Today, news and media blasts about women racing marathons in stilettos for charity and the latest super stiletto are front and center in fashion news, but it wasn’t always that way. In the mid 1800s, the world saw social and economic change, women joining the industrial workforce, and women’s suffrage. This rapid shift changed the face of women’s footwear. Women began to exercise their rights as individuals and exorcise constricting fashion. Broad-heeled, no nonsense shoes, like the saddle shoe, the brogue, flat lace-up sport boots, the ghillie, and of course, the oxford became a favorite of women on protest marches. When Katherine Hepburn began to wear them, however, the common sense shoe went from common, uninspired, and determined to mysterious, fashionable, and daring, landing the oxford and other men’s footwear styles for women into the book of fashion classics. Today the oxford flat has returned and it’s even better than ever. Here are a few of our favorites:

Become a fan of The Shoe Dish on Facebook! and Follow The Shoe Dish on Twitter.

Came straight to this page? Please visit The Shoe Dish for tons more.

Have questions or suggestions for shoedish? Please email shoedish@gmail.com.

In need of an additional shoe fix? Visit Fantastic Toe today to join the network of the shoe obsessed, create a membership, and share your shoe collections and stories with other like-minded individuals. Fantastic Toe members get lots of yummy discounts and can be automatically entered to win great prizes!! Enter the promotional code, Shoedish, when you join.

We read this super cute love story on the TOMS Shoes website the other day and we thought, in honor of the month of Love, that we should share it with our friendly shoe lovers: “When we were in Virginia on vacation this past summer (from our home in CA) our delightful, 22 year old bearded, tattooed web designer son and our family were eating burgers at little retro diner in Williamsburg. We were approached by a (brave!) girl “My friend wanted me to give you her number” is what she told our son.   Yes, this cute and stylish 20 year old thought our son was cute… but what clinched it was that he was wearing TOMS!  Because he was fashionable AND socially conscious she could NOT let this opportunity pass by! He called her.  They dated cross-country (interrupted briefly by his 6 week trip to help orphans in Kenya).  They are now planning their Virginia wedding and they want everyone in the wedding party (bride, groom, attendants, flower girls – parents???) to wear TOMS!”

*Pick up your pair of Valentine’s - and LOVE - inspired espadrilles from TOMS Shoes. Here are a few of our favorites:

Burgundy Canvas Stitchout TOMS

Red Canvas TOMS

Primo TOMS

White Glitter

Become a fan of The Shoe Dish on Facebook! and Follow The Shoe Dish on Twitter.

Came straight to this page? Please visit The Shoe Dish for tons more.

Have questions or suggestions for shoedish? Please email shoedish@gmail.com.

In need of an additional shoe fix? Visit Fantastic Toe today to join the network of the shoe obsessed, create a membership, and share your shoe collections and stories with other like-minded individuals. Fantastic Toe members get lots of yummy discounts and can be automatically entered to win great prizes!! Enter the promotional code, Shoedish, when you join.

Shop It To Me Luxury Escape

Originally uploaded by shoedish

One of our favorite sale watcher websites, Shop It To Me, is hosting another giveaway and we wanted The Shoe Dish readers to get a heads up. Shop It To Me is giving away a luxury escape. Win a 2-night stay at the W Hotel of your choice, plus $100 to Bliss Spa. Enter on Twitter by following @ShopItToMe. Tweet “Follow @ShopItToMe. Win W Hotel luxury escape! http://bit.ly/6fHujY” You must be a Shop It To Me member to win. Contest ends February 5th, so hurry!!! Click HERE for more details.

Become a fan of The Shoe Dish on Facebook! and Follow The Shoe Dish on Twitter.

Came straight to this page? Please visit The Shoe Dish for tons more.

Have questions or suggestions for shoedish? Please email shoedish@gmail.com.

In need of an additional shoe fix? Visit Fantastic Toe today to join the network of the shoe obsessed, create a membership, and share your shoe collections and stories with other like-minded individuals. Fantastic Toe members get lots of yummy discounts and can be automatically entered to win great prizes!! Enter the promotional code, Shoedish, when you join.

