Always practice safe... shoe?

Now that sex ed is starting to open up past abstinence a little (no pun intended), and condoms are passed out by the bucketful at every free clinic, no one has any excuse not to know that safe sex is a must. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to YouTube right now, and search Sue Johanson. She'll teach you everything you need to know.

Any lady who makes friends with hookers and has what it takes to do that on stage, is a friend of mine. She also happens to be a speaker for the agency I work for. Check her out here.

So, now that you all have pocketfuls of condoms and pamphlets, I would like to show you a very different kind of condom, Heel Condoms!

I came upon these gems when I was in New York with my mum in May. They actually come in two styles, condoms and panties (is it wrong that I love the shock value of being able to tell that girl that fawns over your feet that they're "condoms"?).

This is a condom:

They slip over the heel of your shoe, and turn a pair of plain blue stilettos into a masterpiece. These are my favourites, with the feather, but there are lots of different styles. Check them out here.

There are also "panties" and they look like this:

These don't cover the heel, just the back of the shoe. You can check them out here.

Shoe accesories are underrated, in my books. There's plenty to be said for buying statement shoes, but, if you think back to my post about a basic shoe wardrobe, think of the possibilites of expanding those basics with a few accesories.

Especially if you're not in the financial market to buy 1,000 pairs of Louboutins, it's much easier to make a statement or ten with a pair of black heels, a pair of bright heels and a few sets of these.

Plus, if you're a jet setter like I am, this makes your packing much lighter, and your wardrobe much more diverse. I'll be headed to New York again a week from Saturday for Fashion's Night Out, and now I can use the same pair of patent black heels for dinner before a Broadway show and to go drink champagne and rub elbows with Oscar de la Renta (last year I had the pleasure of listening to him sing with a band in his boutique while standing next to Barbara Walters. Literally, rubbing elbows with the elite).

And, retailing for around $50.00 each, it's a small price to pay for fabulousness.

I'll be sporting these babies for sure:

Trudging through a winter wonderland...

So, it's happened. Snow.

Now, I live in the deliciously damp land of rain boots and umbrellas, Vancouver. Snow is a relatively rare occurrence in my life. And, as a result, I'm not particularly prepared.

In fact, in the snow, the task of keeping my toes dry and warm typically falls to my rain boots, which look like this:

Now, if you know anything about me yet, then you know these little darlings came from New York. And, surprise, surprise, I bought them in 3 colours...

If you love them as much as I do, you can get them from DNA Footwear online, but I would like to give credit where credit is due, because I got mine (all three pairs, though tracking down sizes was a nightmare!) from Strawberry, in New York. There are about a million locations, and all are great! Strawberry is also great for clothes, jewelry and bags (I got a Kenneth Cole wallet there for $20.00, they have lots of discounted label treasures), so check it out!

Anyways, so back to snow. If you click on the link for DNA Footwear, you'll see their warning that these boots fit small and narrow. I have small feet, but they are a little wide across the balls of my feet, so I had to buy 8s for a foot that usually fits in a 6 1/2-7 1/2, and there's room for me to wear thin socks, or tights with them without choking all the blood out of my foot. That being said, they have stretched out a little, so there's hope for fluffy socks in the future.

Unfortunately, for the moment, I am stuck with chilly tootsies.

My other snow blunder was to walk to work with tights on, but a short skirt, so my legs were also feeling the bitter whips of winter wind. Fortunately, I got these at a boxing day sale:

They're boot toppers! (Faux fur, of course!)

I put them over my rain boots (they cover the bows and leave only the foot of the boot exposed) and they turn my charming little puddle jumpers into pseudo-mukluks that keep my calves warm, and my ankles dry all the way to the office! (Apparently I have a faulty gait that causes my shoes to flick bits of snow up into the tops of these boots. It's weird, I don't get it, but at least now there's a solution!)

Technically, they would also work as legwarmers, if that's the look you're into. Either way, they're adorable and snugly. Now, if only they could warm my toes as well, we'd be in business.

Although, to be honest, I've always had cold feet. And not just when it comes to big decisions.