I was looking for new items to add to my stylefeed and saw these shoes:

I have always loved Christian Louboutin shoes but am not a huge fan of pink. But there is just something about these shoes that pop out at me, maybe it’s the HOT pink colour or the big bow on the toe. Whatever it is, I wish I had the cash in my bank account for them.

Then I thought, “Even if I had the cash what would I wear them with?”

Then I happened across this photo on the same site:

It answered my question. How genius of the site, Browns, to pair up the hot pink silk shoes with the green, floral print, silk, Marc Jacobs dress! I love the way the 1940s cut still manages to look modern.

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As a continuation of my previous post, I present more of my favorite online shopping destinations.

• Etsy.com

Etsy.com is addictive. With hundreds of thousands of items, you are literally guaranteed to find multiple things you absolutely musthave. Luckily, almost everything on etsy.com is quite affordable.

My favorite things to buy on Etsy include jewelry, vintage clothing and paper-related products. Most of these things are either re-worked new pieces (like American Apparel shirts with appliques) or created from scratch/by hand.

When buying jewelry from Etsy, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you are buying a genuine pearl necklace for around $20, contact the seller for a guarantee. Although it may be vintage and being re-sold for a steal, you want to make sure you aren’t buying something cheap or poorly made. There are so many quality sellers on Etsy that there’s no excuse for something that may fall apart or not live up to your expectations.

Keep an eye out for really unique items. One of my favorite things I’ve found on Etsy were bracelets with letters all over them made with different fonts…sort of an jewelry-themed ode to typography, if you will. The seller is taking a hiatus right now, but keep an eye on her shop space. You’ll want to pick one of these up when she starts producing them again!

Vintage clothing/items are another good thing to look for. There are plenty of home items and trinkets to be found at a steal of a price, and there is some very good vintage clothing. Just keep digging until you find a seller you like and then bookmark it!

The great thing about Etsy is that you are dealing with real people, not a large corporation. If you become a regular buyer, you can start a dialogue with the seller and maybe get alerts to new items before anyone else.

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A lot of people ask me where I get the clothes I’m wearing and they’re always surprised when I say where I got them and how much the item cost. Typical reactions include disbelief and jealousy, especially when I’ve spent less than $20 on a pair of shoes identical to an $80 pair someone else owns.

How do you find your own sweet deals and which online shopping destinations will give you the most bang for your buck?

Here are a few of my favorite sites and a few of the best items from them that I’ve added to my StyleFeed over time.

• Forever 21

Forever 21 has incredible selection and style and the prices are outrageous, especially if you do a bit of digging. I’ve unearthed fabulous dresses for less than $20 and great costume jewelry pieces for around $5. The shipping from the site is painless and quick and they have easy return policies should something not fit.

Here are my tips for shopping online at Forever 21:

Visit the store before you shop the website so you know what fits you and what you’re looking for. Often, the actual clothing looks different in person than it does on their website, especially in the dress length area. Some “dresses” Forever 21 sells are more tunic-lengthed, meaning you’d have to wear them as shirts or with leggings in order to make them street-appropriate.

Don’t expect pristine quality. Forever 21 keeps their prices low by mass-producing huge quantities of clothing that aren’t meticulously made. Don’t expect your clothing to hold up for years-or sometimes weeks-on end.

Beware of dresses or shirts you need to zip. Forever 21 has fairly cheap zippers that often break.

If in doubt, go up a size. Their clothing runs tiny–truly tiny. If you have a wide rib-cage, like I do, you may need to go up two sizes if something is really fitted around that area.

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If there’s one trend I just can’t get behind this season, it’s ombre. It’s made appearances everywhere from the Fall 2007 runway to the awards season red carpet to the pages of fashion mags, but I can’t recall ever seeing a real, live person wearing such distinctive shading.

Ombre items are making an appearance on StyleFeeder’s wishlists, however, so it’s quite possible that I’m wrong about the wearability of this trend. Let’s take a look at some of the options people have bookmarked recently:

StyleFeeder leanneshain was the first to add this sherbet-hued confection by Michael Kors. I can definitely see the appeal of ombre for a special occasion; graduated gowns are both glam and flattering. And since you’re only likely to wear a gown like this once or twice, you’ll seem entirely of the moment.

But when it comes to high-end accessories, is ombre a good investment? Will you possibly be able to get away with wearing an ombre heel or handbag next season?

