Anyone that knows me knows I love shoes. Along with that love and adoration comes a closet full of them. My husband will tell you that he knew we were meant to be when I told him that he came second only to my shoes on our wedding night. If you delve further into my closet (my second home) you will notice that most of my shoes come from 3 major retailers. Of course, there are more expensive, high end, and low end pairs sprinkled in between. But the majority of the shoes that dwell within the "Candy Shoppe" come with price tags between $60 and $100. I can remember back to when I scored my first paying job, swearing to myself to spoil myself with tons of shoes: an insatiable thirst passed down from my beloved grandmother (though she won't admit it is her fault I'm a shoeaholic). Well, to my delight at that time, there happened to be a new inexpensive shoe store opening up right in my neighborhood! Their famous jingle advertising sexy, high-heeled shoes all for $9.99 a pop made my heart sing. $100 would equal 10 new pairs of shiny new shoes lined up against my wall (due to lack of closet space at that time). It would be those same 10 pairs, not even a full season later, going into the garbage. Frayed straps, eroded heel caps, unbearable scuffs and torn fake suede all made their solemn trip to shoe heaven; $100 down the drain (whomp, whomp). On the other hand, take one pair of shoes purchased from one of my choice stores, 3 years later, they are still in good shape. And don't discount the lifetime repair guarantee should the heel break or cap wear down too fast. So, now look closer into my closet. Instead of slapping down $20 every week for a pair of poorly made, but trendy steppers, I'd rather wait, save my money and invest in a quality item that won't be the equivalent to "hammer pants" once the trends decide to change up. I can look at staple items in my wardrobe and though I've owned some of them for three years plus, they still look current and on trend. Don't get me wrong, I'll never knock a cute pair of $30 shoes, especially if they are well made. A shoe's quality in not contingent upon the price you pay. You can easily pay $500 on a poorly constructed pair. Take time to inspect the shoe before you buy it, like you would any other significant purchase. Pay attention to the materials. Man made leather, if not constructed properly, can get really ugly after a few wears. Pay attention to any stitching seeming to fray or a platform that is chipped. If there are any discrepancies in the construction, prepare to be throwing away a badly broken down pair of shoes by the end of the season. Ladies, during this time of economic peril, I know the cheap shiny thing is more appealing. However, I'd rather have one flawless diamond than a jewelry box filled with clouded cubic zirconia on any day. It would end up being way more expensive to keep replacing these cheapy things than it would be to invest in a good pair that will serve you well for years. It's time we fashionistas get smart about our money, because there's nothing worse than a broke diva.
When you know better, you buy better!
Really good article! All of this info is very true, and I definitely agree (and it's not just because you're my wife and I "have to" agree with you, lol). But seriously, you know how I am about saving money, so what better way to do that than purchasing quality over quantity? Although men's shoes are not exactly like women's shoes, my own example of this are my Rockports I've used for work for just over 2 years, which are just now looking like they need to be replaced. And you're right, cost really doesn't have to mean everything because I spent less than $50 on that pair and they still lasted. :)
ReplyDelete