The most iconic color palette of the 1940s is patriotic red, white, and blue.  Because fashion is such  a visual clue as to the events of the times, patriotic colors were seen in garments, jewelry, and especially shoes.  What I love about these particular American beauties is how modern they look. Couldn’t you see these walking down the runway Carolina Herrera or at L.A.M.B.

The scalloped cut outs and criss cross straps are right on trend for summer. I am especially in love with the chunky Cuban heel - no painful heels after a day of fun in the sun with these babies.  If you are interested in bidding, I highly recommend you plan on bidding high. In the vintage world, sandals like these don’t come around very often.

available on Ebay.com / Mill Street Vintage

ends 5/11

The great thing about their newest site is that you will find the exact same brands they carried seasons prior at deeply discounted prices, sometimes as much as 70% off! For now, I am coveting these  Corsage viny sandals by Alexander McQueen.

Alexander McQueen Corsage vinyl sandals  | theOutnet.com

It has been in the 80s the last two days here in California. Just a sneak peek at the glorious warm weather waiting for us this spring and summer. Time to put the sweaters away and dig out the summer dresses. And of course a cute dress is nothing without a pair of cute shoes. This week’s Vintage Shoe Find is a darling pair of red with white polka dot platforms from the 1970s.

You would never think these babies were over 30 years old. They look like they walked off the catwalk just in time for spring. And they’re just my size!

available on Ebay.com

ends 4/12

They have been sitting in their YSL box waiting for some vintage fashionista with a fear of foot cooties to discover them. I simply love the sheer bow. So if you like the look of vintage shoes, want to own a pair of YSL heels, but not pay YSL prices, these shoes are right your alley!

Here’s what I am coveting…

Gucci Buckle Sandal at Bergdorf Goodman

Here’s what I can afford…

Charles David buckle sandal

RSVP buckle sandals featuring Foot Petals footbed

Betsey Johnson

Beverly Feldman

Ed Hardy

These adorable kitten heels triple your fun with yellow, black, and red snake skin bow straps with a delicate little peep toe. These are a far cry from the prim and proper vintage Ferragamo loafers we have all grown accustomed to.

Vintage Rosina Ferragamo 3 tone snake skin & leather pumps

available at Ebay.com - ends 2/22

Promiscuous Honor, $96

Unleash your wild side with a pair of killer oxfords such as these.  But don’t let the brand name scare you - Promiscuous behavior is not a necessary to wear these sexy prints.

The Chanel Couture show for Spring 2009 was as whimsical as ever, until the unfortunate event. One of the models took a spill on the runway. Yes, the Chanel Couture runway.  Ouch! Undoubtedly it was an unbelievably embarrassing event for the young beauty. But if you’re going to take a spill in very high heels, perhaps you should go out with bang, in a one of a kind, extremely expensive designer garment.

Want to avoid a catastrophic spill the next time you walk down the catwalk? Be sure to read TheBeautyStop.com’s tips on how to wear really, really, high heels.

Photo: nymag.com

Bettye Muller Patent T Strap

I recently found a gorgeous pair of 1960s kitten heels - black patent leather with an adorable bow on the vamp.  I was so mesmerized by their cuteness that I chose to ignore the scratches and scuffs on the surface of this 40 year old shoe. But I knew that with the right tools, I could revive the shoes and bring them back to life and make them shine!

Patent leather is a shiny coating made of linseed oil on top of real leather. Usually, real patent leather will be more costly and if you sniff it, you will smell the leather through the coating.  Cheaper shoes will actually just be man made materials with a vinyl coating.Regardless of whether you bought your shoes at Bergdorfs or Payless, you should still care for your shiny shoes in the same manner in order to keep their luster.

1. Acetone nail polish remover.

You can use acetone nail polish remover to remove scuffs on patent leather. Dip a cotton swab into the acetone and carefully buff out the scuff. Wipe off excess with a paper towel.

2. Use mineral oil for day to day cleaning.

Squeeze a tiny bit of mineral oil onto a cotton cloth to clean away any dirt or minor scuffs. Professional silicone based products will have less grease, but in small amounts, mineral oil will do the trick.

3. Polish with professional products.

Household products are fine for day to day or emergency clean ups, but if you want your patent leather to last, invest in professional products. Esquire patent leather and pattina cleaner is a great product.  I have used it on patent leather purses, shoes and accessories. A little goes a long way.