Monday, February 8…Finally, we can purchase fringe tights, and they’re only $425…File this under “Trends That Won’t Die”: Jean Paul Gaultier’s former model, Thomas Wylde, designs flat black boots covered with tiny skulls…Katie Couric struts her stuff in sexy heels in Harper’s Bazaar…Miuccia Prada shods teenage model Lindsey Wixson in groovy 70s platforms in her newest ad (Also: Somebody please get that girl a sandwich)…Shoe designer Eugène Riconneaus debuts feathery spring collection…Artist Keith Haring collaborates with Tommy Hilfiger on a line of boots and sneakers…CollegeFashion.net recommends investing in a good pair of black heels…One fashion editor loves her Balmain “everyday” boots (I’m dying to see her special-occasion boots).

Valentine’s Day is all about love, right? And you love shoes, right? We’re marrying (get it?) these truisms in a fun new contest that’s sure to please: From now through February 14, 2010, post a picture of a love-themed shoe to your Fantastic Toe collection, tag it “Valentine’s Day”, and you’ll be automatically entered to win a $100 gift card from Zappos.com!

The shoes should have something to do with Valentine’s Day: Maybe you’re planning to wear them on February 14; maybe they’ve figured in a memorable Valentine’s Day from the past. Or, maybe you just really looooooove them. In any case, satisfy our tendency towards nosiness, and tell us the love story behind the shoes.

Anyone who posts a picture (or pictures) of shoes that are tagged with “Valentine’s Day” will be automatically entered to win a $100 gift card from Zappos.com! And, yes, the more tagged pictures you post, the more chances you’ll have to win. If you’re not already a member of Fantastic Toe, you can join here.

You must be a resident of the USA to be eligible to win this prize. We’ll do a random drawing among all entrants on Monday, February 15, and notify the winner by email.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’m trying to figure out the new Giuseppe Zanotti Nappa Bianco shoes. High heels, golden swag border, enwrapped with a seemingly tattered American flag.

Are they a symbol of protest, their wearers making a statement about their national despair? If so, these stilettos would be the perfect shoes for the teabaggers – if they weren’t always marching.

Or, is the flag not tattered, but meant to look like it’s blowing in the wind, similar to those giant flags you see at car dealerships? They express fervent patriotism – ideal for the well-shod “real” American, all gussied up for a Sarah Palin fund-raiser.

Of course, they might just be in good fun, maybe even a little ironic, and hence are the perfect accessory for a tony July 4th party, or a Halloween costume.

Whatever that sexy shoemaker had in mind, his flag shoes are definitely provocative. Which, I suppose, makes up for the fact that they’re really kinda ugly.

In other shoe news:

Same old, same old: A Jungian-inspired clairvoyant with the diction and timing of a stand-up comedian crafts fantastical shoes from fig bark and rooster feathers…One editor likes the simple, recession-era feel of Bensimon sneakers…Shoeblog.com points out a  shoe video worth watching…Shoe designer Rachel Comey leans toward androgyny for her fall/winter 2010 shoes…OK, I’m pretty sure I have a problem with this: There’s a space print trend going on, and it’s made it to shoes…Acne wedges with a shiny border make one editor’s must-have list…Are kitten heels making a comeback?…Fabu…Prada has mysteriously allotted only 3 pairs of their amazing chandelier shoes to the whole country…In the corny-but-fun category, The Shoe Stylist puts together a wish list of Heart Shoes for Valentine’s Day.

Today’s fashion marketing lesson is brought to you courtesy of Alexander McQueen. He knocked the fashion world off its feet last September with his sky-high “armadillo” shoes, and these outrageous claws have consistently made news in the ensuing months. Lady Gaga and Daphne Guinness have worn them to great acclaim, while others – notably the R&B singer Kelis – haven’t quite had the panache to carry them off. Meanwhile, bringing the marketing plan to fruition, the designer’s spring ad campaign features a model  – whom I sincerely hope is getting combat pay – wrapped in giant snakes and wearing a snakeskin version of the shoes.

Of course, outrageous shoes have long been recognized as an effective way to get PR – the Nicholas Kirkwood strap-wrap thigh-high boots come to mind, as do the Louboutin spike shoes and the fall-offable Prada shoes. But I do believe that, from a marketing standpoint, the armadillo shoes outperform these examples by a long shot. I, for one, am totally looking forward to whatever armadillo marketing techniques will be on display at the upcoming NY Fashion Week.

