"I got a pair of shoes I swear that somebody gave me..."

"Style," said John Fairchild, legendary publisher of W and Women's Wear Daily, "is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style." Which brings us to David Johansen and the New York Dolls.

For those who missed the 1970s here's a brief bio of David Jo, cribbed, with thanks, from the excellent blog of Tom Watson (tomwatson.typepad.com): "[David Johansen] screamed his way into glam rock royalty with the exuberant 'aaaaaahhhh-ooo - yeah yeah yeah' overture to Personality Crisis, the rollicking lead track of [debut album] New York Dolls... The Dolls mixed a healthy disregard for the excesses of rockstardom in the early 70s, with a taste for Chuck Berry, Sonny Boy Williamson, and other greats. They dressed like chicks, owned downtown, fought, did drugs, and rebuilt a dead New York City music scene almost single-handedly."

Actually, much of the time the Dolls dressed like drag queens on acid, but David Jo – well, as Tom Watson put it, "The boy always did have taste." While his bandmates opted for red and aquamarine pomp-rock platforms (not to mention Sylvan Sylvain's gold lamé onesie) the singer had a slightly more nuanced approach. In 1973 the Dolls appeared on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test (above) – a performance Morrissey described as "the first emotional experience of my life" – with David Jo in a really covetable black-and-white polka-dot bell-sleeved blouse, red obi sash and matador pants. A staple of his appearances in those days was a simple, classy pair of black leather block-heel pumps. Here they are again (below) shot by Bob Gruen. Strong resemblance to the 'Remember' pump from Louis Vuitton A/W 2011, I think you'll find. 

(Image thanks to fuckyeahnewyorkdolls)

Another trademark item of David Jo footwear was the white Cuban-heeled ankle boot. In 1979, on the cover of his solo album In Style (below), he was white-suited and -booted two years before Mick Jagger wedded Bianca in a white tuxedo in St Trop and everyone got all excited about it.

Since the 70s, David Jo has never stopped reinventing himself musically – as lounge lizard Buster Poindexter with the Banshees of Blue; exploring roots Americana with the Harry Smiths; then reforming and performing with the surviving Dolls. But one constant is his appreciation for cool shoes. I saw him most recently at the Lincoln Centre in NYC, in August 2010. He did a brilliant acoustic set (click here for his hilarious, sexy rendition of Bo Didley's Pills) accompanied by guitarist and long-time musical associate Brian Koonin. At 60 years of age, David Jo sounded stronger and looked cooler than ever. True to his Funky But Chic mantra – "I don't wear nothing not too fussy or neat" – he was in a simple white shirt, faded jeans – and those white Cuban-heeled boots.

(Image thanks to Eveningsong)

Well, Mr Shoeblogger, aka Shoehorn, has previous with rock 'n' roll footwear. On a recent trip back to London, I arrived to find him channeling David Johansen. (No, not in Louis Vooey heels, we're not having an Ed Wood moment in the shoe closet.)

 Take a look at these...

These beautlicious white zip-front ankle boots are from Gucinari. 

 They are the finest, snowiest leather, with pull-straps and minimal trim and excellent little wooden heels. And they have the loveliest turquoise lining. They are cool, they are stylish – charismatic, even – they are SO rock 'n' roll. They are very David Jo. I wonder if there is a girls' version. I rush to the Gucinari website: "Apologies. We no longer sell women's shoes to the public."

  Shoehorn gets to wear the rock star boots – but at least I am a natural shoe groupie.

"I got a pair of shoes I swear that somebody gave me

Momma thinks I look pretty fruity but in jeans I feel rockin'

I don't wear nothing not too fussy or neat

I just want something to be able to walk down your street

Hey, come on, baby, let's get on down to the boutique

Let's bring back something that's funky but chic..."

Cupboard love

Don't you just love the idea of a shoe closet full of Manolos and Louboutins, all beautifully boxed up with Polaroids to identify them? Or better still, a walk-in wardrobe like the one in Carrie and Big's apartment in the Sex and the City movies?

My stand-out memory of the first SATC is not the drama or the romance or The Ending – it's the sound of a cinema theatre full of women gasping as Carrie stepped into that heavenly space.

Sadly, I do not have a penthouse in Manhattan and, even more sadly, Polaroid film has been discontinued. So when I did a Shoe Census, Sort and Cull™ a couple of weeks ago, my approach was a bit more down-to-earth.

Your Guide to the ShoeClub patented 

Shoe Census, Sort and Cull™

You will need: shoe boxes (duh...) It's nice to use the ones the shoes came in originally, but cardboard doesn't last as well as leather. The Vivienne Westwood patent moc-croc and camel heels below are a few years old but Viv evidently invested in quality packaging, as it has stood the test of time almost as well as these swoonsome stilettos. 

Next: something soft to wrap your treasures in. You need to protect them from knocks, heat, scratches, moisture – and just generally to remind them how much you love them. Silk scarves, for example. I collect scarves from Portobello market and charity shops, where you can buy them cheaply by the handful. A well-chosen scarf also adds to the aesthetic pleasure of opening the box to unveil something like these palest pistachio and lilac Sergio Rossi 70s-style platform sandals, non?

Don't be tempted, by the way, to swaddle them in anything too precious – family heirlooms or the like. Being wrapped around a pair of shoes does a silk scarf no good at all, especially if it's a pair of glitter-encrusted heels like these (below) from Kurt Geiger. Prioritise while you accessorize, that's our mantra in the shoe cupboard (fact.)

