ShoeDazzle Gets Real

In my mind, the biggest news of the shoe clubs in August is that ShoeDazzle is offering a real suede pump, Estephanie, for $40. They're a simple pump, with an almond toe in a solid color. They are available in 5 colors: fuchsia, blue, purple, yellow and green. Nothing special, really, just the fact that they're real and only $40. Other than a couple of random one-offs, usually in sandals, this is the first time any of the $40 shoe clubs have offered real leather. Lately, the opposite has been true and it seems like these clubs were in a mad dash race to the bottom to try and see who could cut quality the most and get away with it. All is not roses and rainbows though, as there are a couple of caveats before I go forward. The first being that their advertisements and marketing around this shoe are calling the $40 "special fall preview pricing", which either means that other suede and real leather is coming at higher prices, or the whole line is about to go up in price. Either does not make me happy. The other thing that's sticking in my craw is "Why?". Why now? What has happened that they feel the need, or had the ability to do this?

I set aside those questions and grabbed the fuchsia and the green. (Don't judge me, I had a coupon). After a stupidly long wait due to their ridiculously slow shipping, they came in on Friday. I was expecting a giant mess, honestly. I was pleasantly surprised, though. At least with the pink ones. The green ones have an issue that I'll discuss later.

Not bad at all.

As for the pink, the color is pretty true to the site, and they fit nicely. The 'official' sizing said they're 1/2 size small, but I found them to be on the narrow side of pretty true. I went with the 7 on that recommendation, but could have gotten away with the 6.5. They're a mid-heel by ShoeDazzle's recent standards at 5" with a 1" platform. I was worried, with the seaming on the toe, that they'd have a nipple since they seem to have issues with getting that right, but they're perfectly sewn and the seam lays nice and flat. All in all, I have no complaints with the construction of the shoe. Somehow, they've made a shoe out of real suede, made it well, and still managed to be able to sell it for $40. I'm sure they're losing money on these, which brings "Why?" back to mind.

This color is a little off.

As for the green, all of the above applies, except the color is more grassy than the website shows and there is a very obvious smear of glue on one of them. That situation is still being handled and I'll let you know what comes of it. I wasn't in love with the color when I opened the box, but they've grown on me now. I don't have that shade in anything else, for sure.

I've got a credit coming soon and I'm seriously considering using it for the blue ones. I've got tons of blue shoes, second only to pink really, but nothing in that particular shade. I figure, at this price, and especially with a coupon/credit, it's definitely worth stocking up on a shoe that I genuinely like and are well made.


So, a tip of the stiletto to ShoeDazzle for such an impressing shoe.