***I recognize that many of us may not have the luxury of still being able to shop, and I really hope this post doesn’t come across as tone-deaf. On one hand, lay-offs and concerns about job security are affecting so many people, but on the other hand, people are online shopping (ahem, retail therapy) to cope with the stress of quarantine. And this is probably not the best time for most people to shell out for designer items, so I’m bringing you four classic designer shoe dupes to consider!***
Beyond the quarantine (and the recession it’s led to), though, I have always loved a good quality designer dupe. My opinion is that you should always consider whether you would be willing to spend so much on the item if it wasn’t a luxury label and if it didn’t have the designer logo. I always do this exercise to help me differentiate between whether I truly love something for the style and design or if it’s just the designer logo and the social status element that’s swaying me. And if I truly love something enough that I’d want to wear it even without the designer logo, that’s a great sign. Sometimes I purchase the designer piece. Sometimes it’s not worth it to me, and I find a high quality similar piece for a lot less. Either way, here are my favorites!
Gucci Loafers
These are the original below. Very pricey, but also just such a classic piece. Men and women wore this shoe 50 years ago and it looked just as classic as it does today.
And then these are an amazing dupe that I found online and they look SO similar. The horse bit detail looks more similar to the Gucci pair than any other dupes I’ve seen. Also, these are real leather, so the quality will hopefully be great as well! I haven’t tried these out because I recently purchased a pair of black loafers, but I would have purchased this pair if I had seen it sooner!
The pair above are definitely my top recommendation as far as dupes go, but this Sam Edelman pair is also REALLY popular. I actually had this pair for a while but they were a bit too big on me, so I got rid of them. The leather quality was great, but the metal detailing is less similar to the Gucci pair than the Jones pair above, though.
Hermes Slides
These slides never struck me as anything too amazing when I first saw them, but I’ve come to realize just how versatile and classic they are.
Much of the appeal of this shoe is how well-made and elegant it is, so a good dupe has to also be well-made or it defeats the purpose. This pair from Tuckernuck is amazing quality and looks nearly identical to the Hermes pair. I own this pair and they’re comfortable, constructed with attention to detail, and the leather is supple. The only difference is the rounded toe on this pair vs. the squared toe on the original.
This is how they look on- I have super skinny feet, so I recommend sizing up if you don’t. It’s a narrow shoe, just like the original Hermes one.
Chanel Slingbacks
To be 100% honest, I didn’t love this shoe when I first saw it and it took a couple years before it really grew on me. I had to see it styled different ways before I decided to buy a dupe myself.
The best dupes I’ve seen are below. The slightly pointed shape of these slingbacks is most similar to the original Chanel pair. There are plenty of other dupes out there including these French Sole ones which are definitely great quality and these Marc Fisher ones which are the most affordable ones I’ve seen. That said, the ones below look closest to the Chanel pair from anything I’ve come across, are real leather, and have great reviews. I have a pair of dupes that are no longer sold, but I really wish I’d gotten the Van Eli ones instead.
Alright, so there you have it. A few of my favorite dupes. If after trying these out, you still feel like you need to have the designer product, go for it! But I’m fairly certain these shoes linked here can itch your scratch at a fraction of the cost.
Yves Saint Laurent Slides
These sandals are so beautiful but at around $600, they’re certainly not within my budget! It’s definitely the detailing on these sandals that makes them look so elegant.
Enter these dupes from Zara! I have them and the color is so much richer in person than in the image! My only recommendation is to scoff up the bottoms because they are completely flat/smooth and you could slip easily.
