Today is my first day on the Planet Shoes Blog!  I added a pair of J Shoes Fur Terrain Boots to my Google Wish List.  Maybe Santa will come early this year!?

A global favorite with fans in Paris, Milan, Singapore, Tokyo and the U.S., these international shoes are designed with the jet set in mind. J Shoes have been seen in fashion magazines around the world as well as on the feet of celebrities such as Rhianna, Kate Nash, Taylor Momsen, Usher and Jay-Z. With a refined style all their own, JShoes have an unmistakable air of elegance about them. Pairing design innovation with top of the line materials and craftsmanship, these are the shoes that create a buzz wherever they go.

We love classic shapes and styles, and the J Shoes Coast really speaks to us because it hearkens back to the original Dr. Scholl’s shape and style. The beautifully crafted wooden footbed is slim and elegant and the upper, in brown or turqoise is made with supple leather that forms comfortably to the foot. The cut out contrast twisted detailing on the upper really makes this simple slip on shine.

This is a shoe that can easily be paired with your floaty summer dresses, or with a sleek and stylish dress or outfit for work. You can see these lovely flats with capris on a beach somewhere or at a cocktail party or summer barbecue. Easy on, easy off, classic elegance and beautiful craftsmanship make the J Shoes Coast one of our favorites of the season.

Taking a classic, and giving it a new spin, an update and a twist, that is one of my favorite finds. JShoes Higher is a nod to the fabulous pumps of the 1940′s with a rounded toe and stacked heel first made famous by Hollywood.

Calling on the spirit of the sling-back, though this shoe is ready for Summer, featuring a cut-away back and straps that make a modern update to this classic. The heel itself has a tapered and curved design that creates an architectural feel and gives this shoe even more vavoom!

Summer gives us the perfect opportunity to show off a little flair and I am particularly fond of the robin’s egg blue version of this one!

Sassy. That is how I’m going to have to describe this latest offering by JShoes. The J Shoes Lucca has a patent leather top in solid and pattern with a vibrant yellow paired with a dynamic black and white print. It is eye catching and stylish perfect for spicing up your Summer wardrobe.

The 3” stacked heel is the perfect height to give you the look you want without discomfort. A few extra details really show what makes JShoes special with tiny cross stitches set into the sides and very backs of the shoe.

Then there is a strip of yellow patent leather that runs down the back outside heel and up the inside of the heel for a finishing touch that can’t miss.

J Shoes amazing details, luxurious materials and world class craftsmanship are what set them apart. Setting the trends, never following, you can be sure that where JShoes goes, others follow!

Wondering how to start off the season on the right foot? You need a pair of gladiators! Yes, the style is back and this year it’s better than ever. Whether you’re calling them caged, Grecian, or strappy, a pair of sandals in this classic silhouette is sure to liven up any outfit and add a touch of elegance to your look.

While designers have been taking this style to new heights and having a lot of fun with it for Spring 2010, some of the favorite styles I’ve seen are simple but gorgeous interpretations of the classic design. With these beautiful sandals, less is most definitely more.

Pair them with anything from skinny jeans to your favorite sundress, and you’ve instantly got a look that is on top of the trends for this summer. If you’re looking for a sophisticated, detailed gladiator sandal, PlanetShoes.com has quite a few to choose from!

Blowfish Ladder

True to form, Blowfish has taken yet another classic silhouette and put a fashion-forward spin on it.

The Ladder looks as if it was taken straight from an ancient Grecian fresco, yet trendy studs and a convenient back heel zipper are woven seamlessly into this design, making it perfect for your modern everyday.

Like Athena, unleash your inner fashion goddess with this elegant, strappy sandal in cow-friendly faux-leather. The cushioned fabric footbed ensures that you’ll be comfortable and light on your feet, just like that Hermes character.

Pikolinos Formentera

If you’re a shoe-lover, you may want to look away. It’s practically impossible not to fall in love with this gorgeous gladiator at first sight! Perhaps it’s the certified environmentally friendly construction. Or the premium leather upper. Maybe it’s the beautifully detailed cut-outs along the forefoot and t-straps, or the ornamental and studding accents.

Whatever it is that catches your eye, the Pikolinos Formentera 7801 is a detailed, finely crafted sandal you won’t want to take off. The padded footbed is lined with soft leather, and the side straps feature hook and loop closures as well as elastic goring to ensure a flexible, custom fit. So go ahead, be superficial. This beautiful gladiator has the comfort and eco features to back it up!

J Shoes Estelle

A favorite of mine, delicate leather straps meet to create the J Shoes Estelle, a lovely, feminine take on the gladiator.

Hand-stitching along the t-strap adds the perfect amount of extra detailing to create a simple yet sophisticated summer look.

A back heel zipper allows for easy on/off while you embrace some of the season’s top trends – ankle straps, snakeskin and, of course, the gladiator silhouette.

