Alexander McQueen Houndstooth Pump

So after Alexander McQueen passed away so unexpectedly, I was shocked to find I hadn’t yet featured any of his designs on the blog. As promised, I’m remedying that. McQueen was known for a lot of outrageous, provocative, and unusual designs. You know what I keep thinking is that he had the same last name as Steve McQueen, who was known as a total badass because of most of his film roles. Sheryl Crow even wrote a song about him, which is one of about three songs of hers I can tolerate. So it’s fitting that Alexander McQueen earned a reputation as a badass in the fashion world, bucking tradition, and in many ways being a nonconformist. But he was also versatile, and did create some classic, sophisticated designs. I mean, even First Lady Michelle Obama has worn some of his clothes. Can you see her walking around in those lobster claw shoes Lady Gaga wore in her “Bad Romance” video? You’re imagining it now, aren’t you? Heh. Anyway, in that vein, I ran across this shoe that’s a little on the conservative side and fell in love—the Alexander McQueen Houndstooth Pump.

Ok, I made up the houndstooth pump part because the shoe is actually named Alexander McQueen 230446W0JU1, which is a mouthful and not fun or descriptive at all. Don’t get me started on the hideous alphanumeric names designers use. Anyway, it’s a classic shoe with a contemporary spin. The houndstooth section of the shoe is woven fabric, while the heel, pointed toe cap, sole, and dual straps are leather. The straps are adjustable with dainty buckles in silver tone hardware. And I love the shape of the heel. It mimics the curvy shape of a woman’s leg. At 3.5 inches high, it will give your legs a lift and an elongated look. I suspected that after his death, McQueen’s product prices would skyrocket, and while that may be the case in his store or elsewhere, it’s not true online. This pump usually costs $874, but it’s on sale right now for $567 at Zappos.com. Buying it would be like owning a small piece of fashion history.

Budget Saving Alternative 1

Just like houndstooth is a classic pattern, animal prints never seem to go out of style. They’re more trendy at some times than others, but have been a fashion staple for decades. As long as you do it right, you don’t have to look like you just stepped out of the trailer park. At an airport once, I saw a woman decked out from head to toe in leopard print. Shoes, blouse, ankle-length coat, hat, and even her carry-on bag. It was already overkill, but it was really hard on the eyes because each item was a slightly different leopard print, in slightly different shades of brown, tan, and gold. I mean, if you’re going to go all out with one pattern, at least make sure it’s uniform. The odd thing was, this woman was walking around the airport like she’d just won a best-dressed contest. Maybe she was color blind. Or pattern blind. Anyway, if you’re going to wear or carry anything in animal print, use it as an accent, not the whole shebang. Leopard print shoes with a color coordinated ensemble. A zebra print handbag with your little black dress. You get the idea. And please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t fall victim to those not-occurring-in-nature animal prints in neon colors. That’s just all kinds of wrong. This Nine West Buttermilk Pump is a good example of how to wear animal print. It’s subtle, but paired with a pair of black cigarette pants or a tan pencil skirt, they’ll add a spot (Get it? Spot? Ok, fine.) of excitement to your outfit. The upper is calf hair, while the sole is man made, and they sit on a 3.5-inch heel. They’re available in several more colors, including a couple of those hideous unnatural colors I just warned you about. Don’t let me catch you in those! The Buttermilk is just $88.95 at Endless.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 2

To round out the classically patterned pump theme, check out this J. Renee Alisa pump. It’s retro, which is all the rage right now. When isn’t retro all the rage? You can wear just about anything old or out of style and call it retro, and you’re suddenly trendy. Fashion is so weird sometimes. Anyway, the Alisa features a daintily plaid fabric upper with a high-shine leather, pointy toe cap and embellishment on the vamp, which is accented by silver tone hardware. I love the little v-cut detail at the top of the vamp. The 3.5-inch heel is also covered in that same shiny leather, and has a nice silhouette. The insole is lightly cushioned for comfort, a welcome feature in any pump. It’s also available in a saucy red, which would be great with a black and white ensemble. The Alisa is just $85.95 at Endless.com.