A close friend recently bought a pair of ManoloBlahniks and… I’m jealous. Being a massive Sex and the City fan, I know just how treasured these designer kicks are to the fashion conscious woman, and how simply thrilling it must be to place a pair in your wardrobe. The thing is, even if I had the money, I could never justify spending £520 on a pair of shoes! Perhaps it’s because I have such a love affair with high-street shoes as it is? Here’s why…
They say a girl can never have too many shoes – and it’s true. There are so many different occasions which call for a different type of shoe. Forget simply, the ‘formal’ or ‘casual shoe’. I need:
- a formal shoe appropriate for hours of standing (perhaps a jewelled pump or wedge)
- a formal shoe for when making a fashion statement is more important than comfort (a skyscraping heel)
- a formal shoe appropriate for work (a court shoe)
- a casual shoe appropriate for hours of shopping (a pump or trainer)
- a casual shoe appropriate for colder weather (an ankle boot)
The list goes on – and of course, I need a couple of options for each occasion too, it’s just poor form to wear the same heels to every formal event and the same boots to every casual outdoor event…
You see, the wonderful thing about high street footwear, is that the price tag allows for this variation! If I were to claim a pair of designer clogs for £500… I’m exchanging that for the chance to buy 10+ pairs of high street shoes, which would see me through many an occasion!
Then there’s the quality of high-street shoes, pick the right store and you just can’t argue with the fact they’re well made. New Look is my favourite for a footwear bargain that will last season after season. Real leather, good soles, cushioned interior – these are details of a designer shoe but at a low-end price and with the right care they’ll last just as effectively. I’m not saying that there isn’t attention to detail on designer shoes that can’t be rivalled… the clasps and straps of designer heels are noticeably more refined, but for the money the quality of many high-street shoe retailers makes them exceptional value.
What’s ironic is, if you buy a pair of designer shoes you expect better quality manufacturing. You expect a better shelf life. You expect everything to be a bit better (or even a LOT better at ten times the price…) and yet, we’re always scared to wear designer shoes. Often guarded with our life and kept for special occasions only. Per wear, the expense of designer shoes is even more astounding. But if they only make an appearance once a year for 5 years, that would be over £100 a wear! Perhaps if they were worn every day the extravagance could be justified? But no style aware woman wears the same shoes every day, and since a love of designer gear suggest an interest in fashion – it’s unlikely any designer shoe owner does this.
This article was written by Kristine Vicencio.