Irregular Choice Take A Chance

Hello lovelies and Happy New Year (if I can say that, 2 weeks in)! I'd hoped to get back to blogging last week, after being out of my routine over Christmas, but it didn't really happen. I'm organised and raring to go this week though. Beginning with a new pair of shoes I'd had my eye on for a long time, but bought just before Christmas.

They are Irregular Choice 'Take A Chance' and feature the stacked dice heel, but were released after the other two dice styles (2 x Poker Joker and 2 x Throw A Six). Had they been released at the same time, I'd have had a very, very hard time choosing between these and the sequin Poker Joker I got. The shoe itself reminds me of the older Hypolita demi-wedge (I used to have them in blue here). There's lots of pretty details and fabrics used in these, which I'll discuss and show in detail throughout the post.
Like I say, the shape is reminiscent of an older style with a rounded toe, though TaC are more rounded on top too, whereas Hypolita were flatter. Both have the wide, 'not really a T-bar' up the centre front and an ankle strap. The strap is quite wide and the buckle really pleasant to fasten, not fiddly at all. The ankle strap is attached in a unique way, you'd expect it to be threaded through a loop at the centre back, but it's not. There's actually a piece of material attaching it to the shoe. The inners are that lovely soft, floral velvet so I don't suspect any rubbing there at all.
The uppers are made of holographic reptile (looking) skin, which flashes brighter colours in the light. There's been various versions of this fabric lately, but this one is more crocodile than snakeskin. It's really quite stunning. Much like Hypolita the material is layered, with scalloped edging. On top of the holographic is glitter, mainly pale blue with sporadic muted pink throughout. On top of that is a brighter blue suedette, which also features in the middle of the ankle strap and again at the heel.
On that section at the back of the heel is gold embroidery, reading "Always bet on the queen of hearts, rather than the queen of diamonds". I'm a bit of a sucker for embroidered quotes like this so think it's a really beautiful touch.
As if all that isn't enough, there's the same shimmering blue fabric used in Tiny Ted along the edge of the shoe and as a very large bow at the top of the 'non t-bar' t-bar! Always got thumbs up for bows!
The stacked dice heel is the same mould as the others, measuring 4". This time the dots are a bold blue colour with a gold heel tip. The sole is the woodland animal print from AW15, as was the box.
That's all the good bits, the only negative is they don't fit! Beforehand I'd mostly heard they were generous in size, so let the bigger size sell out (argh, idiot) and waited to buy my regular size with no worries of them not fitting. However they are really tiny on me. I can't get them on without tights and when I do, it's painful. They press across the top of my foot and the pressure feels like my feet might explode! They are also too short in length, crushing my heels. I probably wouldn't have been able to stand, much less walk in them. I'm truly gutted, because I couldn't exchange them for the bigger size as they've gone, everywhere! I loved them so much that I considered holding onto them, in the hope that one day they might fit, but I've told myself it wasn't to be and returned them to Schuh at the weekend. I've really not had much luck lately with clothes and shoes selling out or not fitting properly, it's getting me down!  I'm sure there will be plenty of new season styles that will speak to me, like these did though, so I just have to keep that in mind.  I really love styles like this with a 'more is more' approach in materials and details.  What do you think, do you prefer these to the original dice styles?

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