What happens when you DIY your very own Jimmy Choos… for a fiver
Well, it looks like minimalism is officially dead. Want to know how we know? Shoe charms are now a 'thing'.
Yep, while we're still trying to get our heads (and our bangs) around the tiara trend, it seems our street-style cred is now being measured by how blingin' our boots are.
With Jimmy Choo and Sarah Jessica Parker getting in on the action with their elaborately embellished (and priced) footwear, we decided it was time to DIY the look – but on a shoestring budget.
EXHIBIT A: The SJP look-alike
SJP is an undisputed style star, and so we were pretty darn excited when she launched her own shoe line. The results are nothing short of divine, with SJP herself even donning her own embellished pointed courts as part of this year's Met Gala look.
It's safe to say that I want one in every style, but there's one major problem – they're retailing for the bones of €500, and that's even before postage and packaging from 'Merica. So, it's safe to say I won't be purchasing a pair of these beauties any time soon.
But, looking at these shoes and my own collection, I realised there really isn't all that much to an SJP; add on a fancy brooch, and any luxe-looking court could pass for an SJP shoe.
So, I decided to create my own! These high-gloss courts are a particular fave of mine, and the fancy point is reminiscent of SJP's divine line. All I did was add this hair clip (purchased in Dunnes for a few euro), and voilá.
I reckon these babies could definitely pass for an SJP 'Tempest'!
EXHIBIT B: The Jimmy Choo dupe
Enter Jimmy Choo, the shoe-God who has really taken the charm trend to the next level.
This season, those who don't have to worry about credit card limits can design and order their own custom-made JCs, choosing a style and charm arrangement of their preference.
Each charm – essentially, a bejewelled brooch – will set you back around €125, while the shoes themselves come to well over a grand.
Imagine my delight when I walked into Penneys and found a €5 packet of look-alike brooches; this called for a DIY project!
To recreate the Jimmy Choo look, I literally took an old pair of black heels I wasn't too bothered about sticking holes in, and poked through some brooches.
Now, these are DEFINITELY not going to pass for Jimmy Choos any time soon (although the fact that I hate these shoes and haven't worn them in about six years might have something to do with my harsh judgement). Let's be honest; they really are lacking that 'designer' gloss!
However, I reckon had I carried this out on a pair of on-trend velvet or suedette heels (which you can pick up in Penneys for less than €20), this DIY experiment would have produced far fancier results.
The verdict
I love a good designer splurge, but it's not always feasible or worth it to splash the cash. Sometimes, it's worth getting a little creative and working with what you've got. If you commit to the project, its definitely possible to recreate the 'designer' look for pittance.
Over to you guys, to do justice to the Choos!