The stacked leather sole is padded with EVA, the same foam used in running shoes, so your feet are sure to be comfortable while looking so elegant. J Shoes are subtle and simple but they make an immediate impact. The quality is unparalleled and if you want a great fashion shoe that feels fabulous on the foot, the J Shoes Estelle is right up your alley!

Chinese Laundry Scenster

You’ll be ready to hit the scene in this sexy, strappy gladiator by Chinese Laundry! The delicate all-over, faux-leather strap detailing is irresistibly feminine.

I especially love the braided t-strap, which ties together the wild straps in a pretty, innocent design.

A small stacked wedge adds sophisticated height without sacrificing comfort or stability. The back heel zipper ensures you’ll be able to maneuver in and out of the Scenster with ease, though once you put this gorgeous sandal on, I’m not sure you’ll want to take it off!

Exciting stuff! One of our favorite brands, J Shoes, is being featured again on the hit CW show, Gossip Girl! In the past, actress Taylor Momsen has work J Shoes boots before, and this season you’ll see her in a pair of J Shoes combat style boots on the episode airing on April 5th! We’ve included and image from last year, but keep your eye out for these great boots!

J Shoes are always on the cutting edge of fashion, bringing together incredible quality and wonderful details to create fun, interesting and comfortable shoes. The Empire Boot is a great tall boot with a fun ribbon lacing detail and standard zipper enclosure. Sturdy but super fashionable, this boot looks great over skinny jeans or leggings or paired with tights and a great skirt.

We’re also super excited to report that the J Shoes men’s line is also being showcased in this season’s Gossip Girl. You’ll see styles just like these online here this spring at PlanetShoes.com!

Rumer Willis recently celebrated her 21st birthday at the Tao nightclub in Las Vegas and she looked super fabulous doing it!

Wearing a sparkly hot mini dress she completed the ensemble with some awesome high heels with fabulous straps that look like a cross between Mary Jane straps and ankle straps. The sexy height and elegant simple black leather are taken to another level with the innovative modern design.

I love this look – and the mini skirt and her great legs can really carry these shoes off!

But you know, as usual, I can’t afford the designer duds, so I made my way through Planet Shoes to see what I could come up with that would give me the height, the interesting look of the straps and the classic, simplicity of a great pair of shoes.

The Camper Laura’s are a great little pair of wedge heels that are more versatile than your average heel. With both leather and stretch canvas used in the construction, these shoes will mold to your feet and stay secure no matter how much time you spend on the dance floor.

The grooved rubber sole will keep you from slipping around and this wedge can work with a great little dress or with a casual summer into fall look.

The modern look of the thicker black straps answers the needs to today’s fashionistas while the construction and materials of Camper are durable and practical all the way.

The Tsubo Balin is another great modern and versatile option based on the theme. With a different take on the traditional T Strap, this sandal is elegant and clean but still manages to stand out. These peep toe beauties have a suede covered platform that creates the illusion of a higher heel without the pain and teetering walk!

The suede also offers a very cool, but clean, textural diversity to the shoe. Tsubo always manages to make modern look fabulous and they certainly have made a shoe here that can go from business formal to business casual to out on the town all in one!

The J Shoes Splash is modern, elegant and made original with a sexy ballet slipper inspired lace up the leg. Set in a simple, high quality, leather upper, these are durable and elegant.

The cute peep toe will show off your pedicure, the T Strap gives the modern look you want and the nice low kitten heel will keep you comfortable while you look whimsical and fabulous in these innovative pumps.

Be bold! Be modern! Be fashion forward in these J Shoes.

Kelly Osborne has pushed the fashion envelope since day one of the series premiere of The Osborne’s on MTV.

The daughter of rocker Ozzie and manager, Sharon, she has an edgy style that often combines the hottest trends of today with a call back to classic, Hollywood glam.

Here she is sporting sexy skin tight skinny jeans, and oversized striped top with a cute structured jacket over the top. She’s topped, or bottomed if you prefer, this outfit off with a fabulous pair of black high heels with an embellished toe.

In this case, they appear to be whimsical fabric bows and I thought they looked so cute I had to comb planet for something comparable.

After all, a great pair of closed toe black pumps is a must have for fall, and if you toss in some whimsy or a fabulosity, it’s only going to make you feel that much more glamorous!

First up, the Poetic License Kiss and Tell. These are some seriously romantic high heeled pumps. As always, you can count on Poetic License to take their shoe design to the next level and these black, peep toe pumps are amped up by a charming and eye catching scalloped edged closure and ribbon tie, detailed black on black textured stitching and charming heart embellishments.

Patent leather touches at the heel cap and on the architectural high heel really make these boutique high heels stand out. Paired with a hot pair of dark skinny jeans and the right top and jacket, you’ll be a stand out for sure.

