Spring Toledo Payless Picks

Pretty much all of them.

It's hard for me to chose which Isabel Toledo style I want this season. There's the T-strap vespadrille, the sand dune ghillie, the vespadrille wedge boot, the mesh lace shootie, and the pretty awesome boardwalk ballerina flat. This flat deserves a closer look.


I was a fan of Toledo's first line of shoes, and this spring line just deepens my love for all things Toledo. It was easy for me to pick the High Ghillie last season, but this go-round I'm torn. Wedge boot, shootie, wedge boot, shootie? These are tough decisions. While I'm pondering my choices, you should also take a closer look at the Z London Payless line.

That's a sexy shoe. Keep an eye out for this brand at Payless on 34th Street. Also, note that the first box of Toledos pictured are on sale. The t-strap is not on sale online, and the sand dune ghillie is marked down more in store than online. More incentive to visit 34th Street...

Payless 34th Street @ Broadway

Payless 34th Street @ Eighth Avenue

Full Fashion Disclosure: The Shoes

While walking down Fifth Avenue today in my new brown Abaete flats, I could feel a blister forming on the back of my heel. Then back at my desk, I kicked off my shoes to see, gasp, blood. This was no simple, annoying blister on my heel, but a bleeding wound. Why, you ask, did I not feel pain while walking down the street? Because I had just been thoroughly waxed for the upcoming bikini season. Still numb from the torture that is my aesthetician's specialty, I was oblivious to any other nominal, nagging pain such as a torn and bleeding heel.

But isn't this always what happens when one brags, as I did the other day about Abaetes? Like when you talk about how great your significant other is, and then an hour later you're breaking up? So, yes, I buy Payless Abaetes every season because I love Poretzky's styles. And yes, I gush to everyone about how comfortable they are for inexpensive shoes because they are. But full disclosure: these flats (above), which I still love and will of course continue to wear, are A PAINFUL BITCH to break in.

If, like me, you paid $10 for them and love them: do a preemptive strike and layer band aids on those heels before first wearing.

Memories: look! Today I broke out the old Abaete red flats (bought 2, 3 seasons ago?) which are now dirty so they look even better, are so cute I always get compliments, and are a great reminder why I'll always buy her shoes.

Payless, 34th btwn Broadway & 7th
Payless, 34th @ 8th