cheap espadrilles

what:  size 8 lilac espadrilles with flowers
From:  New York and Co
Purchased:  mid summer 2011
Cost:  $10

Bought these at the same time as these.  What can I say, they were cheap.  I don't know how much wear they will get, but at $10 I couldn't pass them up.  I was kinda looking at a dress there the same color, but never got it.  I can get a wear or two out of them next year.  I hope.

Bottom line:  keeper

fierce espadrilles

What:  size 8.5 lace up platform espadrilles
From:  Joan&David (Macy's)
Purchased:  August 2011
Cost:  $50

I saw these in some ad over the summer and cyberstalked them for two months, but never saw them cheaper than $100.  I tried them on at one point in July on a random trip to Macy's, but there was no way I was paying that much for them.  So late in the summer I decided what the heck and did another random Macy's trip and lo and behold found them on the super sale rack!

The sad thing is usually I am very prepared, and that day there had been a 20% off coupon in the paper, but I didn't grab it and the woman behind the counter wasn't going to help me out.  I bought them anyway.  They are fierce.  I get a ton of compliments on them when I wear them.  Just hope they won't appear too "last season" next summer, because I plan on getting more wear out of them!

Bottom line: Keeper

September 14: new espadrilles

What:  size 8 brown espadrilles with cute poofy bow on front
From:  NY and Co
Purchased:  mid summer 2011
Cost:  $10

Ok, well, first of all, since I've last written, I've purchased 11, not 10, pairs of shoes, bringing my total in 2011 to 17.  How is that possible?  Well, when you're under employed and bored and you wander into a store you normally never go into and see super cute, slightly dressier, super cheap brown espadrilles marked to $10, you snap them up.  I have espadrilles (am now wearing the replacement brown ones, as the originals went in the trash after shoe-maggedon), but they are kind of boring and utlitarian, more casual.  These are slightly dressier and perfect for skirts, or, today, a summer dress (with jacket) in the office.  Or to a 50th anniversary garden party in the middle of the summer.  Probably slightly better for garden parties than the office, as they make an annoying flip flop sound as I walk the halls here!

Bottom line:  great buy, super cute, comfy, nice low heel but looks fancy, total keeper

March 12 - replacement #2

What:  size 7.5 W black espadrilles
From:  Naturalizer (outlet in Florida)
Purchased:  Thanksgiving '09
Cost:  $15

Wrote about these on the March 11 post.  So this post covers the lower box in the photo - the black replacement espadrilles!

Bottom line:  keeper

March 11 - replacements

What:  size 7.5 W brown espadrilles with cream trim
From:  Naturalizer (outlet in Florida)
Purchased:  Thanksgiving '09
Cost:  $15

Trying to clean out shoes at this point - I've been upfront about these.  In the summer of 09, I bought two pairs of espadrilles and loved them both, though the elastic back on both stretched out unreasonably, making them slightly uncomfortable to wear.  But I really liked them a lot, and when I found them on the clearance rack of the Naturalizer outlet by my parents, I snapped both of them up for $15!  I showed you both during this challenge and wrote I had hoped to get another summer out of them - and since I spent the summer going through all my sandals, I did indeed get another summer from the original pair.  So now I'm going to have to decide if I keep the original ones for yet another summer, or if I ditch the original ones and bust out the new ones. 

So this post covers the brown ones! 

Bottom line:  keeper! 

July 31 - another mistake - and some good buys

What: platform espadrilles with wrap ties
From: Nina (Hechts or Lord and Taylor)
Purchased: '03
Cost: $40? Guessing

I have always, always wanted a pair of wrap around the leg sandals like this. So I got these. I don't remember how much they cost, but I think because of this deep desire, they cost more than I should have paid. (or, alternately, they were so cheap I couldn't pass them up - can't decide, so going with too much as I don't want to artificially keep my average cost down from reality).

Here's the thing about these - that tie is a stiff, rough, twill-like material. And, it's the only thing keeping the shoe on your foot. I wore these once, to work, actually (hmm, probably inappropriate!), and wore sores on my legs where the ties rubbed!

I was in Talbots this weekend and they have a pair of ribbon espadrilles:
Marked down today to $22! Look how the ribbon hooks onto the back, heel strap. These ribbons are decorative, not functional. Comes in a ton of colors, and a snap up the bargain price. (But these are not the ones I bought, though I did try them on).

Speaking of bargains, Talbots marked down all their stuff today (Monday) - and I went shopping Sunday. Garrr. Two more bargains to point out - I would love a pair of red espadrilles, because I don't have that color, but not sure - well I know - I don't need them (only $22 right now!):

And another bargain for today - I love these, but they are only online and so I have no idea on fit, but I think they look fab (though that side angle is hard to see what the decorative thing really looks like, it might be fugly, might be cool) - only $27:
Aren't those a great replacement for the gold sandals? Hmm, if I had not bought two pairs of shoes yesterday, the DAY BEFORE another markdown, these sandals would be making their way to me right now. Which is ridiculous as I HAVE ENOUGH SHOES. You know what? I think shoe blogging is making me think about shoes more than I actually normally do, which is leading to more purchases. I'm up to 14 this year alone.

