Good news for the ladies who aren’t huge fans of a four-plus inch heel but do love a designer purchase.  Following Lanvin and Pierre Hardy’s lead Jimmy Choo has ditched its high heel in favor of a more urban rock collection.  Jimmy Choo is a big name in the shoe world but not all ladies feel comfortable walking around in that height heel and prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground!  So with this in mind the salubrious House of Choo has finally launched a collection of flatware for us ladies!!!

The trainers come in two very different styles: the Tokyo version is high top and the Miami version are low top.  All styles feature a mix of patent and suede material and are finished with the trademark Jimmy Choo star.  Now, I don’t know exactly how I feel about these trainers yet as I’m a total heel gal and am never parted from my heels BUT I’ll try anything at least once!  My favorite pair are the metallic, white and beige low tops.  They’re comfy yet stylish and will definitely see you through the Summer if you do decide to go and invest!

Prices start from €350 and upwards, if you are feeling like a splurge go and treat yourself!  The collection is available now from JimmyChoo.com.  We predict them to be a favorite amongst fashion editors on the go.  Check `em out..

Would you rock these?

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Date for your diary ladies, Friday 12th March – Mount Juliet, Image Magazine and Harvey Nichols are holding this Spring Salon Fashion Event at Mount Juliet.  The event is in aid of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, featuring an exclusive salon-style showing of the Harvey Nichols Spring/Summer 2010 Fashion Collection, as well as an opportunity to Shop the Show in the luxurious surroundings of the Mount Juliet House Presidential Suite.  It’s set to be an unmissable evening of fabulous fashion and beauty… Ooh la la, I’m there!

Fashionistas will have an opportunity to view the latest designs from the collections of Vivienne Westwood, Armani Collezioni, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Donna Karan, Sportmax, Alexander McQueen, D&G and Elie Tahari in the unique setting of the historic Mount Juliet House. Accessories will be key for 2010 and the Spring Salon will offer ladies a preview of pieces from Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Jimmy Choo. Harvey Nichols will also be previewing their exclusive range of DVF sunglasses in addition to Tom Ford, Chanel and Tiffany, while IMAGE magazine’s resident wardrobe mistress Triona McCarthy will share her style nous in an ultra-exclusive fashion workshop on the evening.

Guests will also have an exclusive opportunity to shop this season’s trends in fashion and beauty with expert advice from the Harvey Nichols team of Personal Shopping and beauty experts, and will be treated to hand massages and mini-facials, making this event the ultimate Spring Summer Treat.

The event starts at 6.30pm, tickets for the Mount Juliet Spring Salon Fashion Event, in association with IMAGE magazine and Harvey Nichols, cost €65pp. Fashion show starts at 8pm. Tickets include fashion show and after-party with music from DJ Poppy Lloyd, champagne reception, canapés, Harvey Nichols goody bag and access to the Shop the Show event in the Presidential Suite. Overnight accommodation in Mount Juliet House costs €94.50 pps and club house accommodation is available from €79.50 pps.

Please call Tracy Ryan on 086 0436490 to purchase your ticket. For further information on the Mount Juliet Spring Salon Fashion Event please log on to www.mountjuliet.ie/fashion.

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Nude is THE colour palette of the season and one we are loving for it’s ease of wear.  Anything nude is so inoffensive and discrete you can almost get away with wearing anything once it’s nude!  This colour will work so well coming into summer with nude shoes blending seemlessly and elongating your leg rather than cutting off the length at your calf or ankle – yay for us small people!  Not forgetting to mention they are also a discrete way of wearing the gladiator shoe/sandal, one to have been previously avoided if you are short of stature!

We’ve picked out some of the best on offer and hope we’ve found something to suit all styles and budgets. Jimmy Choo‘s patent leather sandals won our first pick hands down.  With the zip detailing to the back of these shoes they will work well with everything from skinny jeans to floral print dresses.   Next to JC comes a fab studded pair of gladiators by Italian designer Giuseppe Zanotti.  Both available on Net-a-porter with the first coming in at $950 and the gladiators at $790.

