High Gladiator Sandal - Ed Hardy Patent Maximus

Coming out of the fashion "woodwork" this year are quite a number of bold and gorgeous high gladiator sandals - a good example of this is the Ed Hardy Patent Maximus (shown in photo left).

Over the past year, Ed Hardy has become almost a household name and it's product line has expanded a great deal to include all kinds of fashion accessories and clothing. For the spring and summer there are truly some gorgeous shoes to choose from - again, including the Patent Maximus.

This sandal is not quite a knee high gladiator sandal - it has a 10" shaft height so depending on the height of the person wearing it, it will rise to about mid calf to about an inch or two below the knee.

The thin double strapping up the leg allows the sizing to be fully adjustable and a back zipper to make them easy on and off once they're correctly sized.

Like other Ed Hardy clothing and accessories, there is no lack of bold decoration with the Patent Maximus - it features the classic Ed Hardy tiger on the vamp of the shoe with a brilliant tattoo-inspired design on the footbed.

Fun stuff - and one of the more popular women's gladiator shoes for this year.

Best Shopping: I have found the Ed Hardy Patent Maximus High Gladiator Sandals at a couple of places - I recommend you check them both out to find the color and size you want:

• Ed Hardy Patent Maximus @ Zappos
• Ed Hardy Patent Maximus @ Shoes.com

All for today -

The Fashion Fiend

Edelman Gladiator Sandal Collection - "Ginnie" and "Ginger"

Based on what I've found in my fashion "investigations" these days, the two most popular shoes from the Sam Edelman Gladiator Sandal collection include the "Ginnie" and the "Ginger". Sometimes I wonder about fashion trends and why they occur in the first place, but when I see these two particular shoes from the Edelman Gladiator Sandal collection there is no question in my mind.

First - the "Ginnie" (shown left). This seems to be the very most in demand, and it also has the best style (at least in my book) of any of the flat sandals due to a rather understated and very elegant look. The thick strap around the ankle is what sets the look off - the shoe's simplicity only adds to it's beauty.

Next - the "Ginger" (shown right). This is a sandal that is also in high demand, and is actually a bit hard to find (online at least). Which brings me to my next subject...

Best Shopping: Whether you're shopping for the Ginnie or the Ginger Edelman Gladiator sandal, here are the best places online to check - where you can find these sandals in stock...

For the Ginnie:

• Edelman Ginnie @ Zappos
• Sam Edelman Ginnie on eBay

For the Ginger:

• Sam Edelman Ginger @ Shoes.com
• Edelman Ginger on eBay

Note: With eBay you might get the best price on either of these shoes, but Zappos and Shoes.com both offer fast and free shipping and returns - as well as having excellent service. Up to you! =)

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Edelman Gladiator Sandal Collection

Madden Gladiator Sandal - "Warrier"

Madden Gladiator Sandal - Warrier! This is one of the lovely sandals available from the Steven by Steve Madden collection - it might just be the most beautiful sandal in the entire Steve Madden lineup.

This Madden Gladiator sandal is available in bronze (shown left), black and red - it has a basic thong design with a strappy look about the foot - and gorgeous embellishments resembling ancient coins up the vamp, topped with a buckle.

Hmmmm. Sometimes it's just too hard to pick a favorite from the gladiators available this year, but this one is most definitely toward the top of the list!

Recommended Shopping: This seems to be one of the newer designs from the Steve Madden collection, so a number of places that would normally be selling it aren't (as of this writing) - there are a couple of places that I recommend for a purchase though:

• Madden Warrier @ Endless.com
• Warrier Madden Gladiator Sandal @ Shoes.com

Both of these resources offer competitive pricing for this shoe as well as fast free shipping and free returns if needed.

(Sigh.) I love my job. =)

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Gladiator Heel Shoes - The Chinese Laundry "Bounty"

There is a brand and style of Gladiator Heel shoes that deserve a bit of special attention this season - the Chinese Laundry "Bounty". This shoe was briefly mentioned in a previous Fashion Fiend post, "High Heel Women's Gladiator Shoes" and is turning out to be one of the hot tickets this year in women's gladiator shoes.

