Alberto Fermani Women's Boot Shoes

Alberto Fermani has been designing and making shoes and boots for over 40 years in the heart of Italy, along the Adriatic seaside, surrounded by vineyards and olive fields. Alberto Fermani shoes distinguish themselves by their authentic natural look and their amazing comfort. The leather is hand-finished on each shoe at the workshop and the shoes are handmade by the best artisans with expertise in the traditional Italian shoe making craft.

The collection evokes romanticism while focusing on core Italian tradition and values. The collection also evokes self-confidence and strength for a modern, urban and professional woman.

The Cheap, the Expensive - The Celebrity Shoe

Have you ever wondered why you can go to a warehouse type shoe store and pay no more than $25.00 for a pair of shoes and a similar looking shoe sold at a high-end department store can sell for no less than $75.00? Have you ever priced Jimmy Choos? They can range from $95.00 to $595+. There are a few reasons for this disparity.

• Materials used
• Process of adhering upper to the sole
• Where a shoe is made
• Mass production vs. hand-made
• Designer

Cheap Shoes

Cheap shoes, often massed produced in China, are commonly made of plastic. An advantage is that plastic is very inexpensive. The downside is that plastic doesn't breathe and wearers often complain of foot odor. The process of adhering the upper portion of the shoe to the sole is by using glue. You won't have to wear that shoe but 30 times before it starts talking to you because over time the glue loses its adhesive quality.

Expensive Shoes

For many years Italy cornered the market on well-made leather shoes. It was a given that if you saw, "Made in Italy" it was synonymous with quality, durability, was not massed produced and likely made by hand. And your pocket book reflected this. Nowadays if your shoe is made in Spain, Brazil, Germany, France, or the United States, it will be of equal quality to an Italian made shoe of yesteryear.

Though vegetarians may disagree, leather is still the best material for affordable shoes. Leather breathes, it's malleable, meaning that it forms to the shape of your foot over time. Often leather stitches are used to hand-sew the upper to the sole. This is going to be reflected in the cost of course.



However, your shoe will last for years. You may have to replace the sole a couple of times due to wear but if you polish them regularly, they'll look as good in ten years as they day you bought them.

Jimmy Choos and Other Shoes Worn by the Rich and Famous

Hand-made, limited production, sometimes custom-made, they come in leather, snakeskin, alligator, etc. These shoes are the epitome of exclusivity and sexy and why celebrities can't get enough of them. In her role as Carrie, on Sex In the City, Sarah-Jessica Parker made them a household name. Doesn't mean the average household can afford them though.

Stilettos say so much

Isn’t it surprising to note that a simple heel, which is not even an essential part of the shoe per se, can come to denote so much! Well, the dagger-like stilettos mean, convey and do lot more than can ever be expected from a seemingly simple accessory (heel) of an accessory (shoe).

Stilettos have not just be studied by shoe designers, celebrity stylists and fashion conscious people, the needle like stiletto heels are as much of interest to the feminists and socialists alike. Having thoroughly delved-into the 4-8 inches tall stiletto heels, researchers claim that stiletto heels are many feet higher when you unravel the actual meaning that they stand to denote. No wonder reams of paper have been spent trying to understand the mystery of the intriguing stiletto high heel shoes by socialists.



Long legs stiletto heel milf in short dress

Introduction to stilettos
The term stiletto originates from the Italian ‘stiletto dagger’ – a murderous, long slender blade. Indeed, stilettos are considered as lethal as the dagger itself if their potent sex appeal is taken into account. The charm of the stilettos is so intense that women do not even think twice before buying a pair - not even about the price tag, whether they can walk in them or whether there is absolutely any need to add to their already overwhelming stiletto shoes collection.

A recent news article stated that actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s entry on red carpet in a seductively high stiletto heel led to a significant increase in the sale of stiletto heel shoes. Who knows stiletto heels could prove to be our ultimate savior in this recession and save the world economy from depression!

Stilettos – Sex and the Celebrity

“The attractions of the foot, like the rest of a woman's body, are intriguing and a mystery. I really don't know why”, writes Ed Fox the celebrated fetish photographer, one of the first to shoot strip burlesque artist and actress Dita Von Teese and others.

If a woman’s foot is the sexiest part of her body, only stiletto heels can dare match the sexiness of a woman’s foot. To some stylists, ‘stiletto’ spells sex. No other accessory can make a women appear as erotically sexy as a stiletto heel can. Depending on the heel height, the style of the shoe and attitude of the women, stilettos can make a woman look compellingly sexy, vulgar, submissive, elegant and aggressive. No wonder everyone from top stars to fetishists from power-dressers to cross-dressers and A-list celebrities to the girl next door have experienced and simply loved the mystic sex appeal of stiletto shoes.

If experts are to be believed, stiletto high heel shoes can do more to a woman than just making her look sexy. Stilettos can also improve a woman’s sex life! A study claims that wearing stiletto heels directly works the pleasure muscles linked to orgasms, as high heels tone women’s legs and strengthened pelvic muscles.

Hmm, with stilettos doing so much good for them, women have fallen head-over-heels for their stilettos. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker, when talking about her ‘Sex And The City’ celebrated shoe loving character, Carrie says, “She could probably count on a Manolo more than a man. So is it better than sex? Yes!” she says. Pop diva Madonna too has rated her Manolo shoes "better than sex". Manolo Blahnik shoes are famous for their seductive needle heel stilettos. Along with designer Roger Vivier, Manolo Blahnik is credited to have revived the fashion for stiletto heels.

Stilettos – A must have accessory
Thanks to celebrity endorsements at every red carpet occasion and on every photo shoot, stilettos have become a must have accessory today. If very high stilettos such as those ranging to 8 inches are reserved for fetishists and the burlesque, the lower versions of the spindly heels have become must-wear shoes in the corporate world. In cocktail parties, pubs, in wedding dos and even while loitering casually in malls, a woman is not considered dressed enough if she is not seen wearing a nice pair of stilettos.

Even if not possessing several pairs, every fashion conscious woman today would at least have one great pair of stilettos. Most often women keep a pair of stylish black stilettos always in the closet as it promises to dress-up a lot of dresses at a host of occasions.

Where to buy Stilettos?

Of course, it is not just celebrities of the likes of Victoria Beckham, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, SJP who love the stilettos created by Manolo Blahanik, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and other high fashion brands, but surely you need to be very well-heeled to afford them.