I’m over extra-padded, peepshow-style platforms. As much as I love a little Beyonce theater, real style is about choosing fashion that frames your beauty, not distracts from it. So I dig Brian Atwood “Candy” sandals — the shoe’s minimalist architecture isn’t about distracting glitz, but making your leg longer. You’ve got to have at least one heel high enough to style your leg a straight line from the tips of your toes to your thigh — that’s heaven.

3½” of stiletto won’t do that, though. Skip this version of Brian Atwood “Candy” sandals in black, and buy the taller Brian Atwood “Candy” sandal in white, for less dough. If five inches of pure stiletto sounds intimidating, buy the shoe anyway, and wear it around your room, without anyone or anything else…

I bought this Brian Atwood “Candy” slingback in black last week when I was in New York. I walked into Intermix in Soho sporting a pair of black patent Lerre sandals, peeptoe’d with a slingback, but walked out in these Brian Atwood “Candy” sandals. I hate owning two of a kind of anything — and I’ve also got a pair of black Givenchy slingback peeptoes — but these Brian Atwood sandals are more simply sophisticated, and that extra inch of heel stretches your legs another mile.

Now I want the white patent Brian Atwood “Candy” slingback. Five inches of pin-thin stiletto, strapped to your feet with two slivers of patent leather. It’s that architecture — and how it restructures your walk — that gets me…

Wanting.

I love stingray, especially in steel, especially over steel heels.  The Donna Karan Collection shoes I’m “wearing” I found on sale at Loehmann’s, which is my guilty pleasure: I love the hit-or-miss hunt there.  Too bad these darlings weren’t also lying on some shoddy table, tagged less than a benjie…

Wearing.

You need to see the python in person: it’s a sharp chartreuse, and the scales are flaking off softly, so you get a rich pastry texture. That five inch heel doesn’t hurt how your legs look, either…

Hating.

The beauty of Donna Karan Collection shoes I love are in their bold simplicity. Cheap baubles are just distracting… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/08/donna-karan-collection-shoes-k-is/feed 0 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/07/stella-mccartney-espadrilles-k-is http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/07/stella-mccartney-espadrilles-k-is#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:21:31 +0000 Kristopher http://www.kristopherdukes.com/?p=2619

Wanting: Stella McCartney Espadrille with Closed Toes

Espadrilles are choice for summer: an ambitious arch is easy to wear when its woven into a relaxed wedge.  I’m a sucker for closed-toe espadrilles: I like the classic contrast with the open back…

Wearing: Stella McCartney Espadrilles with Scarf Ties

I bought these Stella McCartney espadrilles on sale at Intermix and wore them every day on my vacay. The knotted scarf ties are great, but what really got me was that woven wedge.  I love the lines; it exaggerates the arch of the shoe…

Hating: Flat Stella McCartney Espadrilles

All you need to know is that these Stella McCartney espadrilles are flat… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/07/07/stella-mccartney-espadrilles-k-is/feed 2 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/05/22/web-snob-links-%e2%80%98cause-you%e2%80%99re-a-snob-offline-too-10 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/05/22/web-snob-links-%e2%80%98cause-you%e2%80%99re-a-snob-offline-too-10#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 13:52:21 +0000 Kristopher http://www.kristopherdukes.com/?p=2521 Stiletto Jungle explains how to buy and apply false eyelashes.
All About the Pretty is excited to learn more about Paris with I Do It in Paris.
All Lacquered Up – Sally Hansen is going HD – Hi-Definition and ALU has your first look.
Allie is Wired reports that Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom are tying the knot.
Bag Bliss lists their favorite sellers of pre-loved and limited edition designer handbags.
Bag Snob is obsessed with CHANEL Paris-Moscow collection for Fall 09!
Beauty Snob: Skin saver for the whole family– Rosa Mosqueta Oil!
Coquette loves the sculptural fashions of Liza Rietz’s Spring/Summer Collection.
Second City Style thinks Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect time for a Celebrity Style Smackdown!
Shopping and Info helps those who want to channel Angelina Jolie in Cannes.
The Shrimpton Blog’s mini history of wild child designer Elsa Schiaparelli!
StyleBakery.com is giving away a gorgeous Kooba Blake bag worth $645, enter to win!
Stylehive has six ways to make your beauty routine a little more eco-friendly, and the products to help you and the environment along the way.
The Beauty Stop goes behind the scenes of Cameron Diaz’s gorgeous Vogue cover.
The Shoe Goddess finds out what happens when you leave shoes within reach of a Great Dane puppy!
TheMakeupGirl shows you how to get Angelina Jolie’s sultry makeup look from the Cannes Film Festival.
V-Style foresees Jimmy Choo’s Glenys Sandal as this summer’s hottest heel.

