Celeberating Culture (and Keeping It Cute) with Feet First!

         Bonjour Fashionistas, Gabbi here! I've Missed you guys! Sorry it's been a while since my last post but you knew I wouldn't be gone for long! The Feet First Family would like to send out our humble condolences to the family of world renowned and city loved, Jazz and Blues legend Lionel "Uncle Lionel" Baptiste. He has influenced and helped shape New Orleans culture as we know it today and the city will forever be grateful for that. Being a locally owned business in the city for 35 years we know how much culture and tradition means to our city so, in memory of him I thought it would only be right to blog about some New Orleans culture and what better than the Secondline?!



Courtesy of Nola Pic

Secondlines are traditional brass band parades held in the city, usually on Sundays. The secondline originated from West African circle dances and dances performed in Congo Square by slaves that were given Sundays off. They are now modernly put on by Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs, to celebrate weddings or for jazz funerals. The city will secondlining two weeks straight from the passing of Uncle Lionel on July 8 until his burial on Monday, July 23.

But if you're gonna be apart of the culture you've got to do it with comfort and style. That's where Feet First comes in!

A pair of Keds are great for stepping out. The classic Champion Oxford  from Keds features a canvas upper with lace-up Oxford style, rubber outsole, and cotton lining and insole. The insole features arch support and thick cushioning for comfortable wear. Perfect for dancing right?  The Classic Champion Oxford include to different color laces for versatile style and is available in numerous colors including pink, red, aqua, orange, green, yellow, and black.

Still not enough cushion and support for your bug jumping?  Pair those Keds with some Foot Petals feet cushions! The Killer Cushionz 3/4 Insole, Haute Heelz Bottom of Heel Cushions and Amazing Arches Arch Support Cushions, cushion your entire foot and decrease impact on your heels, legs, and lower back.

And to top it off you can't parade with out a scarf! This fuchsia Saachi scarf features a rich, multi-colored pattern reminiscent of a beautiful watercolor painting. Have an Indian made, Saachi scarf accompany you, while keeping you cool,(and swing it over your head) at any secondline and you're bound to be stepping in style.

You can get all these comfy styles locally or online at feetfirststores.com. And if you want to immerse into some more culture check out our Nola Couture items!

OH! One more thing, WE'RE MOVING!

R.I.P Lionel "Uncle Lionel" Baptiste

1931-2012

"Laissez les bons temps rouler"

(Let the good times roll)

&

Happy Shopping

A Feet First Feature: Made-in-the-USA Items

Happy (almost) 4th, Fashionistas!

Moni, here! In light of our nation's birth and all the celebrations that are sure to ensure right here in NOLA and all over the country tomorrow, I want to name drop a few made/designed in the USA items that you can find at a Feet First Store near you!  While we're on the topic, our Uptown location is MOVING, but don't worry, it won't be far from its current locale...

And now, onto our USA items!

Hanky Panky's are available in assorted colors online and in our stores! These are the most. comfortable. thongs. ever. Try one and then you'll understand!

Spanx, the best body shaping accessory out there! They are not available online, but we have plenty in stock!  If we don't have your size, we can place an order for you!

Foot Petals, novel shoe accessories all about keeping feet comfy, are also available online!

All of our local tees, including our Two Sprouts onesies, are made in the USA and screen-printed locally.  They're not available online (yet!), so visit us to check out all the great styles we have for men, women, and little ones alike!

Locally made feather fascinators and headbands!

Visit us and find the perfect one for you!
We even have patriotic ones (as pictured above)!

Triple C Designs are USA designed! 

Accessories for your phone, for your listening pleasure, and even power mates (portable iPhone chargers - no plugs or outlets needed!) and all in super-cute designs! Come visit us and pick your new, stylish gadget today!

I hope you enjoyed this Made-in-the-USA feature!  

A parting reminder of our current sale, which ends Sunday, July 8:

HAPPY FOURTH & HAPPY SHOPPING! xo

Just a Little Treat from Sam Edelman himself!

Hola Fashionistas, Gabbi here! I'm sorry to say there's no 'Trend Alert!' this week but don't worry I've made it up to you with a little treat. I know that many of you guys and gals that follow the Feet First blog love Sam Edelman just as much as I do so, I've decided to give you a couple of summer outfit ideas from the man himself! On the Sam Edelman Official Blog last week, five outfit ideas were posted for bringing in the summer right. I'll be  helping you recreate those looks with some of Sam Edelman's sassy shoes featured in the Spring/Summer 2012 collection  and a couple of our super hot accessories available online or at your local Feet First. You can check out the original blog post and more cute summer fits here.

