The hunt: black wedges…
If you happen to follow me on Twitter you may have overseen a slight emotional breakdown earlier this week due to the fact that my-wardrobe has sold out of the perfect pair of black wedges in my size. The Mentor suede lace up wedge ankle boot have been at the top of my Autumn Winter wishlist (okay, just below the Acne sheepskin jacket) ever since I first laid eyes on them. You might be thinking, ‘huh?? is this girl mental? they aren’t even that special.’ And you’d be right, they aren’t that special but they are perfect. There are a lot of other black wedges with more flare but these little beauties would complete every outfit and remain a permanent fixture on my feet for months to come. *Snap out of it!* The fact is, they have sold out in my size. So I have been on a hunt for a replacement…
The KG by Kurt Geiger Winslow isn’t a bad option. It is certainly the most practical and the cheapest. It has the lowest heel and would definitely be the easiest to walk in. See, I’m rubbish with heels. You may have noticed – converse tend to be my shoe of choice. The ability to walk in my shoes is actually a factor. But, there just seems to be something missing with these. They aren’t fierce enough. Sure, you could wear them to work and probably stand up straight all day… but what’s the point if you’re totally tame?
Next I considered the Acne Admire, by a brand that is knocking out one statement shoe after the next. You can’t argue with their fierceness: they would turn some heads. They are also 13cm tall and a whopping 400 pounds… even I have enough sense to know that is too expensive.
Okay, so if we are aiming for budget there is the Jeffery Campbell Pixie. But these still aren’t even that cheap and they are a knockoff. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about JC and the truth is I don’t want a less good version of the Mini Market boots. The zips look flimsy and even though no one would probably know or care… I would.
Then there is the Sam Edelman Zoyla. Lots of studs and they pack a serious ‘attitude factor’. You couldn’t be timid in these babies. Plus, they’ll add a staggering 14cm to your height. That would make me 6ft tall. Realistically, I would wear them once and then leave them on the shelf. They are too glitzy and too high.
Which brings us to the Mini Market zipper wedge. There are tons of knock offs of these. If you spot a black wedge boot with a zip up the back, chances are they got the idea from here. They are by a very cool Swedish company and that fact alone has the power to sway my vote. The problem is they don’t have a platform and reviews have reported that they are quite hard to walk in. But, they are the strongest contender.
The truth is though, none of these alternatives are good enough. Like they say in Inception, once you plant an idea in someone’s mind you can’t retract it…. accordingly, I’m left trying to figure out how to make the Mentors work.
Hey! Thanks for your comment!:)
Well I am not going to lie, I do own the Jeffrey Campbell pixie booties and I love them
I could never afford the others but I do understand… I think your other options are different versions whereas the JC ones do look like knock offs of the Mentor ones. I have hardly worn mine so I can’t give you much of a review on quality unfortunately!
Adèle – http://moltocuriosa.com ♥
the JC ones are pretty great. i’ve had JC shoes on my wish list for a while… it’s only recently, when i’ve started to notice how blatant some of the copies are that i’ve started to go off them. don’t get me wrong though, if someone handed me a pair i’d gladly wear them! xx
I hate it when you get that niggling obsession to find a perfect sort of shoe and it takes ages for them to turn up in your life! My obsessions have included: Topshop Emma Cook boots (I was a crazy psycho girlfriend and made my guy trek all over London to various Topshops to look for a pair) and Dr Martens in general (never had them the first time round, I now own about 6 pairs in different styles).
But yes, the wild shoe chase. The discovery of that elusive pair always happens when you least expect it, kind of like real life relationships, I guess! Except boys aren’t gorgeous clunky shoe boots that boost your height and fill your heart with love…
PS. I was just perusing your recent blog posts – love the punting pictures & your man’s green trousers! I punt barefoot too, even though I am normally so anal that I wear flip flops into communal university showers. Check out this OLD blog post http://geisharock.blogspot.com/2009/06/freedom-is-elixir-of-youth.html –> My punting drink of choice is also the classy canned G&T. Soulmates much?
xxx
haha that is awesome! soul mates indeed! always good to know you’re in shared company when it comes to crazed shoe obsessions! xx
I can’t believe that I’m risking not being ready to go to the pool & swim while I click on each of the choices. I love the way you put this together btw. I think you should go with the Jc Pixie because a, obviously I like the name, and if they’re cheaper.. I love geisharock’s analogy (I’m going to have to check out her blog, I like the way this girl thinks!) but we all know that crushes and obsessions don’t last. I know you’d look great in any of them so I say just go for the absolute cheapest. Realistically those kind of shoes are impossible to wear – I’ve got my Topshop pale Vague-coloured suede wedges sitting on a shelf as we speak, staring me down and haunting my every move – so this way when you’ve moved on, at least you haven’t sold the farm to buy them.
