Christian Louboutin Damas Knotted Platform Pump

Ok, I know I just talked about that Christian Louboutin studded platform slingback the other day, and I do try to mix things up here, but I just couldn’t resist featuring a pair of gorgeous Louboutins again when I saw them on Lea Michele at the People’s Choice Awards. I have to admit—I’ve never seen Glee. I know, I don’t like Twilight, I don’t watch Glee—I’m a rebel like that. I’m just not one to jump on any bandwagons, and as soon as there’s a bunch of buzz about a new movie or TV show, I’m that much more inclined not to watch it. This isn’t to say I never will. Well, in the case of Twilight, that’s true. From what I’ve seen, it’s just poorly acted, teenage angst in a pale, sparkly, sharp-toothed package. Meh. And I’ve skimmed a few passages of the books. If Stephenie Meyer can get that drivel published, I could compile my tweets and have a New York bestseller by the end of the month. So anyway, I’ve never seen Glee, so I didn’t know who Lea Michele was. Truth is, I didn’t care. I was too busy looking at her shoes. I didn’t hear anyone say who the designer was, and all the photos I saw afterward just called them “striped peep-toes.” Really? These people call themselves celebrity and fashion watchers and writers? We do not call a pair of kickass Christian Louboutin Damas Knotted Platform Pump merely “striped peep-toes.” That’s like calling a Birkin bag a “purse,” or an Hermès scarf a “neck warmer.” Still, the shoes had a certain look to them that said Louboutin to me, so I did a little detective work until I could confirm it. Sure enough, that little upstart from Gleewas wearing Louboutins! Hmm…maybe I need to start watching it. Nah, I doubt she wears them on the show.

By the way, I know these are a bit bright for it being January, but guess what? Spring is right around the corner, and now is the time to start building that wardrobe, or adding to your existing one! Ok, so it’s fricking freezing outside, and the last thing any of us is thinking about is spring, but I needed an excuse to put these Louboutins on my blog now! Scratch that, I don’t need an excuse to put anything on my blog whenever I want to, and you will like it! Somehow, these shoes say beach to me. Maybe because they remind me of striped cabana canvas, or beach umbrellas. Not that I’d ever let these things get near a beach. The damas fabric with its red, navy, yellow, green, and lavender stripes is knotted like a sarong at the vamp. The platform is also covered with the colorful fabric, and it all surrounds a dainty peep toe. The heel is a precarious five inches high, but the one and one-eighths platform will set that off a bit. And of course, they have the signature red sole. As far as Louboutins go, they’re also affordably priced at $845 at NeimanMarcus.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 1

Ok, so maybe affordably is stretching it a bit. But come on, that’s low for a pair of Louboutins. They may even go up now that they’ve made an appearance on the red carpet, so if you can afford them you may want to think about getting a pair now while they’re still under $1,000. If you’re like me and would rather eat for the next month, check out this Martinez Valero Olly Platform Open Toe Pump. Yes, I know it’s not striped like the Louboutins. We’ve gone over this before. It’s nearly impossible to find anything that approaches the beauty or awesomeness that is a pair of Louboutins, so I don’t even try. What these do offer is a spring-like palette of color, and a cute feature in the dainty ankle strap. The upper is made from a satiny fabric in an Asian-inspired print that looks sort of like watercolor to me. The open toe is a bit larger than the one on the Louboutins, so you can show off more of your fabulous pedi. It has a 4.5-inch heel, and a .75-inch hidden platform, but the footbed is also cushioned, so they should be pretty comfortable. I like them in this red, but they’re also available in black garden, morado garden, amarillo, violet, khaki, and a completely black option. Best of all, they’re on sale. Normally $148.95, you can get them right now for just $81.92 at Endless.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 2

A lot of singers—or in the cases of celebs like Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears—expand their empires by launching clothing lines, perfumes, cosmetics, or shoes. Usually, it’s women who do this, or if it’s men, they put out a cologne or some manly clothes. Carlos Santana went the other way and launched a line of shoes a few years ago, and I have to tell you, I love them. I’m not sure if he actually designs them himself or not—probably not—but the Carlos by Carlos Santana line comes out with some gorgeous heels, like this Pleasure peep toe pump. Yeah, this color scheme, called Berry Sharon (I have no idea) isn’t very spring-like, but I like it better than the yellow option. What makes this shoe unique, though, is how the vamp is connected. It’s asymmetrical, and at first, looks like two separate pieces. Well, they are, but they’re connected by a thin strip of elastic which will not only keep your foot securely in the shoe, but will add some comfort when you walk. The satiny upper has a nice sheen to it. The four-inch heel, one-inch platform, and leather sole are all black to both complement and contrast the upper. It’s usually $98.99, but it’s only $69.29 right now at heels.com. How often can you pay that much for something called Pleasure? Wait—don’t answer that.