Next up is another offering from Poetic License, the Holiday Delight. This shoe is very similar to Kelly’s choice, but with an added sparkle. The high heel and peep toe are charming and sexy and will doubtless make your legs look ten times longer.

The platform at the toe is super hot this fall and winter and the floral inspired embellishment on the top of the shoe are both intricate and elegant.

If you’re looking for a shoe to spice up your little black dress, or pair with a hot pair of jeans for a night out on the town, you can’t go wrong with these beauties. Versatile and fun, these are just the kind of fashionable accessory every woman needs in her fun wardrobe.

Finally, the J Shoes Lucca. These pumps are fabulous and artistic, even without a toe embellishment so I couldn’t resist including them.

The two tone leather hearkens back to classic saddle shoes and spectator pumps but the heel and design of the shoe modernize the classic look for a fashion forward pump.

Perfect with a great business suit or with your cutest jeans, these are versatile and beautifully made. J Shoes is all about taking classic shoe design and updating them for today’s fashionista – and the J Shoes Lucca certainly doesn’t disappoint.

I was over on People.com yesterday and they’ve been getting plenty of pics of the Gossip Girl stars being filmed for this season. Enjoying their fashion as I do, I was particularly inspired by a look Leighton Meester was sporting in one of the images – and particularly by her striking hot pink strappy sandals.

Truly, they are almost like strappy shoeties, but you totally know they price out of the budget of the bargain fashionista so I was determined to find some more feasible options among the Planet Shoes offerings!

The look is outstanding, and the way they have been paired, as a contrast rather than a collaborator in the overall outfit it pretty darned fun.

So what can we find to get this look, or close to it?

The first option I came across was the OTBT Libia in Canary yellow. No, they aren’t bright pink, but the bright hue of these sandals immediately cheered me and I suddenly pictured them with my midnight blue maxi dress and started to bounce on the couch.

These OTBT Grecian inspired sandals are sexy and practical, designed for walking and travel while looking fabulous. The matte leather upper stays supple and offers a snug fit while the rubber sole absorbs shock and the textured sole also gives you traction no matter the terrain.

Next up, a funky option that is both fashionable and eco friendly, the El Naturalista Rana Tharu! I chose this one because I believe it mimics the shoetie styling, and the color, as well as the height – but in a rustic and off beat way.

Offered in a gorgeous bright reddish leather that is literally treated with river stones to give it suppleness and flexibility, this modified up front strappy sandal has a thick and stable heel as well as an ergonomic foot bed made from cork and recycled materials for maximum comfort. The outsoles on this shoe are all natural rubber and offer traction as well as shock absorption. This shoe is also named for the people that inspired them; the Rana Tharu who live near the border of Nepal and are known for their colorful jewelry and clothing.

Oh, I love these! The J Shoes Anya is just delicious. This wedge heel strappy sandal with adjustable ankle strap has a canvas and leather mid sole and a goat suede sherbet pink upper. The soft texture of this shoe is a big part of its appeal, offering a feminine look while the shape makes an artistic statement.

The heel cup especially offer a more bootie feel to what would just be another strappy wedge heel. You can see this emulates to color and strappy theme of Leighton’s fab sandals, and the height without the stiletto heel but this is a more delicate and less edgy look.

So, as the summer progresses, take advantage of the freedom of crazy color on your feet. Several of these styles are on sale right now over at Planet Shoes so indulge yourself and use the style mavens you see in the magazines and on TV to inspire your own look!

World Entertainment News caught this picture of Jennifer Lopez filming her upcoming movie, The Back-Up Plan and I have to admit, when I saw her shoes, I totally fell in love.

The problem though is that they are super high spike heels and although I am a slave to fashion, I don’t think I could sustain those all day long.

So I went on a search through Planet Shoes to find either a similar color, or an option I knew I could wear all day long without killing myself for fashion! I used her sandals and this look to inspire me and sought out something that might be different, but held on to a couple of aspects of these fab shoes.

I was pretty pleased with my three potential style inspired options:

First Option: Apepazza Pavia

These gorgeous peep toe booties mimic the color and shape of the fab sandals J Lo is wearing. That rich, almost reddish leather offers a great, but natural pop of color and it looks so great against the denim bell bottoms.

The thicker heel of these booties, though, may offer more stability, and I think the bootie shape of these might make them a bit more versatile. The leather ankle bootie can even work through the fall – even with the peep toe! Made with imported Italian leather, the rubber sole offers impact protection for the height – 3 ¾ inch heels!

Second Option: Chinese Laundry Rye

This is my kind of high, strappy sandal! This wedge heel soars at 4 ½ inches, but because it is a wedge, there is far more stability and the 1 ¾ inch platform at the toe means you’ll get maximum height and maximum comfort.