The "Bounty" from Chinese laundry has a 4 1/2" heel (with a 1" wedge, making it feel like about 3 1/2"). The combination of weave and braiding design on the shoe adds some serious, serious style - more and more women are now seeking this specific shoe for their wardrobe.

The Bounty is shown here in a "Camel" shade of brown - it's also available in a dark (gorgeous, rich) brown and black. It's known to be true to size (including width) it has great arch support for feet - oh yes, and that oh-so-helpful back zipper. =)

Price and Shopping Information: The Chinese Laundry Bounty Gladiator Heel shoes are around $130 retail price. And - yes, there are places online where you can purchase the shoe for less than that - sometimes quite a bit less! Here's my recommendations on where to check it out:

• Chinese Laundry Bounty @ Zappos
• Bounty from Chinese Laundry @ Endless.com

This gladiator heel shoe sort of "came out of the woodwork" in terms of it's popularity - I expect we'll start to see more and more of the Chinese Laundry collection for women - they make some seriously stylin' shoes. =)

All for today -

The Fashion Fiend

Women's Gladiator Shoes - The Dior Extreme

Oooooh my - here is the most coveted of all women's gladiator shoes - the Dior Extreme. As is easily seen from the photo, it is truly, absolutely and very positively one of the most gorgeous fashion footwear items to grace women's feet.

Dior Extreme women's gladiator shoes have been around for a bit of time, but they became "out the roof" popular when worn in more than one scene in the SATC movie, by Sarah Jessica Parker (as "Carrie"). Since that time, they have been one of the more difficult shoes to find when shopping, which brought a rather fun "Fashion Fiend challenge" my way.

And I found them. =)

Not only did I find them, I also found out that if a someone were to be willing to keep their "finger on the pulse" of some eBay auctions, they could very likely find them for quite a bit less than retail. (Retail price is around $800 - more with some other types of material.)

Here are the Dior Extreme women's gladiator shoes - in all of their glory:



If you're shopping for the Dior Extreme Women's Gladiator Shoes, eBay seems to be the place to find them.

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Couture Gladiator Sandals

Keen Mary Jane Shoes - Selection, Best Shopping for 2009

Keen Mary Jane shoes! I've been looking forward to writing about these - they're actually a real Fashion Fiend favorite for women from the Keen collection.

The best term I know of to describe the selection of Keen Mary Janes is "darling". Mary Jane shoes are very much in style these days - and the Keen version and variety is great!

Here are some of the most popular Keen Mary Jane shoes as of spring 2009:

1. Calistoga Mary Jane (shown left) - This is currently the most popular of the lineup - it has a fun and feminine look - it's very "in" right now, and is probably the perfect footwear for a casual day. It's available in some great colors (shown here is "Orion Blue").

2. Sienna Keen Mary Jane (shown right) - Here is a simpler but just as stylish look - simple and sleek. Single, stretch strap with a wider design. The Sienna Mary Jane is also available in a number of lovely colors - shown here is "Rust".

3. Madrid Mary Jane (shown left) - Now here is a new and unique look for any brand of Mary Jane shoes! The Madrid has a fun "swirly" design and a distinct cultured look. It's quite stylish while being extremely comfortable. Available in a few rich and earthy colors.

There are more Keen Mary Jane shoes to choose from - I have a more complete list of the hottest sellers, along with recommendations on where to purchase each style:

• Keen Mary Jane Shoes on Squidoo
  

Recommended Shopping: The best merchants I've found online for selection and pricing:

• Mary Jane from Keen @ Zappos
• Women's Keen Mary Janes @ Shoebuy.com

These two resources both have a good selection, lower and competitive pricing, along with free fast shipping and free returns service if/as needed.

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Keen Women's Venice
Keen Kids' Sandals - Newport
Women's Keen Calistoga
Women's Keen Sandals
Women's Keen Shoes

Keen Women's Venice Sandals - Best Shopping

The Keen Women's Venice sandal delivers what could be considered to be the "best of all worlds" in a spring and summer sandal. They have a great fit (adjustable), terrific comfort as well as superior foot protection.

