Socks with Sandals???

The never ending fashion debate - should you wear socks with sandals? I once had someone ask me which sandals go best with socks and for the life of me, I couldn't come up with a single one. I don't understand why people do it especially when you stop to think what a sandal was designed for - it should protect the bottom of the foot and then be open enough on top so your feet do not get hot.

If your feet are cold, then wear a closed shoe. If you think your feet are just too hot in the closed shoe but too cold in a sandal - they do make make shoes out of canvas, mesh and all sorts of materials that breathe. I just think it looks silly to have that sock on.

I know in the Pacific Northwest, we are known to make this type of fashion statement, but I just don't agree with it. Cast your vote above. We will let the people decide!

12th Street Shoes on Twitter

We now have a twitter page!
Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/12thstreetshoes

New Shoes!

We just received some amazing shoes yesterday. I thought I would try something besides pictures to show you them. Check out the video. The Sofft shoes are to die for - I will have a pair of these. Don't let the heel height scare you. This little shoe has a hidden platform under the ball of the foot - so they don't feel high when you walk in them.

The Born shoe is fabulous. I have a pair on my feet as I am writing this. Oh, so comfortable! New look for Sperry - the little shoe is all grown up! Not your mother's Sperrys.

Kate's Favorite - Sofft Bordeaux

Yoga Toes!

If you are like me - every now and then you get sucked into whatever odd item that is being sold in the back of your magazine. And this is why I now own a pair of Yoga Toes. I also bought a pair for Krista and for Kelli. I am not sure how much these help keep your feet in shape, but I must say it sure feels good to stretch out your toes. At first, you can only wear them for a little while, but soon enough you can wear them for extended periods of time.

They comes in sizes based on your shoe size. They are rubbery little separators for your toes. I really enjoy wearing them - I put them on when I watch TV. My feet feel great after you take them off. I did some google searching on them and most people say they love them but they aren't worth the price tag. I used a coupon code that I got on the back of the magazine and it knocked a few bucks off the price. Curious if anyone else uses them and what they think!

Stilettos on Parade Art Show

Thank you to everyone who entered our art show this year! The entries were all amazing. The voting was Friday night and the People's Choice winner for 2009 is "Mother Nature" by Jody McNamara. The picture doesn't do it justice. The heel was cut off and replaced with little stones. Just beautiful! Below are the rest of the entries.

Judy Kleinberg
"Starlet"

Jamilah Williams

"The Little Mermaid"

Cindi Williamson
"Betty Grable Bling" Shoe
This shoe was decorated entirely with found objects and a glue gun. Cheap Bling.

Jody Finnegan

"Under the Sea"

Jody McNamara
"Music of the Night"

Margarita Connell
"Spring"

Krista Williams
"The Carnival"

A Shoeaholic Must!

I came across a picture of a very fun bathtub when I was reading one of my shoe magazines. This photo is from the website www.sicis.com Very cool site - if you have ever thought of upgrading your bathroom - this would be a place to look. Amazing Italian designs. These bathtubs start at $30,000. Really, this is a must if you love shoes. : ) Personally, I can only afford to dream about it!

Repairing Dansko Soles

If you have ever purchased a pair of Dansko shoes with the light colored soles, then you know exactly what I am talking about. Over time that light color rubs off the heels and you are left with exposed black areas. So what to do??? You don't want to just hide them in your closet because they are probably some of the most comfortable shoes that you own - well, there is an easy way to fix them.

Meltonian makes a spray color that is designed for leather but it actually works pretty well to cover up this Dansko sole problem. This product can be purchased at any shoe repair store (We use Sandy & Vale's on Railroad Ave. downtown) You need to match the color as close as possible - bring the shoe with you, it is much easier to match the color. Sometimes you have mix two colors.

You use it just like a spray paint. Make sure you mask off the leather portions of your shoe before you start. The blue painters tape works great. Spray 2-3 very light coats on the scuffed area. Don't try to cover it with the first pass - it just doesn't look right. After the paint has dried, depending on what your sole looks like, I have put a little bit of black shoe polish over the top to give it that modeled look. Let the polish sit for a minute before rubbing off.

We have lots of the color spray colors in the back room at the store and I would be happy to show you how or just do it for you. I have done quite a few shoes for customers. The shoe repair store can do it too - but it is pretty expensive. If you have some adventure, you can give it a try yourself.