It's Raining Shoes

With the cold weather, and a fatter paycheck this week I decided it was time to invest in some new(ish) fall shoes. First I went to check out Bellwether boutique  which carries high quality vintage clothing as well as fashions by local designers like Buf Reynolds and Spano Lang by Shannon Hopp. (Click the link to see video of the shop and the opening fashion show. The strawberry blonde with the puppy is owner Jessica Latham.)

I found a brown velvet blazer by Renoma Paris ($20), and the highlight of the trip: navy vintage 'Vara' pumps by Italian shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo ($20!). Today his 'Vera' pumps run for about $350. I immediately put the shoes on (even though I was wearing black) and showed my mother who told me that my grandmother's favorite shoes used to be Ferragamos.

After I got my vintage fix I headed to Target to check out the Sigerson Morrison for Target line and bought the fierce patent bootie ($39.99). The booties were twice as expensive, half as comfortable and definitely not as well-made as the Ferragamos. 

Moral of the story? Shop vintage, especially if you're on a budget.