So the global economy's in a slump and your personal finances aren't faring any better, but winter demands a new shoe wardrobe for your chilly, sandal-strapped feet. What's a stylish, financially-challenged girl to do?
Sample sales are generally my go-to cure-all when I'm low on funds and retail therapy belts out its siren song. But sometimes even sample sale prices are a bit too steep: sure, a 75% markdown on a pair of $400 boots is one hell of a deal, but it's a deal that'll still cost you a crisp $100 bill. Luckily, we still have stylish and far more affordable options available. To wit:
Monthly subscription-service shoe clubs
Both ShoeDazzle and JustFabulous operate similarly: You create an account, take a style quiz, and, based on your quiz responses, receive monthly shoe and handbag selections tailored to your preferences that you can view at your own online boutique. Everything, absolutely every single selection, will cost you a mere $39.95. The only catch across both sites is that, if you choose not to buy any selections during the first five days of any given month, you have to click a "skip this month" button, or you'll be charged a $39.95 credit (that you can later use towards any boutique selection). It's not too much of a catch, as long as you're good about visiting your boutique at the beginning of each month. Another bonus: shipping is totally free.
As you can see, both sites offer trendy, fashion-conscious merch so you can dress with the season and not feel too awful about possibly not wearing your monthly selections beyond their fashion moment. Another sort of catch, which should be fairly obvious, is that, at $39.95 a pop, the shoes and bags offered by these services aren't exactly works of craftsmanship. Materials are inexpensive, and the finished product can look cheaply made. This applied to the single purchase I've made so far, an irresistible black, purple and gold platform sky-high-heeled pump offered some months ago at ShoeDazzle. I don't regret my purchase because the shoe is still gorgeous (especially from a slight distance, and peeking out from under jeans), but the constructions definitely leaves something to be desired, the materials are flimsy, and the side panels gape out a bit. But again: the shoes are gorgeous and, hello, $39.95! Again, I've only had one experience with these services, so I can't vouch for quality across the board. I'd love to read your take on or your experiences with either of these subscription sites if you want to leave a comment.
(Certain) Youth-oriented boutiques
Another excellent source for stylish, of-the-moment, affordable shoes is Alloy. Don't let the site's hip-teen-girl-oriented exterior fool you: tucked inside the belly of the beast is a great little online boutique full of trendy clothes and, most importantly, wallet-friendly foot candy. Unlike other online youth-targeting boutiques, most of the shoes offered here feature sky-high heels and fashionable details that are most definitely not for little girls. Witness Violet ($36.90) and Isla ($36.90):
Check out the Cuban heel on Larissa ($46.90) and the detailing on Bisquit ($59.90), below:
Don't expect leather and suede from Alloy, either, but do expect good construction and jaunty, sophisticated style at a reasonable price. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.
All right, I think I've done my part to help you kick off a productive weekend of financially sound retail therapy. Let me know what you think, and feel free to share your own sources for fabulous and affordable shoes in the comments.
