Budget Footwear

Rianna Metallic Wedge, $22.80 at Forever 21
Designers are always looking for new ways to reinterpret the shoe, and so it follows that the heel of the shoe has become a locus for sartorial reinvention. Or, in the case of copycats such as Forever 21 (bless their soles), the heel becomes the object of imitation. Now, I could be wrong about these Rianna Metallic Wedges (above), but I'm pretty sure they copied a certain American designer who created a certain stand-out, see-through wedge this past season...so that's your clue. Can you guess who got knocked-off? Answer's after the jump...

For all you Michael Kors fanatics out there, mark your calendars: The KORS Michael Kors shoe sale at Gilt Groupe starts Monday, August 4th at 12 PM EST. Gilt Groupe is a members-only sample sale website for designer fashion. Budget Babe readers can click here to join. Check out the designer's bio after the jump.

Hey, look everybody! It's your favorite judge from Project Runway. ::grins:: Ok, so listen: I don't know Nina Garcia from Adam, but what I do know is that I like this look, which was brought to my attention by alert reader TexNYQueen. For my budget-friendly spin-off, I found a simple satin sheath that gets pruced up with a black patent leather belt (cinching the waist continues to be a great trend I just love), a natural straw tote and killer wedge platform wedges--killer style, yet so kind to your feet! And since the dress doesn't have rhinestone embellishments like Nina's does, I found a glamorous necklace to doll it up instead. What do you think of Nina's look?

[1] Puff-Sleeved Satin Dress at Oldnavy.com, $34.50
[2] Beaded necklace at BananaRepublic.com, $39.00
[3] Black patent leather belt at Forever21.com, $9.80
[4] Straw beach bag at JCrew.com, $45
[5] Tahiti Wedge Sandal at Shopdolcevita.com, $79.99