I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t take a lot of fashion risks, especially with shoes. While I observe (and often covet) the trends, when it comes to the actual shopping experience, I mostly stick to the classic basics. I have my basic neutral brown wedges that go with everything, my black stilettos that go with all my dresses, and my everyday black flats, but nothing too flashy or adventurous.

Until now.

Behold my new smokin’ hot pair of pewter peep-toe booties! I saw them on Forever 21’s website and instantly fell in love with their rock-star fashionista vibe. And at $24.80, I’m able to try out the trend without too much of a commitment.

Check out some pricier alternatives: one by Steven by Steve Madden and another by Moschino.

Moral of the story: Step outside of your box once in awhile. Buy something that you wouldn’t normally wear but still appeals to you. Chances are, you’ll freshen up your wardrobe — and build a style that’s a little more you!

College is rough on the budget. As a general rule, I don’t like to spend more than $100 on any one item of clothing (unless it is a very special coat or dress), and for all practical purposes, if I want to eat, I really shouldn’t spend more than that.

That makes buying accessories difficult. I always want the latest “It” bag or shoes (who doesn’t?), but I absolutely do not have the budget to buy them. I find interesting ways to compensate, though, namely what I like to call “designer-inspired goods”.

Designer-inspired has a much better ring to it than the more common “knock-off,” and really, they’re nearly as fun as the real thing. As long as they come from reputable sources…NOT street vendors. You can rest more easily knowing that your designer-inspired look came from Steve Madden, not a street vendor in Mexico selling goods stolen from unsuspecting tourists.

Want a piece of the action? Check out the following:

These YSL tribute pumps are actually being sold from Bluefly, which makes them marginally less expensive than buying straight from the source. But, sadly, marginally less expensive still means you’ll need to pay $528. Sigh.

BUT: do not despair that you cannot own one of the most sought-after shoes of the past year or two or three. because you can own something inspired.

Starting from the left, these Steve Madden Laveda’s are a pretty good inspired look. I love the sexy stiletto heel. The Xhilaration Sveta pumps from Target are only $19.99 and come in four different colors. I liked the red and brown, but not the black: it looked a little cheaper than the other shades. BCBG is one of my favorite designers, and their BCBGirls line is less expensive and much more accessible. These white and black platforms also come in a sexy, vampy red. My favorite pair of YSL-inspired pumps are Nine West’s electric blue version. Steve Madden also makes a pair of pumps called the Reede, and this version has a more classic styling/vintage feel than the Laveda’s. But, the most true-to-Tribute pair you can buy? Jessica Simpson’s Miami Maryjanes. They are nearly an exact “inspired” match for the YSL Tributes…and such a great deal, too, at $50.

Get the whole scoop »

I’m a choir nerd. I admit it. Not like I’m an amazing vocalist or anything, but I do love music, and I do enjoy singing with a group. And this President’s Day weekend, I’ll be in New York City with my college choir, singing in a mass choir at a major concert hall.

Exciting. Yes. Stressful? Certainly. It’s a three hour concert with three major works (including Mozart’s Requiem!) — and we will be standing for the whole duration. Meaning that I’m going to need shoes that I can actually stand in for three hours straight.

As comfortable as they are, flats are out of the question. I’m short, and I need some added height. Spice Girls platform shoes won’t suffice in the style department. And as visually appealing as a stiletto heel is, let’s face it — they’re just not that comfortable, at least for standing stationary for a prolonged amount of time. All my weight on a square inch heel for three hours? No thanks!

This is where the wedge comes in. Spreading your weight over a larger area equals more comfort, which is what I’m mainly concerned about. And with the added height, I’ll be able to comfortably see the conductor over everyone’s heads — allowing me to focus completely on singing the right notes!

Admittedly, wedges aren’t exactly worn a lot in the winter — it’s challenging to find a warm, closed-toe, dressy pair of wedges. But when comfort is a priority, a good pair of winter wedges is a necessary component of a well-rounded shoe collection.

While these black suede Steve Madden wedges fulfill the concert hall requirements (closed-toe, black shoes), they are also available in brown, grey, and purple for after-concert activities.

A really fashionable pair of dressy wedges is so hard to find, but these Seychelles fit the bill — they’re comfortable without sacrificing style.

Get the whole scoop »

You gotta love Steve Madden — you can always count on him to come out with classy, sexy, and flattering shoes. A lot of his styles are contemporary but not so trendy that they’ll be in next season’s “toss ‘em” pile.

The sale section of Steve Madden’s website is like a candy store where the really yummy items are mostly $34.99 and under. Here are some of my favorites in that price range (just in time for to indulge yourself for Valentine’s Day!):

I have a ton of black dresses — I brought seven with me when I went home during the holiday season! However, I’m getting tired of the whole black dress/black shoes combo, and that’s where these python-print shoes would come in. Neutral but noticeably different, they’re a classy but not tacky way to channel the animal-print trend.

I fell in love with the following shoes as soon as the graphic loaded on my browser. Not only is this pair unlike any of the shoes I own, but I really like the criss-crossing details — and for $27.99, it’s definitely a bargain!

Get the whole scoop »