Have you heard? Tangerine Tango is the 2012 Pantone Color of the Year! Well if if you hadn’t heard, don’t feel bad, I had no idea there even was such a thing! But it makes total sense because I’ve been seeing this color everywhere. Described as a “spirited reddish orange”, this vibrant hue has been popping up on the runways, in retail stores and even in beauty products. This shocking shade seems a tad intimidating at first, especially after the dark dreary colors that have plagued us over the past few winter months, but I’m here to show you how to combine this eye-catching color with demure nude tone shoes – perfect for a fresh spring look!

This peep-toe platform nude pump from Chinese Laundry has all the right elements to perfectly complement the girly style of this A-line dress. Complete the look with more nude and tangerine accessories and you’re sporting the color of the year with flair!

I love this round-toe nude pump from Fergalicious worn with a pair of tangerine skinny pants. The Steve Madden Heaven patent flats would also be really cute with these bright pants.

Now if you’re really ready to go wild for Tangerine, take these neon pumps from Fergie for a spin! They’re sure to add some sass to your look and will really pop with a white jean or dark denim skinnies.

Filed under: How to Wear, Outfits, Trends by Sara
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So I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with COGNAC! Now before you go and call me a cab, let me explain. The color cognac. An in-betweeny shade of tan and brown. It’s rich… it’s luscious… it’s GORGEOUS! And my favorite way to wear this color: tall boots. This sleek, stylish flat boot from Steve Madden, the Indira, is the perfect shade and adds just the right amount of sophistication to an otherwise casual boot. I put together my dream outfit with some matching cognac and gold accessories with a bright pop of mustard yellow.

Here are a few of my other cognac boot picks:

The Madden Girl Prepie adds some height.

The Chinese Laundry Newbie boasts a sleek strap and buckle detail.

Step into the Madden Girl Sanguine for some western flair.

Share some of your ideas with us on our Facebook page and let us know how you would wear this trend! I’d love to see them. Cheers!

Filed under: Fashion, Trends, trend spotter by Sara
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Add a little dazzle to a sky-high view in metallic platform pumps! Some of Hollywood’s hottest ladies have been seen sporting this look and now you can too for a fraction of the price!

Check out this FOXX-y look from Steve Madden that boasts a metallic platform and totally trendy nude color.

The Steve Madden Fine adds some bling in a different fashion with studded accents along the platform sole.

Or really show off your wild side in the red patent and zebra print G by Guess Nathann.

And if you’re really ready to get noticed, the sky high Olivia pumps from Fergie will definitely do the trick.

Filed under: Celebrities, The Look for Less, trend spotter by Sara
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Though the weather outside is still a bit frightful at our offices in St. Louis, signs of spring are certainly abundant inside! We’re loving the great spring styles that have been popping up around here. This season, some of our favorite shoe trends are:

Natural highs – Featuring elements like cork, rope and raffia, these beauties wear well with capris, cargos, skirts or dresses.

Franco Sarto Focus, $59.99

Peek-a-Boo pretties – Let your toes peek out and greet the season with hot sandals that reveal just enough skin. Dress them up or down with skirts, dresses, leggings or skinny jeans.

R2 Hamilton, $34.99

Slivers of light – Embrace spring’s sense of renewal with the silver wedge sandals. They look great paired with skirts and dresses!

Fergalicious Kennsington, $49.99

Fresh picked – Floral adorned sandals add a cheerful touch to flowing skirts or lightweight dresses.

Madden Girl Klovrr, $39.99

Laid-back cool – Canvas casuals give guys a preppy vibe without sacrificing comfort.

Sperry Men’s Halyard, $44.99

What will be your go-to style this spring?

Filed under: Fashion, Fresh Picks, Trends by admin
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They’re calling for a white Christmas – at least here in the Midwest. Now is the perfect time to order snow boots for the entire family. AND FamousFootwear.com has guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve until noon CST today. Snow boots have come a long way in the past several years to the point that not only are they functional, but truly fashionable. Here are some of my top picks for everyone in the family:

So many fashionable styles to choose from for women, but I love the Skechers Highlanders. They are made of faux leather and fabric upper with seams sealed for waterproof protection. They also have Thinsulate® insulation which is key for cold weather.