This year there are some great colors to choose from in the lineup - something that really stood out to me while I was looking over the selection - more than ten different colors just for the H2 - some vibrant, some darker and more subtle. Sweet. =)

The Keen Women's Venice H2 (shown left) features a polyester upper that dries quickly (making them a great choice for "wet to dry" activities) while the Venice has a leather, water resistant upper that washes easily.

Either of these shoes are easy to care for, easy to wear and if you're at all active in the warmer months of the year you will very likely love what Women's Keen Venice Sandals have to offer.

Recommended Shopping: There are two merchant resources that I strongly recommend to buy Keen Women's Venice (either the Venice or the H2) - Zappos.com and Shoes.com. These two merchants have competitively low pricing and offer fast free shipping and free returns if/as needed.

Another way to go is eBay - I was actually very surprised to see the quantity of auctions for the Keen Women's Venice on eBay - there are quite a number to choose from - just know that you will likely pay shipping costs (unless the listing states otherwise) and make sure to check out the seller's rating before bidding.

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Keen Mary Jane
Keen Kids' Sandals - Newport
Women's Keen Calistoga
Women's Keen Sandals
Women's Keen Shoes

Keen Kids Sandals - Newport for Kids

If you're shopping for Keen Kids Sandals, here are some suggestions on two of the top styles to pick from, along with recommended shopping for each style...

The first style to mention (and based on what I've found these are the most popular for kids) is the Newport H2 (shown left). These shoes are created almost completely with the idea of outdoor play and lots of activity. They are also made with "wet" play in mind - they dry quickly which is a feature that (especially) parents love. These can be found for a good price with free shipping from Zappos.com.

Another style for kids is the Newport Hook and Loop (shown right). This is a "hook and loop" version of the Newport with a leather upper - and yes, they resist water. They're comfortable for little ones and the fit is great. These are also available from Zappos.com, and are actually a little tough to find online from other resources.

One more suggestion - You can often find a great deal from eBay - Find Keen Kids Newport Sandals on eBay.com.

No matter where you buy them, I highly recommend Kids Keen Sandals - they have all of the features in their kids footwear that are important - great protection, easy on and off as well as long term comfort.

All for today -

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Keen Mary Jane
Keen Women's Venice
Women's Keen Calistoga
Women's Keen Sandals
Women's Keen Shoes

Women's Keen Calistoga

There are two great styles included in the Women's Keen Calistoga collection - the Fashion Fiend favorite of these two is the Calistoga Mary Jane (shown left). I just love the look of these - simple, feminine but these are some of the most versatile and comfy shoes around. =)

Best of all worlds, eh?

The Mary Jane has a rounded upper with a feminine floral detailing. They're also available in warm rich colors (the pair shown left is "Sand").

The Calistoga Sandal (shown right) is also quite comfy but with a completely different look. It is a slip on shoe, I suppose technically it would be called a "clog". It is available in a different set of colors (shown here is "Bayou" - a lovely dark shade of aqua blue). My personal favorite shade in this lineup is "Port Royale" which is a dark red or wine color.

Alright - so for the topic of shopping - where to buy? Unfortunately one of my favorite shopping resources doesn't carry Keen women's footwear, but there are two merchants who do - between the two of them, you should be able to find exactly the pair you want for a competitively low price (both of these merchants also offer free shipping and free returns):

• Women's Keen Calistoga @ Shoes.com
• Women's Keen Calistoga @ Zappos

Another shopping tip: There are usually quite a number of auctions on eBay for the Women's Keen Calistoga sandal - you can find all of them from right here:

• Women's Keen Calistoga on eBay.com

These three resources are what I consider to be the very best for this particular shoe - you should be able to find exactly what you want - and for a great price. =)

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Keen Mary Jane
Keen Women's Venice
Keen Kids' Sandals - Newport
Women's Keen Sandals
Women's Keen Shoes

Women's Keen Sandals Spring and Summer 2009

Spring and Summer this year bring some lovely styles of shoes to us ladies with the Women's Keen Sandals collection. These are great for women who like a little bit of "earthy" mixed in with their casual warm weather wardrobe, and are also a perfect choice for ladies who live for comfort!