Next we had a look at what Asos had to offer and we weren’t disappointed – excluding Bertie‘s brogue, (the shoe label Bertie and not the ‘give us a dig out’ Bertie)!  If you like brogues Asos have a great selection but we chose these as we loved their description of ‘distressed’ suede lace-up shoe, more like ‘devastated’!  Priced at €94.74 not a shoe we favour. These peep toe ankle boots are Steven by Steve Madden and are so versatile, and being of soft leather you won’t have to sacrifice your comforts – €214.74. The last pair above are at Dorothy Perkins and priced at €60, they were released in December so be quick if you fancy these as there may not be many left in stock.

Below the cream/nude crisscross lace up sandals are part of the Spring/Summer collection at Tesco, £18.  Faith brought out these fab peek-a-boo style sandals in January as part of their Spring/Summer range. They are another favourite here at wow.ie as they not only knock nude of the ‘must have’ check list but also the platform AND the gladiator!  If pumps are your thing check out Littlewoods.ie for these Love Label courtesan jewelled ballerinas for an amazing €27!!  There are more great pumps on Asos…

See our previous post on brogues here or our post on nude fashion at the IFTA’s to see which Irish celebs champion this trend..

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You can’t beat AWear if you want to add to your accessories and not your overdraft!  We found this gorgeous day bag amongst other Chanel inspired chain and quilt detail bags. The bag in question is not too dissimilar in style to something you would find at Jimmy Choo but at far less damage to your bank account.

The stud and tassel shopper comes in grey, THE colour of the season, and is priced at an amazing €40!!  The Jimmy Choo bag below will set you back a cool €1295.

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If you are lucky enough to be wined and dined this Valentines you better make an effort to dress up!  We’ve chosen a couple of different looks to give you some inspiration.  Our first pick had to be this lace shift dress from River Island where you’ll also find a pair of patent black platform shoes with a dark purple heel to complete the look and a treasure trove of accessories. Next we’ve chosen a fringed charcoal dress from AWear (bargain at €50!) that could be tamed with black opaques and maybe a splash of colour with some red shoes or why not add colour with a pair of red sheer tights.  If you’ve fake tanned it would be fantastic with a killer pair of sexy heels.  Either of the Carvela shoes below from BT2 would do the trick!  You could always splurge or maybe be splurged upon for Valentines and be the proud owner of these gorgeous Jimmy Choo red patent peep toe sandals for €495 (JC on line).

If you are just at the beginning stages of a relationship and don’t want to appear too keen or maybe you just want a funkier look then any of the three looks below may be what you are looking for.  The first two are by Gestuz and the last by Goldsign, all available at BT2 with Gestuz also available on asos.com. The Gestuz ‘pants’ are one of the biggest trends this season, in particular the first pair incorporating a haphazard print. Adriano Goldschmied, formerly of AG jeans, is behind Goldsign which is a new denim line to BT2.  Each pair is unique with gold detailing on the back pocket and even better they’ve just a hint of that all important skinny jean essential – stretch!

Alternatively if you want to go all cutesy and girly this Valentines then Sonia by Sonia Rykiel‘s little pink dress is a winner!  I absolutely love this dress, it’s colour and the detailing on the shoulders – detailing that WILL make your waistline appear smaller. It is probably the most discrete piece from the collection which is full of bold colours and prints. Perhaps give the sunglasses a miss if it’s dinner instead of a liquid lunch. This dress is available from BT2. Sonia by Sonia Rykiel is also available on asos.com and net-a-porter.com. Prints and a hint of 80′s combine together with this floaty girly Frill Hem dress from Warehouse and it won’t break the bank at €60! They also do a wrap style similar to this dress at the same price.  You can team this dress with opaques and boots for day wear or office wear and pumps in the summer.  Here’s hoping you are all spoiled rotten whatever you do!