Although the color palette is different than the J Lo sandal, the natural tan color of the leather on these fun, strappy wedges will still offer a great contrast to denim and the straps emulate the styling of J Lo’s shoes.

These sandals are also very versatile and would look great with a long pair of jeans or with a great summer dress or even a cute short skirt. The cork wedge is in right now and will offer plenty of support and shock absorption as these terrific sandals show of your great legs all summer long!

Third Option: J Shoes Florence

And now for something completely different! In beautiful Red Rust, the J Shoes Florence offers the color and shape of J Lo’s fabulous sandals, but with a fashionable and interesting artistic edge. The high quality leather and 3 inch stacked heel gives you height and high quality comfort and the innovative design with contrasting textured bow add a feminine touch.

These shoes were inspired by the traditional loafer, but I see them as fashion forward all the way. These high heeled loafers are also sure to last through fall and winter months and can easily be worn to work as well as with your sexiest jeans.

I’m still not sure which option I’m going with – but I love the inspiration and finding a way to make this look my own!

[Image via WENN.]

Are you a fan of The Hills? The popular show, on MTV since 2006, is a scripted reality show following the lives of several wealthy young people. Lauren Conrad who first made her reality TV premiere on Laguna Beach has been the primary focus of the show; her life and her career in the fashion industry.

Whether or not you enjoy the show, there is no debate that the girls of The Hills have had an impact on the fashion world. In fact, Audrina Patridge was just featured on PerezHilton.com wearing a pair of shoes that look remarkably like our J Shoes Sorrento!

These funky thong boots make a serious fashion statement and sure, Perez is mocking Audrina, but we think she carries them off beautifully! The Sorrento is a great example of the high quality and innovation you’ll see from J Shoes in every pair.

In this case, the goat milled leather upper hearkens to a bootie while the toe becomes a thong sandal. Comfortable and breathable, you make a great fashion statement and the quality of J Shoes will keep you perfectly comfortable.

Here you see Audrina has paired these unique sandal shoes with a casual tie die inspired dress. The J Shoes Sorrento are fabulous with a short summer dress or a cute pair of shorts! So take a tip from the Hills and consider a bold, brave fashion move from the creators of J Shoes.

Image of Audrina Partridge via WENN

Ankle strap sandals and shoes are in style in a big way this spring and summer. The best part is that there is a huge versatility of styles available, so whether you prefer the sexy bohemian lace up the ankle or the more structured ankle strap incorporated into a gladiator sandal, you’ll be able to find a great ankle strap shoe or sandal for this season.

Perfect with capris pants, your favorite spring or summer dress or your micro mini, these ankle strap ballet flats, sandals and shoes will highlight the length of your legs and draw attention to your slim ankles ankles and calves. Fashionable shoes this season are all about the details, so check out some of our favorite styles and see which tickles your fancy!

The J Shoes Splash is as innovative and feminine as it is fun and flirty. Offered in bright pink and black, with a T strap sheep leather upper and a peep toe, this shoe is architectural, sexy and very different. Inspired by the traditional ballet shoe, the kitten heel will highlight your sexy calves and the elegant lace up can be customized for your comfort.

The J Shoes lace up pump will act as an exclamation point to any fun and modern outfit this season, so take your fashion to the next level and really make a Splash!

The Chinese Laundry Citrus is another delicious ankle strap offering this season. Based on the popular ballet flat, this ankle strap peep toe pump has also incorporated a green colored python textured upper. The sheen and the texture make these flats stand out in a crowd.

What we love about these shoes though, is that although they have a bold look, the elegance and classic shape of the ballet flat offers a gorgeous balance of style. Leave it to Chinese Laundry to find that fabulous balance!

The Clarks Flutter is a beautiful, fashionable but classic shoe, that brings together the ankle strap, the wedge, another popular trend this season, and the great quality we’ve come to expect from this long standing shoe manufacturing leader. This Clarks sandal has a full grain leather upper with elegant contrast sticching and a delicate ankle strap buckle.

As attractive and versatile as this shoe is, it also incorporates all the comfort technology we love from Clarks. The wedge heel is lightweight and the cement construction offers flexibility and shock absorption. With a dense polyurethane foot bed, the shoe will ultimately conform to your foot. Once you put a pair of Clarks on, you’ll never want to take them off.

Not everyone can indulge in a high heel so we thought we should highlight a gorgeous offering from one of our most popular lifestyle and fitness brands; Earth Footwear. The Earth Fauci is a gorgeous gladiator sandal with an elegant Velcro double ankle strap. The embellished up front connects to create an elegant and textured T strap that offers incredible stability and comfort.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the footbed incorporates Kalso Negative heel technology so you will actually burn calories and improve muscle tone while you walk. We love this shoe because there are a lot of fitness sandals out on the market right now – but few that elegantly combine so many of today’s hottest trends!