Anyway, back to the ones I actually own. OK, in addition to wearing actual open sores, they are also now too small. So to the discard pile they go.

Bottom line: bye bye

July wrap up coming soon!

June 17 - brown espadrilles

What: size 8 brown espadrilles with white trim
From: Naturalizer (outlet)
Purchased: early summer '09
Cost: $22

So, when I ran across these shoes at the Naturalizer outlet, I could not decide between the brown and black pairs. I already had orange espadrilles, so could have just gotten the black, but I really liked the brown ones. When in doubt, buy both. Especially when they are cheap. I think they were cheaper than I am remembering, and I also think I had a coupon for extra off.

Like the black ones, I also saw the brown ones at the outlets in Florida, and so have a new pair waiting in the wings. I'm hopeful I can get another summer out of these. The problem is the elastic that holds the back strap tight completely gave out - actually after only one or two wearings (on the left shoe only). So while I love the look, they are not the most comfortable as they keep slipping off. The bottoms are in fine shape (Unlike the orange ones, which had only a thin rubber coating that quickly wore off so the rope part is really coming apart). I need a way to fix that elastic. Even though I have a pair-in-waiting, it bothers me quite a bit to think of getting rid of perfectly fine shoes except for one defect on one shoe that should be fixable. Safety pin? Take them to shoe repair to be sewn tighter? I sohuld investigate the cost and then decide.

Bottom line: keeper for now

June 12 - extravagance

I’d just like to point out that until this point, my average cost for shoes – 10 pairs to date – is $17.53. I’m helped out a lot by the $6 pairs. I think sometimes of an episode from Sex and the City, when Carrie’s apartment building goes co-op and she doesn’t have the money to buy. Miranda asks about her savings and Carrie says something like, 100 pairs of $400 shoes, that’s my down payment right there! Yes, I have a shoe issue, but when my average price is under $20, it’s not really that much of a problem. Sandals tend to be cheap, and if I were guessing, I’d guess my average price was more like $30-35 (and if you don’t count boots, it might even be a little lower). Sometimes, though, you just have to have an object of beauty, even if it is vastly overpriced.



What: multi-colored platform espadrilles
From: Coach (at Lord and Taylor)
Purchased: summer ‘06
Cost: $85

So this raises my average price from $17 to $23.66. But I had to have them. They are totally impractical and ridiculous, but I love them. LOVE. They make me happy when I look at them, and I did get them on sale (believe it or not). I only wear them to summer gatherings - casual parties, dinners out - and I realized on Saturday that with one child, with Rich along, I could totter on them and leave kid chasing to Rich. With two kids, they are even more impractical. But I love them, they are in great shape, and even though they’re 4 years old, still quite stylish.

But seriously, what idiot pays $85 for espadrilles?

Bottom line: Keeper!

June 11 - casual Friday

What: black espadrilles
From: Naturalizer (Outlet)
Purchased: early summer ‘09
Cost: $22

I wore these shoes out last year – part of my espadrille rotation. I liked them so much that at Thanksgiving, when we were in Florida and went to the outlets, and I saw them on the clearance rack for $15, I bought them again! The elastic along the back is really stretched out, but I am hoping to get another year out of them before opening the new ones.

Bottom line: we’ll see how long they last

June 5 - twofer

What: Orange with white trim espadrilles, Size 8
From: Jones New York, outlet
Purchased: Fall '08
Cost: $6!

I think she rang them up incorrectly, actually. Bought these at the JNY outlet store mid-fall 2008, a way it's the end of the season sale. Wore them almost all summer last year, alternating with two other espadrilles. Perfect for summer weather, casual, comfy, and yet still stylish. My friend Lisa says you only get one season out of espadrilles, and that's pretty much true - once you walk in rain or puddles and the bottoms get wet and start absorbing water it's pretty much all over. But I am going to try to keep these going as long as possible!

Bottom line: we'll see how long they last before totally falling apart

What: pink 2 inch heeled sandals, size 7.5
From: Bandolino, Lord and Taylor
Purchased: summer '03 or '04
Cost: ~$20

Later Saturday I was at my 20th reunion dinner. I wore the espadrilles for the afternoon and brought a dress to wear for the dinner, and before we left I spent too much time at home searching for the left shoe from the black sandals I had been wearing with the dress. That left shoe was no where to be found - and the last time I remember seeing it, both shoes were on Elizabeth's feet. So who knows where it might be. But, the dress has pink in it, and I remembered I had pink sandals so grabbed these. I first bought them in black, size 8, and wore them OUT - those black ones were go-to shoes for a couple of summers. I really need to throw out the black ones because the fronts are torn up. Later that same summer, once summer sales really kicked in, I decided to get the pink ones, too. The black ones were slightly loose, so I decided to go down a half size, but the pink ones have always been too tight. They've never loosened (honestly, have any shoes ever really loosened?). But pink sandals fill a wardrobe need, so they will stay. Other famous last words of the shoe addicted: they're not that uncomfortable.

Bottom line: they're there when I need pink sandals. Will never be comfortable first choice, but they'll do when needed.