Want to impress your partner on Valentine’s Day? Give her a pair of sexy, eye-catching shoes. Want to convince her you really know what a woman wants? Make sure those shoes are among the most comfortable she’s ever worn.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go far to find shoes like this. Just stop in the Charleston Shoe Company on lower King Street. Owner Neely Powell is a talented young designer who studied shoe and accessory design at the Savannah College of Art & Design.

Her shoes come in over 40 styles. Their distinguishing feature is the fabric: it’s made of a supple, supportive elastic that cradles almost any width foot, from ultra-narrow to wide. Colors range from solids and multicolored wovens to festive stripes and animal prints. A variety of heel heights and styles take the line from casual to formal.

Faced with so many permutations of color and style (which all seem, magically, to fit) shoppers often buy two or three pairs at a time. “It’s like crack for women,” jokes Powell.

Her bestseller, the Monterey, is perfect for travel. Its “aggressive” trend is rugged enough to negotiate uneven pavement, while its graceful straps and higher heel move easily into evening. Powell’s tagline for this shoe—“from cobblestones to cocktails”—is on target.

Powell’s success has been meteoric. After opening stores in Charleston and Savannah in 2010, she’s planning others in New York City, Charlotte, N.C., Newport, R.I., and St. Michaels, Mich.

The key to her success? “I quickly learned it’s not about trends, “ says Powell, “It’s about “making something classic and timeless—and getting women out of tennis shoes and flip flops. It’s about being a woman again!”

Charleston Shoe Company
Charleston, SC: 161 King Street and 188 Meeting Street
Savannah, GA: 226 W. Broughton Street
www.charlestonshoeco.com

Bow ties are having a resurgence, so we decided to stop into the menswear section of Berlin’s on King Street to learn more.

Sales associate Tom Fulmer confirmed that bow ties are very popular these days, representing 40 – 50% of sales. And although it’s possible to buy a bow tie in the same traditional patterns and colors as a regular tie, ultimately, says Fulmer, “It’s all about color.”

Randy Hanauer, a creative bow tie designer in Rock Hill, South Carolina, (www.bowties.com) supplies both Berlin’s and Grady Ervin & Co. in Charleston. His ties are handmade and fashionable.

Randy reports that bow ties have become a hit among the younger generation. “Young men in high school and college are now driving the market,” he says, adding, “This is the first generation of males in 50 years that cares about good clothes!”

According to Randy, the younger generation also loves madras, seersuckers and great-looking khaki trousers and shorts. His upcoming spring/summer bow tie collections are all about color. “We’re adding several new stripe designs in colors like fuchsia, citrus, pink, yellow and Carolina blue,” he says. “We’re also adding colorful woven plaids, paisleys and dots. And we’ll have a fun, new range of printed cottons from France that are very whimsical!”

As for tie trends among older men, the sales personnel at Berlin’s and Grady Ervin & Co. claim that, in Charleston at least, bow ties and traditional four-in-hand ties are equally popular.

Check out the new collections at Berlin’s, and at Grady Ervin & Co. on 313 King Street.

Berlin’s
114 King Street
843-722-1665
www.berlinsclothing.com

Grady Ervin & Co.
313 King Street
843-722-1776
www.gradyervin.com

For anyone interested in the culinary arts, there’s no better gift than a book from the Heirloom Book Company, a store dedicated to the “literature of food.”

Founded by three food-loving friends— Carlye Jane Dougherty, Brad Norton and Bryan Lewis—Heirloom serves up thousands of tempting titles, both current and vintage.

There’re books on cooking techniques, regional cuisines (the store has one of the largest collections of Southern cookbooks anywhere), specialty diets (vegan and glutenfree) and more. Other books are simply great food writing, such as the work of M.F.K. Fisher.

On a recent visit, Norton pointed out a few of his favorites: Ruhlman’s Twenty by Michael Ruhlman (“20 techniques to become a better cook”), A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for your Kitchen by Hugh Acheson (“recipes from the celebrated chef of Five and Ten in Athens and Empire State South in Atlanta”) and The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic thoughts on Food and the Good Life by Angelo Pellagrini (“great perspectives on food, America and what we take for granted”).

For Valentine’s Day, Dougherty suggests the 1952 cult classic Venus in the Kitchen by Norman Douglas, a collection of aphrodisiac recipes, and Tart Love by local writer Holly Herrick, the definitive book about tarts, whether they are “sassy, savory or sweet.” Visit the Heirloom Book Company at 123 King Street and check www.heirloombookcompany.com for upcoming dinners and book signings.

Heirloom Book Company
123 King Street
www.heirloombookcompany.com

Gals, have you ever looked longingly into the windows of Bits of Lace, the highend lingerie emporium on King Street, wishing you had a reason to buy a lacy bra— or a shimmering silk bathrobe?

Consider this: Valentine’s Day draws nigh, and our guess is that your partner would love an excuse to walk into this sexy lingerie store. What’s that, you say? No one knows your size or preference? There’s an answer for that.

Owner Ruth Brennan says that approximately 40% of her clients are men shopping for the women in their lives. Bits of Lace makes the process easy by encouraging women to complete a wish list, which includes information on their size, favorite designers and colors, all of which is kept on file. But even without this “cheat sheet,” the store’s sales associates, by asking directed questions, can help your guy find the perfect gift.

Bits of Lace specializes in foundations, underwear, sleepwear (teddies, pajamas and bathrobes)—even bathing suits. They carry primarily European lines, but offer a few domestic brands for good measure.

As an example of the quality of her designers, Brennan singles out Prima Donna, a Belgium company that makes the Deauville bra shown below. Not only are their products superbly crafted, they are tested on “real” women who scrutinize every detail.

Guys, if you’re shopping for your Valentine, here are some hints on how to make your gift a hit: Casually ask your partner what type of sleepwear or lingerie she likes. (She may sleep in a t-shirt, but long for a lacy teddy.) And be sure to ask sales associates about trends.

“Navy, says Brennan, “is the new black.” She also recommends lightweight travel robes, which, she says, are a “must have” this year.

And, gals, if you’re planning to be a bride, don’t forget that Bits of Lace offers bachelorette parties after hours, complete with wine, hors d’oeuvres, music and specialized shopping services.

Bits of Lace
302 King Street
www.bitsoflace.com