Happy 3rd Birthday Day Through the Sole!

On this day in 1952, Elizabeth the II was proclaimed the Queen of England. In economic news, the NASDAQ, the world's first electronic market, opened for trading.

In shoe news, on this day in 2010, Through the Sole: A Shoe Blog was founded.

I want to thank all my readers, my friends, and family for their continued support. 

In the past year, I have written about a variety of topics, including the history of the stiletto, Madonna's new shoe line, and Kate Middleton judging a shoe contest.

The first post of the third year was on Linsanity, which kicked off a sneaker theme, such as how to shop for sneakers, and new sneakers made of a woven material. 

This year, I also looked at using shoes for a cause. Although shoes are often thought of as frivolous, they are a necessity. In Detroit, they are using recycled material to protect the feet of the homeless.

Through the Sole took on a more personal tone as I wrote about my experiences living through Superstorm Sandy, and documenting my experience through the lens of shoes. For the first time I share pictures of myself and my neighborhood in order to illustrate the devastation and the help we have recieved. 

Royal Fashion: Kate Middleton Judges a Shoe Design Contest

 

An ABC News video on the contest.

The six students from De Montfort University show their designs.

Fashion icon, Princess Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge is known for her classic shoe choices. In nod to her taste, she was chosen to judge a contest of shoes designed by students in the footwear design course at De Montfort University in Leicester. The shoe Kate picked were custom made for her.

The contest is part of a tour of the UK by Queen Elizabeth for her 60^th anniversary of ascending to the throne, according to Simon Perry of People.

The six students were chosen by a lecturer out of more than 100 applicants. Each designer had different inspirations, according to Lauren Paxman of the Daily Mail.

Tabitha Duffield designed feminine nude and pink heels including laser cut flowers and fringe. Kate is known for wearing nude pumps, especially in the summer

The Other Royal Wedding Shoes: Princess Diana, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth.

All eyes have been on the historic wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton. (This blog has received more hits than ever before. A big thank you!) Although the wedding broke some traditions and Kate was a commoner, there have been other royal weddings and other wedding shoes with pictures readily available! 

Princess Diana

Princess Diana wore embellished white slippers on her wedding day. They were made by Clive Shilton of embroidered ivory silk and detailed with mother of pearl sequins. There were heart shapes at the front and the soles were made of hand-tooled leather (mspmint, 2010). The heels were low so Diana at 5’ 10” wouldn’t be taller than Prince Charles (I Do Weddings, 2011). The heels were trimmed in 24 carat gold (Diana, Princess of Wales, 2010). A spare pare was made in case of an emergency (mspmint).