Giuseppe Zanotti E00029 Thong Sandal

I gotta tell ya, I’m not crazy about having stuff between my toes. I tolerate it when I’m getting a pedicure, but I don’t like the idea of walking around with a sandal strap stuck there, rubbing against a sensitive spot. Maybe it wouldn’t be so sensitive if I wore thong sandals more, but other than the discomfort, I just don’t like the way they look on my foot. See, I’m not one of those people who wears whatever’s popular regardless of how it looks. You know those people. The women who wear cap sleeves when their upper arms are as big around as their calves. The ones who wear low rise jeans and bulge out over the tops of them. And the women who wear sandals when they have no business showing their feet. I can wear all kinds of sandals, and I do. And I make sure I keep up with my pedis in the summer. But I also know what looks good on me, and I adhere to that rather than trying to be trendy. I wish more women would do that. Just because you can wear something doesn’t mean you should. That should be the first rule of fashion. Anyway, even though I don’t really wear them, it doesn’t mean I can’t admire them, or that some of you out there don’t look fabulous in thong sandals. So if you’re one of those people, you must see the Giuseppe Zanotti E00029 Thong Sandal.

Don’t you love it when men design women’s shoes and don’t take into account the real shape of a woman’s foot? Who out there has feet that are completely flat on the bottom? And what is the point of wearing shoes if you’re only going to put about a quarter of an inch of shoe between your foot and the ground? You may as well pull a Britney and walk around barefoot. How that girl doesn’t have tetanus by now is beyond me. Anyway, here’s the thing. This shoe is made for sitting, possibly standing for short periods of time. It is not for walking. It’s meant to look good and complement a spring or summer ensemble, but it’s not practical by any means. But hey, don’t we all have a few things in our closet that we bought, not for their practicality but their look? Of course we do. My favorite part of this shoe is the embellishment on the vamp. It’s a gorgeous cluster of multi-faceted, multi-shaped stones in deep amber, burnt orange, and a few clear ones thrown in for extra sparkle. Just remember when you wear shoes like this, go easy on the other accessories. Let the shoes be part of your jewelry. Obviously, since they’re Zanottis, they’re all leather. Just remember to scuff the bottom a little before you wear them the first time, or you’ll slip. It goes for $650 at Endless.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 1

Now, let’s get real for a minute. I love Zanotti shoes, don’t get me wrong. I feature them once in a while here. But $650 for a flat slip of leather, a strap, and a bunch of rhinestones? Seriously? Those exact same shoes, made from the same materials, but under a brand like Nine West would go for fifty bucks, tops. For $650, those had better be real stones. Zanotti’s got some stones charging that much for those shoes. Anyway, the other thing is, while I don’t care for thong sandals, it’s not that I never wear them. I have a few pairs of flip flops. They’re great for wearing around the house, or slipping on for a quick trip to the store. And they’re absolutely essential for spending time at the beach or pool. But I go for a little more comfort, something like this Patricia Green Crystal Too Flip Flop. Look at that sole. They’re still flat, but we’re talking at least an inch of EVA foam. In other words, they’re pretty comfy. But they’re not those plain ones you can get at any discount store. First, they’re a pretty pastel pink. Bonus points right there. And they have a rhinestone embellishment at the apex of the vamp. These can go with jeans, shorts, whatever. The best part? They’re only $40 at Zappos.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 2

Ok, what the hell? Look at this Miss Me Gemma-5 Tie-Dye Thong Sandal. In addition to the unbelievably flat, thin sole, someone thought it would be a good idea to wrap some tie-dyed fabric across this sandal and call it a shoe. Really? I could make this in a craft shop. Incidentally, I don’t do any crafts. I’m not a scrapbooker, I don’t make jewelry, and you don’t want me wielding a glue gun. I don’t have the patience for small detail work like that. Not to mention, I’d rather be out making the photos and memories that go into a scrapbook rather than wasting hours and hours putting a book together that’s going to sit on a shelf and only come out at Christmas and family reunions. That’s just me. Anyway, even without the crafting experience, I could make these shoes. I certainly wouldn’t buy them. The upper is, obviously, tie-dyed fabric, one end pulled through the other to make a little rosette, which just makes them look lopsided, and like they broke and you tried to fix them on the fly. The sole isn’t leather, either. It’s man made…whatever it is. I wouldn’t waste my money on these, but if you’ve got it to burn, they also come in blue. Oh, and hey, they’re on sale. They were $20.95, but now you can get them for the low, low price of $19.95! You’ll save a whole dollar! That dollar is about all I’d spend on these sandals at Endless.com.