Weddings 2011: Trending Wedding Shoes, Jen and Kim for Coloriffics

If you are a shoe fashionista, as I am, then you will have to check out Jen and Kim Shoes for Coloriffics.  Jen and Kim 's collection wants to dazzle with a bit of young Hollywood to their special occasion customers.   

Jen and Kim are two childhood friends with a passion for shoes and have paired with Coloriffics to create alternative wedding shoes.  I'm all about alternative,  regular wedding shoes are too...ugghhh......stiff, ugly and hurt like hell.  If they are comfy, they look like your grandma's shoes.  Finally, an alternative!! 

Jen & Kim use  leather linings and suede insoles for comfort.  Regular wedding shoes do not.  That smacks of comfort to me.   Their shoes also have non slip soles and heel grips so one does not have to worry about falling and having the video shown to the world on YouTube. 

I am in love with these shoes called Luna in rose. Love the two tone on this shoe and the pleating is uber sexy.  They have a 3/4" platform so you can wear a high heel without all the discomfort.  Plus, I get to be 3/4 of an inch taller and I will take it! I can totally see wearing this shoe again and again, not just a one shot shoe.

 Luna in blue.

 Luna in Ivory

I'm also in love with this shoe, Sweetie. OK, Sweetie is the name of the shoe!   I don't know which color I like best, so I'd have to have BOTH of them!  I love the sexy skinny wedge heel and the padded insoles.  I can also see these shoes playing a big part of my shoe wardrobe.

Glamour-ama shoes for the bride! Check out the bling on this silk shantung platform.  This shoe is called PASSION!! 

Allure is the name of this peep toed baby.  This reminds me of the shoes worn in the 1940's by Hollywood temptresses.  I think the sweet and sexy look of the mary jane strap is hot!

Tips For Buying Your Wedding Shoes

Next to the search for the wedding dress, looking for your wedding shoes are one of the hardest things on your to do list. You might have to sacrifice comfort for style. You might have to choose comfort over style. You might have to choose price over comfort. Or you can go on the quest for comfort, style and price as most brides do. Expect to do a lot of shopping and expect a lot of frustration.

Wedding shoes are a once in a lifetime purchase. They are part of your wedding attire and will show when you take off your garter, so you want them to complete your look. Remember to budget in wedding shoes so you don't think of them as an additional afterthought expense.

Why are wedding shoes so hard to find?

Most retail stores don't stock them, they order them because its expensive to stock a lot of shoes that will go out of style or may discolor if they sit on their shelf for long periods of time. Most shoes will not discolor, but if they are cheap shoes with glued on satin, the glue may yellow and give the shoes a yellowish color.

Wedding shoes are special occasion shoes and the demand isn't the same as a flip flop or pair of cute boots.

Wedding shoe buying tips:

Shop early and keep your options open. Shop so that you have your shoes in time for alterations because your hem length on your dress is dependent on the size of your shoe heel. You may need to buy the shoes before you order your wedding dress if you are having your dress ordered with your hem length.

Some brides decide to wear a color to match the accent on their wedding dress. If you decide to do color, make sure you wear color accents in your jewelry to tie it all together.

Don't rule out leather shoes. There is no rule that your wedding shoes have to be fabric. Fabric shoes don't breathe like leather and don't stretch like leather.

Look for a shoe that supports your foot and ankle and that you can stand and dance in for long periods of time.

If you choose a heel, look for a shoe that has padding in the ball of the foot so your feet don't start to burn and hurt.

Strappy shoes can cut into your feet after standing a long time and cause blisters.

Feet will swell as the day goes on. Buy them large enough to accommodate dancing and happy feet. You can put in a comfort gel pad and take it out as your feet swell.

Buy shoes that you can wear all day. Taking off your shoes at the reception looks tacky and will make your dress too long. You risk falling or tripping if your dress is too long, not to mention having your feet stepped on with your dance partner.

There is a huge difference in quality in wedding shoes. Price doesn't always indicate quality. Sometimes you are paying for the designers name. Sometimes you are paying for silk shoes versus satin or polyester fabric. Some of the same shoes that are unaffordable in silk can be ordered in a less expensive fabric so you have the same look at a more affordable price.

If the shoe rubs your foot, pinches or feels like it won't bend, don't buy it.

If the shoe is too big at the heel of the shoe, see if adding a heel pad will make a difference or try a shoe size down. If you walk out of the shoe, don't buy it.

If the shoe is too narrow, don't buy it, you will be miserable. Some wedding shoes come in wide widths, some don't. If you wear a very narrow width, it may be unavailable except in the most expensive custom shoes. Consider buying a leather shoe if your foot is very narrow.

