Showing posts with label shoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shoes. Show all posts

Thursday, June 6, 2013

ZIPZ SHOES #GIVEAWAY~!! Open to US Only ~ Ends June 12th~!!

Welcome to Zipz Shoes Giveaway!

Hot Fun Stuffs and Mad Moose Mama has teamed up with several awesome bloggers to bring you this great giveaway!  Pretty sweet ride to wear upon your feet...don'tcha' think~??  I would love to win a pair and YOU can too...enter below and goodly lucks~!!

Sponsored by: Zipz Shoes
Change Your Shoes, Change Yourself, Change Your World!

Zipz is the world’s first, true, interchangeable shoe which start a shoevolution! Born in California. Designed in the USA.


The PRIZE: A pair of Zipz shoe

Giveaway Date: ENDS June 12, 2013 at 11:59 PM EST
Eligibility: Open US, ages 18+

The winner will be notified via email and need to respond within 48 hours. Failure to do so will void the winning and we will draw another qualified winner. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with nor sponsored by Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. No purchase is necessary.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Disclosure: MAD MOOSE MAMA is not responsible for the prize fulfillment. Please contact the giveaway host at hotfunstuffs(at)gmail(dot)com for questions and concerns.





Thursday, August 9, 2012

Top 5 Back-to-School Deals for This Week (August 5-11, 2012)

With Back~To~School just around the corner, its probably a good idea to begin thinking along those lines...here are some groovy great tips and sales for you to enjoy~!!

Crystal Paine, The Money Saving Mom, thought you might be interested in these great weekend deals.

MSM

Kid's Jeans for $9 From Old Navy: Old Navy has all their Kid's Famous Jeans on sale for $10 through August 15, 2012. This sale is both in-store and online. If you are planning on purchasing multiple pairs, you can sign up for Old Navy emails to get a $10 off $50 coupon. Plus, shipping is free on orders over $50. So you could potentially get five pairs of jeans for just $9 shipped each. If you're shopping in-store, you can print a $10 off $50 coupon from the Old Navy Facebook Page. 

Kid's Jeans for as Low as $8.50 from The Children's Place: The Children's Place has a number of different jeans priced at $10 right now. Use coupon code RETAILMENOT82 to get an additional 15% off your order, making the jeans just $8.50 per pair after this coupon code. Shipping is free on $75+ orders or a flat-rate of $5 on orders less than $75. 

Free 6-month Subscription to Shop Runner: If you do a lot of online shopping, you'll want to check this offer out! Sign up for a free Cozi account and they'll give you a coupon for a free 6-month subscription to Shop Runner. Shop Runner gives you unlimited free shipping to many different online sites -- just in time for purchasing back-to-school clothes, shoes, and electronics! 

Buy One, Get One 50% Off Plus Additional 15% Off at Famous Footwear: Famous Footwear is running aBuy One, Get One Half Off Sale right now. This is a great opportunity to stock up on quality shoes for your kids at low prices. Plus, use this coupon to get an additional 15% off your order total. 

Free First Day of School Printable Signs: Like to take a photo of your children on their first day of school to commemorate the occasion? Download two different free designs of First Day of School Signs. In addition, you can find some other fun free Back-to-School printables here

LitfuseCrystal Paine is a wife, mom of three, author of The Money Saving Mom®'s Budget. Visit her blog, MoneySavingMom.com, for the best back-to-school deals and for practical ideas and inspiration to get your life and finances in order.


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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Top 5 - Famous Movie Shoes

Over the years there have been a great number of films that feature some pretty memorable footwear! Whether these shoes were an integral part of the plot, or not, we will be having a quick look over some of the most famous big screen soles!

Wizard of Oz
There's no place like home! The red Ruby slippers featured in the 1939 classic 'The Wizard of Oz' are perhaps the most famous pair of movie-shoes out there. In the film the slippers, given to Dorothy by 'Glinda' the Good Witch of the North, have magical powers. It's not until the end of the film however that it is revealed to Dorothy that by clicking her heels three times and chanting "there's no place like home", that she can in fact travel back to Kansas.

It's perhaps interesting to know that in the original novel the slippers were in fact silver. Due to the recent advances in cinema technology the film was being filmed with the new process available known as 'Technicolor'. As a result the creators of The Wizard of Oz decided to make the slippers a brilliant Ruby colour so as to take full advantage of all that Technicolor had to offer.

Cinderella
Cinderella has a long and varied history, being first published in a recognisable form to the modern version in 1697. I'll quickly skip the main bulk of the story and get to the slipper. Having attended the ball, Cinderella meets the Prince and as expected they hit it off. As midnight approaches, Cinderella realises that the spell cast upon her by the Fairy Godmother will soon run out. In her haste to leave before the prince sees her in her true form, Cinderella loses one of her glass slippers.

