Tote it Along

Who doesn't need a good tote? They're economical, practical and if you're lucky, even fashionable (especially these days). For those of us who need to take our lives with us wherever we go, they're a dream come true. With more and more designers and brands making them, they're also the talk of the town (see the queen of accessories talk about them at Brown.Seven.Twelve's ). So I thought I'd join the grapevine and share some of the best-selling totes from Shoebuy: Baggallini EXT114M Expandable Tote: This stylish, lightweight tote is reinforced with durable-stitching throughout, and is so sturdy, it will easily carry eight bottles of wine! The large main compartment has two inside zippered pockets, a cell phone pocket and a key fob. It expands four inches taller when zipped closed. The outer pockets allow easy access to a water bottle or magazines and the zippered pocket securely holds smaller items. Made of lightweight, water resistant fabric. Anuschka Small Tote: This small hand-painted tote has a broad guitar handle and is perfect for your reading and your checkbook. Top zip entry and an open pocket in front, zippered pocket in back. Inside find and inner zip & multifunction pocket. Clava 986 Super Tote: Main compartment unzips to removable laptop sleeve. Fully lined with interior zipper pocket. Side pockets on either side. Front zipper gusseted pocket opens to interior organizers. Additional zipper pocket and padded double shoulder strap with 11.5" drop. Perlina 10079: Beautiful, soft full grain leather satchel. Top zip around entry, comfortable leather handles and removable shoulder strap. Inner organizer with multiple card slots, cell phone compartment. Interior and exterior zip pocket, logo interior lining and bottom "feet" to protect leather.

Simplicity is Essense

No matter what season it is, no matter how hot a trend is, one thing is for sure: extravagence never lasts. Embellishments come and go. One year everything is smothered with beads, the next year its sequins, the next fur and so on. Keeping in mind that your shoes are essentially an extension of your personality, my advice to most readers is that when you're getting ready to buy a new pair of much needed shoes, whether it's new snow boots or new strappy sandals, ask yourself if you can see yourself wearing them a year from now. Try even 6 months from now. If you're answer is "it depends on what's in for that season," you may want to reconsider dropping hundreds of dollars on that item. I'm not saying don't embrace trends; as a budding fashionista myself I follow trends like a hawk, but I take them in stride, knowing that they're not going to last forever and therefore will buy those cute embroidered flats with the little sequins, but maybe a cheaper variety that I can wear a couple of times and won't feel guilty abandoning at the end of the season. If you're like me and like building a shoe wardrobe around a few staple items, this post is for you. If you're not, and you like splurging on every fad that comes your way, well then, don't bother reading this post. Quietly close the window and continue splurging away. God speed and happy shopping to you. Now for those who decided to stick around, here are some of my favorite staple items. You'll notice almost, if not all, are black; somehow I find black shoes more versatile than any other colored shoes. You'll also notice that I have a thing for clean, smooth lines with very few embellishments. So keeping that in mind, here are some of my picks, starting from the basic winter wear going all the way down to sexy evening wear: The Elecktra by Santana (a Canada-based company) is a simple flat winter boot that really caught my eye. I love the fact that it's fur-lined, which is nice in the colder months, and the flat rubber sole keeps me on my feet and off my behind when I'm walking on slick, icy sidewalks (coming from someone who was born without a sense of balance, this is saying something). The black suede gives is a sophisticated touch and it's something you can wear with jeans or even wool dress pants for work. The Steve Madden Dangger is definately one of those "timeless" boots that pretty much works with everything. The simple black leather, the ever popular pointed toe and the 3 1/4 stacked heel all make this side-zippered boot a piece of footwear that can last for years. Whether you want to pair it with this season's gauchos, next season's wool trousers, or next year's linen pants, a simple black boot like this one will give you much more bang for your buck. I am a big fan of Franco Sarto, as their shoes are always professional, sophisticated and incredibly comfortable. The Nolan, a classic high-heeled loafer in black kid, definately hits the mark. From its padded foobed, to its stacked heel and rubber sole (a must for slick city sidewalks), the Nolan is a must for any working woman's wardrobe. It's one of those shoes that can look great with a suit, dress pants or even a skirt. Another perennial favorite of working women everywhere is Etienne Aigner. The CEO, a round toe pump in black kid, is a beautiful piece of footwear that takes the classic pump and gives it a feminine touch. Even though I'm generally not a big fan of bows used as embellishments, I like how the little satin bow on the front really dresses up the shoe. If it were up to me, CEO's everywhere would have pair of these in their closets. After all, if you have to run a company, you might as well look good doing it! Moving on to a dressier shoe, the Paris by Coloriffics is another one I love. Named after a city known for both its high fashion and its romance, this elegant two-piece pump features a combination of Boca Crepe and Satin on the vamp and a discrete cutout detail at the center. I like how the criss-cross design gives it a draping effect, which is very hard to achieve in footwear. Constructed with pillow soft full foam insoles for enhanced comfort and an exceptional fit, this smooth dress flat finished with a conservative tapered 2 1/2" heel that last you to the end of your evening. The Naomi by J. Renee (a brand synonymous with pure elegance) is another classic pump that gets an update in the form of velvet and satin. Perfect to wear with the ubiquitous little black dress, this evening pump also features a little gemstone adnorned satin bow that gives it a touch of sparkle without going overboard. Nothing says "night on the town" better than the perfect black strappy sandal. My personal preference for an after-dark rendezvous, the Snicker by Caparros takes the strappy sandal to a whole new level. It's glamorous, sophisticated and absolutely sexy! I adore the ankle strap on this soft-silk sandal, as well as the subtle black beading that adds the needed shimmer for an evening shoe. Plus, the padded footbed and the not-too-painful 3" heel mean that you can actually feel your feet at the end of the night.