Speaking of obsessions, I’m OBSESSED with the colours in yesterday’s blog. I want to do a post on it but I don’t have time to do it properly. I keep thinking about wearing those kind of dark colours, the deep forest greens and blues.. OH!!!!!! JEN!!!! I just remembered. Remember the Rare Press event? Those shoes? In dark blue suede? It would be so much more unique to get them in dark blue, and blue with black is wonderful, you could still wear them with black tights… if you don’t know the ones I mean I’m sure I’ve got it in a post somewhere. Check with Almina. Have a lovely Saturday. xoxox
I’m also looking for some wedges and I’ve only seen a pair in Mango but I’m not sure about them… Good luck with your hunt! xxx
haha, love the diagram. i actually saw a good pair in um, marks + sparks! worth a shot i guess
Jen, have you checked out Kelsi Dagger? They have some great lace-up wedge options for fall (which are on my September shopping list)!
I like this wedges. I saw wedges in a shop for a few days, want to have one of them! : )
regards from http://www.mazeofillusion.blogspot.com/
muchas gracias!!
tu blog es muuuy interesante! te sigo:)
haha i love this black-wedge snowflake. plenty of options, i think i would go for the mini market ones!
xx raez
never mind hun, those weren’t the pair for you, when you spot the perfect ones it will be the right time, and place, and it would have been worth the wait.
Dont give up there must be another stockist, ring them and demand to know!!! Seriously they must have other stockist if you ring them they will probly do a mail order or something that how I got my Ann D boots shear bossyness!! I hate JC and SE on principle I cant stand them!
Aaah the perfect black wedges… I’m still searching too. As much as I love the Acne’s… yup hi there ridic price tag. And though the Jeffery Campbell’s are gorgeous, I too am seeing blatant knock offs becoming more and more regular and that’s NAT COOL. Have you had a sneaky at Office’x website… so sure a while back they had some pretty awesome ones, and they’ll be purse friendly too
Have a great weekend!
x
info@mentor-footwear.com
hahah. pearl you are awesome. thanks! xx
I have lately been so obsessed with wedges as well! I prefer mine to be sky high or a uniform platform across. That being said, the Mini Market ones are pretty fab!
Oh tough one! I agree, the Mentor ones are the best, but I would pick the JC ones as the alternative. You would get a lot of wears out of that one because of its simplicity.
S
http://notjustmedical.wordpress.com
noooooooooo…… do they still have the ones I want?? I’m checking right now, if they don’t I’m going to have a mental breakdown too. I understand your pain Style Crusader; we have been talking about how much we want these boots since, like, February. xxxx
http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos-Ava-Suede-Lace-Up-Wedge-Boot/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1060987&cid=4172&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Grey
This is a good alternative. It’s not the mentor one but I think its the best of all the options you got!
I have tried on the acne one, and let me tell you its not exactly what one would expect of a ‘quality’ pairs of shoes. They don’t look good at all. Its like a brick covered with leather, that is how it feels. But hey that is just me, i was very disappointed on them. Though they got this black pump with a chunky heel, those are to die for.
ta!
i am way beyond in love with the sam edelman ones. I put them on my comp screen saver last week so that i could stare at them – ha yes im sad! xxxx
They’re all fab (the Acne’s would be my dream pair) but I’m not convinced I’d be able to walk in any of them sadly! xx
http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/
I saw your fab post on my iphone yesterday and was itching to suggest the ASOS version but posting from my phone is always a pain the ass! Thankfully great minds think alike and someone else suggested them! I have bought the black ones myself and can’t wait to get out there and pound some pavement in them… Hope you find a replacement dream pair!
oooooh, I totally get where you’re coming from
finding the perfect wedge is a big project!
The Acne admire ones are just so pretty
If I was a rich girl….
C
Oh I love this post! I love the middle ones the best! GORGEOUS!
Gurrrrl, you are (shoe) crazy- this is hilarious!
Get the minimarket boots, just added them to my AW10 wishlist too.
xx