These Charles David Beatriz pumps are stunning, but I don’t know if I could bring myself to part with $195 unless I had the perfect outfit in mind for these beauties.

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Color, color, and more color! After the drab and dark days of winter, I am so happy to see bright, fun colors taking over my favorite shopping spots.

I wear a LOT of monochromatic colors like black, gray and white, with the occasional pop of navy or taupe, but I am determined to wear a lot of fun colors this spring and summer. And why not? Just looking at the page above from People Style Watch makes me feel better about my day. Imagine a double-page spread of black clothes? Not nearly as exciting.

Check out some of my favorite (and, as always, affordable) finds for spring.

Blue

My favorite spring shade is an eye-popping cobalt blue. Blue with black is no longer taboo, so feel free to match these separates with black accessories or other items at your heart’s content.

Jackie’s Favorite Blue Picks: These deep blue Forever21 slingback platforms are super-inexpensive and have a great glossy patent finish. These could be worn with jeans, pencil skirts, dresses…they’ve got a really versatile quality. I also love this cobalt blue peacoat. Since it’s still a little cold in DC, I’m still gravitating towards warmer clothing!

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Technically Terra Plana means flat land, but you’ll be hardpressed to find much flatness with this shoe manufacturing anomaly. Inspired by a deep desire for longterm ecological survival, Terra Plana publishes the life cycle assessment for every pair of shoes they produce. They design their shoes with reparability, lightness (to reduce shipping impact), anatomic design, and durability in mind. According to Terra Plana, they “minimize waste and toxin use and maximize product use and love.” They produce their line using chrome-free and vegetable tanned leathers, recycled materials of all sorts (from rubber to old quilts and parachutes), and pure latex soling materials. Not to mention, they merchandise their products with an arresting, out-there aesthetic (check out the product shots above).

Terra Plana has also debuted a more eco-conscious leather product called E-leather. It’s a ‘re-woven’ blend of leather and textile fibers practically indistinguishable from good quality leather. E-Leather is produced with closed loop water usage and best practice pollution prevention methods. These people clearly care about crafting beautiful fashion statements using only the most modern and sustainable methods possible.

And how do they look? So, so hot! Whether you’re in Milano, Madrid, or the Mid-West, these unique sneaks and heels will be turning heads. Priced from $50-300, a pair of Terra Plana’s is a worthwhile investment in a company that’s setting the bar for eco-conscious manufacturing, as well as your wardrobe.

If you want to check out a sneak peak of Terra Plana 2008, go to smartplanet.com for a look at the super-sexy strappy heels for Spring.

College is rough on the budget. As a general rule, I don’t like to spend more than $100 on any one item of clothing (unless it is a very special coat or dress), and for all practical purposes, if I want to eat, I really shouldn’t spend more than that.

That makes buying accessories difficult. I always want the latest “It” bag or shoes (who doesn’t?), but I absolutely do not have the budget to buy them. I find interesting ways to compensate, though, namely what I like to call “designer-inspired goods”.

Designer-inspired has a much better ring to it than the more common “knock-off,” and really, they’re nearly as fun as the real thing. As long as they come from reputable sources…NOT street vendors. You can rest more easily knowing that your designer-inspired look came from Steve Madden, not a street vendor in Mexico selling goods stolen from unsuspecting tourists.

Want a piece of the action? Check out the following:

These YSL tribute pumps are actually being sold from Bluefly, which makes them marginally less expensive than buying straight from the source. But, sadly, marginally less expensive still means you’ll need to pay $528. Sigh.

BUT: do not despair that you cannot own one of the most sought-after shoes of the past year or two or three. because you can own something inspired.

Starting from the left, these Steve Madden Laveda’s are a pretty good inspired look. I love the sexy stiletto heel. The Xhilaration Sveta pumps from Target are only $19.99 and come in four different colors. I liked the red and brown, but not the black: it looked a little cheaper than the other shades. BCBG is one of my favorite designers, and their BCBGirls line is less expensive and much more accessible. These white and black platforms also come in a sexy, vampy red. My favorite pair of YSL-inspired pumps are Nine West’s electric blue version. Steve Madden also makes a pair of pumps called the Reede, and this version has a more classic styling/vintage feel than the Laveda’s. But, the most true-to-Tribute pair you can buy? Jessica Simpson’s Miami Maryjanes. They are nearly an exact “inspired” match for the YSL Tributes…and such a great deal, too, at $50.

