Women's Footwear

[Rosenrot]

I've been telling myself to get a pair of Guidi for a while now but I can't seem to take the plunge and fork out more than a grand for them, yet I continue to stockpile more impractical shoes.

[fadetogrey]

Luckily/unluckily 40 is not my size. I have a pair in horse that I sized up in, but I was curious if the suede would stretch out more and not require sizing up.

As for taking the plunge and dropping serious coin on them, I don't regret the pair I have and plan to eventually get a low back or side zip and the tall heeled back zip versions too, if, like you Rosenrot, I can stay focused for 5 minutes and not be distracted by stockpiling other pretty things!

Thanks, I'm a bit gobstruck myself by them. More or less true to size but I usually can go a half size up or down safely with boots, depending on the label.
Added benefit is that they seem longer in the calf then the other ebony back zips I already have so that's also a pleasant twist to the mix.
They still have a 40 if that's your size ftg...

[rider]

shoes and boots [especially] possess a sensory wave on me. i easily fork out the most for them as well as a good jacket, now and then. when it comes to the unrestrained purchase that's what i hone in on, not that i dont have my share of sporadic footwear hanging about, but i usually will rehome them eventually. there is just something about a really well designed boot that immediately causes my toes to tingle, ornaments of the soul .
out of curiosity, does anyone find that as they cultivate self awareness so follows their preference for beauty, mastery and craftsmanship, i'll even go as far to say risk? because really it comes down to that, for every 1 artisan label, its possible to acquire 4 or 5 more mainstream varieties, but is it worth it [to you]? i'm sure there is more to it then that but that train of thought just popped into my head as i replied.

...so, back to guidi's...i recommend you take the leap and you will immediately understand the attraction.

[Rosenrot]

Footwear and outerwear are the key essentials I look out for in any collections, so much so that it influences how I perceive them. In my subconscious mind I can easily dismiss a collection because of lack of strong shoes or jackets, or fall head over heels in love just because of the shoes/leather wear. It's a knee-jerk reaction that I'm trying to curb, to be honest. But at the end of the day, my favourite designers are the ones who place strong emphasis on outerwears and/or footwears (RO, GP, Ann, Balenciaga, etc).

Regarding your second point, could you elaborate on it? Are you asking whether one would rather buy a pair of artisanal shoes or 4-5 pair of mainstream ones?

[rider]

yes, i guess that is what i am asking. would you rather have 1 compelling (artisan type) shoe, which can indeed be very expensive, or a variety of more mainstream ones that end up costing about the same outlay? maybe its a silly thought, not even sure i have a point...it just crossed my mind when i read your post but i'm not sure i have the question completely flushed out yet. ill get back to you on that...

I've been telling myself to get a pair of Guidi for a while now but I can't seem to take the plunge and fork out more than a grand for them, yet I continue to stockpile more impractical shoes.

[Rosenrot]

I think I get what you mean, and I've given it a great deal of thought myself. The opportunity cost of a Guidi is usually 2-3 pairs of RO/Ann/Margiela etc on Ebay. The question is, can this Guidi serve as many purpose as the other 2-3 pairs? Usually not, especially when the occasion calls for >3" stilettos.

With that said, I've found myself forking out the most ridiculous amount of cash for a pair of Balenciagas that I can't bear to wear! Logic stopped working on me as soon as I laid my eyes on them.

Anyway if this isn't what you meant, feel free to correct me.

[rider]

I've found myself forking out the most ridiculous amount of cash for a pair of Balenciagas that I can't bear to wear! Logic stopped working on me as soon as I laid my eyes on them.