EasyTone Inspire

Originally uploaded by shoedish

How’s that New Year’s resolution to get in shape treating you? Trust us; we know exactly how you feel. Shoedish is training for her first triathlon and the post-holiday slump hit us hard. We’re still managing to pull ourselves through early morning workouts, but cold weather gives us some pretty good excuses now and again. Well, there’s one sporting goods company and athletic shoe brand helping us “work it out”. Now famous for the EasyTone Inspire, Reebook has a lot more to offer than nice legs and butts for women. Check them out today and get up to 40% off Reebok Sale Items - shop now! You can also shop Reebok for your favorite NFL gear; Enjoy Free Ground Shipping on all Reebok.com purchases of $130 or more - Just in Time for the Super Bowl!

*Reebok’s Deal of the Week: a new special offer starts every Friday. Click here to get the current deal!

Become a fan of The Shoe Dish on Facebook! and Follow The Shoe Dish on Twitter.

Came straight to this page? Please visit The Shoe Dish for tons more.

Have questions or suggestions for shoedish? Please email shoedish@gmail.com.

In need of an additional shoe fix? Visit Fantastic Toe today to join the network of the shoe obsessed, create a membership, and share your shoe collections and stories with other like-minded individuals. Fantastic Toe members get lots of yummy discounts and can be automatically entered to win great prizes!! Enter the promotional code, Shoedish, when you join.

Betsey Johnson Law Shoes

Originally uploaded by shoedish

Hmmmm…we’re still trying to decide exactly how we feel about these sparkly dress sandals from Betsey Johnson. Thoughts? With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we feel that some sassy, sexy, vixen heels are in order and these are all that, plus girly and feminine thrown in just for good measure. These heels might help you portray the dueling feminine mystique that all men seem to adore (please ignore the general statement and blanket assessment of men); a lady on the street, but a freak in the sheets! The Betsey Johnson Law Shoes is drenched is silver sequins and complete with an embellished flower brooch on the vamp all atop a 4-inch heel. Va va voom!

Become a fan of The Shoe Dish on Facebook! and Follow The Shoe Dish on Twitter.

Came straight to this page? Please visit The Shoe Dish for tons more.

Have questions or suggestions for shoedish? Please email shoedish@gmail.com.

In need of an additional shoe fix? Visit Fantastic Toe today to join the network of the shoe obsessed, create a membership, and share your shoe collections and stories with other like-minded individuals. Fantastic Toe members get lots of yummy discounts and can be automatically entered to win great prizes!! Enter the promotional code, Shoedish, when you join.

Sorel has long been associated with durable and comfortable cold weather footwear. In the 1960s the brand was the first to combine leather uppers, rubber bottoms, and removable felt liners to make the warmest and driest boot of the time. The tradition continues today with the introduction of new and trendy styles to the already famous and marketable classic. The Fall ‘10 season will see bold colors, funky patterns, and stylish details. Sorel has taken the menswear-inspired details that are so trendy for women’s footwear and added it to its traditional styles. It’s fashion and comfort for the global outdoor women! Sorel’s fall line will deliver in August, but you can get your hands on the current collection, like the Sorel - Joan Of Arctic 09 (Black) - Footwear and the Sorel - Torino (Black/Intense Red) - Footwear (featured below) at Zappos.com, as well as other better department stores.

Become a fan of The Shoe Dish on Facebook! and Follow The Shoe Dish on Twitter.

Came straight to this page? Please visit The Shoe Dish for tons more.

Have questions or suggestions for shoedish? Please email shoedish@gmail.com.

In need of an additional shoe fix? Visit Fantastic Toe today to join the network of the shoe obsessed, create a membership, and share your shoe collections and stories with other like-minded individuals. Fantastic Toe members get lots of yummy discounts and can be automatically entered to win great prizes!! Enter the promotional code, Shoedish, when you join.