Seriously, this must be Marc by Marc Jacobs sale week.  Yesterday we reported on MBMJ flats on sale for $59 at Yoox.  Today, we are presented with even more lovely Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes for 85% off – some are now priced starting at $40! Yippee, it is definitely time to start building up that summer wardrobe with these season appropriate sale shoes.

Silver Marc by Marc Jacobs flats for $48.

Slingback Marc by Marc Jacobs espadrilles for $48.

Camel tone sandals from Marc by Marc Jacobs for $40!

None of these strike your fancy?  Well, I don’t know why they wouldn’t but here’s the link to the MBMJ footwear sale at 6pm.com, sorted by price.

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I don’t usually like the phrase “Go, Shop, Save” since it normally involves a lot more spending to ‘get’ the supposed ’saving’ of money. But, at 80% off of some items this is a great time to look and see if any of the items that were unreachable at $100, $300, $400 are now within reasonable prices for those of us on serious budgets.

My recurring crush, the Harajuku Lovers ‘Paley’ is 20 bucks – yes, $20. Can we say, ‘Insane and tempting clearance prices!’ Holy cow, Christmas may be affordable after all.

This LAMB ‘Hip’ oxford also caught my eye at $120 down from $400. I love sexy oxfords for fall and winter outfits. There are also about 2 dozen other LAMB styles (Primarily hot, strappy sandals) on clearance as well.

And, let’s not forget Giuseppi Zanotti. This Giuseppi Zanotti E90172 is a great strappy platform that needs an appreciative home. This baby is $175 – down from $875 original retail. Check out the 6pm.com sale for even more styles.

So, what are you waiting for? These 6pm clearance specials tend to sell out quickly!

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6pm.com is having one of their brand-clearance specials today. This time it’s on the Gabriella Rocha brand.

Prices on some shoe are as low as $4.95 – you can’t even beat those prices at Payless!

Many styles are on sale:

Juliette $7.95 $43

Glori $7.95 $65

Chill $4.95 $81

Mindola $7.95 $61

So, frugalistas: Go forth and shop

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Is it designer shoe deja-vu when it is high-end borrowing from high-street and/or alternative fashion?

I have seen a lot of online rants over copycat and designer-inspired fashion. Certain consumers hate the idea of brand-dilution that they perceive to occur as trends spread out into the general populace. Others love the opportunity to get a designer look or similar style at a fraction of the runway price.

Interestingly, I rarely see discussions on brand-dilution or concerns over intellectual property when this situation  occurs in reverse. 

I’m also curious when this style-borrowing happens at the haute-couture level.  At what price range and perceived quality level do shoes move from being outrageously stripperlicious (thank you jitterbugbaby for adding that word to my vocabulary)  and instead transform into glamourous, runway-quality, high-fashion objects?  If these styles were made by anyone other than shoe-royalty, would women be lining up to own such styles?

Today’s case in point:

Christian Louboutin’s ‘multi-buckle sandals $1495 at Saks.com

This hybrid sandal boot is straight out of the ‘more buckles, more skin’ school of footwear-as-lingerie. Heck, if you are a size 6, you can get a very similar look on clearance  over at 6pm.com; and at a fraction of the above price:

Report ‘Diaz’ $87.75 $175 at 6pm.com

I actually prefer the Report boot over the current season Louboutin version. I like that the Report boot has a softer feel due to its natural leather upper and its more-rounded cut-out styling.

Anyway, I’m of the opinion that fashion is cyclical. High-fashion borrows from low and low-fashion borrows from high; this back-and-forth cycle helps keeps fashion feeling fresh and dynamic.

Here’s a question:

What type of consumer criticisms might have occurred if the Report shoes had appeared the season after the Louboutin’s instead of before?   I’ve seen enough folks cry ‘Copy!’ ‘Get your own designs!’ over the appearance of a plain black platform pump that I have to admit to being curious to the answer on this one.

I welcome your thoughts and observations.

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Hello warmer weather!

As we move into another spring season, certain classic footwear trends have re-emerged as if on an annual schedule. In this case, the trend is of rope-like espadrilles and cork-soled sandals. These continue to be casual warm-weather favorites.

This spring and summer it will be tough to go wrong style-wise if your sandals include a cork sole; or perhaps rafia, bamboo, or jute details. Natural textures, warm tan and brown colors, and an earthy, Boho vibe are making a huge appearance in stores this spring.

First up - Prada’s Rafia, Cork, and Bamboo Wedges:

Prada Raffia Wedge Sandals $650 at Saks.com

Prada Bamboo Wedge Platforms $695 at Saks.com

Prada Wedge Platform Cutout Sandals $750 at Saks.com

I’m not finding myself to be much of a fan of the rafia, and I can take or leave the whole cork thing, but the bamboo is pretty intriguing.

Volatile Shoes also has a few bamboo-wrapped offerings in their spring line-up (with more of a reedy effect): Read the rest of this entry »

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