Kendra by Libby Edelman

Bowed Over: Kendra by Libby Edelman wows us.

Libby Edelman’s Kendra does everything except fall flat.

The dusty mauve satin bow, the bold leopard print, the peep toe ... these are supremely feminine and classic details. The neutral tones with a casual pop of color lends versatility. This is a shoe with special-occasion attributes that is perfect for daily wear.

Pair it with white skinnies and a vibrantly colored top, or switch that around with a white top and add a bold stroke of color with our Ambiance Apparel cardigan in yellow. Go for a classic boyfriend look with a BB Dakota button-up in Green/Blue paired with our BB Dakota Camel shorts. Add a simple high-waisted skirt during work hours. Throw on a black or blue skinny jean and oversized lightweight top in a neutral tone for daily wear. This will make sure that all eyes are on Kendr— we mean, you.

Drastic by Chinese Laundry

Extreme Measures: Drastic by Chinese Laundry plays up fun summer looks.

It's time to get drastic. Now hold on a minute. We don't want you to do anything rash; just get these incredibly cute wedges that look like Monet took a day off from the gardens at Giverny to design summer shoes. At $64 the Drastic by Chinese Laundry is not an extravagant purchase, but it is one calculated to last you all summer long.

This five-inch wedge with inch-and-a-half cork platform will give you a long and willowy look. We love that the straps wrap around the outside of the platform. It confuses where you stop and the ground starts. This gives you a more subtle height gain. (You won't look like you are trying to hard, we mean to say.)

As you can see, it is perfect for mini-golf and pretty much any outdoor experience you can imagine. We like this wedge with shorts, a woven grosgrain belt and ultra-soft graphic tee. Top with a floppy sunhat, or, wrap on some spangly chain-and-fabric bracelets for a balance of crunchy and sleek. It will match Drastic's manic patterning and simple cork sole. However you dress it, we hope you find the Drastic extremely wearable and fun!


  

Loop by French Sole

Thrown for a ... French Sole's Loop is a charming take on a simple flat.French Sole

French Sole's Loop may just be the perfect shoe to sell online. Though its name claims Norman ties, these beguiling skimmers are made in Italy. The subject matter is a riot of international newspaper clippings, Japanese advertisements, ukiyo-e prints, Siberian tigers and African cheetahs, zebras and giraffes. To try make a pair at home, set Wikipedia on random, pour into blender set to chop, mold into a glossy EVA upper and finish with genuine leather instep and sole. Loop: a flat perfectly in synch with our online lives.

Fortunately Loops also function as excellent footwear in the offline world. The all-leather inside and bottom ensure a smooth ride and a slow conformation to your foot shape for a comfortable fit. The upper is entirely man-made but, hey, that glossy patent stuff ain't exactly extracted from plant root.

Laminated into each shoe is a different theme: Animal, Newsprint and Japan. The photos are jumbled and overlaid in what only can be termed "fifth-grade craft," but the results are simply loveable. Instead of faux animal hair or embossing, close-ups of animals from magazines provide a stand-in that dissolves into animal-y looking print from a distance. Likewise the newsprint and Japan options, where typeface and screenprinted graphics surrender information to form pure, jaggy patterns.

Pair these up with capris, a tank and summerweight scarf or cardi. For something a touch more mature/less casual, switch to an unbleached linen, A-line dress at knee- or tea-length and let the subtle colors and patterns of the shoes add youthful pop. Obviously it's an easy option with jeans as well. With most busy shoes, we suggest letting them do the work; don't force the issue with lots of patterns up top. Continue the interest with well-chosen accessories on the neck, wrist and ear. As for a bag? Clean and beautiful with a bit of structure or a fab summer tote. But these are merely suggestions. As French Sole's Loop has shown, sometimes more is simply, well, more.


  

Munroe by Jeffrey Campbell

Fit to Be Tied: Walk into Memorial Day with this fair-weather heel. 

Jeffrey Campbell's Munroe is a tall order for summer: five and a half inches tall, to be specific. And while this is tempered by a one-and-one-half-inch platform, nothing can put a limit on its fresh, cool look. We think Munroe is an ideal shoe for Memorial Day weekend. The nude suede upper anticipates the holiday as the traditional jump-off for whites and for summer, while a contrasty captoe pokes at such formality. This tall girl is plenty airy and graceful thanks to an abundance of cloth ties that lace up the ankle and a spectatoresque two-tone jute sole.

We'd pair this one with a mini-dress (leggings on colder days). The neutral palette serves as an excellent base upon which to build an exciting outfit. Munroe has a lot of visual energy with three textures—suede, cotton cloth and jute wrapping—and a flowing silhouette courtesy of the ties. The palette of neutrals keeps it from being a competition with your outfit, so we say add bright colors or clean whites. Mini-dresses let you show off legs which look all the longer thanks to the nude colorway.

The Munroe in Beige/Tan is a long way from its more flamboyant sister in Fuschia, and we like that. Sometimes we want shoes to take center stage, and other times we want them to be the stage crew, quietly coordinating this whole production called an outfit we put together every morning. With its height, breezy tie-up and complimenting color and texture, we'd say Munroe is a great balance of good looks and coordinating accessory.

Pierre by Dolce Vita

Eighties Gold: Go a step beyond the '70s trend with the decadent mid-heeled Pierre from Dolce Vita.

The new Pierre by Dolce Vita hooks into a quietly rising trend—the mid-heel—and looks back to some of our more extravagant cultural moments—that's right: the Eighties! (In a good way, promise.) A departure from the ever-climbing heights of last fall and also a change from spring's usual offering of flat sandals and casuals, the Pierre mid-heel measures an easy two inches. The mid-heel lends a bit of stability and lift to your posture familiar from any boot heel. It's a confident height. The feel is polished, a touch reserved.

The Pierre itself, however, is anything but modest. You get a little bit of height and a lot more mileage out of that chunky little gold stack. The straight-edged cylinder compliments a gold leather lining under the straps. The upper and footbed are equally luxurious: gleaming black patent makes this shoe as slick, confident and ferocious as a Grace Jones video.

The inspiration is pure '80s. It is "The Love Boat" meets a Helmut Newton photo shoot. Just imagine the Pierre beneath an asymmetrical, nautical-inspired one-piece bathing suit with Ray-Bans, a huge sun hat and fire engine red lipstick. Big gold statement jewelry. If the breeze off the ocean is too much, throw on your boyfriend's Oxford button-down and a high-waisted skirt. No yacht? Shorts are a blessing for these sandals and Pierre's reserved lines encourage embellishment with neck and wrist adornments.

Pierre latches onto that '80s confidence but loses the decadence in its minimal lines and middling heel height. In a season when '70s vibes are all the rage, we like Dolce Vita's skip forward a couple years on the timeline to bring us something equally compelling, yet unique.