A great example of Women's Keen Sandals this year is the Bali - shown left. They have an extremely comfortable EVA sole and provide protection for the front of the foot as well. There is a nice selection of colors in this style.

Another fun style is the Waimea H2 (shown right). These are great for ladies who like a fun flip flop (like me), but still manage to provide some protection for the foot, which is a great feature! These are my own personal favorites from the sandals collection from Keen, and are also available in some fun (and striking) colors.

As a note - many of the Women's Keen Shoes could be called "sandals" and often are. But the above styles (among a couple of others) more strictly fall into the definition of "sandal" and are some lovely choices - for more information on shoes, you can visit my last Fashion Fiend post here:

• Women's Keen Shoes - post on Fashion Fiend

Recommended Shopping: There are actually three places I recommend to look - depending on what you want, how you like to do your shopping and the price you want to pay...

• Women's Keen Sandals @ Zappos (get free shipping and returns)
• Women's Keen Sandals @ Shoes.com (also free shipping and returns)

These two places above have comparable prices, you might find a different selection from each of them, and both provide great service (including free returns if needed).

One more place to check: Women's Keen Sandals on eBay - You know when I checked the prices there, I found some of the sandals to be about 1/2 the price! Remember though that you will likely have to pay shipping costs, and also remember to check the seller's rating before you start bidding.

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Keen Mary Jane
Keen Women's Venice
Keen Kids' Sandals - Newport
Women's Keen Calistoga
Women's Keen Shoes

Women's Keen Shoes

When it comes to casual fashion in footwear, you would be hard pressed to find something that could beat Women's Keen Shoes. I have to admit that until I really looked into this subject, I was completely ignorant to the fact that there are quite a number of different styles to choose from in the Keen line - and for women this is a good thing!

There are styles that are more along the lines of sporty (such as the Venice H2 Women's Keen Shoes - shown left), while other styles have a more feminine look - such as the Women's Keen Calistoga collection that includes a great "Mary Jane" design (which beats any other Mary Jane footwear I've seen - for looks, comfort and functionality).

Many of the styles are especially made for easy water-to-land conversion, all of the styles are built to provide excellent foot protection and a very nice, comfortable fit.

For the next few days I will be covering the subject of Women's Keen Shoes - what are the various styles available, what shoes among the collection are the most popular - and of course, where to buy them online for great deals. =)

For now I will say this - here is the best overall selection (along with competitive low prices and free shipping):

• Women's Keen Shoes @ Zappos
• Keen for Women @ Shoes.com
  

FYI: It's a good idea to check both places. It's interesting that in one store they might cost less than the other and it's always nice to save a few dollars here and there, eh?

All for today -

The Fashion Fiend

Related Posts:

Keen Mary Jane
Keen Women's Venice
Keen Kids' Sandals - Newport
Women's Keen Calistoga
Women's Keen Sandals

Madden Gladiator Sandal Collection - Sicilly | Catelina | Trusst

This spring and summer (2009) the hottest styles from the Steve Madden Gladiator Sandal collection include the Sicilly and Catelina - there is another style I just spotted this morning as well - the "Trusst" that look to me like they might come off the shelves pretty quickly. =) It has a gorgeous high heel, and a truly stylin' gladiator look to kick off the season.

On the subject of shopping - I'm already noticing that some styles of women's gladiator shoes are starting to disappear from offline "shelves" - they're going pretty quickly and I expect that this will continue to happen and they might be a bit tough to find by mid-summer - but I'll do what I can here to help you out.

Below is a little "mini store" composed of available best-sellers in the Steve Madden Gladiator Sandal collection - the best resources I could find for pricing as well as free fast shipping and returns:


I'll be keeping my eye on this for you to make sure you are able to find some great picks and great deals from the Steve Madden Gladiator Sandal Collection.

All for now -

The Fashion Fiend

Additional Resources from Squidoo Shopping:

Madden Gladiator Sandal
High Heel Gladiator Shoes
Women's Gladiator Shoes

Edelman Gladiator Sandal Collection - Hottest Styles, Where to Buy

The Sam Edelman Gladiator Sandal collection is one of the hottest brands in gladiator footwear for women this year, and it truly is something to see!

