For any other designer, these would’ve been the type of shoes that were destined to appear on the runway, and on the runway only.
For Alexander McQueen, however, they’re the kind of shoes you sell for $1,165. And I bet some people will buy them at that price too. Which just goes to show, there’s no accounting for taste…
Oh, Dorothy Perkins, just STOP IT, would you? You know I love red shoes. And cream ones. You know I love buttons. You know I’m a sucker for that pointy-toed platform look – very Louboutin, by the way. And you know – or, OK, maybe you don’t know – that the last thing I need right now is another pair of shoes. Yet still you tempt me.
Yes, Dotty Ps have brought out this particular shoe in red, cream, black and navy. I actually really love the cream, although I know it wouldn’t be very practical, so I’m torn between it and the red, but actually, any one of these colours would seriously tempt me. They’re real “wear anywhere” shoes, and at just £38, they’re not overpriced either.
So, red or cream, red or cream? Red AND cream? And black? Oh, get thee behind me, Satan!
It’s funny how tastes change. A few years back, almost all of my shoes had pointy toes. Now they just look a bit dated to me, and I haven’t bought a pair in… well, years. (Other than pointy-toed platforms, which somehow look more modern.)
With that said, though, the shape of these shoes is perfect for the colour and style, and I don’t think a rounder toe would’ve worked half as well. Bows on heels have been becoming increasingly popular over the past few months, but although I’m not really a “pink” girl, I particularly like the pink/purple colour mix, as well as the outsized bow, which has a bit of a “fairytale” look to it. It’s the same bow and colour scheme as Ted Baker’s ‘Lana’ slingbacks, which I showed you back in August, so if you liked those, these are a nice way to wear the same style into winter.
Yes, yes, I know what I was just saying about huge platforms . And I also know that these are “just” plain black pumps. I happen to think they’re rather nice ones, though, and I’d also like to congratulate Versace for going with a blue sole rather than a red one.
(Aside: don’t you think that coloured soles, no matter what the colour, really add something to a shoe? It’s such a simple touch, but it instantly makes the shoe look more expensive, and if a designer sticks to the same colour it’s also an easy way to get your brand across without having to resort to sticking tacky logos everywhere. Yes, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, I AM looking at you…)
(Another aside: I’ve just realised that I actually HAVE a pair of black Versace pumps which… wait for it… have a tiny little logo on the front, on a metal bar. So I fail.)
(No more asides now. I’ll stop that.)
With all of that said, at $738, these are a lot more than I’d personally pay for them, but if you’re happy with the price, you can buy them at Neiman Marcus.
At first I thought the “zipper” referred to in the title of this post was the one on the heel of these shoes, but then I looked closer and saw that there’s actually a zip on the platform too. Not a real one, though, I wouldn’t think, although it would be pretty cool if you could just unzip your platforms and then zip them back on again whenever you wanted to. (Hey! I wonder if anyone’s done that?)
For me this doesn’t really work, but I think that’s mostly because the long, pointed toe on these looks just a little bit dated right now. The zips are certainly up-to-the-minute, though, and the price isn’t too bad either: they’re $110.
GUESS Jhill zipper platforms, $110 at Bloomingdales.
Although they seem to enjoy widespread popularity, I’ve never been much of a fan of the traditional round-toed ballerina flats. Oh, they look great on other people, but on me, the rounded toes always feel a little unflattering, so I’m constantly on the lookout for flats with almond or pointed toes instead. This is no easy task: the popularity of the round toes means that’s all many brands produce in this style of shoe, so when I stumbled across these pointed toe versions from Barratts, I immediately added them to my Wish List in every colour they come in. (That’s red, black, and grey, by the way.)
At only £20 per pair, these would make a great year-round staple: and the bright red versions will look great dressed-up, too.
Oh, happy was the day when I found these shoes on sale over at Yoox.com. I’m an absolute sucker for anything that looks even vaguely vintage, and although red and pink isn’t a colour combination I’d normally go for, I think it really works here. And I love the fan detailing on the toes.
Sad, then, was the moment I discovered that these are almost totally sold out, and now only available in a UK size 3. Sad, sad.
If you ARE a size three, you can buy these here. If you’re not, and you love them, well, I can only apologise for bringing them to your attention..
This is the second time Topshop have released this Unique shoe collection, so presumably the first time was a roaring success for them.
I’m going to be completely honest and admit that, although I think Topshop is perhaps the best brand on the UK high street in terms of footwear, these aren’t quite to my taste: there’s something that’s just that little bit too 80s about the angular heel designs and bright colours, and while I know the 80s are going through a major fashion renaissance, I just can’t wait for it to end.
That said, these shoes are definitely “Unique”, which is why I’m showing you them now. There are three styles to choose from: the slingbacks and shoe boots are £100 each, while the courts are £90. Having just said they’re not to my taste, I actually don’t think I’d hurl the black versions of the shoe boots into space, and the bright green pumps are starting to grow on me, purely because I can’t resist that colour. What do you think of them?
