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javaavril t1_iuqe6zs wrote

I mostly go by country of origin and construction style. Italy or east EU or Brazil. I also only buy steel shank shoes. Plastic shanks fail after a couple years. Steel shanks last at least a decade.

Giuseppe Zanotti

David Pliner

Miu Miu or Prada

Louboutin

Ferragamo classic short bowed heels, like Viva or Vera are great. Haven't tried other styles.

Also this is very dependant on how much you walk, your foot shape, posture, and local weather.

It's both a quality issue and it's care. You'll need to learn to care for the skins properly and then begin a lifelong relationship with your neighborhood cobbler for technical upkeep and sole replacement.

Edit: Adding that I only buy full skin heels with steel shanks. Calf/pig lined, natural upper, leather soles. All is repairable and super breathable. Moisture is death for how technical the structure of heels are.

I'll admit in advance that this level of construction is going to be at minimum $500usd a pair, plus about $50usd at the cobbler to Vibram the natural leather soles before you even wear them. It's cost prohibitive, but a worthy investment if it's an object of need.

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jennycotton OP t1_iuqfmc5 wrote

>Ferragamo classic short bowed heels

yep! these are the ones i was contemplating. the ones i want are $850 USD. my budget is ~$1k. glad to hear there's a vote for their quality. TYSM for your help!

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javaavril t1_iuqh7nl wrote

Don't get patent leather to start (or ever, blister city), and don't wear them two days in a row. Like any leather shoe they need a day to breathe with a cedar sachet inside the toe box between wears.

If where you live has hard streets, and you walk more than a normal person, get the leather soles covered in Vibram instantly and a brass toe step plate on the bottom.

That particular shoe runs quite narrow, so walk around in the store a bunch to make sure it's okay and good for you, wear for a few months (then buy many more pairs in different colors from RealReal or ebay for around $150) :)

Super classic though, if it works for your feet then it'll be great, with care, for decades.

Adding one more care thing. If you live in a place where they use salt to de-ice, when you get home in the winter, brush them with natural bristle brush (boar), then lightly wipe them down with mild vinegar/water solution to remove all salt. Otherwise residual salt will have the leather will prematurely have fails and cracking.

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jennycotton OP t1_iurpcps wrote

Thank you so so much. Super valuable, you're a gem.

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javaavril t1_iuv2mt0 wrote

You're welcome! I'm mostly on BIFL to learn and make small suggestions, but when I saw your question I was like "Oooo, I got this!"

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HungryElefant t1_iuriqa4 wrote

Damn! This is such a wonderful review and guide. Exactly what OP was asking about. Amazing! And thank you!

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Summoning-Freaks t1_iutccso wrote

Holy hell the markup they have in the US! I bought my pair in 2016 in Cannes for about €450 and I only needed them resoled this year, despite wearing them almost daily. The leather (the “matte” regular one) is still in great condition though, as is the bow.

Just the soles got worn out as France and Spain don’t have the smoothest sidewalks. If still consider it a worthy investment considering you don’t need to break into them again, they fit my feet perfectly, feel like slippers, and paying a cobbler is cheap than having to buy a new pair of lower quality shoes every year or so.

But shoes are a bit like bras- not every brand will have a shape/design that suits you. I find louboutins heinously uncomfortable but Fratelli Rossetti fits like a dream. Definitely shop around before buying, especially if you’re looking for a classic professional pump- there are endless options!

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BortForbert t1_iuslq73 wrote

I wanted to pop in and agree with everything you’re saying and also give a shout-out to leather shoes made in Portugal. I specifically have heels, heeled boots and shoes from the brand COS that have lasted 5-10 years. I’m not sure if all their shoes are still made in Portugal (I stopped buying their clothes new because the quality was going the way of their sister-company H&M), but I can’t recommend their shoes enough, especially when they’re on sale. They use EU sizes (same sizing as French brands, not Italian sizing, which I have to size down in).

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