The look offered with the Sam Edelman Gladiator Sandal collection is unique from other styles - it offers a gorgeous look without "overdo" - in other words the footwear is elegant and even has an "earthy" look about it that is quite appealing.

Three of the styles that are most in demand right now from the Edelman collection include the "Ginnie", "Ginger" and "Gates" - here's some info on each of these styles, including best shopping resources:

Sam Edelman Ginnie (shown right) - This is a simple and elegant style. It features a thong design with only a couple of horizontal straps across the upper. There is no lack of style whatsoever with the Ginnie - it's absolutely lovely. Retail price for the Ginnie is around $95, best shopping for price and selection - Sam Edelman Ginnie @ Endless.com.

Sam Edelman Ginger (shown left) - This is also a rather simple design, but with an added flair with bold studding on the vamp. This is truly one of the most looked for (and shopped for) styles from the Edelman Gladiator Sandal collection this spring and summer season. Retail price for the Ginger is around $100, best shopping - Sam Edelman Ginger @ Shoes.com.

Sam Edelman Gates (shown right) - A gorgeous hurache design with a "strappy" gladiator look to it. This is a good example of what I mention above about the "earthy" look offered from many of the Edelman shoes. Retail price for the Gates is around $110, best shopping - I would check two places: Edelman Gates @ Endless.com (for price), Sam Edelman Gates @ Zappos.com (for additional selection, prices are competitive).

These are but three of the lovely shoes offered among the Sam Edelman Gladiator Sandal Collection this season - there are a number of others to choose from and perhaps even some new one on the way! =) Stay tuned!

All for now -

The Fashion Fiend

Additional Resources - from Squidoo Shopping:

Edelman Gladiator Sandal - the Collection
Women's Gladiator Shoes

High Gladiator Sandals - What's Out There | Where to Shop

Women's Knee High Gladiator Sandals are just about my favorite topic in terms of the recent gladiator footwear trend - I have yet to see a pair that didn't make me say, "Wow!" - at least a little bit. =)

Out of all the women's gladiator shoes available, these make the strongest impression and have the boldest fashion statement. As a result of the demand for these a number of styles of high gladiator sandals have sprung up from various designers - each of the styles are unique in their own way, only having the height and a rather strappy appearance in common.

I've particulary taken note of a few names, which I will mention here...

The first of these is shown above-left - the Juicy Couture "Lavish" (as of 25 June 09 I have not been able to find this style). This is probably the hottest-seller of the high gladiator sandals for women at this point in time. Multiple straps with buckles all the way up with a fun diamond shape pattern in the front. What a look!

The next one to mention is the Ed Hardy Patent Maximus knee-high gladiator sandals (shown right). You know, I thought that I loved the other styles of women's Ed Hardy shoes, but now I actually "know what love is!" =) These are really something else - they are unmistakably Ed Hardy with the Tiger on the vamp of the sandal, the striking and sharp colors.

One more style of high gladiator sandals to bring up here (although I could actually go on practically all day on this subject) - the Type Z Noteworthy (shown left). Type Z has been impressive with their appearance into the fashion world and have become quite the trendy brand as of late. The "Noteworthy" is a good example of the bold, "ahead of the times" trendy look that their line has to offer.

There are some other heights for the "high" gladiator sandals - some of them come up to mid-calf level and some of them reside just above the ankles. Although I won't go so far as to say, "They're all gorgeous", I will say that the majority of them are, and it's more fun browsing through these sandals than practically any other online "window shopping" I've ever done - the styles are pretty amazing and the looks are unique from designer to designer - which makes it pretty hard to make up one's mind when shopping! =)

All three of the designs above are available to purchase online - Information and direct links to "competitive low price, free shipping" shopping are below.


This spring and summer are looking particularly promising for some intensely gorgeous fashions - including high gladiator sandals for women!! (Sigh.)

All for today!

The Fashion Fiend

Additional Resources:

Knee High Gladiator Sandals
Women's Gladiator Shoes & Sandals