Spartoo is one of only a handful of UK retailers which stocks Steve Madden shoes, so if you’re a UK-based fan of the brand, it’s a good site to keep an eye on. I live in hope of the ‘Prechis‘ (every time I type a Steve Madden model name, I feel obliged to point out that it’s HIS spelling, not mine!) platforms I love so much coming into stock, but until they do, here’s a shoe for the Mary Jane fans among you!
These are called ‘Bellahh’ (groan!) and are another example of a certain fashion trend which I actually can’t bring myself to type out one more time at this point, so let’s just say it starts with “colour” and ends with “block”.
Trendy they may be, however, but a Mary Jane never really goes out of fashion, and the fact that these use black as their main colour also helps to keep them classic.
These are £128, and you can click here to buy them at Spartoo.
I know I’m always having a go at Steve Madden for copying other designers, but let it be known that his spelling never fails to annoy me either. Let it also be known, however, that I would be willing to overlook almost any shoe-related crime, if I could just have a pair of these ‘Prechis’ pumps. In pale pink, please. And, actually, while we’re on the subject, also in raspberry suede:
I know they’re not the most exciting or original design out there (in fact, every time I feature Steve Madden, I can’t help but wonder who’s being copied this time), but to me? Total kryptonite. They render me helpless to resist. I would dye my hair blue for a pair. (Note: no I wouldn’t.)
Happily for my bank account, although you can buy Steve Madden shoes here in the UK (Amazon and ASOS stock some lines), I haven’t seen this particular pair over here, and while I could order from the Steve Madden website, the shipping costs and import duties make the cost prohibitive, so I’m probably safe for now. Although, there IS always eBay, isn’t there? Do you want to all just talk amongst yourselves for a while? I have something I need to search for…
It’s very typical of me to only really start getting into a trend once it’s in its death throes, and that seems to be what’s happened with the clog. I could’ve taken or left this style all summer, when you couldn’t go into a shoe store without falling over piles of the things, but now that they’re a little less common, I’m suddenly starting to get interested. Of course, the big advantage of that is that you get to buy the style a little cheaper than you would have when it was the height of fashion: these Steve Madden platforms have been reduced to $71 at Zappos, come in four different colourways, and something about the clunky look of them appeals to me right now. Maybe it’s just the contrast they provide with all of the glittery heels we’re currently surrounded with?
Yesterday I showed you a River Island shoe which reminded me of a Steve Madden design, so today I’m bringing you a Steve Madden shoe that instantly made me think of a pair by River Island: the pink mega-platforms I featured last month. Like those shoes, I wasn’t quite sure about these ‘Fifi’ platforms at first: I always feel this style of shoe has the potential to look stripper-ish, but the more I look at these, the more I like them. The pink tulle uppers help to soften the effect of the high heel and platform, and with the right dress, I think they could be stunning.
These are also available in black, and are $99.95: click here to buy them.
I think Steve Madden is getting better at the whole “not copying other designers” thing. I mean, you could argue that these draw inspiration from Christian Louboutin’s Madame Butterly platforms, but I think “inspiration” is really all you could claim – if even that – because it’s not like Louboutin was the first to come up with the idea of adding multiple bows to the front of a sandal, and there are lots of differences here anyway, so once again I think Madden has managed to come up with a cute show that bears only a slight resemblance to the work of another designer. There’s hope for him yet. Or at least, there was until I saw the three-bowed “Faame” booties right next to these ones one the website. Oh, well.
(He has no excuse on the spelling, though. None.)
I love these shoes – you all knew I was going to say that, though, didn’t you? Just the right amount of twee-ness from the bows, plus a colour selection that would leave me with a serious dilemma on my hands (these are also available in black): what’s not to love?
Remember the Christian Louboutin ‘Bianca’ platforms I featured as a Friday Fix a few weeks ago? I had a feeling that if I waited long enough, Steve Madden would come along with a cheaper alternative, and here they are: his Caryssa platforms are available in four different colours, including the grey flannel shown above, which is my favourite. (The nude patent version is in second place, naturally.)
I don’t think it would be fair to accuse Madden of copying this time, because Louboutin was hardly the first designer to come up with the idea of a grey flannel platform (although I’d still argue he’s the one who’s done it best), so I’ll let him off the hook just this once, and simply let you know that these are down to just $89 at Piperlime: click here to buy them.
Maybe it’s just the fact that Steve Madden has copied other designers so many times now that I always find it hard to trust that his designs are actually his own work, but I feel like I’ve seen this shoe somewhere before. Still, I’m writing this post in advance, it’s late, and I’m just too tired to remember what it might have been “inspired by” – if anything at all – so if you know, feel free to drop me a comment, and excuse me for being a bad shoe blogger. And if it hasn’t been “inspired” by something else, well, then, my congratulations to Steve Madden, because I love these shoes: the soft colours of the uppers work perfectly with the thick wooden soles, and the overall shape is very “now”.
These are called “Free”, but of course, they’re not literally free: they’re actually $99, and you can click here to buy them from Bloomingdales.
Even although I’m currently on the hunt for a pair of comfortable, casual wedges to take on holiday with me this summer, I probably wouldn’t have given Steve Madden’s ‘Fauntain’ a second look, were it not for the photo of them being worn, which proved that the “natural” colour could just be the perfect nude to match my pale legs!
When it comes to canvas wedges, I’m looking for something super-versatile that won’t weigh down my suitcase, and will work with every item of clothing inside it. So far, these fit the bill, and the fact that they have a pretty little flower on the front is just the icing on the, er, shoe.
If nude shoes aren’t for you, these come in six other colours, too. They’re $99.95 at Steve Madden.
