect you because your outfit is a knockout. Plus you’ll look like you live dangerously and not gonna lie, that’s sexy.

Check out these bad ass-chic looks. You can find these boots and more in a wider price range at Barefoot Tess.

November 7th, 2011 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Pan Am has gotten us way into their style this season.  Of course we were already turned onto the fact that the 60′s were an amazing time for fashion thanks to Mad Men, but no thanks to Mad Men, we were in serious need of a 60′s fashion-fix this fall.  So, Pan Am to the rescue.  Instead of drop-dead office-wear like Joan’s, we’re into flight attendant inspired looks and the jetsetter-chic aesthetic.  In other words, we’re trading in Joan’s pen necklace for a pair of wings. ONLY UNTIL MAD MEN COMES BACK!

I don’t want to romanticize the era too hard– those women had a weight requirement– not cool, sexist, bad. But the clothes were pretty and the hair was perfect…because they got it done once a week. Additionally, everyone dressed like a million bucks when they traveled. Why did this custom go away?! We can get their looks by wearing modern clothes inspired by the time.  Check them out.  All of the shoes are from Barefoot Tess!

September 15th, 2011 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

Kate Middleton is cool and does a good job at being super thin, but you who we really like? Pippa.  Pippa is the first ever royal to bop around town in regular clothes from regular stores.  They call it High Street fashion in England. Here we call it “stuff you can get at the mall.”  She’s adorable and she’s doing for English stores what Michelle Obama did for J.Crew. Additionally, she’s carving out a nice little place in pop-culture history for herself as a fashion icon.  Nobody doesn’t want to be a fashion icon.

Pippa’s look is easy to accomplish.  Her pieces are a snap to find– and we’re going to help you out on the shoes.

Jessica Bennet ‘Resa’ ($159)

Nine West ‘Selene’ ($79)

Barefoot Tess ‘Nash’ ($109)

Tess by Barefoot Tess ‘Bordeaux’ ($109)

Barefoot Tess ‘Bradford’ ($99)

Corso Como ‘Eartha’ ($159)

Dolce Vita ‘Dahlia’ ($109)

May 9th, 2011 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

First you see them on the runway, then you see a few fashionistas wearing them their own way on the street, then all of a sudden they’re all over the mall and in every boutique. Trends. These are the good ones this season.

MILITARY OUTERWEAR-Their neutral colors match everything. They complement your casual clothes and make a great contrast to your dressier items, especially sparkles and busy prints.

Ryden Military Jacket: J.Crew; Daytracker Vest: Madewell

HIGH-WASTED BELL BOTTOMS- The beauty of this trend is that it really flatters the tall girls.  Shorted girls tend to look a little stout in this style. With some killer platforms though, anyone can rock the look. Hint: Don’t want to buy them? Check your mom’s closet.

1. 7 For All Mankind bell-bottoms ($198; piperlime.com)
2. Blank Denim bell bottoms ($75; singer22.com)
3. Gap wide-leg trouser jeans ($80; Gap)
4. J Brand 1277 “Bette in Wonderama” jeans ($218; J Brand)
5. Current/Elliott high rise flare jeans ($210; net-a-porter.com)

PLATFORMS-They give you some height and flatter your leg, but they’re way more comfortable than heels, and luckily, they’re way more of-the-moment too!

Both available at Barefoot Tess.

SILK BUTTON DOWNS- One of those articles of clothing that make you look instantly put together. They’re fab when paired with platforms and high-wasted bell botttoms.

Equipment Signature Blouse: Revolve Clothing; Silk Bromley Blouse: Madewell

TOP-SIDERS- They’re everywhere, along with tons of other prepster accessories. Both collegiate-chic and laid-back-beachy looks work with these shoes.

Top-siders available at Barefoot Tess.