This post is a highly problematic one for me.
Because while I, like every other woman on the planet, would really (really) like to own a pair of Louboutins…it’s just not really the kind of thing I’d ever buy.
Honestly, I’m not really an “expensive shoe” kind of girl; fancy handbags are more my thing (as you might have noticed). Why am I not really into expensive shoes? Because…I mean…you walk on them. And for me, until recently that meant walking in New York City. On things like subway platforms and cobblestone streets and grates and lots and lots of other surfaces that would strip away that lovely, pristine red sole in approximately thirty seconds.
And that leads me to another reason why I don’t tend to buy very expensive shoes: I’m not very precious about my things – I think clothing and bags and shoes are there to be worn and enjoyed, not put on a shelf and petted – and just the idea of them stresses me out. This, as an example, is the reason I’d much rather spend money on a rugged brown leather bag that would wear beautifully over time than, say, a pale-green clutch that would be ruined by a single raindrop or pen mark. I just think that buying something – especially something very expensive – that sends you into a panic every time you put it on doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Back to why this post is problematic: because at a wardrobe fitting yesterday (for an upcoming project that I’m extremely excited to share with you; more on that in a bit) I met Amy Creyer of Chicago Street Style, and when I complimented her on her Louboutin pumps she promptly whipped them off and showed me the (pretty close to perfect) sole.
And told me that they were six years old. And that she wears them constantly.
How does she do it? Easy: she just replaced part of the sole – the part that gets the most wear and tear – with a perfectly matched piece of red rubber.
How-To: Keep Your Louboutins Looking Lovely by ramshackleglam featuring christian louboutin shoes
If you live in NYC, Arty’s Shoe Service is apparently the place to go to have this done (just make sure they don’t cut too much of the original sole off; you want the rubber to end right where the flat part starts to curve upwards). Otherwise, consider buying sole guards specifically manufactured for Louboutins online (I can’t personally speak to how good they are, but at $25 it’s worth a shot).
Now that we’ve decided that I’m totally allowed to buy a pair (…right?), want to see what my pick would be? Everyone says that if you’re going to invest in a single pair of Louboutins you should get the classic black pumps…
But in my world, “classic” means “leopard.”
