Middleton Shoe Frenzy

Forgive us for a second while we here at Shoes Rule go into a Kate frenzy.

The Royal Wedding's not far off but for us it's more about Kate. And her sister Pippa too of course.

Pretty much anyone with an interest in UK fashion and footwear will be checking out the royal wedding (which I've just decided to refer to as RW 11).

So, with so much of a concentration of attention from a fashion hungry nation pouring through every media station, what's Kate gonna do on the big day? One word: impress.

Expect Kate's outfits for the foreseeable future to make a real mark on UK fashion and inspire people's entire looks. From the shoes to the fascinator, the UK has a new style icon.

But as I say, here at Shoes Rule we'll also be keeping an eye out for Pippa - who is also very cool.

Build the look (from the shoes up) The Mod

The Mod look is about smartness more than anything else. That means that as time passes the look does change - it's not about looking like you've just stopped off the 1967 bus, although admittedly that's what we'd all like in a perfect world.

So today's mod would look very different from his or her 1960s predecessor, while they both share the same aesthetic heritage.

Desis - aka desert boots. Essential. Although certain other types of suede shoe can be worn on alternate days to keep your desis fresh.

Jeans - the cut will vary depending on the decade. But right now fairly tight is alright. Not too tight though or you might look more of a hipster than a mod.

Jacket - needs to be tailored right. On the neat side. Four buttons.

Parka - get one 9if you can afford it) from Pretty Green or Maharishi both of whom do a great bit of parka design. If not, try the second hand shops for an antique job.

But the shoes are pretty much the most important thing. You could have all the rest of the gear but put the wrong shoes on and your Mod-ness would be vapourised in a nanosecond.

The way to spot a mod. or even an ex mod, is by the shoes. If someone's got on a pair of desis or wallaby style shoes then they're almost certainly acquainted with Mod culture. Eveb the right type of DMs or miltary style zip boots. But scuffed brogues or wellies? Nah.

Cool boots

What with the warmish weather arriving any time now, it could be an idea to have a shoe drawer spring clean and see what's in the shops. There are a lot of opportunities in the calendar for clothes buying, so why not. These ladies boots with crochet are very nice indeed -

Build the look - shoes for the Indie Kid

To be a classic indie kid you'll need to choose your clothes carefully. Indie kids spend just as much time on their look as anyone else.

For a grunge aesthetic the best kind of shoes to go for are Converse, an indie perennial that never really changes. Then for the more skete punk aesthetic there's a whole range from Vans to Etnies etc.

One indie shoe that dates right back to the C86 era is the Dr Martens shoe (shoe as opposed to boot, obvs...) but they've disappeared which is just as well as they lloked more like part of a police uniform than an indie getup.

mens shoes - new styles

One style of mens footwear that is big right now is the kind of military inspired lace up boot that in the past was only available from army surplus.

Complete the look for urban styles with skinny jeans and an overcoat, or if you can find one - a replica of the coat that Richard E Grant wears in Withnail & I. This type of boot style is available from mens clothing stores and their internet equivalants Classic!

1970s retro shoes

Just don't walk along any cobbled streets, you might fall over...

2011 shoes

As we march onwards into 2011, it's time to take a look at what 2011 might bring in the world of footwear.

Stylewise the individualism of 2010 looks set to continue this year, and while it's too early to say as yet, individualism could possibly become one of the defining factors of this new decade.

Boots will continue to be popular, and hey, why not, it's more shoe for your money. While in the women's footwear category, there are set to be some eye-catching out-there designs gracing the catwalks and the shelves. The recession may still be on but it's not stopping you all from showing off in cool shoes, and why not?

Hopefully the VAT rises won't keep people off buying new pairs of shoes as this new year progresses, but it is likely that value footwear will do well as long as it's on trend.