Anyway if this isn't what you meant, feel free to correct me.

no, no you nailed it. sorry my mind is a bit preoccupied with a broken saddle tree and a mouse nest in my car (both are currently out of commission and both situations stink) and make me dizzy.

i cant stand on laurels whatsoever, since not too long ago i did the same thing you did with a pair of rather seductive celine's. not even sure i will ever wear them but man, did they make me swoon with desire and i had to have them. i keep hoping my practical side will surface during those moments but emotion wins out all too often and then i get setback for what i really want. maybe its my nature.

perhaps women are under a spell because men seem to have far less footwear then we do. so investing in one or two pair of "crafted" shoes serve them well on a daily basis, whereas women often have a ridiculous amount of shoes we never wear. i actually believe that Ann and Rick (somewhat) are in the same realm as Guidi, so in theory can a SZ type woman survive just fine with 2 Guidi's, 2 Rick's and lets say 4 Ann's? In theory this would be all i need, everything else is superfluous. If i had this practical plan from the start I would have saved money even though they are more expensive outlays, then i could add on the emotional icing. do guys get sidetracked like we do?

[Rosenrot]

I reckon that if they have as many options as we do (let's say it's perfectly normal for men to wear heels/wedges etc), they would face the same problem as well. Even when they have less choices, some men are capable of owning more shoes than women (the thread about closet/wardrobe/etc shows just that).

Technically we can survive on just 2 Guidis, 2 Ricks/Anns/Margiela, and for very formal occasions, 2 Louboutins/Manolos (one nude, one black, neither of which I own). Seriously speaking, there are just too many beautiful shoes out there. You're not alone in facing distractions. If I'd been disciplined I'd have bought myself a pair of Tabi and a Guidi, again none of which I own. Instead I'm stuck with a pair of heels I would rather keep in a glass box.

[rider]

Did u see these? I like the stiletto heel with the bulky toe.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COULDNT-BE-MORE-CULT-MARTIN-MARGIELA-CAMEL-TOE-ANKLE-BOOTS-37-5-/290745350221?pt=US_Women_s_Shoes&hash=item43b1c5f84d

[genevieveryoko]

^ those are a good find!

i used to consider ann and guidi to be the upper echelon of boots (and perhaps they still are in terms of quality), but it seems the deeper i keep falling into the cdg rabbit hole, the more specific i feel my footwear needs to be, even if it comes at a loss of quality - oxfords, ballet flats, motorcycle boots, and combat boots by mostly junya, lanvin, and cdg. but in a more general sense, when i find 1 good pair of boots to swoon over all the other shoes in the world instantly lose their allure.

[Rosenrot]

I must confess that I prefer the chunky round heels for tabi boots, but what I can't get over is this:

***I ALWAYS GET COMPLIMENTS ON MY CAMEL TOE** SO COOL!

genevieveryoko, you've just made me realise that I have a similar buying process too. If there is a specific purpose in mind, I'd buy non-designer shoes, eg: my casual flat boots are usually Harley Davidson, Doc Martens and military boots, while my oxfords would be from some small Italian/English shoemaker. Pretty much all of my high-end shoes have been purchased with mostly aesthetics in mind.

when i find 1 good pair of boots to swoon over all the other shoes in the world instantly lose their allure

I can relate to that, until the next pair comes along.

[Heirloom]

Did u see these? I like the stiletto heel with the bulky toe.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COULDNT-BE-M...item43b1c5f84d

these are so nice, really soft and stretchy, and your toes fill out the toebox completely. the toe is actually not bulky, it's just rounded to fit the contour of the foot. it's in fact a really light and thin and slim shoe.

[rider]

now that my head is cleared a bit...i can emphatically agree that variety is truly the spice of life and the more shoes and boots the better. screw practicality, i want choices when i look in my closet, not all have to be highly crafted and some are indeed precarious to walk in but who cares, they make it fun to dress. no doubt the great designers are in a class by themselves, and i tend to wear those more often, like Ann...because what she does is so different...and Guidi is remarkable for their ability to form fit a shoe like a F1 race car.
and yes rosenrot, i have no doubt if men had the range of choices we do, they would happily succumb to our enchanting circumstance.

genevieveryoko, it is always all about the boots. when its summer i still find a way to incorporate them and come fall, they are what excites me most about the change of seasons. boots can cast a spell.

heirloom, yes bulky was the wrong word, bulbous is more like it. someone got lucky and got them.

[Faust]

/\ that's the spirit! Fuck rationality (sometimes).

[genevieveryoko]

these are weird but kinda sexy

http://www.yoox.com/item.asp/dept/women/tskay/3FD17CD7/cod10/44384880QS/sts/sr_women80