Jammin' With the New Jambus!

On this glorious day, I'm featuring the latest Jambu footwear. For those of you who are new to Jambu, I'll give you a quick idea of what they're all about. Jambu prides itself in being designed by women and made only for women. All materials used for packaging purposes are 100% recycled and reusable. The shoes themselves are partially recycled and extremely comfortable. The different styles I am blogging about today are the Dublin, Santiago, Himalaya, Cascade, & Waterfall. ENJOY!!

1. Dublin - $114.95 (Pictured Below)

The first thing I notice when trying this style on is that it's incredibly comfortable. It shocks me that a shoe with a heel can feel so good on my feet! The sleek design and colors are very feminine. The suede materials are great for fall fashion. This shoe has elastic goring for easy on-and-off, yet my foot stays stable and secure. I love the stacked heel, and I feel like I could wear this shoe with many different outfits. I would wear this with jeans, a skirt, leggings, shorts, or slacks. I like the brown style for fall and the black for winter.

2. Santiago - $119.95 (Pictured Below)

The Santiago looks really cute. The metallic colors are great! Ok, right when I get this shoe on my foot, I feel like I'm about to fall out of it. I guess I prefer a little bit of heel support and this style has an open back. I have a very high instep so the Velcro(R) hook-and-loop closure will not fasten all the way. Nonetheless, this shoe is very padded and comfortable for the way it fits my foot. Some good things I can say about this shoe are that the toe box is roomy, and I enjoy the fact that you can wear this stacked heel without sacrificing any comfort. The metallic blue color is perfect for a day that you're feeling bright & flashy, while the black non-metallic style possesses a more modest look.

3. Himalaya - $99.95

I have to be honest, I am obsessed with this all-terrain shoe! It is so cute and feminine and looks even better on the foot. I WISH that I would have been wearing this shoe when I was trekking through Europe last summer! Some positive things I found about this shoe include the bungee lace system, easy on-and-off, all-terrain style yet still very girly (a hard thing to find), and amazing versatility. I love that I would feel comfortable wearing this with jeans or with my hiking gear. The collar of this style is very padded and elasticized therefore you don't necessarily have to wear socks. This shoe also has a great amount of tread, yet nothing too obtrusive. I must say I LOVE this shoe!

4. Cascade - $99.95

The Cascade is the perfect shoe for bummin' around town. This is such a comfortable style that has lots of give. Sparkly, metallic detail gives this shoe and young, feminine appearance. I like the colors of this shoe because they are subtle, but not boring. The bumper toe is great for protection incase you were to accidently run into an object. The hook-and-loop closure adds a lot of adjustability to this style. The Cascade is super light weight, but has great arch support for someone like me with a high instep.

5. Waterfall - $99.95

At first glance, the Waterfall appears similar to the Santiago which has an open back. When I put this shoe on, it actually feels much sturdier on my foot compared to the instability I felt when wearing the Santiago. I like this shoe...it's super comfortable and I feel like I could wear it all day long with no issues. I like the black and silver colors, and the stitching designs are cute and feminine. This style is super easy to put on and take off, and has an adjustable, Velcro(R) strap. The sole is super durable with lots of tread. In my opinion, between the Waterfall and the Santiago, the Waterfall is the way to go.

**CONCLUSION: All of the 2010 Fall Jambu styles are cute, practical, and most of all, comfortable. The colors are spunky and fun, and I believe you'll feel very feminine when wearing these shoes. The only negative thing I can say about any of these styles would be to watch out for the open heel on the Santiago. Other than that, these styles are amazing!!

**REMEMBER: You can find all of these Jambu styles for sale at ShoeStores.com

Step Into Fall With The Newest Keen Footwear!

Hello all! Today I'm trying on some select styles from the new Fall 2010 line of Keen Footwear. Fall and winter are coming up, and let's face it; we all could use a pair of waterproof and/or all-terrain shoes for the season. The shoes I've selected are the Briggs II, Shasta WP Low, Toyah, Kaci Lace, & Toyah MJ. I hope this post answers any questions you have regarding Keen for this upcoming season!