The Prince was obviously a little confused as to why Cinderella had just took off and left! So after finding the slipper she lost, he starts a mission to find her. The prince searches all over his Kingdom to find the owner of the slipper. Upon arriving at Cinderella's house, her ugly step sisters try very hard to fit the slipper, attempting to win the Prince over. Of course Cinderella fits the slipper perfectly, she then marries the Prince, and they all lived happily ever after.

Saturday Night Fever
Although this one isn't strictly about specific shoes, I can't help but stare at the high heeled platforms in Saturday Night Fever. These iconic shoes certainly deserve to be in the list of famous movie footwear. John Travolta's style rounds up '70s disco fashion perfectly, with bell-bottom jumpsuits, large collars, and high heeled platforms. Even with all this gear he still manages to gracefully dance around the stage with clockwork precision. Apparently the only scene that doesn't actually feature John Travolta's feet and his iconic footwear is one where he is comparing his shoe, to a shoe in a shop window.

Back to the Future
A famous shoe from Back to the Future 2 is the 'Nike Air Mag'. Worn by Marty McFly when he arrives in 2015, the shoe incorporates power laces, laces which automatically tighten when the wearer puts their foot in. In addition to this feature the shoe also has light up elements to its design. Whilst wearing the shoes in 2015 Marty McFly has a run in with Biff and his gang, another famous accessory of this scene is the Mattel branded hover-board which McFly uses to escape.

As part of a drive to raise money for Parkinson's disease research and treatment, Nike released a limited run of the trainer, called the Air Max 2015. This didn't feature an auto-lacing feature but did contain the light up elements of the shoe. Owning one a pair of these trainers would truly be a great addition to any Back to the Future fan's memorabilia collection.

Austin Powers - International Man of Mystery
This is only a brief appearance of a shoe admittedly, but a funny one so it had to be included! Right at the end of the first Austin Powers film, the 'International Man of Mystery', a deadly assassin enters the room. In a scene parodying the appearance of 'OddJob' in James Bond Goldfinger, the assassin takes a shoe (instead of a hat!) and throws it at Austin, doing very little damage. This action only makes Austin a little disgruntled! It's an excellent parody and scene, and for that reason deserves to be included in the top 5 movie shoes.
Citations:

With '70s fashion making a return, high heeled platforms are back!  Head over to Peppermint for a fabulous selection of high heeled platforms.


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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Continuing Battle with Shoes

There is an envy amongst millions of women across the world... an envy of other women who can find comfortable shoes with seemingly little effort!

Shoes have been a personal enemy of mine since I was a teenager. Endless hours of traipsing around shops trying to find a pair that looked right, even though the likely outcome was that they wouldn't have the right size. If they did have the right size, it wouldn't be a comfortable fit. And in the unlikely event it was comfortable when first trying them on, you could guarantee that after 2 hours of continued use, they would cause me as much pain as childbirth.

A constant struggle
I dread to think how much money I've wasted on shoes. And the number of plasters, fabric soles and gel pads I've bought in an effort to make shoes comfortable by protecting my feet better. Sometimes this actually makes matters worse by making more things rub in the wrong places and coming loose and being a general pain. A lot of people have said 'well, you must have really wide or narrow feet'. I don't. There's nothing wrong with my feet, and I've often come to the conclusion some women must have some sort of in-built psychic power for finding exactly the right kind of shoes for them in super quick time.

Of course, that's really silly. Everyone is built differently, and not everyone is going to have just the right shape of feet and ankles to pull off wearing most shoes they find. But I do believe that part of problem is that the shoe industry has been surprisingly male orientated, and many manufacturers create shoes which are completely unsuitable for women, as they don't understand women's feet properly. Things are changing now, but it's still hard to come by shoe brands which are, genuinely, comfortable for women.

Do any comfortable shoe brands exist?
Crocs are an obvious brand that comes to mind, but unfortunately the 'style', if they ever had any, completely counteracts the comfort benefits. There's not much point dressing up nicely, only to shove a couple a smurf shoes on your feet and lose all dignity. There is a relatively new brand called 'Heavenly Feet' that focuses on comfort first and foremost, but also spends a decent amount of time creating an attractive style. They are referred to as 'anti-fatigue footwear'.

There are also some general styles you can look out for, if you can't find any specific brands that are suitable. Firstly (and rather obviously), avoid high heels completely. But also (and not so obviously), avoid completely flat shoes - whether they're boots or pumps, totally flat styles are really a recipe for disaster, forcing your feet and legs to position in an unnaturally sharp angle as you walk. The best thing to look out for is boots and shoes with just a small gradient. This happy medium works much better, even though it will still be a struggle to find the perfect pair.