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I’m a choir nerd. I admit it. Not like I’m an amazing vocalist or anything, but I do love music, and I do enjoy singing with a group. And this President’s Day weekend, I’ll be in New York City with my college choir, singing in a mass choir at a major concert hall.

Exciting. Yes. Stressful? Certainly. It’s a three hour concert with three major works (including Mozart’s Requiem!) — and we will be standing for the whole duration. Meaning that I’m going to need shoes that I can actually stand in for three hours straight.

As comfortable as they are, flats are out of the question. I’m short, and I need some added height. Spice Girls platform shoes won’t suffice in the style department. And as visually appealing as a stiletto heel is, let’s face it — they’re just not that comfortable, at least for standing stationary for a prolonged amount of time. All my weight on a square inch heel for three hours? No thanks!

This is where the wedge comes in. Spreading your weight over a larger area equals more comfort, which is what I’m mainly concerned about. And with the added height, I’ll be able to comfortably see the conductor over everyone’s heads — allowing me to focus completely on singing the right notes!

Admittedly, wedges aren’t exactly worn a lot in the winter — it’s challenging to find a warm, closed-toe, dressy pair of wedges. But when comfort is a priority, a good pair of winter wedges is a necessary component of a well-rounded shoe collection.

While these black suede Steve Madden wedges fulfill the concert hall requirements (closed-toe, black shoes), they are also available in brown, grey, and purple for after-concert activities.

A really fashionable pair of dressy wedges is so hard to find, but these Seychelles fit the bill — they’re comfortable without sacrificing style.

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Elle Macpherson said this great quote:

“I used to wear heels because I wanted to show people I wasn’t ashamed of being tall. But I don’t wear them any more because you don’t have to wear heels to be beautiful. I can’t even remember the last time I wore heels.”

I was 5′11” by the time I was 15, and ever since then I’ve dodged questions about my basketball playing, volleyball playing or modeling ability (or lack thereof.) To clear things up: I played basketball in junior high, never cared for volleyball and the only time I model is for THF.

Nearly every tall woman has similar problems. Finding pants is impossible. Every knee-length skirt looks mini on you. You may have long legs, but you can’t find pajama bottoms to cover your ankles. Being tall as a woman is simultaneously the best and worst thing in the world. You feel empowered when you walk down the street, but end up in tears in the dressing room because pants just don’t fit.

I harbor such a hatred of changing rooms from all the disappointment of never finding pants that, to this day, I’ll rarely try anything on. I’d rather buy it and take it home and return it, than stand in a barren, too-bright changing room trying to pull pants down on my hips so they fit my 37-inch inseam (35 inches, plus two extra inches to allow for heels).

So, to save you the toil and trouble of searching for pants long enough to fit your legs, I’ve picked out some of my favorite styles in denim and trousers for spring…along with complimentary shoes.

Alloy.com is a tall girl’s fantasy. Pants and jeans come readily in 37” inseams, running all the way down to the petite 32”. Skinny jeans are perfect for tall women, too. They compliment your long legs, and you don’t have to worry as much about length, since skinny jeans look fine hitting you at the ankle, or slightly above, depending on what shoes you want to wear with them. This black pair is super-flattering in cut and wash, since everyone looks good in black pants.

Try skinny jeans with a punchy colored shoe for spring. It will update the look and bring it out of the dark winter doldrums.

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You gotta love Steve Madden — you can always count on him to come out with classy, sexy, and flattering shoes. A lot of his styles are contemporary but not so trendy that they’ll be in next season’s “toss ‘em” pile.

The sale section of Steve Madden’s website is like a candy store where the really yummy items are mostly $34.99 and under. Here are some of my favorites in that price range (just in time for to indulge yourself for Valentine’s Day!):

I have a ton of black dresses — I brought seven with me when I went home during the holiday season! However, I’m getting tired of the whole black dress/black shoes combo, and that’s where these python-print shoes would come in. Neutral but noticeably different, they’re a classy but not tacky way to channel the animal-print trend.

I fell in love with the following shoes as soon as the graphic loaded on my browser. Not only is this pair unlike any of the shoes I own, but I really like the criss-crossing details — and for $27.99, it’s definitely a bargain!

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