Molly Bloom knows style

New York Magazine ran a story called “Ugly Shoes: A Brief History” and I’m guilty on four counts.

Crocs, check (although I think at this point they’re only appropriate for outdoorsy water activities)
Doc Martens, check, worn throughout college
Birkentstocks, check, now retired
Dansko clogs, wearing them as I type this (pictured above)

Interesting that the shoes on the NY Mag’s list are all comfort models. Maybe that’s why the these styles caught on with the public. I cannot handle sore feet — it makes me angry and want to go home. I like wearing supportive, comfortable shoes. Somewhere there is a photo of me headed to junior prom wearing flats.

It’s time to buy boots. Maybe you heard that already. Perhaps you were already thinking about getting something nice to replace that beat-down pair you’re still wearing. Maybe you didn’t know where to look. Here are some ideas.

I would lick these boots, provided they hadn’t been worn: Perforated leather Prada boots are hot. If you work in tech and aren’t in debt or facing a lien you can probably afford them.

My favorite men’s boots aren’t all that tall — today’s boots have more of an above-the ankle style. One exception is the O-ring motorcycle boot, a classic I love in brown (pictured above) or black. In my experience these take some breaking in but last for years. Camper boots are a happening riff on that style.

Better boots have cooler details. Like these boots, which you could try on at Gimme Shoes Hayes or Fillmore locations.

Rules for boots: They may need to be broken in but they have to fit — boots don’t have the laces that help other footwear work. Insoles are sometimes helpful but you have to account for that when purchasing.

And your socks? It might be time to buy replacements. Smart Wool is now making high-performance everyday (read: awesome shoe appropriate) socks for their Dress and Metro lines. These socks are super-comfy, look good and keep feet/shoes from stinking, plus they don’t fade. Everyone wins.

I’ve written previously about my favorite indie SF shoe stores. I also love me a Union Square department store — Saks, Neiman’s and the new Barney’s all have worthwhile shoe shopping (even if it’s just window shopping).

Saurday evening I attended the lovely wedding of two friends. I wore my four-inch peep-toe pump (by Christian Loubutin as pictured above) all night. In these shoes I am 5 ft. 7 and that is why I love them. I had spares in the car — shoes of a more comfortable nature. My feet got a little sore but nothing a cocktail didn’t erase. I have worn shoes that hurt my feet from the moment they’re on until I wake up the next morning with throbbing appendages.

My feet feel fine but my legs? My legs are sore. My calves are tight. I feel like I had an especially rigorous workout with weights.

My favorite all-time sneakers are Tretorn Nylites. I have owned at least a dozen pairs since the sixth grade when a visiting family friend showed off hers. She lived in a different world as an East Coast preppy with the perfect no-flyaways bob. I was living in Indiana with my long frizzy hair plated into two braids. I felt unsophisticated in my matching shorts set that featured an all-goose rock band (although there are probably some Vice magazine hipsters who would kill for my ensemble these days). I had to have the shoes. There was something about them. Call it an early style awakening.

Tretorns were the first luxury sports shoe. Professional tennis players wore them in the 1960s and ’70s, hence their prep school appeal. They are cushy and feel great on my feet. Tretorns went off the market about a decade or so ago. The ’90s weren’t kind to white shoes or preppy looks. About six years ago I was buying a lot of vintage preppy stuff. I decided to bring back Tretorns. I went on the hunt and finally tracked down a pair in New Jersey. I wore them out dancing one afternoon at 111 Minna and every East Coaster of a certain age talked to me about them.

Now that everything old is new again the shoes are back in production. Tretorns also work for guys who are looking for that classic deep preppy summer look. They don’t work with dark denim or tight pants and they look best bare-legged, sans socks. They are stunning with the right casual skirt or even preppy shorts. I have a pair of ancient khakis that are rugged and snipped off at the bottom for clam digger length that are perfect for Tretorns. Just about anything from Lilly Pulitzer looks great with Nylites. I call the look Haute Preppy. Here’s to spring!

I love love love this color blue. The shape of the shoe is modest yet has a spicy almost d’orsay low cut on the inside arch. If I were getting married this spring I’d wear these shoes. Something blue, indeed.

mule - Backless, closed-toe slippers or shoes. More casual forms are called slides. This style has been in fashion for a while now and its longevity is due to upscale boutique denim (which is easily dressed up with a pointed-toe mule). But as bootcut and slightly flared pants head into the sunset, will they ride out on a mule? Wear ‘em if you got ‘em but now may not be the time to invest.

Fun fact: I own a pair of mules identical to the ones pictured above. I wore them to a fancy party and my uncle commented that I could “squash a bug in a corner.” They’re practical and stylish.

Check out my awesome Frye boots. I gave up trying to take a good photo of myself modeling them. I usually wear them with jeans which doesn’t make for a very boot-y picture. I tried holding up my pant legs or just wearing the boots but ended up looking like a crazy prospector. There’s gold in them thar hills! Check out my boots! Jimmy crack corn!

The Frye boots were a hobby for a while. It takes a long time to get into boots that are not broken in and have no zipper. I started wearing thin socks, pointing my toes like a fancy ballerina and tugging the boot up. Now that the boots are broken in, I notice they slump over in my closet. I don’t want them creasing at the ankles. There are boot shapers that will help with this problem, the plastic kind that are used in store displays or sold at expensive closet store type joints. I prefer to fold a magazine in half lengwise and stick that in the boot leg. Ta-da! Didn’t cost a cent.

These are my cute new shoes. They have rubber soles and a round toe bed so I should be able to walk to school in them. I like that they have some heel height but still have the rugged no-slip soles (in addition to being short I can be a spaz). Also there is a button, a big decorative button with no purpose other than cuteness, on each one. Cleaning out my closet last night I realized I had thrown out or otherwise worn out most of my everyday shoes. I was down to two pairs. An orthopedist once told me that I should have a pair of everyday shoes for every day of the week so I can rotate them around and give my shoes (and feet) a break. Everyday shoes are sturdy enough that I can walk to school or work and wear them all day without complaining.

Hooray for shoes.

The Rakku Shoe Rack is something out of a dream. My dream. Maybe it’s the ferris-wheel shape but I am coveting this thing. I own a lot of shoes — not as many as some women, and I haven’t counted the collection recently, but it’s sizable — and sometimes I forget about some of them. I know, I know: down-size or organize. Someone once told me to put a Polaroid on the outside of each shoe box or store shoes in see-through bins. This shoe rack seems like a better option. Only $65!

Wellies- A style of pull-on boots. They are usually made of rubber and are worn in rainy or muddy weather. Wellington is the common British term for “rainboots.” Mine have polka dots.