Wanting.

Private sales site Gilt.com is blowing out Alejandro Ingelmo shoes today. Maybe I’ve caught sales fever, but I love these black Alejandro Ingelmo shoes on sale. A stilettoed maryjane always vibes buttoned-up sex…

Wearing.

These nude Alejandro Ingelmo shoes on sale beat any basic black pump: nude flows with everything, snakeskin’s always choice, and skin-tone platform pumps stretch your legs long…

Hating.

I know these Alejandro Ingelmo shoes are on sale. But a peep-toe, platform, patent leather, sling-back shoe boot is best left to the retarded sisters of Rihanna… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/05/11/alejandro-ingelmo-shoes-on-sale/feed 1 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/05/01/web-snob-links-%e2%80%98cause-you%e2%80%99re-a-snob-offline-too-7 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/05/01/web-snob-links-%e2%80%98cause-you%e2%80%99re-a-snob-offline-too-7#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 14:35:09 +0000 Kristopher http://www.kristopherdukes.com/?p=2424 55 Secret Street gets a preview of RACHEL Rachel Roy’s Fall 2009 collection.
Stiletto Jungle shops for grown up flip-flops for spring.
All Lacquered Up shows you how to recreate Fergie’s striped metallic nails from the Wolverine red carpet.
Allie is Wired fashion face off: Ginnifer Goodwin vs. Kim Kardashian.
BagBliss: add some PoP to your bag-drobe with the fluorescent Louis Vuitton Graffiti Speedy!
Bag Snob- Prada’s Road to Peril.
Beauty Snob loves the amazing Argan Oil from Josie Maran even though it stinks, literally.
Everything’s coming up daisies according to Coquette.
Fashion Pulse is loving the latest wedges from shoe brand Dani Black; check out the post for a sneak peak of fall styles!
Second City Style abused ourselves testing thousands of products and the results for the 3rd Annual Beauty Olympics are in!
Shopping and Info checks out Megan Fox on the set of Jonah Hex.
StyleBakery shows us how to pull off spring’s trickiest trends.
The Beauty Stop addresses how often you should really wash your hair.
The Fashion Bomb uncovers 20 affordable Mother’s Day Gift Ideas!
The Shoe Goddess goes rocker chic for under $100!
TheMakeupGirl shows you how to get Katie Holmes new polished makeup look at home.
V-Style shows you the best Mother’s Day Gifts for every kind of Mom.

Wanting.

Casadei mules slip you into easy glamour –  a sky-high slide vibes so ’30s-screen-siren dressing room. I love the rich minimalism of these horn-heeled Casadei mules…

Wearing.

I bought these Casadei mules for $150 on Amazon — a total fluke (and you can still get them in white).  Just a few straps of leather and a pin-thin stiletto, the shoes wear like air. And I adore that shimmering nude leather — the Casadei mule disappears into your foot, giving your leg length…

Hating.

With a mirror gold platform, an inch of bright white to set off a turquoise patent leather strap, maybe I’m just jealous I don’t have manmade breasts and an Estonian billionaire first ex-husband to match… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/04/13/casadei-mules-k-is/feed 3 http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/03/30/giuseppe-zanotti-platform-wedges-k-is http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/03/30/giuseppe-zanotti-platform-wedges-k-is#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:58:39 +0000 Kristopher http://www.kristopherdukes.com/?p=2217

Wanting.

Over five inches of an angular arch, these Giusppe Zanotti platform wedges are so ridick it’s hard to imagine what you’d wear them with. So wear them with nothing…

Wearing.

I bought these Giuseppe Zanotti platforms in Miami last summer, for less than two Benjies. The back of the wood heel has got this great curve…

Hating.

If strippers wore $600 shoes… ]]> http://www.kristopherdukes.com/2009/03/30/giuseppe-zanotti-platform-wedges-k-is/feed 2