Robin's Sketchbooks

http://robintara.blogspot.com/

Where you may find her latest ideas for shoes,
a new product idea, some of her recent work and other surprises.http://robintara.blogspot.com/

When I first glimpsed this evening bag, I thought it was a mythical spirit, risen from the sea.

Only when I picked it up did I realize that I was holding a true treasure from Buenos Aires.

This delightful red carpet evening bag is a one-of-a-kind creation by Maria Victoria, an artisan

who works with recycled skins and materials to create fanciful, couture bags.

LA CALESITA

Born 2010

It's wonderful to be a shoe designer. I get exactly what I want. Colors, comfort and hot, fashion forward style. The trick is to design shoes that other women will also love. It seems they're falling in love with this girl. Calesita means carousel in Spanish. She was inspired by the antique carousels one finds in every little corner park in Buenos Aires. 

I always loved carousels. I think it was a combination of all those colors swirling around. And then, there was the selection process, should I choose the blond pony with the flowery bridle, the zebra, or the magical unicorn. It's something like being able to select all the colors and linings and heels for this shoe. 

Favorite Tara Shoes

Just tooting my own horn.
But here are some of my favorites of our current line. I chose them for their comfort and style. I think any of them would look as good off the dance floor as on.

What do you think?

Recycle and Update Your Shoes!

I found this great turquoise dress and had nothing to wear with it, so I started painting my shoes. I could paint yours, too. Maybe you want to match an outfit for a special occasion or just want something truly unique to throw on with a pair of jeans. Just send me a pair of smooth, leather shoes and a swatch or photo of your dress and I'll create a coordinating pair of 0ne-of-a-kind shoes, just for you.

TuTu Shoe Clips - Divinely Feminine

Doll up any simple shoe with these sophisticated but girly clips. A friend suggested I "try tulle"  these fanciful, far out, yet seriously fashionable clips are the result.  They're one-of-a-kind, though, so get them before they hit the website.

http://www.tangotique.com

and don't forget Tara Shoes at http://www.taratangoshoes.com

Designer's Desktop

Here are some of the shoe designs I found while organizing my desktop. Some of them are in the line, some of them are samples and some are just vague longings. What do you think?

Summer's Here

Freshen up your shoe wardrobe without spending a fortune. Tara has just released a limited edition line of designer shoe clips. These one-of-a-kind clips look great on everything from your flip flops to your evening shoes. I had a friend who clipped them to her "Bean Boots" 

High Heel Comfort

If you've ever wished you could have comfort in a sexy high heel, your wait is over.

New from Tara Shoes, Valentina, in mesh, suede and patent is a handmade high heel that you can wear all night. Sooooooo comfortable you'll feel like you're wearing slippers.

For more fine handmade shoes from Tara, visit the website at http://www.22tangoshoes.com

Why are some shoes so darn expensive?

Here are three simple shoes. 

The first, in brown patent, is priced at under $100.

The second, in black suede, is under $200. 

The third is under $600.

But WHY??????

I've been designing shoes for about 10 years. I've been a shoe fanatic since I was a child. I remember the excitement of going downtown to the big department store in Bangor, Maine, where I grew up. In the basement there was a bin in the back where all the final markdown shoes were piled up willy nilly. I was never disappointed in the selection. This place was heaven for a kid who grew up wearing Buster Brown's (brown, Buster Browns, to boot). There were high heels in sample sizes, colorful sandals and shiny patent confections with ribbons and bows. And best of all, these shoes were priced for a kid's budget. I remember a pair of hot pink sandals with kelly green linings that I bought for $2.99! What a find! They weren't exactly my size, but for that price, who could resist?

Now I design my own shoes. I started because I had fallen under the spell of Argentine Tango dancing and the shoes I had to choose from were killing my feet. So I took the plunge and sought out a small factory that could make the kind of comfortable shoes I needed in the kind of styling I love. I figured that if I made a good product that met the needs of dancers, maybe other women would want to wear these shoes, as well.  

But back to the initial question: 

Why are some shoes so darn expensive?

The little brown patent Mary Jane is most probably made in China. There shoes are cranked out in huge quantities, by machine in materials that are generally less costly. The "patent leather" is probably plastic. The sole, too is probably plastic or composition leather at best. The linings also are synthetic. 

But why should that matter? They're cute and the color is great!

Well, if you don't care how your feet feel when they start to sweat from all that plastic, rub up a blister or two and ache from the stiffness of the shape, they'll probably do just fine. For $99, you'll be able to afford a trip to the podiatrist

The black suede ankle strap is made in South America. The suede is kidskin, the linings are soft leather and the sole is also natural leather. This shoe is handmade, meaning the skins are stretched by hand onto the shoe form so that they move with your foot as you travel through your day. They also have a heavily padded insole for added comfort.  For $185, it's a bargain.

The black patent Mary Jane is from Manolo Blahnik. It's pricey, but you can be sure that the patent leather is leather and most probably so are the linings and sole of the shoe. For $585, is it worth it? They tell me that Manolo shoes are very comfortable - I don't know, I can't afford them.

Stay tuned for new photos of the Summer 2008 Collection from Tara Shoes

http://www.taratangoshoes.com

Robin Tara