Top Shelf Collection: The Money Maker

Oh yea. By far, these are the shoes in my colllection that get the most attention. These are actually the very first pair of outrageous shoes I ever purchased. Made by one of my favorite

designers, Chinese Laundry, these shoes are HOT. Don't get duped though on pricing- I've seen sites sell them for quite a bit more, but on the Chinese Laundry site they are listed for $129, and I have seen them for as low as $109 on other sites. Either way, they are *totally* worth the price. This is more of what I expect for $100+ pair of shoes.

They pack a huge punch with large, gorgeous rhinestones that sparkle in any light. They also are on for the long haul.. they are stitched on with fine acrylic thread. Needless to say, you never have to worry about one popping off and loosing it forever when you accidentally brush your shoe up against something.

I've only worn these fabulous shoes out once, paired with a little black dress, to the casino. They certainly turned heads, and I was actually stopped by a pair of little old ladies who were marveling at them... they commented on how beautiful they were and how hard they must be to walk in. Actually, they are quite easy to wear, even though it boasts a 5+" heel. They feature a real leather sole and a padded footbed for added comfort. I was able to do 6 pm to 4 am without taking them off, including dinner and dancing. Sure, my feet were a little cranky... but so was I since after all... I was still up at 4 am.

Chinese Laundry, in general, has never disappointed me with quality and workmanship. Its a bit hit or miss sometimes design-wise (for me, anyway) but they are a favorite haunt of mine. Plus, if you love an outrageous shoe, The Money Maker is a surefire knockout.

Rhinestone Flames

I posted these shoes on FB around the beginning of October. At first, I was quite smitten by them; thinking how great it would be if I was a devil for Halloween. For something that is such a novelty, I couldn't find them cheaply... they are made by Bordello Shoes (what a name, right?), and I ordered them from FunkyPair.com for $109. BUT, I thought... if they as great as they look in the photos, they would be a great conversation piece and it was worth it.

That being said... this is one of those posts where honestly is the best policy. I received the shoes and man... that was $100 poorly spent. These shoes are very cheaply made. The rhinestones are very VERY poor quality... not a sparkle to them at all! Even the glitter was questionable. Not to mention that the pair I received had excess hot glue all over it. The materials used were very poor; stiff and uncomfortable. The edges cut into the sides of my foot when walking and it just wasn't a well conceived shoe. If they were $35-55 shoes, I would probably have kept them. But for over $100, I want a better quality then what I received. With a big sigh of disappointment, I put the shoes back in the box and shipped them back to FunkyPair.

In regards to the company itself... I didn't have a great experience with them either. It was very difficult to get them to respond to emails, and so I ended up having to call to get anyone to answer my concerns. I did get refunded in the end, however. It just took a bit of nagging.

This taught me a valuable lesson on ordering anything with glitter or rhinestones. If you are unfamiliar with the manufacturer or designer, see if you can find photos from actual customers online. Ebay is particularly helpful for this; that way you can see what a shoe "actually" looks like, with an un-doctored consumer photo, before you buy. You also could email them and ask them what they think of this or that on the shoe before you commit. Or, search for photos on Google under images to see if you can find anything other than the company's stock pictures.

Of course, as I mentioned before, there is always trial and error. If a company offers free shipping both ways, then there is very little to gamble. Rhinestones are hard... and a good pair of rhinestone heels will be expensive. I will show you what I did purchase in the next post.

Welcome, Fellow Shoe Lovers!

Well, its no secret that I have a soft spot for all things stiletto. There have been quite a few people asking about my own collection... whats in it, whats not... and so I thought I'd start this blog to not just showcase some pieces in my own closet, but also to talk about new styles, affordable designers, and the best places to buy the most fabulous shoes.

Believe it or not, I never used to be this shoe-crazy. In fact, my family thinks its quite an oddity since I never was very fashion conscious at all up until a few years ago. Its come about slowly... as I started to add to my collection piece-by-piece. My collection is defined by shoes that grab my attention; there has to be something different, unusual, or really unique about them. Not just fashion-forward, but something fun. And, they have to be comfortable-- in that, I have to be able to spend an entire night out in them without feeling cripple. Its true-- you CAN find a 5" heel that doesn't make you suffer! But, its all about design. And a bit of trial and error.

The first post will highlight some of my favorite pieces in my own collection. Stay tuned!

Liesl