Comparison: Irregular Choice Tall Tail

I thought you might be interested in seeing how my Irregular Choice Tall Tail platforms measure up to other shoes in my collection.  It can be quite hard to grasp the size of them, when they're standing alone in a photo. So I figured you might own some of these or be able to gauge their size in comparison to known styles (not just Irregular Choice). I have some heels that come close, but the massive platform is really what sets them apart.  I've included links to the individual The Shoe Girl Diaries posts for most styles, so you can see how they look on the foot too (you might not have seen them before as some are quite old).  You can see more detailed photos of Tall Tail in this post or how they look on the foot here and also a video walking in them.  The platform is 6" and heel 8 1/4".  

Mid Week Must Haves

Hello, hope you're well? For my 'mid-week must haves', I turn my attention to shoes. Well it was only a matter of time really, wasn't it? Wedges in fact. Starting with the 'high street honey', which are by Iron Fist. I've had my eye on the Buns N' Roses range since before it launched and have made it my mission to own almost every item in the collection. Not only do I love the name, but florals and "bunicorns", hello!! So at the weekend I ordered a top and three pairs of shoes directly from IF (including these wedges), only to be slightly disappointed with my order when it arrived (super speedy delivery, I'll give them that). The top was fine, the shoes I really wanted were out of stock and the other pair don't fit, grrr. This pair were ok-ish in fit, I'm actually starting to think my feet have grown in the past few months of non-shoe wearing (gasp, say it isn't so). I'd have to pierce another hole in the strap and there's a little bit of a bulge over the vamp, but I think I'll keep them. I can't really be bothered with the hassle of sending them back. So now I'm on the search yet again, for the other two styles and I'm not sure if it's my feet or these are small made (my experience with IF in the past were, they were true to size). Any IF ladies help me out with your knowledge? Plus despite the hefty discount code I used, I still found these wedges cheaper here for £41 with 37% off afterwards. So altogether not a very successful order, though I continue to love the print and style and think they remain worthy of being in my mid week must-haves!  

Mid Week Must Haves (Wedges) by pinkhairedprincess

Comparison: Jeffrey Campbell Damsel & ASOS Ablaze

So if you don't know that I love my ASOS Ablaze boots, particularly the floral tapestry version, then you probably haven't been reading my blog very long! I do love them dearly. I also love the Jeffrey Campbell Damsel, which more than likely proved to be the inspiration behind the ASOS pair. So when Office reduced theirs to £60 from £120, I found it very, very hard to resist purchasing them. Luckily or unluckily, they had sold out anyway, before I got the chance to even contemplate it. I have to admit to stalking them ever since and even popping into my nearest Office to see if they had any (they didn't).

As with most stalking, it usually, eventually, pays off and the link I'd saved also showed me the boots were now £50 instead of £60, erm bargain-bargain! So, one day I click the link and there they are, the only size 5 in the whole wide world (or the Office site at least). It was fate. So I 'added to basket' and bought them without much of a thought. To go off on a slight tangent, things have been going like that for me recently. I miss out, spend the money I 'saved' elsewhere, then the original item pops up again and I end up buying it too. That's not good for my bank balance. I'm very nearly bankrupt (well low on funds anyway), so it has to stop. Anyway, the reason there should have been hesitation to my purchase, is the fact these are floral. And tapestry. I said that quickly and in a hushed voice, but I think you heard. Yeah ok, they are really alike, like really. I feel naughty and I don't. I figure there are some differences and if I like the Ablaze, then why not get another similar pair? Question is do you think they are too similar?

I considered selling one pair...but then couldn't really part with the ASOS ones and decided I slightly prefer the JC's, so didn't want to part with them either. I wore them yesterday as a statement to myself that 'hey dude I've worn them now, I can't sell 'em' (of course I can sell 'used' shoes and may well do at some point, but it's not on the cards for now).

So what are the differences, for a start the JC's are much higher; the platform and heel are bigger. The boot also sits higher up the leg. The platform wedge is concealed unlike the Ablaze. The toes are shaped differently with the JC's more upturned with a centre seam and they also feature a centre back seam detail.  The JC's also have side zips which the Ablaze don't.  The laces are also different colours...ok clutching at straws on that one!  The colours are very similar, the prints are not the same, but similar.

Like I said, they are similar but you can spot differences.  I'm not really asking what you think I should have done with them, but what would you do if you'd been in love with both pairs and had the opportunity to pick up a bargain?  Would you keep two shoes that looked alike?  Is it good that I have a back-up?!  I'd say I'm slightly more in love with the JC's, but the Ablaze are easier to walk in and feel more steady.  For now, I'm keeping both!