New Online Store for Women's Shoes & Boots

Shoebuy.com is announcing the re-launch of its magnificent

Women’s Shoes Online Store!! The store features over 8,800 styles of women’s boots, shoes, sandals and athletic footwear. The store is designed to make it easy to find exactly the right women’s footwear.

Customers can browse through the store a variety of ways including:

*Size – from a woman’s size 2 to a woman’s size 17(yes, we're serious) *Width - from extra narrow to extra wide *Price – from less than $30 to over $375 *Style name *Popularity *Brand

There is also an Advanced Search feature that allows you to find exactly what you're looking for, whether it's a green sandal in a size 6.5, a pewter slingback in an 8 or a black boot with a 2 inch heel in an 11. Having the options of searching by color, heel height, style, category, width or price lets you narrow down the database to show you the shoes you want to see.

“Shoebuy makes it easy to find the exact style and size of shoe you’re looking for” said Anne Crays, VP of Merchandising at Shoebuy.com. “Footwear is an essential piece of any woman’s wardrobe and by providing a great selection with free shipping; it’s very convenient to buy online.”

Whether you need winter boots, cowboy boots, heels, pumps, sneakers or sandals, the Women's Shoes Store has it all! The updated store includes: - Dress shoes for the office or evenings out, from brands such as Bolo, Bronx, Franco Sarto, J. Renee and Via Spiga - Casual shoes for weekends or when you want to relax, from brands such as Aerosoles, Dr Martens, Minnetonka, Naturalizer and Skechers - Athletic shoes for all sports, exercise and outdoor activities from brands such as adidas, K-Swiss, Merrell, New Balance and Reebok. Why else is Shoebuy.com such a great place to buy women’s shoes? · Free Shipping · Free Returns · No Sales Tax · 110% Price Guarantee · Live Customer Service

'Watch' Out - New EOS Timepieces at Shoebuy

Shoes? Check? Handbags? Check. Luggage? Check. Apparel? Check. Belts and wallets? Check. Organizers? Check. Outdoor gear? Check. Baby gear? Check. Footcare? Check. Funky watches? Definately check! Just when you think Shoebuy has everything you could possibly need, we take a step in a different direction by introducing a new line of watches by EOS. These trendy watches for men and women feature such unique details as Chinese silk-wrapped leather straps, art-deco dials, edgy hardware and Swarovski crystals.

EOS is a modern fashion brand focused on watches. Not many watch companies can come close to the cutting edge designs and styles EOS incorporates in their timepieces. Taking trends and turning them into fashionable, self-expressing watches, EOS uses a wide array of colors, materials, and styles not commonly seen in watch design today. All styles come in a variety of band and watch face colors, allowing men and women to choose the EOS watch that perfectly fits their fashion sense. EOS watches uses Citizen® movements, and the designs that incorporate crystals contain genuine Swarovski® crystals. With styles like the ones pictured here, when you wear an EOS watch, people sit up and take notice. An established New York brand, EOS was founded in 2002 with the goal of creating affordable fashion-forward watches. Selecting the name EOS after the Greek goddess EOS, the goddess of Dawn, EOS set forth to lead a new era in watch design. Since then EOS has become well known for its unique designs and fashion-conscious styles, and has already become a favorite brand among the young celebrity elite like Paris Hilton, Mekhi Phifer, Taye Diggs, Nicole Ritchie and Lindsey Lohan. EOS continues to lead the fashion world in design, craftsmanship, and affordability. EOS watches, available now at Shoebuy.com, are quickly becoming the dominant brand in fashion-forward style and design.