While in storage, the toes and uppers should, of course, be padded. Tissue paper is best, being soft enough to mould into shape but firm enough to stay put – plus it looks pretty (see the chocolate-and-banana ponyskin mules, below, from Kurt Geiger.)

If you are the kind of person who regularly arrives home breathlessly excited with a new shoe acquisition, only to be faced with an almost identical pair that you'd clean forgotten about – your Shoeblogger pleads guilty here – it's worth considering storage solutions to keep similar styles corralled. I have no idea how I ended up with three variations on the canary yellow patent summer number, especially with my skin tone, but the evidence is below.  

Hopefully a large box full of clearly labelled yellow summer shoes will be easier to recall next time I am faced with a perfect pair of primrose pumps, or whatever. (Although v excited to note the yellow platforms below on the Mulberry catwalk at London Fashion Week today. That's one look for spring/summer 2012 sorted.)

(Via Style.com.)

Where were we? Oh yes. Once the babies are all tucked up and ready for bed, you need to label their boxes. Personally, I favour a neat white postcard and a Sharpie for this job. As a Shoeblogger I spend quite a bit of time considering how to describe shoes anyhow. I also believe that contemplating the shoes you own is a useful exercise. If you find yourself writing 'Black patent peep-toe seven-inch wedge-heel gimp boots' over and over again, perhaps you need to reconsider your buying habits (or your lifestyle. Just saying.)

A note on labelling: the clearer the better – er, clearly. 'Clear' does not have to mean 'brief'. For instance, I only own one pair of Armani leopard ponyskin shoes, so it is not necessary to clarify whether they be pumps, mules, or thigh-high lace-up boots (if only...) On the other hand, I have a lot of Kurt Geiger black shoes of all kinds, and a lot of Kurt Geiger mules of several kinds. But only one pair of – well, these:

And if you can think of a more memorable description than 'geo-spike heel black leather mules' I'd be happy to consider it.

One of the inevitable outcomes of a good Shoe Census etc is that you will discover great shoes you'd almost forgotten about, but another is that you will realise you have Too Many Shoes. Ok, you already knew this. You have shoes you never wear because they hurt. Shoes that you love but that are in dreadful condition. Shoes you wear because they are comfortable, but wearing them never makes you feel excited.

There is only one thing to do: bite the bullet and pull out the bin liner. On the occasion in question I delivered NINETEEN pairs of shoes and boots to my local TRAID charity shop (a selection of which are above.) Some were worn but in good condition, some were almost unworn and practically mint. Some lucky charity shopper will score an excellent pair of designer Robert Clergerie ankle boots in the softest black leather going (great boots, just not me.) Shoebloggers advice is: look at your storage space, look at your lifestyle, look at the shoes that make you happy, and don't look back (damn, did I really toss those black and fluoro green patent slingbacks?)

On that note, I'm off to take another look at those next season Mulberry platforms...

Fashion's Night Out kicks off

 A couple of years ago, US Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America got together with the mayor's office in New York to devise an event to "celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy, and put the fun back in shopping." The result was Fashion's Night Out – a cynic would say it's just late-night retail with a marketing spin, but nonetheless the idea caught on, big time, and this year there are FNOs in 17 countries worldwide (Mexico has the best t-shirts). 

It takes place in different cities on different dates – finishing on November 5th with Japanese FNO and kicking off last night, September 6th, in Moscow.  

On Stoleshnikov Pereulok designer boutiques were serving champagne to the committed Moscow fashionistas braving the evening chill in short shorts and high heels (it went down to about 8ºC, aka 46ºF). I loved these gorgeous suede Prada peep-toe platform Mary Janes (above), and her friend's fabulous die cut Alaia lace-up stiletto bootees (below). 

There was more Alaia in the chic department store TSUM: these beautiful fawn-coloured wrap-strapped patent platforms.

Also in TSUM, I spotted these wonderful Alexander Wang bootees: grey felt uppers, leather lace ankle ties and among the highest heels of the night.

Back on the streets I met my friend Anna, who was rocking these amazing not-quite-bondage Benois Meleard sandals (below). They were a gift, she told me. "We were at a pub, when I broke the heel of my Camilla Skovgaards and my bf went to Mood Swings Apartment and got me those so we wouldn't have to go home and change my shoes!" Boyfriend of the year right there, wouldn't you say?

Among the delicate heels and bare legs the studded boots below caused their own sensation. The platforms are high enough to make the cobbled streets a challenge and the heels add another four inches or so. Their wearer was dressed down in jeans and sweater but from behind you couldn't miss that dangerous metal, flashing all the way down Stoleshnikov.  

More studs in the Dior boutique, though the shoes are a particularly brilliant pair of Louboutins. Their owner and her boyfriend, in Yves Saint Laurent leopard print ponyskin chelsea boots, made the best-looking couple I saw all evening (and I am not saying that just because they thought I was French...)

The highlight of the night, in every way, has to be these divine monsters (below). Part Alexander McQueen, part Antonio Berardi (guess which Shoe blogger was too overcome with excitement to actually enquire about the label) – completely awe-inspiring. The boy (yes, boy) wearing them was, sensibly, sitting on the kerbside with his girlfriends, so I cannot answer the inevitable question – can he walk in them? But in the style stakes at least he can definitely give Daphne Guinness and Lady Gaga a run for their money. 

To see Muscovites enjoying Fashion's Night Out from the knees up, take a look at vogue.ru's blog here.