Jeffrey Campbell 'Lita' Comparison

As you know when it comes to shoes or shopping in general, nothing comes easy! I've had my eye on these leopard print and black leather Lita's by Jeffrey Campbell at Office for some time now. At £120 it was both more than I was prepared to pay and too much to justify spending on yet another pair of Lita's and another pair of shoes (because we all know I'm not light in that department).

They got slashed in price to £60 though, a bargain-deal, but I was still somewhat reluctant to dive in and buy them. They had tonnes of stock though, so I watched each day as it got less and less (stalking is one of my love-hate hobbies in life). I also checked if my nearest Office store had them as I detest paying postage for anything I order, no matter what it is or where it's coming from, but Office only seem to offer free delivery on full price items.  No luck, they had the grey version, but I wanted the brighter leopard (fussy to a fault). However, I decided to bite the bullet and just get the damn things, because the 4 pairs left in stock had decreased to 1 while I checked out the real Office. So I move the money from my Paypal (given that Office don't yet accept Paypal) and actually for once in my life remembered to sign into Treat Street too, got to checkout and some bastard not very nice person, stole the buggers out of my basket!! Gah! I decided my level of grief at this point was a good gauge to how much I wanted the shoes (I was reasonably pissed, but not off the scale). Should I forget about them or continue to stalk and hope they get another pair? I did and they did! I bought them without hesitation this time and they arrived in my greedy hands a couple of days later. I always forget how much I love Lita until I see them again in person...they are rather glorious. Now what immediately struck me was the platform looked a lot larger than my others and indeed a slightly different shape even. Actually I've always believed the suede, leather and some of the printed Lita's on the Office site looked a little different, but couldn't tell if it was just the angle the photos were taken. So I grabbed my other boots and did a wee comparison for you.

My first pair were the black patent with wooden heel and actually remain my favourite despite the cool colours and prints they come in nowadays. There's just something about the shiny-ness that I adore. I also have the cat tapestry with wooden heel and floral tapestry with black heel. Those three pairs appear to look relatively similar, so I just compared the leopard with the black patent.

While normal Lita heels measure just under 5", I felt the leopard were just over 5". A pretty small difference and perhaps not even one you can notice from my images.  Even the heel tip is thicker on the new ones (actually what probably changes the measurement).  I also noted the laces are shorter and thicker.

The most significant difference is the size of platform. From memory I think normal Lita's are around 1 3/4" with my new boots measuring 2 1/2"! You can definitely see the difference from the side and front views.

The toe also seems more upturned and this is what I'd picked up on online. Given that the platform is bigger, it's difficult to tell as the whole boot is 'higher' than the regular one, but I'm certain the toe is slightly different shaped.  I haven't worn the new pair yet, so can't comment on whether or not they are just as comfortable.  it worries me slightly that they might sit higher up the leg which could be worse or better for rubbing at the ankle.

I can't say I dislike the newer shape or prefer it, I love them all to be honest, but just thought it was something you might like to note, if you prefer the lower platform or like the upturned toe.  Actually Office now have a huge selection of JC's, over 120 styles making them the biggest UK stockist.  Personally I'm hankering after the Big Lita, which for me are the perfect high-street version of the Charles Anastase Dungeon boot that inspired the Lita and Lita lookalikes.  It's got a much more grungy, worn-in feel to it and I'm just desperate for them! I'm hoping and patiently waiting for a UK stockist to get them because I've banned myself from buying shoes Stateside, as I can't afford the ridiculous £30+ customs fee on one pair of shoes each time. What about you, a Lita fan or hater?  Not understand what the fuss is about? Think they've had their 15 minutes? Or do you think they've become a classic?

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The Giant Shoe Clearance

I'm so sorry for the disappearing act this past week or so. Time has just got away from me every single day and last week I was super busy trying to tackle the multi-pile shoe mountain that has developed over the past few months in my bedroom! It's no small task, but I'm desperate for both space and money; so the time came to sell as much as I could.

I always find it difficult to let go of my belongings and try to do so before I become too 'attached'. I still struggled immensely with this lot though!  I've sold sooo much over the past couple of years, that I'm really down to the items I love and treasure. Anyway, last week I snapped away, took measurements and listed as much as I could fit into one day! There are tonnes of shoes, a couple of handbags and some cosmetics, all ending tomorrow (Sunday). You could snap up some brand new Irregular Choice shoes including the gorgeous So-Yeon Sarah platforms, the red glitter shoes that still remain one of the most 'googled' pairs from The Shoe Girl Diaries, some pretty rare 'chess' heeled Michael Lewis slingbacks, PPQ for Office striped bow platforms, Miu Miu inspired daisy boots, gorgeous green wedges by Terry de Havilland and even my Jeffrey Campbell Night Walk! Yes I so struggled to part with many of those!