After you buy your shoes, make sure you break them in. Wear them around the house with a pair of socks to make them comfortable. If they have a leather sole, make sure you take them to a shoe shop to have a non skid pad put on the bottom so you don't fall. Bring along some self adhesive moleskin to the reception that can be applied to the part of the shoe that is rubbing so you don't get blisters.

Rose Trifero is an internationally known expert in the field of weddings and bridal fashions. She has been involved in the industry for over 30 years and has written and been quoted in national bridal magazines including Vows, the magazine for bridal professionals. She is also the force behind http://www.Beachbridetobe.com a source of information for destination weddings and http://www.Weddingloco.com, a free wedding planning source.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rose_Trifero

Wedding Trends 2009: Accessories & Veils

So here's part two of Wedding Trends for 2009
direct from the national bridal show in Las Vegas.

Veils: We saw more lace edged veils and
mantilas, as well as embroidered veils in color
with crystals on them. Lots and lots of embellishments
on some veils, meaning real Swarovski crystals
and beads on the edges. We also saw veils in
colors to match the dresses. I'm not sure how
I'd feel about a green veil!

We also saw face veils, cage veils and fascinators
attached to cage veils. A lot of the cage veils
were embellished with feathers or crystals and
flowers. This is a very cool look for the destination
bride or the ultra sophisticated bride. This look
works best with a sleek gown, it doesn't balance
off a ballgown.

Tiaras are still popular, but they are smaller and
more detailed. There are a lot of small headband
type tiaras, and tiaras with natural seed pearls
and Swarovski crystals. The coolest tiara I saw
was by Hera's Gems, it was small starfish on a thin
band for the beach bride. So cute!

Shoes: Ohmygosh, I am in love with Benjamin
Adams shoes. They are just amazing in person.
They are the finest wedding shoes I've ever seen.
They are double padded inside for comfort and here
is the best part: their silk shoes can by dyed. The
shoes are expensive, but worth every penny.
I am a shoe freak, and I have to have a pair of the
platform shoes in my closet. Love them!

There is also a line called Pink out of London that
are cute and very fashion forward. They had some
children's beaded shoes that were just precious
if you are willing to pay around $50 for them.

Foundations: Felina Lingerie has a bustiere type
bra corset that is just adorable. It reminds me
of a swimsuit from the old Hollywood movies on TNT.
It would be cute to wear on the honeymoon, not sure
if the pleating would show through the wedding dresses
or not once its on. I only saw it on a mannequin, but it
was novel, it even had garters on it.

Wedding Shoes Are BORING! Get Inspired!

Wedding shoes are boring. Yup, I sell them and I've
worn them and I think the styles are boring and
uncomfortable. I tell my customers the truth, they
aren't very comfortable for a long day on your feet.
Most wedding shoes are fabric and the fabric doesn't give
like leather. They rub and you'll get blisters because
most, but not all, are not very well padded inside.
When your feet hurt, you take your shoes off. Every
wedding I've been to lately, the bride has taken off
her shoes. Then her dress is too long, she trips on it
and the hem gets filthy. Its not really attractive and
it freaks me out because I know how long we've spent
getting her hem perfect. And then she's barefoot
and trashing the dress. Makes me nuts.

I always tell my brides to wear comfortable shoes,
but they should also have some flair. When your
feet hurt, you feel miserable. I know, you don't
see the shoes, but you do when the garter comes off or when
you pull up the dress to walk. Buy shoes that have some
flair!

OK, to be fair about wedding shoes, TouchUps do have some
really hot styles. And the shoes are more padded than they
used to be.

I am a shoe freak. If the shoes are amazing, I want them.
My husband bought me a tee shirt that says If you wear
really cool shoes no one will notice the size of your ass.
I love it and my mother hates it. My husband has traipsed
through a lot of shoe stores with me. Nothing can send me into a
frenzy like a rocking pair of shoes except for a rocking shoe sale.

Now back to my premise...wedding shoes. Who says wedding
shoes HAVE to be white or ivory fabric? They don't. The rule
is to match the hemline of your dress, but that rule can be broken.
You can wear a metallic shoe that matches your beading on your
dress and your jewelry. You CAN wear a color. You can wear leather.

My favorite shoe story is the bride who came in with a box of
shoes she purchased in London with the idea that SOME DAY
she'd wear them to her wedding. She opened the box and I nearly
cried tears of joy. They were the most stunning shoes I'd ever l
aid eyes on...red ankle strap stilettos with a hand wrapped red
rose in the front. Finally, a bride who thought outside of the box!
She chose an ankle length ivory charmeuse gown with a sweep train
and complimented the dress with ruby red crystal jewelry and
tiara. It was jaw dropping, she looked amazing! And those shoes!

Here are some styles for the bride that have flair and are
you can wear them again AFTER the wedding and on your
honeymoon. Love them! I found most of these styles on
shoes.com.