While the men are probably more concerned about the functionality of their boots, there is no reason their winter boots can’t be fashionable as well. I love the Khombu Marsh boot because it is such a traditional snow boot yet possesses modern qualities. It features a faux leather upper with stitching accents, faux fur lining and a cushioned insole. The rubber traction outsole is perfect taking the kids sledding or shoveling off the driveway.

For the little boys, the Columbia Powderbug is designed to take on snowdrifts, slush, sleet and more. It’s an easy-on, easy-off style with a water-resistant nylon upper and removable insulated lining.

Little girls will love the Buster Brown Snowdrift for scaling snow piles. The black and grey waterproof boot with a splash of pink has a nylon upper and drawstring closure to keep out moisture. Thinsulate insulation lines the inside and rubber traction on the outside. It also comes in toddler sizes.

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With so many styles of athletic shoes out there today with so many different looks being endorsed by so many different celebrities, it’s hard to keep up with what’s going and what’s coming. It’s important to pick the right style for your activity of choice.

Toning – We’ve all heard about the toning shoes and seen the commercials on TV. Ashlee Simpson swears by them – the Reebok EasyTone specifically. The EasyTone offers the toning ability without forfeiting the attractiveness of the shoe. Coming in a variety of colors, the EasyTone style has balance pods that are built-in under the heel and forefoot of the shoe. This creates a natural instability to engage the hamstring, calve and glute muscles to encourage toning.

Cross Training – The Nike Free Run+ made Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things 2010, but don’t forget about it’s counterpart, Nike Free XT Quick Fit+. This is a lightweight design that is Nike+ enabled. It not only delivers superior flexibility but plenty of support too. The Free XT Quick Fit+ comes in a variety of colors, including grey & pink, grey & lime, purple & pink and for those who, like myself, prefer something a bit more tame: black & white.

Running – It is rare for my fiancé to ask for new shoes. He’s the type of guy that needs one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of black dress shoes, one pair of brown dress shoes and flip-flops. It’s also rare for him to “step outside of the box” and try something new, so when he mentioned he’d like to try the K-Swiss Tubes, I was a bit surprised. Regardless, I ordered the requested color(orange & black) and I don’t think I’ve seen another pair of shoes on his feet since. The Tubes are made of Aosta II rubber outsoles for ultimate durability and cushioned insoles for ultimate comfort.

Filed under: Comfort, Fitness, Toning by admin
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Starting a workout plan after having a baby is one thing, but starting one right in the midst of the holiday season is something else.  With learning how to parent and getting back to work adding a new layer of challenge to my life, working out and finding time for fitness got lost in the shuffle. I realize that squeezing exercise into my day is going to take a little creativity, so I plan on trying a variety of things to see what piques my interest and keeps me motivated.

For cardio and max calorie burning, I’m going to give running a shot.  To get myself psyched up and ready to go, I thought new running shoes would do the trick.  The Nike Women’s Free XT Quick Fit + are lightweight and versatile so that I can wear them on runs outside and also indoors on the treadmill, especially on snowy/icy days when getting out may be difficult.  They’re also perfect to wear while running around with a 4-month old and finishing up Christmas shopping!

The holidays are usually accompanied by stress, so I think incorporating yoga into my routine will be good for both mind and body while also building strength.  I have my eye on this Manduka PROLite yoga mat in Orchid.  I realize that there may be days where getting out of the house may simply be out of the question, so I’m going be ambitious and give the P90X home fitness system a try.  I’ve heard these DVDs are totally brutal, so I guess we’ll see how it pans out!

So that’s my initial plan for losing the baby weight.  Hopefully these different approaches can help me maintain focus and keep my eye on the prize.  If you have any ideas on how you plan on keeping your fitness focus throughout the holidays, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know!  Happy Holidays!

