Denim is in this season. On shoes, specifically. I found my favorite examples of shoes that I could afford if I won the lottery or married for money (Hugh Hefner, I am still waiting for you to return my call!).
But alas, I have more self-respect than that (damn, I wish I didn’t sometimes…like when I’m in Neiman Marcus) so I’ve whipped up a quick post with some cheap alternatives in denim.
Acid wash is soooo 1980s…except on shoes. These pumps from Charlotte Russe are totally hot in 2010. (and only $26.99)
I do not like wedges. Call me hateful, but I feel like I’m saddled with donkey hooves when I wear them. But for my dear friend (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) who prefers wedges to heels, I found these excellent ruffled cork wedges from Gojane.com. ($16.80)
Is it me, or do these look like they belong on the feet of Hillary Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air? I’m not the biggest fan of these, but I know one person who would love these. For her information they are available at Spring Shoes (and for only $59.99)
I love a good peep-toe bootie. I love good studding too. So a studded peep-toe denim bootie is about the best thing ever for spring 2010. Until you see the price of these Forever 21 shoes. (Then it’s the price that is the best part at $11.99)
I saved my favorite for last. Platforms+Studded+Zippers+Denim=Awesome. Only $26.30 at gojane.com=FREAKING AWESOME.
Still don’t believe me? Check out this post by Miss Vinyl where she put a few ensembles together with my some of my favorite denim shoes.
I was slightly surprised to see how denim shoes have taken off. To me, if designed poorly, these shoes could look like something out of my Aunt’s norther Wisconsin hillbilly wedding where we had to eat in shifts. Oh yes, I said “Eat In Shifts” because the local barn (yes, a BARN!) could only set 1/3 of the guests at a time. It was a TOTALLY classy shindig, y’all.
Like I said, denim always carries with it the possibility of looking like a “my house is on wheels” kind of gal. However, these amazing shoes from Neiman Marcus are anything BUT trailer trash.
A classic Manolo Blahnik D’Osay coupled with denim and sparkles? You might be thinking I’m a rhinestone cowboy, but paring these babies with a chick black dress would be as far from tacky Vegas wear as one could get. ($715)
How about another Manolo? I love these. LOVE. Besides the fact that they are heels, they have SHOELACES! How interesting are these? No one would be able to walk by without asking “Where DID you get those amazing shoes??” ($785)
Denim boots sometimes worry me. (in fact one of the pairs I found at NM was covered in leopard spots…and they are not included in this list. Draw the obvious conclusions. Anyways, these boots are awesome, with texture and color added in the form of black lace strategically placed on the side and back of the boot. I’d wear these with leggings and a sweater dress. ($995)
These strappy platform Yves Saint Laurent sandals scream “TAKE ME ON A BOAT” and since I’m known for listening to anthropomorphic footwear, I’m searching for the closest seashore as I type. ($895)
And I’ve saved my favorites for last (well, last of this section) These Stuart Weitzman studded sandals are amazing. AHH-MAY-ZING! The studs, the “worn-in” look, the wood platform…I can’t find anything I don’t like about these shoes. Except the price. ($395)
Stay tuned for the inexpensive alternatives coming up shortly….
My sister has been lusting after these Jeffrey Campbell heels from modcloth.com for months now.
They are fantastic! However she doesn’t have $119.99 to spend on a not-so-practical pair of fabulous heels. (oh sister of mine, where ARE your priorities?!)
It’s an understatement to say that she was thrilled when I found these shoes at gojane.com.
At only $21.30, my dear sister snapped these up in about 30 seconds. I’ll post pictures of how they look in person once they arrive.
Oh my gosh. I heard the BEST shoe news today!
Remember when I complained that Christian Siriano’s collaboration with Payless left me disappointed? Well, I have amazing news. Mr. Siriano must have been reading all the blogs out there with complains about how un-fierce his Payless shoes have been thus far.
Because, according to SheFinds, in mid-March (about six weeks after the rest of his spring collection hits stores), Payless will be carrying these shoes.
The Exact. Same. Ones. From. The. Runway.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, they are $79.99, which is a little pricey for Payless, but seriously people. Compare that to the thousands of dollars it would cost to purchase a similar pair for Alexander McQueen!
I like the blue ones.
Wait, no, I want the pink ones.
No, I think I’ll get the brown ones.
Oh, screw it, I’ll get them all.
In case the title is confusing…you should pick up the Ting Tings “We Started Nothing” album. It is excellent and contains enough cowbell to make even Will Ferrell happy.
I take the train to work every day.
