Project Runway 5.3 - Shoes on a Budget

[Shomore]

Well, afterÂ*<a target="_blank" href="http://www.shoeblog.com/blog/shoes-of-project-runway-52/">episode two's</a>Â*rather bland shoe offerings, last week'sÂ*<a target="_blank" href="http://www.shoeblog.com/blog/category/shoes-of-project-runway/">episode three</a> was aÂ*definite improvement.Â*

I have been drooling over the Gucci "Eva" wingtip <a target="_blank" href="http://bluefly.com/pages/products/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=2084957947&amp;FOLD ER%3C%3Efolder_id=1167&amp;N=1167+4294967268&amp;N e=10&amp;Ns=Popularity|0||Product%2bCode|1&amp;Nu= Product+ID">platform pump</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://bluefly.com/pages/products/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=2082590005&amp;FOLD ER%3C%3Efolder_id=2077036567&amp;N=2077036567+4294 967268&amp;Ne=500000&amp;Ns=Popularity|0||Product% 2bCode|1&amp;Nu=Product+ID">booties</a>Â*since I first saw them at the Gucci website last fall.Â* Unfortunately, even at Bluefly's best sale prices, these have yet to drop below the $450-500 range.Â*ThisÂ*is just too rich for my blood - and my bank account.

So, I wasÂ*happy recently to find several reasonableÂ*and affordable alternatives to satisfy my attraction to the basic style of the Gucci originals.
<ul>
<li>Guess by Marciano's "Egeria" $129 at Zappos.com/$125 at Shoes.com. In <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz347937889z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 74137142986">black</a> or <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2321118-10273958?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shoes.com%2FShop%2Fp roductdetails.aspx%3Fcatalog%255Fname%3Dweb%26pg%3 D5064699%26p%3DEC1094374&amp;cjsku=EC1094374">brow n</a>:</li>
</ul>
<img border="0" width="480" src="http://www.zappos.com/images/741/7413714/6627-628471-p.jpg" height="360" />
<ul>
<li>Report "Ellis" $189 at Zappos.com/$185 at Shoes.com.Â* InÂ*<a target="_blank" href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-2321118-10273958?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shoes.com%2FShop%2Fp roductdetails.aspx%3Fcatalog%255Fname%3Dweb%26pg%3 D5070450%26p%3DEC1104408&amp;cjsku=EC1104408http://">black</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-2321118-10273958?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shoes.com%2FShop%2Fp roductdetails.aspx%3Fcatalog%255Fname%3Dweb%26pg%3 D5070450%26p%3DEC1104412&amp;cjsku=EC1104412">grey </a>, or <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz347750991z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 7428711521">nude</a>:</li>
</ul>
<img border="0" width="480" src="http://www.zappos.com/images/742/7428711/8521-666288-p.jpg" height="360" />
<ul>
<li>Bongo "Square Dance" $46.00 at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz341252669z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 729662916197">Zappos.com</a>:</li>
</ul>
<img border="0" width="480" src="http://www.zappos.com/images/729/7296629/4998-370711-p.jpg" height="360" />

And, for those of youÂ*attracted to theÂ*<a target="_blank" href="http://bluefly.com/pages/products/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=2065325941&amp;FOLD ER%3C%3Efolder_id=2057231773&amp;N=959&amp;Ne=5000 00&amp;Nu=Product+ID&amp;Ntk=all&amp;Ntt=roberto+c avalli&amp;Ntx=mode+matchallpartial">green Cavalli sandal</a> already seen onÂ*several episodes, Chinese Laundry has this affordable copy. Which, interestingly enough, seems to come in just aboutÂ*any color except forÂ*green.
<ul>
<li>Chinese Laundry "Mika", $63 at Zappos. In <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz341283612z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 74113063">black</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz341283614z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 7411306585">red</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz341283615z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 7411306605">royal blue</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-2321118-10273706?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fn%2Fred irect.cgi%3Fq%3Dvz341283613z2%26zcj%3D1&amp;cjsku= 741130614">white</a>:</li>
</ul>
<img border="0" width="480" src="http://www.zappos.com/images/741/7411306/6219-622689-p.jpg" height="360" />

<img border="0" width="480" src="http://www.zappos.com/images/741/7411306/3279-622691-p.jpg" height="360" />

I love the challenge of finding affordable styles for those of us who are on a budget or who live in small towns where we seeÂ*very little variety.Â*I hope these help you to look like you just walked off of a fashion runway.

And as for tonight's show? I'm hoping to start seeing stronger designs tonight, both in footwear and in fashion.