When it comes to fashion, a lot of times, you get what you pay for. Other times, you do not get the value of the money you pay. In the latter, it means you only paid for the brand name and not the quality. A lot of people would do anything to put on the brand irrespective of the quality. For me, irrespective of the brand or the price of the product, the quality matters to me especially if I am paying a lot for it. In this post, I will share with you my take on whether designer shoes are worth it or not.
What is High End?
High end simply means the most expensive range of products. They are the opposite of high street or affordable products. For example, Gucci is high end and Primark is high street.
I am an in between size when it comes to shoes. To be precise, I wear size 40.5(European) or 7.5(UK) or 10.5(US). The .5 is a deal breaker for me so in most cases, I am forced to go a size upper in my shoes which are always too big or a size smaller, which are always too small. It is a shoe dilema for me if I am being honest.
To help me tackle this hassle, I have found an alternative and the alternative is to buy high end shoes……
By the way, a lot of high street brands do not stock half sizes. If I can say so myself, they are really hard to find in all proportions (heels, cut, shape, colour etc)
Moji, does that mean you do not wear High Street Shoes?
I do wear high street shoes but they have to be shoes like the H&M boots I wore HERE. In this case I had to go a size bigger because they are covered and won’t be falling off my feet. I also use socks/stockings to fill in the space when I need to.
If you are like me and you have to go a size bigger, shoe fillers can help you fill in the gap if your shoes that are too big. Socks / thick tights / Panty hose will also help you fill in the loose bit on your shoes.
High End Shoes, Are They Worth it?
Please bare in mind that I write this post not to brag but to enlighten!
Most high end shoes are made in Italy. The ones made in Italy are usually the top of the range be it leather, suede or any other fabrics. They are usually lush and solid. They look, feel and are constructed in an expensive way. They are good…..
A lot of high end shoes are also made in other parts of the world like Brazil, Turkey and any other countries where labour and general cost of production is cheaper for the brand.
So far, I have not experienced any kinds of ill-luck when it comes to any of my high end shoes. They have been durable and they fit well. Once I wear and clean, I store them well and they are ready for the next time. So my verdict is high end shoes are worth it. At least, the brand I have tried like the Christian Louboutin, Sacco, Gucci, Miu Miu, Gianvitto Rossi, Prada etc are all worth it. I will be keeping these shoes for a long time and that is WHY I always go classic. Classics are timeless.
What to Do Before & After You Buy Any High End Shoes
1, Do your research
Ensure you know the brand before you buy the product. For example, if you go to any websites, you can learn more about the brand. You can also read reviews online about the brand before you buy your shoes. This days, every thing is online, good and bad. You can also ASK people you think may know. I am always willing to help, so ASK.
2, Thread Safely
When you buy a brand you are not 100% sure about, do your best to try on the shoes on a smooth surface that will not scratch the shoes. Once there is no scratch on the shoes, you can send them back for refunds. If there is a scratch on the surface, you may not be able to return them except there is a manufacturers fault on the shoes which you will barely find.
For a brand like Christian Louboutin, they have the signature red sole on their shoes, once that is marked, sorry you can’t bring them back, you have to stick with them and look for a way to sell them by yourself.
3, Sleep On It
I can confidently say I am not an impulse shopper, I plan before I buy no matter what the thing is. If you are like me, good but if you are one who gets excited while shopping, one thing to do is to “sleep on it”. Keep the shoes overnight or for a couple of days and think deeply if you really want them. If you do, keep them, if not, you can always send them back.
By the way, you have up to 28days to send back your shoes / products if you change your mind.
4, Keep Receipts & Original Packaging
High end shoes are not cheap, you pay a few hundreds for them so ensure to keep your receipts when you buy them for full refund especially when you buy them from the stores. If you buy them online, you only need to have your transaction number / shippers slip for you to send them back but ensure to keep all paper works until you get your refunds back on your credit or debit card.
5, Read Instructions & Follow Them
Every clothe you buy has cleaning instructions. Just like your clothes, your shoes have cleaning / maintenance instructions. To get the best results from your shoes, ensure you follow care guideline which you will always find in a small certificate like card in the box of your shoes.
If the instruction of your shoes say, “do not use wet fabric to clean them”, ensure not to use wet fabric to clean them. Another one is if the instruction of your shoes say, “do not store in direct sunshine” then do not store in direct sunshine. Following those instructions make your shoes last for a long time and years to come.
So Should I buy High end Shoes
Whether high end or high street, I tend to lean more on the quality of the product than the cost of it. If it retails for $40.00 and the quality and fit is good, I go for it and if it retails for $250.00 and the quality is bad, I would not put my money on it. So I say, quality and fit are it for me.
So should you buy high end? YES, you should if you “want” them or can afford them. They will last longer than the quick fixes. You can also consider the cost per wear factor of your products. This simply means, how many wears would I be able to get from them? It is worth thinking about before buying.
I will share a blog on Cost Per Wear real soon. Please stay tuned
Always have in mind that the fact that a product is tagged or classified high end does not mean it is “highly” made. Always do your research please. See suggested points above.
Check HERE for HOW to Prevent Buying Fake Luxury Goods Online
I want to thank you so much for reading. I hope you found it helpful. Do you have any other TIPS on high end / designer shoes? Please share that with us.
Do take care of you and click share below please.
Much Love, Mojisola
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6 comments
Lovely post Moji..Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Stella. XO
I found this very helpful Moj. Looking forward to the cost per wear look.
Thanks
Thank you for reading Sam.
Cheers.
Good quality and good fit really are the keys – some of my favorite shoes are high end, and some of them are high street. You wouldn’t know the difference just looking at them, or wearing them, and that’s the key to me!
I totally agree Sarah, quality and fit are key.
Cheers.