In other shoe news:

Bruno Frisoni’s unicorn shoe – whose horn is made of feathers by Lemarié, haute couture’s “prince of plumes” – unleashes the magical creature in all of us…Speaking of fairy tales, shoe repair shop owner Fabrizio Pasquale creates couture glass slippers, just in time for the Oscars…Brian Reyes breaks with Manolo Blahnik, chooses limited-edition handmade shoes by English designer Georgina Goodman to accessorize his Fall 2010 collection…Ready or not, clogs and shoes with buckles are looking like unavoidable trends for spring (Perhaps kill two birds with one stone with these shoes)…Christian Siriano’s line of shoes for Payless channel both Alexander McQueen and Nicholas Kirkwood – for fifty bucks…If you’re more interested in the real thing, check out these Liberty-print shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood…Rachel Zoe puts nude pumps and statement flats on her list of 20 Essentials; these Givenchy wedges are probaly not on her list of Essentials, but they’re fun to look at anyway…Speaking of wedges-to-obsess-over, InStyle submits Chanel Carnival Wedges for our consideration…Memory foam isn’t just for mattresses anymore – Banana Republic adds it to their spring flip flops…Jimmy Choo introduces suede and snakeskin sneakers.

As we struggle through the doldrums of winter, those of us in colder climes frequently turn our thoughts to the idea of Getting Away. As you look for footwear that supports these thoughts, I submit for your consideration: stone-embellished sandals and heels.

Nothing evokes “island vacation” or, perhaps, “spa getaway” quite like stone-embellished sandals.  Smooth, seemingly water-worn stones adorn the most delicate of straps — is this not the perfect footwear for shopping in St. Thomas or strolling the boardwalk in Maui or enjoying a lovely outdoor lunch overlooking the sea in Koh Samui?

But, this trend is not just for your island vacation. This season’s stone-embellished pumps and strappy stilettos — where the stones are more typically jewel-toned or clear — are the perfect footwear for a fancy evening out, and indeed are elegant and interesting enough to be the star of your outfit.

In the high-heel category, we’re also seeing more “fierce” stone-embellished heels, which are a variation on the theme of stud- and hardware-encrusted heels that was so popular a few months ago.

-Continue reading this post, and see our whole collection of stone-embellished shoes at The Shoe Stylist blog on BuyFantasticShoes.com

Let’s face it: We all know wearing high heels all the time isn’t exactly the best thing for your feet. But, as stylist Clinton Kelly says, sometimes comfort just doesn’t matter — when a shoe is fabulous, wearing it just may be worth a subsequent day of misery.

We understand — which is why we’re so excited to announce that Footminders, makers of the Catwalk insoles for high heels, is giving away a free pair of insoles to one lucky Fantastic Toe member!

Footminders are podiatrist-developed orthotics that ease all kinds of foot pain associated with wearing high heels, including ball of foot pain (Metatarsalgia and Morton’s Neuroma), callous and corns, and tired, aching leg.

And, lest you think: “Eek, orthotics, sounds very ugly!”, don’t worry: Catwalks insoles have a slimline design for an easy fit, and work invisibly with most types of heels, including pumps, court shoes, sandals and boots with low, medium or high heels.

Sounds pretty good, right? Nothing wrong with making wearing high heels more comfortable, that’s for sure.

To enter to win a free pair of Catwalks insoles, just join Fantastic Toe;  if you’re already a member, just follow us on Twitter. If you join or follow between now and 12/31/09, you’ll be automatically entered to win the free pair of Catwalks insoles. We’ll do a random drawing on 1/1/10 among all entrants, and notify the winner by email. (You must be a US resident to be eligible to win.)

If you believe what you read on the internet (I do! I do!), Michelle Obama has succumbed to the footwear trend sweeping the country and purchased a pair of Robert Clergerie over-the-knee boots.

This is indeed a daring move on her part, and tells us much about our First Lady.

Of course, we already knew she cares about fashion, and is prepared to have fun with it. Jimmy Choo is a safe choice, but Jason Wu isn’t. She dressed in chartreuse on Inauguration Day. Designer sneakers are her thing.  (And can I just say how gorgeous she looked at the State Dinner last night?)

But, over-the-knee boots? Are they not in a different category? And she will no doubt be excoriated on some fronts because of it. Some will say that, at 45, Michelle Obama is too old to wear OTK boots. Or, because she’s not stick-thin, they won’t be flattering. She’s the mother of two young and impressionable daughters, for heavens sake! She should be wearing Naturalizers!

To these folks I say: PISH POSH.

I think Michelle Obama is teaching her young and impressionable daughters a very important life lesson here: Be bold in the face of your critics. Do your thing, sneerers be d**ned. Know yourself, and own your choices. How much easier it would have been for her to go conservative, and play it safe – especially given the vitriol of some of her detractors. But she’s not doing that, is she? She’s pulling on her over-the-knee boots and going about her life.

I can’t wait to see what she’ll wear them with.

Robert Clergerie over-the-knee-boots, around $850 at Shopbop.com and Zappos.com