Get Me Those Slippers!
If when you were a little girl you wanted ruby slippers like the ones Dorothy wore in The Wizard of Oz, raise your hand. You may be able to bid on a pair very soon. Seventy years after the original Swarovski-studded ones sent the Wicked Witch into a tizzy, Warner Bros Consumer Products and Crystallized Swarovski Elements are paying homage by inviting boldface names in the shoe industry to create their own renditions.
According to tipsters at WSAToday, The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection will be designed by such notables as (in alphabetical order) A. Testoni, Abaete, Alberta Ferretti, Betsey Johnson (sketch pictured), Botkier, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo (sketch pictured), L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani, Lisa Pliner, Manolo Blahnik, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Roger Vivier, Sergio Rossi, Stuart Weitzman, Tibi and Tuleh. They've been given full creative license and all the Swarovski crystals they need to create a shoe any modern-day Dorothy would be proud to wear. The collection will eventually be auctioned off, and proceeds will go to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection will be officially unveiled on Sept 4 at an in-store gala benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and its annual Kids for Kids Family Carnival in the Saks Fifth Avenue windows and 10022-SHOE and will be displayed there for one week. That event will kick off Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NY, and as of Sept. 5th the collection will also be on display at an installation at the Bryant Park Tents. The Collection will also be shown during Miami Art Week, which coincides with Art Basel Miami Beach from Dec. 4-8. Additional viewings are also planned throughout next year before the Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection is auctioned at a gala event next fall.
Let's go Crazy
You've made it halfway through the week without losing it, so you've earned the right to let your hair down and let it all hang out for a night. Strut your stuff and show off your wild side with a pair of delectable Dolce & Gabbana strappy snakeskin high heeled sandals (available at eLuxury.com). With a 4.5" stacked wooden heel and thin straps in colors galore, they're a sexy way to put your toes on show. These showstoppers are surprisingly versatile, though, so they'll go with everything from your most demure khaki pencil skirt to your hottest wear-if-you-dare mini. 
Know this: you can't don fierce footwear and sip a corny cocktail. Opt instead for something with a little bite. The Purple Hooter- which mixes vodka with De Kuyper raspberry liquor and a little lime juice- will not only get a giggle when you order it, but will also put you in party mode. It doesn't hurt that it kinda matches your shoes too.
Made You Blush
Nothing says pretty like a pair of pink pumps. Remember, though, cute doesn't have to be "kiddie". The 4 inch heel, iridescent metallic finish, thin instep strap and rhinestone button detail give Hale Bob's "Billie" mary jane peep toed pumps (from Shoes.com) the proper mix of sugar and spice. Perfect with your favorite jeans and tank or slinky summer dress, they say "I'm a lady in the streets, but I keep my shoes on in the boudoir." When you saunter up to the bar in these sweet stilettos, though, make sure you smile, bat your lashes and say please as you order the most scrumptious cocktail your mind can muster.
Sipping a sweet "Maiden's Blush" will give your look the cocktail complement it needs and your tongue the polite greeting it deserves. According to the mix-meisters at TopCocktailRecipes.com, this dulcet drink calls for gin (I recommend Bulldog brand), grenadine, Triple Sec and a dash of lemon juice. A word to the wise... gin can sneak up on you, especially when you can't really taste it. Know your limit, because no matter how prim your shoes, there's nothing ladylike about slurred speech and stumbling.
Lovely, Dark and Deep...
Pop quiz: How do you cope with "don't mess with me" days? If you're reading this, my guess is you wear a pair of "don't mess with me" shoes. With gilded "teeth" accenting the shank, platform and 5 and a half inch heel, these DSQUARED2 peep toed pumps say you're a force to be reckoned with. Be aware, though, that with these on your feet, you must have a seeeerious drink in hand...
Patron doesn't play or pull any punches, and the XO Cafe version seems to scream power. This smooth concoction blends fine coffee with "ultra premium" (according to their website) tequila, creating a muy perfecto potable. Please don't take shots with this one. Instead, savor it as you strut around your favorite night spot or eye the sophisticated stranger across the bar .
