Steep or Cheap: Enamel Bangles

This week's edition of Steep or Cheap is all about bangles. The bangle, originally a traditional Indian piece of jewelry that women wore after they got married, is a staple piece of jewelry for every woman, and some men. The inflexible bracelet can be chunky and cool, or it can be thin and delicate for an elegant night out. As the styles change and trends form, bangles also change, but the concept of the bangle remains a must-have. The style today is the enamel bangle.

Steep
The steep option in white enamel bangles is the Miranda Signature Hinged Enamel Bangle (pictured below) from Coach. The gold-plated solid brass bracelet, with gold and white enamel signature Coach pattern, sells for $138. To order online, visit http://www.coach.com/content/product.aspx?product_no=10856&category_id=1122.

Cheap
If Coach is a bit out of your league, labels such as Banana Republic also carry cute bangles. The cheap choice for this week is the Enamel Crisscross Bangle (pictured below) from BR. The 14-karat gold plated bracelet comes in four colours and retails for only $39. Visit http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/product.do?cid=13896&pid=577380&scid=577380042 to see the product online.

Whether your wallet is busting at the seams, or designer jewelry is just a dream, enamel bangles can be a great staple in your jewelry box - no matter what your budget may be!

Walk this way.

If you are like me and thousands of other people working in big cities, the commute to work can be long and painful. No, I am not just talking about standing two inches from your neighbour on the subway, wishing you could lose your ability to smell...). I am talking about shoes, of course. Although there is always the option to throw on a pair of sneakers and change upon arrival at work, I still can't bring myself to accessorize my oh-so-cute summer dress with a pair of stinky old Nikes. (I did this once, and I kept spotting myself in the windows as I walked down the street, wondering how many people would notice that my running shoes did not match my dress...). For some, this is a great solution, but for picky people like me who would take a few blisters over losing fashion credibility, I started looking into brands and styles of comfortable shoes that take you from sneaks to chic. 

Geox: Geox's patented breathe system prevents the blistering and pain that occurs when your foot sweats and begins to swell. Geox shoes are all equipped with tiny holes in the sole that allow for air flow and reduce sweating and therefore swelling. In doing so, the shoes remain more comfortable for a longer period of time. And Geox sells cute flats, heels, boots and sandals - all appropriate for work and the commute.

Aerosoles: I know Aerosoles is known for being your grandma's shoe brand of choice, but trust me, there are some very cute options as well. Aerosole shoes have extra contoured padding on the inside that make the shoes more comfortable for longer periods of time. Their shoes also come in "wide" for individuals who need some extra room to avoid blistering.

Clarks: Ya ya, I know, another grandma brand. When I was in New York City earlier in the spring I went into this store with my family and was surprised to see quite a few cute styles of flats and heels. I would not wear some of the styles, but there are certainly some options if you are really concerned about comfort and looking good. Clarks is known for being a very comfortable brand.

I wrote those in that order because that is likely the order that I would choose to go to those stores. Let me know if you know of any other brands that have a comfortable, yet stylish shoe. Geox is certainly my favourite store for comfortable, fairly inexpensive shoes for commuting to work without the pain.

Unfortunately, great shoes don't make the smelly guy on the subway go away...sorry!