11201 by Khrio

Sneaky People: Khrio's sporty-casual low top for those days you want style without the pain.

We're not going to wear heels and five-inch wedges every day, are we? Are we? We didn't think so. Spring brings a lot of rain and warmer weather, but it also brings a release from the house arrest winter imposes. In Chicago, that means running season has started. Whatever your stance on forefoot vs. midfoot running, stability vs. racing flats, triathlons vs. marathons, the fact remains that people are getting outside and getting going.

This is the shoe the rest of us wear. The 11201 by Khrio isn't an "official" athletic shoe by any means (and we do not advocate wearing this one for any mileage). It is a sporty little number that falls into that space between style and athletics, taking on attributes of both while committing to neither. Italian leather inside and out, we are in love with the subtle coloring of the 11201—a cool, light grey braced with straps of dark steel blue with matching laces. Delicate touches like the double-stitched scalloped toe are dear to our hearts, and a thick, rubber, no-height sole is priceless for our posture.

Like similar styles by Clarks and UES, the sneaker look is a refreshing change-up to other trends we've cited here like '70s throwback, boho stylings and various wedges. The casual street look can support more than you think—just look above how the color carries through from causal kicks to a blue, faux ostrich tote! Work straw clutches and statement jewelry into the mix as well.

The key to pulling off this look without looking 1) like you are borrowing your daughter's shoes and 2) slovenly is a basic outfit, and by "basic" we include denim, khakis, skirts, dresses with solid or minimal pattern and clean silhouettes. Keep the base layers easy and simple and let accessories on your feet, neck and arm put the pizzazz into your profile. This way your sneakers become more considered—more youthful, less clinging-to-the-past; hip, not tragic.

Isn't it just nice to have a middle ground between your workout gear and your going-out ensemble? Pick up a pair of fashionable sneaks and embrace the energy of spring. The sentence is lifted; you are free to go, and we suggest you do it in style.

  

Elegant by Jeffrey Campbell

Under the See: JC's Elegant dives into the nautical trend and surfaces with a visual feast.

We're going to be totally frank with you: The Elegant was our second choice for Shoe of the Week. The first, Jeffrey Campbell's Groovie, was featured in a mailer this week. It sold out in five minutes. It was gone before the mailer had finished sending—a big "psyche!" to those email addresses starting with letters in the nether half of the alphabet. It's OK: you did not want a five-inch-tall, puffy rainbowed, nude platform anyway. No, you didn't.

We know what you want: white leather, silver studs. Lots of both.

This is where Elegant is so timely, even if it is the stepchild of our reportage. The Elegant is an update on the classic loafer/driver moc shape with a rounded, more structured toe, a low-cut profile and modest one-inch heel. What is not very modest about the Elegant is the carpeting of silvered studs in the shape of cones, barnacles and stars. If Davy Jones had a wife in "Pirates of the Caribbean," she probably had a pair of these in her slimy footlocker.

We're advocating shorts with this one. Jack by BB Dakota just sent us a pair of lovely linens with a casual cuff. It's the perfect counterpart to Elegant's nubbly, maritime vibe. (Of course, you could always force the issue with the ubiquitous blue-and-white striped look that is everywhere at the moment, but we feel you'd be taking the visual cues of this shoe a little too much to heart.) Another option is the less-traveled (but soon to be much-traveled) bootcut or wide-leg jean or chino, which would hit just above Elegant's low silhouette. The studs would lend nice texture to that outfit.

Elegant is just that: a sophisticated rendition of JC's usually manic and over-the-top styling. That's not to say this shoe is subtle, but it will sparkle and wink with a nautical theme that from afar looked like the most badass biker flat you ever saw. And we think that with some summery shorts is one H-O-T look.


 

A596 Short Boot by Strategia

These Boots Were Made for Gawking: Strategia's A596 is a gorgeous spring boot that bucks trends.

A cornerstone of Lori's Shoes is our emphasis on selection and quality. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our Italian Exclusives—the happy results of Lori's bi-annual trips to Milan to scout the shows for new collections and inspirational styles. Most of the lines we carry from Italy are available only at Lori's. We love Jeffrey Campbell as much as you, but what if you could also get the Italian Jeffrey Campbell in the same store—completely different approach, but the same singular vision? It's not easy to do, but this season we did it with Strategia's A596 short boot in Rust and Grey.

One reason we love this boot (and, really, lust after may be more appropriate) is because it is so unexpected. We are a-swamp in wedges, sandals, slingbacks, '70s-inspired designs and colors and natural materials (enough straw and raffia to open a dude ranch). We have very little in the "snakeskin-embossed leather/metallic top-stitching/brass studs" department. As with all things Italian, the quality of the detail on top of a masterfully crafted shoe is a signature. The silhouette is classic with a stacked two-inch heel, rounded toe and scalloped opening with tab. The burned-suede toe lends a vintage effect, but the embossed reptile flames and metallic blue zig-zag stitching under a row of brass medallion studs are all very right now.

And very what will be. The metallics and metal accents will carry through fall, as obviously will the easy shape which will support everything from skinny jeans to that street-rustic look under dresses and skirts. The half-rand with squared buckle merges the harness/biker look with cowboy sensibilities. This only increases the range of wearability—go from sassy-casual to garage rocker with a change of tops and accessories. Cowboys ride motorcycles, don't they?

Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Would we write it up if it weren't? While importing shoes from Italy is not cheap, a determined shopper could place a nickel and a dime on every craft detail of this shoe and account for the cost. Or just take our word for it. (We're good for it. Swear.) The A596 is an investment purchase. It has the shape, comfort and craft to stay in your closet as long as you own that closet. The details are lush but not so specific as to obsolesce after a season. The A596 is a sassy and daring chameleon: as you break it in, it will blend into your look, a look that solicits the epic social win, "Where did you get that??"

  

Aria by Pour La Victoire

The Showstopper: The Aria by Pour La Victoire sings to us.

"My best friend's mom told her she needs to wear slingbacks to get a man," we overheard at the office the other day. "She said they are sexy!" Well, single men, beware. If there is truth to that assertion, then the Aria by Pour La Victoire shall surely seal your fate. Aria is just about the sexiest slingback we've seen pass through here. But don't take our word for it.

"Ohh, I LOVE the shoes in your profile pic," gushes a fan on Facebook as the teal Arias went online. "Are you selling them right now??? Details?" A standard response. What's the rumpus? Like its operatic namesake, the Aria is meant to draw attention to a single performer: you. It does this through  a range of talents: the high gloss on the pitch-perfect shade of lilac, the ideal ratio of heel height to platform, the sophisticated upsweep of the closed toe like the prow of a Cunard liner and graceful lines arching back into that elegant slingback.

Choose the powerful teal patent to make a statement or the light and airy lilac for a subtle, more feminine charm. Either sings the spirit of spring with clear and resonant tones. The more we thought on it, the more excuses we found to wear them: Sunday brunch, Mother's Day, Easter, all of Derby Days! (Especially the not-to-be-missed Thunder Over Louisville.)

These optimistic colors are also fairly neutral when it comes to pairing with other strong seasonal trends: straw and raffia clutches, floral-print sundresses and tops, sun hats. Florals are especially suitable: use the teal platforms to pick up on base notes and shadows in the pattern; lilac graces the top notes of blossoms and leaf highlights. Aria adds complexity without confusion and leaves a spring in your (now taller) step that will make you the star of any event. On that high note, we'll leave you to enjoy!