In the world of footwear, top designers set the trends that get copied and reinterpreted for the masses at all price points. From funky flatforms that echo Prada to classic pumps that follow Manolo Blahnik's clean lines, these 10 brands and boutiques always dish up the latest runway-inspired looks at prices we can afford.
1. Steve Madden: When you're buying designer-inspired shoes, quality tends to suffer, but Steve Madden (usually) maintains a good balance between style and substance.
2. Nine West: This old standby offers the latest trends with a twist, so you're not buying exact dupes (which can look tacky). And if you're willing to pay a little more, their Boutique 9 line has even more high-style looks for less.
3. Aldo: This shoe giant churns out designer-inspired styles by the boatload. Quality can be hit-or-miss but you'll always be on-trend.
4. Ivanka Trump: So many of this brand's styles look plucked from Ivanka's own closet (which I assume is filled with Jimmy Choos and Louboutins). Her shoes aren't the cheapest but I'm told they're comfortable and you can often find them on sale at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and sites like ideeli.com.
5. Zara: Much like their clothes, Zara's shoes always imitate the latest "it" designers' fashions. Quality and sizing is so-so.
6. Topshop: This UK high street brand takes inspiration from the hottest up and comers, so you can get those cutting-edge shoe looks for less.
7. Chinese Laundry: I'm always pleased with the quality of my Chinese Laundry shoes, many of which are genuine leather and of course, designer-inspired.
8. Sole Society: A relative new-comer, Sole Society curates a small yet perfectly on-trend assortment of shoes for every occasion. Find them at Nordstrom, their parent company, too.
9. GoJane.com: You won't fool anyone with GoJane.com's cheap knockoffs but they're hard to beat for affordable foot-candy thrills.
10. JustFab.com: Take a style quiz and pay a monthly fee of $39.95 to get your shoe fix from this rapidly growing fashion store. Competitors include ShoeDazzle.com and ShoeMint.com.
Who would you include on your list?
1. Steve Madden: When you're buying designer-inspired shoes, quality tends to suffer, but Steve Madden (usually) maintains a good balance between style and substance.
2. Nine West: This old standby offers the latest trends with a twist, so you're not buying exact dupes (which can look tacky). And if you're willing to pay a little more, their Boutique 9 line has even more high-style looks for less.
3. Aldo: This shoe giant churns out designer-inspired styles by the boatload. Quality can be hit-or-miss but you'll always be on-trend.
4. Ivanka Trump: So many of this brand's styles look plucked from Ivanka's own closet (which I assume is filled with Jimmy Choos and Louboutins). Her shoes aren't the cheapest but I'm told they're comfortable and you can often find them on sale at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and sites like ideeli.com.
5. Zara: Much like their clothes, Zara's shoes always imitate the latest "it" designers' fashions. Quality and sizing is so-so.
6. Topshop: This UK high street brand takes inspiration from the hottest up and comers, so you can get those cutting-edge shoe looks for less.
7. Chinese Laundry: I'm always pleased with the quality of my Chinese Laundry shoes, many of which are genuine leather and of course, designer-inspired.
8. Sole Society: A relative new-comer, Sole Society curates a small yet perfectly on-trend assortment of shoes for every occasion. Find them at Nordstrom, their parent company, too.
9. GoJane.com: You won't fool anyone with GoJane.com's cheap knockoffs but they're hard to beat for affordable foot-candy thrills.
10. JustFab.com: Take a style quiz and pay a monthly fee of $39.95 to get your shoe fix from this rapidly growing fashion store. Competitors include ShoeDazzle.com and ShoeMint.com.
Who would you include on your list?