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Saturday was the first day it truly began to feel like Fall around here. The wind burn on my cheeks after my morning run made the time of year very apparent. As I pulled out the my Minnetonka slippers to use on my too-cold-for-bare-feet wood floors, I was reminded of how much I put them to use last year. Thus, time for new. I’m loving some of the non-traditional slipper styles!

Margaritaville Women's Sweater Clogs

Jessica Simpson Women's Flower Bootie

Roxy Women's Hot Toddy

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Hello blog land, Laura here! Colder temps, the presence of boots over flip flops and Christmas tunes on the radio mean one thing – Winter is officially here! Although this has many of us sighing and preparing ourselves for the stresses of the upcoming months, it’s important to remember one thing that tends to fall by the wayside when the white stuff falls – exercise.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am terrible about this. When it’s warm and sunny, you’d be hard pressed to find me indoors. But on a cold, dark Winter night, I want nothing more than to curl up on my couch with some hot tea, a blanket and a good movie. I’m always on the lookout for some new exercise routines that I can do in the comfort of my own home. Here are a few I find enjoyable:

Wii Fit – I recently won a Wii Fit in a raffle. I tried it for the first time a few nights ago and did about 30 minutes of exercise. I don’t really understand how some of the activities make you more fit, but there were a few I liked. The hula hoop in particular really got my obliques working – to the point that I was sore afterward! And maybe it’s the competitor in me, but I kept playing trying to beat my previous score. Plus, I wouldn’t want to shortchange my neighbors their nightly entertainment and opportunity to point and laugh profusely as I swirled my hips around like crazy in front of the open blinds. I was also a fan of the strength exercises and could really feel them working my thighs. That is, until my cat thought my being on the floor meant playtime and started biting my ankles. A friendly tip for you who choose to do Wii Fit: Your score will drastically decrease if there is a 17lb feline clinging to your leg.

Kettlebells – I went to Target and bought a GoFit Kettlebell DVD set. It included a pretty pink 7lb kettlebell, DVD and a booklet of the exercises. I read that starting with a 7lb kettlebell is a good start, but they range in size so pick the one you’re most comfortable with. As you start to improve, you can always do more reps to get the same result (and it’s better to start too light than too heavy!) I popped in the DVD and though it was a bit 80’s, I found the instructor easy to follow and motivational. I consider myself a fairly fit person to begin with, but I quickly discovered I have NOTHING on kettlebells. They plum wore me out. 30 minutes of the DVD and I was sore and exhausted – definitely pleased with the workout. It really got my heart rate going and I could feel every muscle screaming. After 1 workout, I was a convert. If you’re short on time or get easily bored, give kettlebells a shot. A week later I was still wincing as I walked down stairs.

Clean your house – Yep. Vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing and dusting can be quite the workout. While cleaning isn’t necessarily at the top of anyone’s “super fun activities” list, it is necessary and helps burn off the calories. I like to clean when no one else is home because I can crank up the tunes and dance around Mrs. Doubtfire-style with the vacuum or sing into the broom handle. I’m beginning to realize I should have given my neighbors a disclaimer when I moved in…

Dancing – Speaking of cranking the tunes, dancing is a great way to not only burn calories but improve your mental state. It’s easy to get the Winter blues thanks to less sunshine and more cold. So dance. Even if you have two left feet or zero rhythm. Rock out with the dog, your husband or just yourself. You’ll be glad you did!

What are some Winter exercise routines that you like?

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Fall is, by far, my favorite time of year. I love pulling out the sweaters, tights, boots and fashionable scarves. Often times, a sweater proves warm enough or maybe just a light jacket is required. However, come winter, I feel a little less excited about the sweaters, tights and boots and more annoyed with trying to stay as warm as possible while still being fashionable. Here’s a couple of my favorite Bearpaw winter boot styles that are warm and safe for tromping through snow – yet still fashionable!

Bearpaw Women's Emma Boots in Grey

Bearpaw Women's Lagoon Boots in Olive

Bearpaw Women's Cable Knit Boots in Black

Filed under: Comfort, Fashion by admin
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