Pour La Victoire Coco Flat Sandal

So I guess there’s been a lot going on in the sports world lately. Apparently, James LeBron was traded to Spain to play soccer in Florida or something. What? Don’t look at me like that. I write about fashion, not sports, ok? Unless it’s sporty shoes or workout clothes, I don’t really care about it. Still, I can’t help but hear about some of these big events via Twitter and Facebook. I didn’t even have to watch a single World Cup game. My Facebook newsfeed was a veritable play-by-play commentary of goals, wins, losses, and crappy refs. One guy I know on Facebook said there were so many yellow cards being thrown around, he was beginning to wonder whether Post-Its was a World Cup sponsor. If I knew what a yellow card was for, I’m sure that would be hilarious. Anyway, while everyone else was glued to their TVs watching sporting events, I was out shopping. I walked into one store and happened to notice the woman walking in front of me had sandals like this on. When you’re buying shoes, how often do you take note of how they look from other angles besides the front? Because I gotta tell you, from the back, these shoes look hideous. The woman was on the short side, probably 5’3” or 5’4”, which also means her legs were kind of short. Here’s a tip: If you already have short legs, don’t wear shoes that are going to make them look even shorter. From the back, these sandals make the leg look several inches shorter than it actually is. Not only that, the ankle is the slenderest part of the leg. If you want your legs to look long, lean, and shapely, don’t cover the ankle with a wide chunk of leather. It makes you look like you have cankles. So while these kind of sandals may look really cute from the front, and I know this style is all the rage right now, I highly recommend you avoid them. As I’ve said before, just because you can wear something doesn’t mean you should. This is true of cap sleeves on women with large upper arms, low rise jeans on women with muffin tops, and on women with short legs, gladiator sandals like this Pour La Victoire Coco.

You know, now that I look at the sandal again, it wouldn’t even be flattering from the front with that high ankle cuff. Not only that, the vamp and toe straps are also thick. This sandal is fine if you’re going to fight lions at the Coliseum. For walking around and trying to maintain a feminine look? Not so much. If you decide to go against my sage advice and get the sandal anyway, it’s made from leather adorned with polished stones and shiny studs. The sole and lining are also leather, so they’re probably comfortable. But so are the flip flops I wear around the house, and you don’t see me out at the mall in those. The ankle buckle is adjustable for a custom fit. But you know what else I just thought of? Wear these sandals, and you’re just asking for a blister on the back of your heel. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Coco is usually $310.95, but you can get it for $236.32 now at Endless.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 1

This is a slight improvement on the style. The Marc By Marc Jacobs 693179 Sandal has no back panel to give you blisters or cankles. Everyone will be able to see your slender ankle tapering down into the Achilles tendon. It does, however, still have the ankle strap, but at least it’s dainty and not like a cuff meant to hold a ball and chain. The upper is made from nubuck leather, with teardrop cutouts to give it an even more feminine look. Instead of a bulky buckle, the ankle strap ties with a grosgrain ribbon in the same color as the sandal. The sole and lining are also leather, and it all sits on just a .75-inch heel. Yes, I know, I usually list items less expensive than the featured item here in the budget saving alternative area. But since I hate the Coco so much, I think you should go with the Marc Jacobs one instead, even if it is a few dollars more. Marc’s sandal also comes in pink, but it’s a little too Pepto for me. Stick with the green. It’s $239.95 at Endless.com.

Budget Saving Alternative 2

Ok, this one will not only save you some money, it will make you look fabulous. The Gwyneth Zaire Sandal is a more fanciful take on the gladiator sandal. The bottom portions of the straps are metallic gold leather, but laced through them are dainty, woven metal straps, interlaced with small chainlink and short rhinestone links. The ankle strap is adjustable by simply hooking the crab claw clasp through different links. Finally, the woven metal straps are adorned with oval shaped, amber stones. The sole is leather, and there’s a heart-shaped cushion in the footbed. I probably wouldn’t wear these on an everday basis, but for dressing up at night? Definitely. The Zaire also comes in gunmetal silver, which I find pretty drab. It’s on sale, down from $137.95 to just $75.87 at Endless.com.