A year ago, we designed a pink-based shoe with online retailer Milk & Honey, with all proceeds going to breast cancer charities. We had such a blast that when Milk & Honey approached us this year to curate a larger co-branded collection, as the inauguration of their “Tastemakers” series, we decided to do it and donate our own proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Association, which provides support to families and caretakers impacted by the disease, and which is currently the largest non-profit funder of Alzheimer’s research.  Alzheimer’s has impacted Jessica’s own family, so it’s an issue close to our hearts. And we all know there’s nothing better than being able to say that your shoe purchase was actually for a cause greater than just your wardrobe (although there’s nothing wrong with that, either).

Our idea was to make shoes that Fug Nation could safely wear both to work and out on the town, should their days take them there. Nothing too sky-high or tricked-out; just cute yet colorful versions of staples that have enough added flair to make them fit for a special occasion as well. And we’re in that perfect sweet spot between recovering from back-to-school sprees (which I advocating doing even if you are not currently IN school) and needing to buy gifts for other people. In short, betwixt September and Thanksgiving lies the season for lavishing yourself with goodies.

We’ve put the shoe names (determined by us),  price points (determined by Milk & Honey) and links to buy after the jump. See if you can guess what the naming inspirations were for each. More detailed photos of each shoe in the slideshow, so get stepping!

Starting at the top right and moving clockwise; all heels are shown in four inches, with a half-inch hidden platform, but they are customizable to other heights.

The Alexis, $259: A dark-green suede peep-toe pump with a silver and black leather toe embellishment, and a strap that hits across the foot just under the ankle.
The Elizabeth, $259: A neutral, soft tweed with a navy blue heel and asymmetrical bow accent.
The Blair, $239: A chunky heeled, two-toned red leather loafer with snakeskin accent.
The Trixie, $179: A royal blue suede slip-on with emerald piping and a flat heel. (The shoe is closer to navy than it appears in this photo.)
The Shirley, $259: A heeled oxford in oxblood and cream, with eyelet detail. Like a classic spectator, the rear of the shoe, and its slim heel, are oxblood to match the toe.

All of these shoes can be ordered in a range of heel heights and platforms sizes; the above dimensions are simply the way we designed the prototypes.

We sincerely hope that you enjoy them, and even if not, definitely take some time to noodle around Milk & Honey’s site to make your own custom shoes (just as with these, you can pick your own heel height and platform size). It’s dangerously addictive.