But it would be true to say that searches online for 'comfortable shoes' are more likely to bring up enormous walking boots than the kind of style you'd want to wear with dresses. Although things are changing a little, the battle of women vs shoes will continue for a fair while yet.

Rainbow's End is a retailer of women's fashion including clothes, bags and footwear such as Heavenly Feet shoes.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Expensive Shoes To Factory Produced - Hand Made Or Synthetic - You Decide

Shoes are often looked at as a status symbol, from expensive shoes made by various designers to factory produced shoes meant to offer each individual freedom of expression.  Whatever choice a person wears and for whatever reasons, shoes have come through history with many tantalizing tales.

Shoes are intended to protect and comfort our feet, however with fashion and fads often leading the pace, both can be afforded when style makes its impressions upon the consumer.  From toe-less to stilettos, shoes offer insight into a person's individual style and sends a message to those they walk beside.

The oldest shoes found on record, date from around 8000-7000 BC; discovered in Oregon sometime in the late 1930's.  The earliest known leather shoes were made from a single piece of cowhide and laced with leather cords at the seams; recently found in a cave in Armenia, carbon dating sets them from 3300 BC.  However, anthropologists believe that shoes may date back an astounding 26,000 years, making it one of our most needed and desired of accessories.

Since the 17th century, most leather shoes have used a sewn-on sole which is still incorporated in higher quality designed shoes to this day.  It wasn't until the 18th century that the feet began to be differentiated and soles were cut to match the shape of a person's foot making them more comfortable to wear.  Since the advancement of synthetic materials, rubbers, plastics as well as adhesives making their dominance known; shoe creation have lost their hand made flavour, as companies mass produce designs and styles by machine stitching or glue.  Hand made leather shoes are expensive accessories these days as factory shoes take over allowing niche shoe wearers a more well-designed, long-lasting product.

Even though hand-made leather shoes are more expensive, they are more environmentally friendly than your synthetic counterparts, having more natural attributes than their lesser grade cousins.  Some analysts have predicted that many of the lesser made shoes may never break down raising concerns over the chemical makeup and potential damage to the Earth's environment.

Let it be said, however, if cheap is your standard, then be prepared to spend more money over time than affording a well made pair.  The old adage, you pay for what you get does ring true when it comes to shoes and the price your willing to pay for comfort, durability and style.

Designs, styles and production may have changed over the years and with the diverse expression of the shoe industry, there is a pair out there that everyone can enjoy.  From your more élite, expensive hand made shoes to your mass produced factory products, shoes will remain a part of our lives, comfort or fashion, shoes have made a statement for thousands of years and will for many more. 

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I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for handmade shoes and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Monday, December 19, 2011

OPPORTUNITY: Shoe Carnival Holiday $10 off Coupon


Shop Shoe Carnival Coupons to make your Holiday shopping even better! 

$10 off your total purchase $49.98 or higher during the Super Holiday Weekend Sale at Shoe Carnival

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Empowerment of Long Leather Boots

“Oh, Miss Clara, you're gonna look like Emma Peel.” - To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)

Long leather boots are timeless. Sure, you can add embellishments, detailing, fur trims and all that stuff, but it's the shape of the boot that begins the love affair. There's so much variety in women's footwear, and ankle boots from brands such as Hotter shoes that takes fashion further with an extra comfy tailored fit. We need the variety, right ladies? But the long boot always makes an reappearance.

From the elegant line from the top of the boot to the turn of the heel, boots like these refuse to be ignored. It starts off with that first glimpse, just as you invent a reason to walk past that shop window, or have a quick browse online.

There could be a sale on, after all...

Then you see them. A pair of gorgeously shaped long leather boots that you know were made for you. You can already picture what they'll go with. Those skinny jeans, that punky mini skirt you've been dying to wear, the long skirt for autumn – your world opens up with a pair of sexy leather boots. They create confidence, a mastery of the world around you.

So where does this attitude come from? What is it about a pair of heel boots and long boots that offers this feeling of empowerment? Let's go back to the early eras of these long-lived items of footwear to find out more.

While there are many sources that suggest the earliest examples of boots date back more than 3,000 years, it is the structured boot that we need to look at. It's no great surprise that the origin of the long boot is a working one; specifically for the military, and the days of soldiers on horseback in the field of combat.

It is inevitable that such a style of boot would become a fashion icon. From the poise of the Victorian era, through to the rise of feminism in the 60's – helped in many ways by pop culture characters like Mrs Emma Peel in the Avengers – right up to today.

The structured shape of these boots give a regimented support, dictating your posture. This elegance dictates the shape of the leg and how you carry yourself, offering a strident gait. In turn, this gives you a real feeling of empowerment, and quite rightly too!

