Dolce & Gabbana Butterfly Pump

I held out as long as I could. It’s always kind of annoyed me that before summer’s even halfway over, designers and stores are already pushing their fall lines. It’s like that in every season, actually. It irks me. It’s sort of like going to the mall in July and seeing Christmas decorations up and for sale already. It takes the fun and specialness away from the season. I want to enjoy my summer, and all the fun that comes with it, before I have to start thinking about pulling out my warmer wardrobe and shopping for Christmas gifts. Kinda hard to live in the moment when you’re constantly being pushed forward, and when it starts happening earlier and earlier every year. Pretty soon, stores will just be like those annoying neighbors who never take their Christmas lights down, and they start hanging askew from the roof. So I tried to stay in summer for as long as I could. But then I saw these shoes, these gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana pumps, and I’m ready to run headlong into fall.

It’s not uncommon to see shoes with some sort of ornament gracing the vamp. Bows, beads, crystals, lace, ribbons, we’ve seen it all. But every once in a while, a designer will do something just a little different and take a nearly worn out tactic in a new direction. That’s what D & G has done with this…well, I’m calling it a butterfly pump. The real name is DS1721 E4706. Do I need to go on another rant about designers using alphanumerics to name their products? Do I?! Are they making shoes for robots?! Ok, I’m done. Anyway, the should-have-been-named-butterfly-pump shoe has a one hundred percent suede upper. It’s black, but sewn across the vamp are several dual-layered butterflies, also suede. The kicker is that the butterflies alternate between black and a creamy ecru, but all with delicate black stitching. They. Are. Gorgeous. I haven’t purposely gone looking for bags and other things with butterflies. Much like real butterflies, they’ve just been turning up unexpectedly and alighting right in front of me. I’m not much into skirts, but I think that may be the only way to wear these shoes so they’re not obscured in any way. They’re too pretty to be covered up. I think they’re worth a splurge of $675 at Endless.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 1

Yeah, I know. That’s more than a splurge. That’s a head-first plunge into weeks of Ramen noodles and PB&J. I hear you. I promise, if they go on sale, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, you don’t have to deny yourself the beauty of ornamented heels. Check out this Caparros Hendrix shoe, for instance. They’re a classy slingback evening shoe made from one hundred percent silk. That includes the beautiful rosette that graces the vamp. The heel strap is elasticized for comfort and fit, and the 2.5-inch heel is also covered in silk. The chocolatey brown is perfect for fall, but it also comes in black. I love this shoe. But you know what I love most? It’s only $69 at Piperlime.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 2

As much as I love the idea of smooth silk on my feet, in fall, I always seem to come back to suede. And when it’s made into as gorgeous a shoe as this Bandolino Shari flower sling, I absolutely can’t resist it. The upper is all suede, as is the multi-layered flower ornament on the vamp. But look closely. The bottom two layers of the flower are the same deep red as the rest of the shoe, but the topmost petals are a dusky rose. The shoe’s also available in smooth black leather, with a completely black ornament, but this red does it for me. The heel strap has a small adjustable buckle closure at the ankle, and the 3.5-inch heel will do wonders for your legs. Start pumping up your fall wardrobe now for only $65.50 at Endless.com.