Shoes, Shoes, Shoes: Brown Shoe Blogger Brunch

As so often happens to me, I have a song stuck in my head on repeat.  After I wrote the title to this post, a song popped into my head (remember "Bills, Bills, Bills"?) and shoe-related lyrics to the same beat started flowing! 

I often come up with my own lyrics to songs because I rarely know all the correct words and it's fun to come up with my own.  I'm sure we all do that sometimes, right... right?  ;-P

Don't you like my shoes?
Don't you like my beautiful shoes?
Don't you like my chic, stylish shoes?
If you do, then I could be your muse
I am sure you do...
Oh...you and me are cool

Don't worry...I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon!!!

Why all this obsession with shoes?  Shoes have been on the brain (along with silly songs) since attending a recent blogger brunch hosted by Brown Shoe Company.

While you may have never heard of Brown Shoe Company, you have more than likely heard of the brands it owns and/or markets:  Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's, Carlos by Carlos Santana, Fergie, Sam Edelman, Franco Sarto, and Via Spiga, among others.

Brown Shoe was born in St. Louis in 1875 and remains headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, Missouri to this day.  While at the brunch, I was introduced to many of Brown Shoe's brands and learned a ton about the company that revolutionized shoes for women.

Naturalizer

Before Naturalizer, one of Brown Shoe's first major brands, women's shoes were made using men's upper forms.  The Naturalizer brand changed this, creating shoes for women that were actually shaped for women's feet.  

Naturalizer continues to be one of Brown Shoe's major comfort brands.  I'm loving the purple boots -- style and comfort, who can beat that?

Speaking of style and comfort, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the Dr. Scholl's styles.  How chic are these leopard boots?

Dr. Scholl's

If you're an on-line shopper like me, then you will love Shoes.com.  These burgundy booties with gold heels are just fabulous!

Shoes.com

For very modern, but still very work appropriate shoe shopping, I highly suggest Franco Sarto.  The low to mid-range heels and simple shapes make these a fabulous choice for the workplace (and for running errands after work).

Franco Sarto

For style that's a little edgy and rock-and-roll, I'm looooving the Fergie and Carlos by Carlos Santana shoe collections.

These black and gold heels from Fergie need to be in my shoe wardrobe, like, yesterday!!! 

Fergie

Fergie

Carlos by Carlos Santana

Ultra-fashionable and versatile, the Via Spiga brand includes some amazing offerings like these leopard peep-toe shooties and over-the-knee boots.

Via Spiga

Via Spiga

Sam Edelman is probably Brown Shoe's most fashion-forward brand.  The booties are just killer!

Sam Edelman

Brown Shoe was generous enough to provide all the bloggers with gift cards to Famous Footwear, a popular chain shoe store owned by Brown Shoe that offers a variety of brands and styles for women, men, and children.
 
I haven't had a chance to pick out a new pair of shoes just yet, but I'll be sure to post them here when I do!!!

For you other small footed people out there, I learned that the smallest women's size carried in the Brown Shoe family is a size 4 in some of the Naturalizer styles (does not come in a wide width).  Bummer for me who's a true size 3, but since I usually wear a women's size 5 to get adult styles, I'm sure I'll find something fab with my gift card!

If I can't, there's always a back-up plan....these adorable girls' Converse "Party Hi" high-tops:

Converse Girls' Party-Hi

What shoes do you like the most?