Black Leather Boots by Marc by Marc Jacobs: 599 dollars

Vintage Black Leather Ankle Booties by Rave Review: 13 dollars

Winning one in the turf war with designer price inflation: Priceless

I fell in love with these Rave Review booties the minute I saw them. I have never heard of the brand Rave Review (and still can’t find them on the internet), but I could tell from the luster of the leather that we were going to be great friends. Sadly, this budding relationship was destined to end in near heartbreak. Being vintage, the shoes were available in only one size which was a full two sizes too small for me. Never one to be defeated by practicality, I grabbed the shoes off the shelf at Beacon’s Closet* and ran over to my shopping buddy, a girl of diminutive foot proportions. They fit her perfectly and with a little pushing, she was convinced to take them home with her. It was an act of selflessness of great proportion. But at least I know they have a good home and I got the opportunity to photograph at will.

Two weeks later, I was in the West Village and meandered into the Marc by Marc Jacobs store. What should I see as a focal point in the store but ankle boots nearly identical to those I had sent my friend home with before. Though the ones I saw in the store are not yet available online, the ones above are. These can be found at Zappos are are basically the boot version of the bootie to come.

Moral of the story: a stylish bargain shopper’s friends are oft rewarded.

*Beacon’s Closet {bē’kuhnz kloz-et} -noun: a Brooklyn thrift store/paradise of deals.
If you live in New York, you have probably heard of Beacon’s Closet, the quality establishment where my recent shoe adventure took place. If you are a Californian, think Crossroads Trading Company, but cheaper. If you are a Manhattanite who doesn’t go to Brooklyn, shame on you. If you are unacquainted or looking to visit the big apple, let me fill you in. Beacon’s Closet is a Brooklyn thrift store. It has two locations, one in Park Slope and one in Willamsburg. They are very particular about what they accept, so they tend to carry really cool stuff. Even more awesome: their prices range from about $5 - $50. Some of my past find at Beacon’s include an adorable pair of Marni heels ($50), a Catherine Malandrino sundress ($19.95), and a Dolce and Gabbana snakeskin belt ($25). These prices are actually a bit higher than the average (because I might be a tiny bit of a label whore). More common are the Abaete for Payless pumps I found for $9 and the vast array of Urban Outfitters wear available for around $13. I prefer the Park Slope location; it’s a bit smaller and more manageable.

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Know for innovative and bold styles, behold this Marni  platform boot with removable weasel-fur cuff:  ($1521.00 at Bluefly in size 38)

This boot needs nothing more from me than to give it an audience.

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As loyal Shoeblog readers know, I’m a die-hard fan of Project Runway. And of all the PR final collections we’ve seen, my very favorite is still Season 1’s winner, Jay McCarroll. So you’ll forgive me if looking at the shoes in the Marni Fall 08 RTW show in Milan put me immediately in mind of the fabulous Jay.

It’s true, colorblocking is popping up everywhere this season. Toe caps, heel caps, patchwork patterns. It’s certainly something we’ll be seeing a lot of come fall. I like it. It has an organic quality that’s right in step with Jay’s stylish brand of eclectic sass. Look at these outfits of his (first from his Project Runway winning collection and second from his Spring 07 show):

Even though this pieced-together look is showing up on a lot of the Fall 08 runways, Marni’s take on the trend has offered up a lot of pieces that look like they’d have been right at home on Jay’s runway. You’ve got your mix of natural and machine-age materials (wood, metallics, rubber, snakeskin, wool). You’ve got your quilt-inspired patchworks. You’ve got your contrasting textures (shiny/matte). And you’ve got the playful use of all of those to make for some excellent shoes. Take a peek.

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The July issue of Harper’s Bazaar presents among others the hottest, ‘most desired’ shoes and bags. Although I was dismayed to find out that, yet again, the woman of 2007 and beyond favors the drama of torturous heels over the serenity of chic comfort (wasn’t Coco Chanel who said that comfort is the greatest luxury, or something to that effect?)–I couldn’t help but admire the fiery beautyof some of this fall’s trends.

It seems that we’re in for a fall of sultry, scrumptious satin, gleaming quietly in gem-hues of peridot and citrine, sapphire and quartz, amethyst and amber. Vertiginous semi-hidden platforms are subtly emphasized in coordinating hues, heels are sculptural, and each shoe offers a bounty of shades arranged in elongated graphic patterns.

Here are some of these coveted and perilous wonders: a Nina Ricci platform for $790:

More fabulous shoes below the fold: Read the rest of this entry »

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