I have to walk to the train station and then walk to my work when I disembark from the train. Because of this, I wear flats outside. Not because I can’t walk in heels (trust me, I totally can), but because nice heels can be expensive and I want to make them last. Trudging through the snow, salt, ice, and rain does not make them last longer!
(Sidebar:) Obviously, this woman is a total idiot. You’re carrying a tote bag! Wear wellies and tuck the shoes into your bag. I can’t imagine she was able to cross that intersection without getting filthy snow all over the outside AND inside of her shoes. Dumb, dumb, dumb!!!
(Sidebar over, sorry!) So I buy cheap (under $20) flats every so often. The flats don’t last too long, but I’m not really a flats-loving kind of gal. Come spring, my feet can be found clad only in flip flops until November.
I have wellies too, of course, but they aren’t always warm enough, and I don’t want to look silly when it’s not raining or snowing and I’m wearing knee-high yellow rain boots. On those days, I always get a seat all to my crazy self on the train. 
It’s an easy enough day when I wear skirts and leggings or tights. But on the days I want to wear pants, footwear gets a little complicated. I am a short girl (5′6 on a good day; 5′5 most others) and all my pants start their lives with a new, shorter hem than when I purchased them. But even with shortening them initially, they aren’t good for flats. As most women (should) know, the hem for flat shoes is different (sometimes several inches different) than heels.
A while ago, I saw a product highlighted on the news that might make the cut.
They are called Zakkerz. fabric-covered tabs with magnets in each end. Roll up your pant leg, and use the Zakkerz to hold them in place while you walk to your destination. They come in many colors, none of which will exactly match your pants, but they are close enough to not look too silly…and they look better than saggy pants!
Zakkers…they start at $27 for a set. Call me cheap, but that seems like a lot of money. If I could afford to buy those in a color to match all my pants, I totally would. Currently, I use small safety pins on the seams, which work fine. I just make sure the pins are in a different place each time so a permanent hole isn’t created over time.
Another option is to use electrical tape and magnets to create a DIY pant holder. Electrical tape comes in a lot of colors, so you can really match it to your outfit. Simply cut two pieces to the same length, lay two strong magnets on one piece at each end, and then lay the other piece of tape on top.
Ta-da!
My sister has excellent style. I would almost go so far as to say that she has better style than I do.
Except for one thing.
Her SHOES.
That is such an adorable outfit…until you hit the shoes. Ugh.
So, I’ve put together a few options for Suze to look at. All of them are from Spring Shoes, one of our favorite shoe stores in the Chicago suburbs.
The Adornments:
Top Row, Left: EAKER, with its ruffled flower detail and contrast trim, is a super cute way to dress up jeans and a tee-shirt. ($14.98)
Top Row, Right: JEDIK, with star appliqués and lustrous finish, this pointy ballerina works to give an edge to any outfit. ($24.98)
The Patterns:
Middle Row, Left: ILLIAN, with a round toe, flexible rubber sole and oversized bow detail, this ballerina does it all, from urban-chic wear to casual and weekend wear. ($16.98)
Middle Row, Right: WASER, with its full sole design, two-toned gingham print and side button detail, this sport ballerina might give Suze just the “hey, look at me!” that she needs in a flat shoe. ($9.98)
The Nudists:
Bottom Row, Left: FLOPITE, which I own in pink, are super cute in a pale yellow/gold color with knot detail at the toe. ($39.99)
Bottom Row, Right: SUKI, with its fabulous, comfortable, and comes complete with mesh finish, glossy piping and bow detail.($34.99)
What do you think, sister? Which do you like?
Since I wrote this post, I’ve been on the lookout for some inexpensive lattice-cage shoes.
I checked out endless.com for the first time and what did I find? Lattice heels from Guess (my fave brand).
They are super cute! Also, they are nude-colored, which are totally in style this Spring.
White shoes are such a pain. Don’t get me wrong; I love how they look, especially in the summer when pale-as-pale-can-be me wears them and looks a little tan! But it’s hard to chose the right pair. You don’t want to look like you’re reliving your first communion all over again (ughhh, remember those frou-frou dresses!?!) and you also don’t want to get anything that will look dirty in just one wearing.
Which is why I love these.
Cute, right? I love the little beaded mosaic pattern and the just-off white color of the shoe. It doesn’t hurt that this shoe is a thong sandal (which are my favorite, reminds me of flip flops from my college days) and it also has a heel! These would totally be work appropriate with a cute skirt and a crisp white shirt. Maybe Miss Vinyl could find me a nice spring outfit to go with these?
They are from Nine West, are available in four different colors, and cost $69.