Here Mr. Edelman has paired up the cult-classic, thong-style, Gigi sandal with a long, orange, maxi dress, a gold necklace and a brown leather, fringe crossbody handbag. This fit is cute and comfy so it'll be great to run errands and shoot the breeze in!

 Here I've paired the same sandal, The Gigi but with a different styled necklace. The Circle Crochet Necklace, designed by Nakamol Designs, features a circular design with mustard and brown beads woven into the pattern on a fabric chain, for comfort and finished with a gold clasp, for security.  

Next he's paired The Yelena, an eye popping, color block heel, with a short, floral, double strapped dress, an almost neon colored blazer, and a studded and spiked handbag. This outfit is fab for a night on the town or a first date!

For some alternatives to this look I decided to add the coral instead of silver Yelena by Sam Edelman, a pair of brown and gold dangling earrings, and a round, antique, adjustable, gold ring, both designed by Escape From Paris, to dazzle things up a bit.

  

And  the last outfit I'll show from the official Sam Edelman Blog pairs a pair of the gold, Gracie flip flop with a white necklace, a brown purse and a tribal print romper, which is a really popular print this season.

Personally, I wasn't crazy about the white necklace with gold flip flops and a brown handbag so, I decided to go with the silver Gracie and a pair of Petal Silver Hoops and the Bowen Long Chain Necklace, both designed by Gorjana.

Well I hope this will suffice until next week's "Trend Alert!", which I promise you'll have! 

BTW we just got a BRAND SPANKING NEW shipment of Sam Edelmans in so check them out online!

 Happy Shopping!

TREND ALERT: A Clutch Craze!

     TREND ALERT! 

     Hello Fashionistas! Gabbi here with this week's Trend Alert, Clutches! These petite carry arounds were normally worn for after 6 events and if you still think they're solely for those then think again! This season  these accessorizing essentials have been dressing up any outfit, any time of day, in any size! Below are a few tips to keep in mind when styling these cuties which are available online or at your local Feet First store.

   

     No matter if it's work or play, it's almost always a must to match your clutch with your shoes. This gives your outfit a complete, blended look from head to toe. Below is the Lodis Veronica Leather Smoke Snake Print clutch, which gives you the organization of a wallet as well as enough room for all of your other important lady items. The Veronica is paired with the Corso Como Del Pump in Black. This combo is professional enough for the office and snazzy enough for a city date!

     As mentioned, clutches were usually purchased to match a specific occasion, but not this one! The Magid Coral Straw Striped Bow clutch, is one of the ultimate clutches this season. Also available in Green, the Striped Bow clutch features a matching straw strap so it can be worn across the body and three interior pockets for storage. Great for summer festivals and weddings!

     And we all know there is never a summer where things don't get heated at an All White party. Add a pop of color to your immaculate look with a Monya Embroidered Canvas clutch. The orange, yellow and brown birds and flowers on this embroidered on the clutch's canvas will spice things up and keep heads turning all night long!

     And just a helpful tip before you go on your clutch craze, you want to make sure your clutch is big fun in a little package but NEVER over stuff your clutch. You want to make sure you're accessorizing with a eye popping clutch, not a bulky, carry on suitcase!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

TREND ALERT: Snakeskin Prints

We've seen snakeskin prints in all shapes and sizes. From leather bodysuits (a fashion faux pas) to chic accessories, this print is so hot right now when worn correctly. Snakeskin prints are just the right amount of exotic, sleek, and trendy yet timeless. Any girl (or guy) can pull it off!

The easiest way to wear a snakeskin print is in a nude/neutral tone that goes with most colors. We can't all afford the trend straight off the runway, and that's where Feet First comes in. Below are some of our sexiest snakeskin print items, all available online and in stores.

The Sam Edelman Annabel in snake is a triple threat right now, including three major trends: snakeskin print, curved wedge, and espadrille. This sandal screams summer casual and is also available in gold.

The super comfortable Gusty by Nicole also features an espadrille wedge. At a lower heel height, this shoe will keep your feet feeling good all summer long and into fall. The platform wedge has an adjustable ankle strap to fit any size, and the insole is lightly cushioned for comfort.

