These shoes are from designer Jean Michel Cazabat, who makes use of all sorts of flirty details to make his shoes fun and sexy yet sophisticated and tasteful.  These are his ‘Cheri’ sandals with gorgeous chain details.

Again, my theory is that you can put all the bling you want and use whatever colors you want, but adding a touch of classic design elements or a nod to history or something classical will balance the look so you ‘re not wearing what look like Lady Gaga hand me downs.

Take these shoes, for instance.  Jean Michel Cazabat is a French shoe designer known for fancy, blingy, colorful shoes that ooze sex appeal.  He has put shine all over this particular pair…but don’t you agree that somehow, covered in metal beads, the shoe isn’t over the top?  I can imagine wearing this to dinner, a party, heck even the office if paired with the right thing, like pants.

Imagine a $20 shoe from a popular shoe chain store often seen next to grocery stores or in malls…a shoe covered in bling would probably look like something a circus performer would wear.  That’s because you can’t just take any ol’ shoe and put bling all over it.  The shoe’s design has to be correct for bling.

This is what I mean: This Jean Michel Cazabat shoe has a draped, chandelier effect on the sides, where the leather is curved.  To me, this harkens back to traditional sandals worn in India, and to drapey ankle bracelets or even to stacked bangles.

The reference to stacked bangles is another sign of great designer heels…a reference to current fashion trends in clothing, echoed in shoes.  Stacked jeweled  bangles are also very in right now.

Note the arrangement of the bling on the shoe: there are some pretty complex patterns going on there, and also some contrast in color between the light and dark bling.  That is some pretty intense beadwork there.

And, finally it’s about balance…so much bling, pattern, so much going on with the glitz, you wouldn’t want a chunky heel or even a platform.  You want the rest of the shoe to be as light and non-present as possible.  Hence the skinny heel and virtually no leather showing except what’s keeping the shoe together and anchoring the bling.  The weight of the bling is balanced by the airy, barely-there look of the shoe itself.

He’s also worked in a current shoe trend…the exposed heel zipper.  This element can look very industrial and zippery and heavy but the graceful shoe evens things out for a modern sophisticated look.

Details: 4″ heel, covered heel in leather with metal details.  They also come in nude leather.