1. Briggs II - Black Full Grain - $94.95 (Pictured below)

This shoe is sleek and practical. I could totally see myself wearing it to work with a pair of slacks or jeans. The black, full-grain leather looks and feels really great. When I put the shoe on, I notice that the toe box is super roomy, so if you have a wide foot, this would be great for you. This shoe is very stable with nice tread and really great grip. The Briggs II has lots of eyelets which makes for a custom, snug fit every time you put it on your foot. The only complaint I have with the Briggs II is that it is a tad bulky. Other than that, this shoe is very practical and worth the money.

2. Shasta Waterproof (Low) - Dark Shadow / Nectarine - $99.95 (Pictured below)

This looks like a great hiking shoe that I could get down and dirty with! Ok, so the first thing I notice when I'm trying this on is that it is a pretty narrow shoe compared to other Keen footwear I've tried. If you have a slender foot, this would fit you perfectly. It's a very light weight shoe. I LOVE the colors of the Shasta....the top of the ankle is a nectarine orange color, and there is just a touch of it on the laces. This makes for a very attractive hiking shoe. There is a lot of heel support, although there is not a ton of arch support. I have a very high arch so this is where I could run into problems when trying to wear this shoe for an extended amount of time. This shoe is super easy to take off and put on, which is great. I really like the range of motion that the low cut hiker allows because there is no constriction around my ankle. This shoe is wearable virtually anywhere, from a rainy, slushy day in the city to a bright sunny afternoon in the mountains. Overall, this shoe is really great and has a good price point for being so versatile and having such quality.

3. Toyah - Dark Earth - $89.95 (Pictured below)

Ok, not to be negative right off the bat, but I'm not really into the look of this shoe. It's not my favorite color, but for some of you, this might be just what you're looking for! This shoe feels a lot like the Briggs II and has a lot of arch support. Each toe has extra padding which is nice. The shoe is super cushy all around. Although the Toyah makes your foot look kind of wide, I think this shoe could look really good with jeans and is a great fall shoe. Once again, the abundance of eyelets for laces allows for a snug and custom fit every time. I could totally see wearing this shoe to go pick pumpkins or for going on a hayride!

4. Kaci Lace - Black, Madder Brown - $99.95 (Pictured below)

WOW, this is the softest leather I think I've ever felt. I can't wait to get this shoe on my foot! The footbed is super comfortable and this shoe feels so great! The Kaci Lace is a shoe that you could be comfortable in all day long. This would be a great style to walk to class in, or if you had to walk a reasonable distance for any reason. There is a small detail in the shape of a flower or snowflake on the sides which gives this style a bit of femininity. I really enjoy the thin, yet sturdy waxed laces. A medium amount of tread is perfect for a daily shoe. The Kaci Lace is versatile and can be worn with most outfits. I've got to say, this truly is up there as one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I love it!

5. Toyah Mary Jane - Black - $84.95 (Pictured below)

This is a really cute shoe and in my opinion is the best looking of the bunch. I like that you can wear this shoe with or without socks. This feature adds versatility and makes it so you can pair this shoe with shorts, a dress, jeans, or slacks. Elastic goring attached to the buckle makes this shoe really easy to put on and take off. This shoe is definitely the most feminine of all, so that makes it a lot easier to dress up. The Toyah MJ would be a perfect work shoe. There is not as much tread as some of the other shoes, but I feel like you wouldn't really need much when wearing this style. The strap has a bit of a funky, asymmetrical look and stitching detail breaks up the front of the shoe to make it look narrower. This shoe is great for a wide foot.

CONCLUSION:

I found every single style to be really accommodating and fitting for the fall season. I must admit, in previous years, I haven't always been such a huge fan of the looks of Keen footwear. I know that the shoes are great for all-terrain activities and everyday wear, but the style just never caught my eye. My opinion has been completely changed with the most recent line of fall 2010 shoes. I feel like Keen has made a conscious effort to make the styles sleeker. All in all, this is a great bunch of shoes and I would HIGHLY recommend these shoes to anyone and everyone!

***Don't forget, you can find all of these great Keen styles and much more at ShoeStores.com