Probably the most classic of the three, the Bernardo Maxine in gold is an easy to wear summer sandal that looks great on anyone. This is a true neutral tone that will look fabulous with any outfit it gets paired with: black, colors, patterns, or white will compliment this sandal.

In addition to accessorizing with shoes, snake print clutches are a subtle way to spice up  your outfit for daytime or evening cocktails or date night. First, the Lodis Veronica Leather Snake Print Clutch in brown is a sexy and convenient way to store all  the essentials because of its large envelope size. The Veronica features features a hidden magnetic snap closure, an interior zip pocket, interior organizational slot, and 6 credit card slots.

Another fabulous evening clutch is the Inge Christopher Mumbai Snake Print Clutch. It's smaller size makes it the perfect, fierce accessory when paired with a little black dress or white hot summer outfit.

Everyone can pull this print off, or can they? Take a look at how NOT to wear snakeskin prints:

• Don't overdo it. Too much of a snakeskin print can cause your outfit to take a turn for the worst. That's why snakeskin accessories are best when you are trying to minimize the look while still keeping your look fun and on trend.

• Don't mix and match with similar prints. Polka dots, stripes, and floral prints are all fun to mix and match sometimes. Snakeskin is not one of the patterns you want to play around with.

Staying away from mixing and matching snakeskin prints, a studded metallic bracelet or cute hat is the best way to accessorize your look. The Magid Straw Fedora in natural would be perfect with a flowy black dress and the Bernardo Maxine sandals for summer.

Metallics are gold are such a great combination with neutral snake prints that the Diana Dubin Collection Resin Bracelet in black or gold is a must!

 

BONUS! The Sam Edelman Taryn Platform sandals are currently on sale! They have a metallic snake print with chunky heel and a 70s vibe. This heel will enhance any outfit, bringing a little funky style to a summer dress or your skinny jeans.

The Rockwell Tharp boots we now carry are as unique and fun as their mission!

Co-founders Kristi Rockwell and Cameron Tharp shared the dream of making a difference in people’s lives through helping those in need and empowering women through fashion so they united to bring the world their high end designer boots, shoes, belts, and handbags.  Their boots are hand-crafted with unique embroidered stitching in elegant designs and soft, natural leather lining.  Every single one of the embroidered boots are one of a kind!

Rockwell Tharp Maui Ranch Boot

Rockwell Tharp Passion Ranch Boot

Rockwell Tharp Copacabana Boot

In December 2011, Rockwell Tharp took their goal of empowering women one step further.  They teamed up with Childhelp, an International organization founded in the 1950s, to sell boots that benefited the non-profit.  Rockwell Tharp designed a special Childhelp Boot and produced only 1000 pairs.  Each pair they sold donated $200 to Childhelp. 

Bloom This Season with the New Nude: Rose Gold!

TREND ALERT! 

      Hi Ladies! Rose Gold has been popping up everywhere these past few seasons from jewelry lines, make up palettes and now S H O E S! In the 90s yellow gold was the thing to bling but as the new millennium rolled in sliver took its place. But, that's all about to change. 

     Along with our Rose Gold shoes you can take a look at our Gorjana Look book in store and order some custom Rose Gold jewelry to match! 

 

 Here's a How-To video, by Samantha, featuring some of our adorable sandals and flats available on our online store and at your local Feet First retail shop!

The first sandal Samantha shows in the Feet First Trend Alert: Rose Gold How-To video is the Bernardo Miami New Metallic Women's Sandal. This has become a store favorite and is great for having some fun in the sun or shooting the breeze around town!

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Next, Samantha shows one of my personal favorites, The Gigi by Sam Edelman. This cult classic, thong styled sandal goes great with a cute maxi dress and the glitter accent on the front will make any pair of jeans POP!

 Topping things off, Samantha ends with the Friar Perforated Ballet Flat by Corso Como.  This comfy, ballet flat, with leather lining is great to wear all year round and its all around perforation allows your feet to breathe!

And just for you guys, here's another sandal by Corso Como that isn't featured in the video but is bound to turn heads! The Future Sandal is super chic with a cushioned sole and leather straps that'll set off any summer look!

So set your style into bloom and pick up a pair (or two) of Rose Gold sandals or flats from the Feet First Online Store or your local Feet First!

Have A Great Memorial Day Weekend and Happy Shopping!