What you wear should make you feel good about yourself, from your head to your toes. It's no wonder that a long, heeled boot has been the cornerstone of women's fashions. Decade upon decade, boots adapt, develop and evolve, but no one can resist a sexy boot to complete that strong, feminine silhouette.

Schoose provides the UK with the latest in affordable fashion footwear. From the picturesque environs of Cornwall, Schoose brings a great range of ladies and gents boots, shoes and more, all at affordable prices.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Showcase Your Shoes~!!

”Spring
It is a perfect time to showcase your favorite Spring Shoes.  

Everyone loves shoes! This is the perfect time to get the companies you work with on a regular basis and to get new companies to showcase their Spring Shoe collections on your blogs. To be in the Spring Shoe Runway event you will need to find a sponsor that is shoe related. This means women’s shoes, men’s shoes, kid’s shoes, or gift cards to buy shoes. No min. amount.

Kobiso and Jamie’s Precious Peas are proud to present Spring Shoe Runway Event from Jan 18 12:01 PM EST to Jan 21  at 12:01 PM EST and is accepting signups now.

Minimum Prize: No min, if you have over $100, they will add it to the linky title.
To Join: choose one of the following options:
Send $5 (NOT as a gift as a service) admin fee to jamielovesherfamily@gmail.com OR write a post announcing the event signups.

Friday, November 18, 2011

The Evolution of Ballet Shoes

Ballet shoes, also known as flats or slippers have been worn by performance artists for many Centuries, with the traditional ballet flat shoe being a development of the original heeled shoe which was worn by women in the late 1600's. This type of footwear has many attributes which make them a favourite with women of all ages as fashion items, giving stylish design and light, easy wearing footwear for a variety of occasions.

The History of the Ballet Shoe
In the early day's of ballet, women were not allowed to dance. It was only in the reign of King Louis XIV and the founding of the Royal Academy of Dance that women were brought onto the stage to perform ballet. Initially ballet shoes followed the fashion of the time and were solid shoes which had a pronounced heel. This didn't allow women do perform some of the more complex routines which we see in ballet today and restricted movement of the foot. Birth of the modern ballet flat shoe has been attributed to the 18th Century dancer marie Carmargo of the Paris Opera ballet, a trend which continues to this day.


The Construction of the Ballet Shoe
Ballet flat shoes have a unique construction which lends itself to movement of the wearer's foot, giving flexibility and stability to the toes, allowing arch movement and giving the best possible balance for the ballet dancer. There are two types of ballet flat shoe in common use - the standard lightweight dancing shoe and the 'pointe' shoe which is worn for centre work on stage, for performing spins and any movement where the dancer is required to stand upright on the toe. Both types of shoe rely on similar construction methods in order to offer the dancer the best balance and poise.

Construction material for modern ballet flat shoes hasn't really changed much over the years, with canvas, soft leather or satin being used. The only real change in construction is the use of modern glues to hold these shoes together instead of the traditional stitching used previously. Higher value ballet flats still utilise traditional construction techniques and are thus seen as higher quality items.

The soles of ballet flat shoes is usually made of thin leather in order to offer the wearer the best foot flexibility. Sometimes a centre plate is sewn into the ball of the slipper in order to give additional support, especially important on street wearable versions of this type of footwear as otherwise they would wear out too quickly.

Modern street interpretations of the ballet slipper
As with many forms of footwear, ballet shoes or slippers have morphed into street wear. Whilst these street wearable ballet shoes bear a passing resemblance to traditional dance wear they vary greatly in construction, being made of tougher materials and offering longer lasting soles.

Modern street wear interpretations of the ballet flat shoe from brands like Bloch offer the look with a well formed sole allowing the wearer to use this type of footwear on concrete and tarmac as well as in the house, giving real flexibility as well as a great style.

If you are looking for traditional female style in a shoe which allows real flexibility for your feet then look no further - find yourself some good ballet flat shoes!

Fashion That Is Different offer a range of stylish ballet inspired footwear ideas from top brand Bloch ballet.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Last Call PediPed Casting Call

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE OR WIN THE 2011 PEDIPED CASTING CALL ("CASTING CALL"). A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE ODDS OF WINNING.

Submit a photo of your child BEFORE Tuesday, September 20th for a chance to win~!!

The gallery will be open for voting on September 21st.

1st GRAND PRIZE WINNER:  
Will be selected by a panel of five judges.  Winner will win a Pediped gift card valued @ $750 and a trip for two to a Pediped photo shoot.


3 RUNNERS UP: 
Will be chosen by public vote and will be featured on the Pediped website and in marketing materials.