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Yes, it is a brain twister to try and imagine these two polar opposites teaming up but it’s true! I can’t say I’ll be joining the queue to purchase though as I absolutely loathe UGG boots unless somewhere with snow and icy conditions. Hhmmm… perhaps last week was ONE occasion all you UGG boot wearers didn’t look ridiculous.  No doubt this opinion will be met with great hostility but it is my opinion and I’m sticking to it.  Now UGG slippers I get (hubby got a pair for crimbo), warm and snuggly inside and perhaps best worn with socks!

Sorry, moving away from the point there! So UGG and Jimmy Choo have teamed up and announced their intention to release a capsule collection due to hit the stores in October 2010 – next crimbos must have no doubt.  What should we expect? The collection is said to be based on the ‘iconic UGG Australia boot construction with design details that embody the spirit of the Jimmy Choo brand’. The collection will encompass five styles in various colour variations and will be priced between £495-695, in euro that equals very expensive.

You will only be able to purchase these ‘shoes’ at Jimmy Choo and UGG Australia stores and in a selection of ‘prestigious department stores’ (should cover BT’s?), that carry Jimmy Choo shoes. Fear not if Brown Thomas don’t carry this collection as you can also pick it up on jimmychoo.com and uggaustralia.com websites when it’s released this October.

We here at Wow.ie can’t wait to see what design this collaboration produces!

“We are thrilled to be able to offer the Jimmy Choo and UGG customers a unique collection of boots that we believe our customers will covet. The boots are a seamless combination of luxury comfort that the UGG customer has grown to love meeting the high fashion and bold look that Jimmy Choo has perfected.”

Connie X. Rishwain

President, UGG Australia.

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For anyone taking note you will have noticed that Jimmy Choo was THE key accessory to be worn at the Golden Globes. There was a plethora of celebs in attendance all donning the must have designer shoes.  Wow.ie got the inside track on who wore what from the Jimmy Choo collection at this years awards.

We start with Marion Cotillard (as Édith Piaf in La môme) who wore JC’s ‘Drake Shoe’ in snake skin green to match her green satin dress. Next to trot her JC’s down the red carpet was Emily Blunt, you’ll have to take our word for it as we can’t actually see them under that fabulous rose pink tulle and chiffon dress by Dolce & Gabbana.  Ms. Blunt opted for Choo’s Quinze shoe (that’s a mouthful!) pictured below for a mere €1295! These suede and crystal embroidered sandals come in this seasons hottest trend – nude. Why, oh why cover such a masterpiece? Sinful Emily, sinful.

Moving on from that let’s take a look at Drew Barrymore‘s choice of Jimmy’s – the Zena shoe.  Compared to Emily’s they seem to be rather well priced at €765, and would work well on a more casual basis. These natural snake print leather sandals with wood effect and perspex heels create an elegant silhouette, and again we’d love to see her show them off again in a shorter dress. It’s a shoe that would see you right through Spring/Summer with jeans (another hot trend) and dresses alike – just in case you are putting a case together to justify a purchase…

Courtney Cox also opted for the Zena shoe and, went a step further on the ‘Choo scale’ by choosing their glitter fabric Tube Clutch bag in black to coordinate with her dress costing €795.  Courtney looked fabulous although she did play it safe in black.

Next we move to Maria Menounos – of Kickin It Old Skool and Fantastic Four… we weren’t sure who she was either and quite frankly we’re only interested in her shoes!  Maria is wearing Jimmy Choo‘s Keenan Shoe which is described as a crushed patent platform and the ultimate caged sandal.  To own a pair of these ‘ultimate caged sandals’ you’ll have to part with €725.  Once again they’ll give you endless opportunities to wear with jeans, skirts, dresses blah blah…. yes, I think you get the message, another expense you can justify.

Also supported in Choo comfort were Lisa Edelstein (Ally McBeal, Felicity and Almost Perfect) wearing their Hepsie shoe, and Alfre Woodard (most recent films American Violet and Reach For Me), opting for the flat Perfume sandal.

So there you have it, the most popular footwear designer on one of the biggest nights in showbiz was Jimmy Choo, no big surprise really.  You can now consider yourself armed with the knowledge of what’s hot to trot or even hot for your trotters!

For more on the globes check out our previous Globes post.

Images courtesy of Just Jared.

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