Excuse the huge image, folks: I figured these shoes deserved to be seen in all their glory!
Meet Jimmy Choo’s ‘Fairview’ sandals, in pale gold leather, which has been hand-stitched with hundreds of Swarovski crystals. They’re not the most practical shoes you’re ever going to find. Even I, proponent though I am of the practice of wearing dressy shoes with jeans, would probably struggle to get my money’s worth out of these babies, especially considering that the money in question amounts to £1,295, and I’d probably be terrified to wear them in case I damaged them in some way.
Still, on the plus side, they’re stunning. And if you can overcome the fear of destroying them (Given my Shoe Saving activities, I’m a firm believer that shoes should be worn, not “kept for good”, so I’d definitely be doing my best to fight that particular fear), at least you’d know you’d never have to buy another evening shoe again, because you’d probably be able to wear these to every party, and every special occasion, every year for the rest of your life.
Have I convinced you they’re worthy of saving yet? If I have, click here to buy a pair from Net-a-Porter.
These shoes cost £4,860 (about $7,860). That’s almost what I paid for my CAR. And while they’re certainly very pretty, in a “look, we’re completely covered in crystals, and cost as much as a secondhand car!” kind of way, all I see when I look at them now are the other things I could get for that price. Like a really good holiday, say. Or every pair of Kurt Geigers I’ve coveted this year (trust me, that’s a lot of shoes). Hell, I could even have a few pairs of Louboutins for that price, and at least I know I’d be able to wear them without fear of being mugged for them.
Of course, all of that’s missing the point somewhat, because these shoes weren’t made with people like me and you in mind: they were made for people who wouldn’t even miss that £4,860, and who mix in the kind of circles where a pair of crystal-covered sandals would be entirely appropriate wear.
While the Swarovski crystal section at the front of these shoes is just a little bit reminiscent of the Lanvin shoes I showed you a couple of weeks ago, I think the execution of these Aruna Seth beauties is far better. The “folded” effect of the tongue gives these shoes the decadent feel of an old-fashioned court shoe, and that effect is only enhanced by the curved sides, and, of course, the dozens of crystals on the toe and heel:
I’m no big fan of Louis Vuitton – in fact, I’m not even a little fan of Louis Vuitton, but I am a huge fan of these shoes, which I’ve been smitten with since they appeared on the runway earlier this year. The Winter ad campaign sealed the deal for me: these look much better on a foot than they do in this product shot, and they’re the perfect finishing touch for the “ladylike” look that’s going to be so popular this season (and which I wholeheartedly approve of).
These also tap into this winter’s velvet trend, topping the velvet uppers with a flat bow, and finishing it off with a Swarovski crystal covered heel. When the words “Vuitton” and “Swarovski” appear in the same product description, however, it’s a big clue that the price is going to have you reaching for the smelling salts: these are $1,420, and they’re not available online, so you’ll have to search them down in a Louis Vuitton store if you want to buy them.
Stuart Weitzman’s ‘Rockstar’ thigh high boots: made with 22,000 Swarovski clear crystals, worn by Rihanna on her recent tour… and $10,000 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
I’d say more about this, but I’m sitting here imagining what it would be like to spend $10,000 on one pair of boots, and to be honest, it’s making me feel a little shaky. If you want to go ahead and do, it, however, the New York city Saks is the only place you’ll be able to find these. You’ll find me, meanwhile, lying down in a darkened room.
Leave it to Gina to add a big old dollop of Swarovski crystals to the humble wedge! Of course, there’s really nothing “humble” about these wedges at all, is there? With crystals all over the heel and sole, it’s a good job the uppers are super-plain, or it would be all too easy for these shoes to be mistaken for some kind of disco ball. As it is, they’re the kind of evening shoes you’d wear if you wanted people to stare at your feet, rather than your face all night (handy if you got a huge spot on the day of the party, I guess!). Oh, and the kind of shoes you’d wear if you were willing to spend £875 on them.
When it comes to fighting off the Bad Guys (Crocs, socks-with-sandals, people who think shoes are a waste of money…), sometimes superpowers just aren’t enough. Sometimes you need to resort to good, old-fashioned weaponry, and when you do, where are you going to store your bullets? Why, in a special holster attached to your shoes, obviously!
And look, the bullets even come covered in Swarovski crystals!
These are $603 at Colette. What do you think of them?
If I had anywhere AT ALL to wear these – not to mention a spare £199 to buy them with – I don’t think I’d be able to resist them. In fact, I’m tempted to invent somewhere to wear them, just to give myself an excuse to buy them. Anyone want to come to a party? Dress code: super-dressy, with blinged-up shoes? Alternatively, of course, I could just wear them around the house, safe in the knowledge that they’d look great with my dressing gown. No? Oh well, if you DO have somewhere to wear shoes with a Swarovski crystal bow on the front, these ones are £199 at Dune.