And lets not forget your bridesmaids. I've chosen pictures
or rather simple bridesmaids dresses by Alfred Angelo.
Look at the shoes on the model, then look at how
a stunning pair of shoes can change the look of the outfit.



The yellow shoes are by Jessica Simpson and can easily be
worn again and again. Use both colors in their bouquets
for some amazing pictures.





The polka dot shoes are by Naturalizer and are not expensive,
they are under $40, they have a sexy peep toe and can be
worn to work or play. Every gal can use a little black
dress and a hot pair of black shoes!


These shoes are by Via Spiga. I love the color of champagne
with the champagne dress. It brings out the shine and sparkle
of a classic style dress. OMG, I love these shoes.


These shoes in both pictures are by Carlos Santana and
they are stunning. Look at how they turn a simple dress into a
stunning ensemble. Keep the jewelry simple and wow! Your maids
will thank you for shoes that they can wear again,
are totally hot looking and aren't stogy. I think I really
need these shoes. ;)




Are you inspired to find some fabulous shoes for your wedding?
No more BORING uncomfortable shoes for the best day of
your life. Find shoes you love, wear them and don't take
them off at the reception. Just hitch up your hemline and
show them off, and the best part? You get to wear them
again and again!

Dear WZ, Can I wear tennis shoes at my wedding?

Dear WZ, Can I wear tennis shoes at my wedding?
I want to be comfortable.

Hey, I like the WZ moniker. Cool.

Technically you can wear whatever you want on
your feet for your wedding or you can even go
barefoot like the hippies in the 60's. Or a
barefoot beach wedding.

The problem with wearing tennis shoes is that
you walk differently in them than you would in
other shoes. If you are wearing a formal dress,
you want to walk gracefully down the aisle.
Can you do that in tennis shoes? And are you
talking about canvas tennis shoes or athletic
shoes like Nikes?

A few years back, brides were decorating plain
canvas Keds with lace and beads and wearing
them under their dress.

I've had brides wear the decorated Keds,
motorcycle boots, lace up granny boots and
cowboy boots. One wore bright green
cowboy boots under her dress to surprise her
groom. One had a white pair of custom cowboy
boots that were twice the cost of her dress.
Those were gorgeous!
Different strokes for different folks.

I personally would shop for a comfortable pair
of sandals or dressy shoes. They definitely are
out there. But if you are hell bent on wearing
tennies, its your wedding, its your day.

What does everyone think?
Comments, please!

Thanks for the question!
Have a happy wedding.
WZ :)

Ready To Wear Trends Translate to Wedding Fashions

The hottest fashion trends in ready to wear always show up in bridal and wedding fashions. Look for the todays fashion trends to hit the wedding '08 fashions.

The biggest trend for fall '07 is sparkle and shine. What, you say? Haven't wedding dresses always been sparkly and shiny? The answer is yes and no. There have always been wedding and bridesmaid dresses that have had no sparkle and shine. And in the 80's, sparkle and shine exploded all over dresses, veils and headpieces. Ah, the excesses of the 80's with their huge puffy sleeves, may then never return!

Today's bridal fashions have sparkle in the details: Austrian and Swarovski crystals, tiny delicate beads on the dresses and the veils. Metalic sparkles on the shoes. We are seeing wedding shoes that aren't just dyed satin, you know, the ones that gather dust in the closet and you've never worn again.

These shoes have both sparkle and shine and are from Coloriffics. They can be worn again, which is a big plus! And they are being worn from everyone from the bride, maids, moms and wedding guests.

Bridesmaids dresses are embellished with beads and crystals, in small, delicate details. Big sparkly broaches accent the waistlines of simply cut dresses. They are pinned on so you can wear it on your everyday clothing. Coming back is iridescent taffeta fabric which has the shine! Ditto for sexy, slinky charmeuse fabrics.

Accessories for the wedding party include crystal necklaces, earrings, bracelets and small beaded evening purses. There's the sparkle!

Wedding Shoes From London, Pink!

There is a new line of wedding shoes just landing in the US from the fashionistas in London. The shoes are Pink by Paradox.

Paradox is also the same company that produces the pricey couture wedding shoe line, Benjamin Adams. Pink has all the pizzaz of the couture line, without the price. It has the details, it has the style.

The shoes are available in white or ivory satin in most styles. They can also be custom dyed. The shoes size in European sizing, so you have to convert your size as in most fine European shoes.

They are so new to the US, they are just becoming available. They are a hot- hot-hot line in the UK.

Pink also is producing some sweet children's shoes. The first picture below is a big girl look for little girls the other is all irridiscent sequins for the little princess. These are some of the cutest girls shoes to ever hit the market! They are so sweet!