I’ve done my fair share of shopping since I’ve been in New York which, lets face it, is not abnormal. However, what is noteworthy is my new found obsession with shoes. While in DC, I got into what I’ll lovingly refer to as a “flats rut”. In my defense, walking a mile to and from my office in stilettos seemed like a surefire way to land myself in even less appealing footwear, say a cast to support an inevitable broken ankle. Sure, flats are practical and serve their purpose, but there is something about a fantastic pair of heels that just makes a girl feel like she is on top of the world. I believe it was Miss Marilyn who said, “Give the girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”
In my quest for world domination conquering NYC, I’ve been inspired by the fabulous footwear clacking down the sidewalk, hallways and subway stations and am slowly building up my shoe collection. One of my first weekends here, I hit up the DSW in Union Square. Now, I really only recommend this to anyone who really determined. It is incredibly crowded, requires a solid hour of sifting through shoe boxes and some serious guarding of potential purchases. For me, it is always totally worth it to snag two pairs of designer shoes at a third of their original price. And, since I’ve seen one of the pairs on ShopBop and a few other sites for sale, I thought it would helpful to provide a review. I always see great deals on shoes online but am afraid to purchase them since I have no knowledge of the fit or comfort.
The Rachel Roy Devyn Slingback Sandals immediately caught my eye at DSW. They are neutral enough to wear with anything, but a pop of neon and black snakeskin keeps them from being boring. At full price, these run $275 but on ShopBop they are $165 and at DSW I got them for just over $100. Yes, I’m giving myself a pat on the back right now.
I wore these for a rehearsal dinner (for my friend’s wedding) that involved the actual wedding rehearsal, cocktail hour, the dinner and then more cocktails. All in all, I was standing for almost 8 hours in these and was comfortable. They are easy to walk in, too! I went a half size up from my usual size and think that made a big difference in the comfort factor.
My only negative comment about these shoes is that while enjoying cocktails, we got stuck in some pretty intense rain and these shoes seriously suffered from the storm. They aren’t ruined by any means, but some of the black dye rubbed off on my dress, staining it, and the top band is puckering a bit which is somewhat visible below. While I don’t typically judge shoes based on how they perform after a good soaking, I would have been happier if they’d stood up a bit better, especially given the cost.
However, they still look and wear wonderfully and I would highly recommend both these shoes and this brand, Rachel Roy, if you’re looking for some sexy shoes that won’t have you hobbling home by the end of the evening.
Happy shopping!