Thank you, Steve Madden!
You have bestowed upon womankind the absolute perfect gift—the ability to design our own shoes!
I think that it’s just wonderful that for less than the cost of most designer shoes, I can design my own perfect pair with color options that are as decadent as an assortment of gourmet chocolates.
Gingham, green patent, purple nappa…the options go on and on and on in a delicious whirlwind of color.
I put Style Editor Julie to the test.
I wanted to see what inspired styles she might come up with. Would she pair a black heel with a metallic gold upper? Opt for leopard sling-backs with a cork heel? Or maybe it would be black strappy sandals with an orange sole and heel?
See Julie’s inspired designs…
Show us the Designer in You!
Design to your heart’s content…because can you ever have too many perfect pairs? They are shoes, after all.
Go ahead and try it. Pick a style, customize the colors, then tell us about your inspired shoe designs in the comments.
(No comments yet) · Bookmark this post
Melding two of the hottest color trends for summer
I’ll call this shoe “Tory Burch-esque,” due to it’s super similarities to every resort girl’s favorite designer du jour.
For a twist, I thought it would be fun to meld the mega trend of metallics that have been so fun all summer with a trend we see on fall’s horizons - a love of all things bright blue. Can these two trends coexist in harmony?
I think they’re perfectly suited for one another - a treat for your feet as the dog days of summer transition into the crisp air of fall!
Homage to Christian Louboutin’s famous bright red bottom
Black patent leather is here to stay…at least for another season or two. I love the peep toe; it will look great on tanned legs in early fall and even better paired with textured tights this winter!
I chose red for the heel color a la Christian Louboutin. Hey, not everyone can afford $700 shoes, but it doesn’t mean a girl can’t appreciate luxury - especially when she can create it herself at these prices!
Interiors high style underfoot
The wedge is a summer classic - perfect for a dressy picnic (as anyone who has worn heels on grass can tell you) or kicking off a beach vacation. You get the idea.
For this design I took my color cues straight from a home decorating tip I just read. It referred to the color trend of mixing bright neon colors with muddy 1970’s inspired colors for a funky, unexpected look. I don’t know, they may be fun to wear. Otherwise, I suppose I could mount them above my fireplace and hope that some hip magazine calls to do a photo spread.
So, what inspired designs did you create?
(One comment so far) · Bookmark this post
The nice folks at STIR magazine were kind enough to list Sensational Color as a resource in their article Fun With Color: Color Across Cultures: Reading Red.
This reminded me to mention this valuable resource to you, just in case you aren’t already a subscriber.
If you find something in STIR that you find really inspiring, please share it will all of us by leaving a comment.
STIR: Where color and creativity converge…
(No comments yet) · Bookmark this post
When I think about Double Bubble, I instantly recall a pink chunk of gum and the enjoyment of chewing it until it was just right for blowing big bubbles. Then I’d carefully put my hands around the fragile bubble to protect it from friends who would rather see it explode all over my face than grow to memorable proportions.
Before computers, ipods, and 400 channels on television, seeing who could blow the biggest bubble provided entertainment while hanging outside with the neighborhood gang. Do kids still compete to see who can inflate the largest pink bubble gum bubble?
Even if they don’t, I think “Double Bubble” is a wonderful name for an art exhibit that explores the color pink and its embodiment of the lighthearted side of summer. Don’t you agree?
Corey Drieth
Untitled #3, 2006
Gouache on poplar
9 x 9 inch
(No comments yet) · Bookmark this post
July 4th is a day when Americans celebrate our country by decking out our homes and ourselves in red, white, and blue. But why were these three colors chosen to represent our nations?
In 1776, with America’s hard-won battle for freedom behind them, the people of our country wanted a national flag that would symbolize not only their independence, but their spirit of unity. The Continental Congress responded by passing the first “Flag Act” which established the first official flag for our nation.
It stated: “Resolved that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field.”
The significance of the colors was defined thus: White signifies purity and innocence; Red, hardiness and valor; Blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Our founding fathers recognized the ability of color to communicate meaning, but whether Americans today know the specific significance of the flag colors is not as important as the power of these colors to evoke our patriotic spirit and unify us as a country.
(No comments yet) · Bookmark this post
