I’ve made little secret of my love of shoes these last few years, though more often than not, I tend to have champagne taste on a beer budget. I have a little bit of a soft spot for a classic pair of designer shoes, but a designer pair of shoes always comes with that designer price tag, so of late I’ve been focusing more on how to get that designer look for less. Today I’ve got 12 different designer shoe dupes to share, from Acne Studios and Gucci, to Chanel and The Row.
01 | Acne Studios Jensen Boots
Of all the shoes I own in my wardrobe, I’ve probably received the most questions about the Acne Studios Jensen boots. And I can understand why. They’re heralded as a perfect pair of shoes by many, though after owning a pair myself, I’m not quite sure I’d say they’re worth the expensive price tag. it didn’t take long for the pebbled leather to soften and lose its structure, and even though I TOPY soled the base of the shoe to safeguard them against wear, the toe wore down quite quickly, which was a disappointment as the pointy toe is one of the key features of the shoe.
But I love the look of them; they’re an extremely classic design with a modern update, and thankfully there are a couple of great designer shoe dupes on the high street, which are worth taking a second look at. The first pair I’d recommend are from Marc Fisher, which are a dead ringer. I have these in the beige suede and side by side, there was little different between them and the Acne boots, plus they are incredibly comfortable. I’ve also heard really good things about these black boots from & Other Stories, which again come in at a really reasonable price point. Finally, this pair look gorgeous if you’re after a light grey pair that can transition you through winter to spring.
02 | Christian Dior J’Adior & Sweet-D Slingbacks
We can probably all agree that Maria Grazia Chiuri has injected a certain kind of magic into the Dior brand, since taking over as Creative Director. But for me, it’s the shoes that I was particularly drawn too – especially the grogeous J’Adior slingback flats. I can’t quite justify spending upwards of $1000 AU on a pair of shoes, but I have spotted a couple of great dupes on the high street. For the slingback flats, I recently added this black and white pair from Jaggar to my wardrobe. I managed to snap them up on sale, and I loved the black and white stripe ribbon strap around the back of the heel. If you’d prefer something on the other end of the colour spectrum, this beautiful ivory leather pair from Anthropologie are truly something else.
While I haven’t been able to get my hands on a pair of the J’Adior flats, I did manage to pick up a pair of the Sweet-D Slingbacks in a soft grey suede, pre-loved from The Real Real. These shoes have the most unusual ‘comma’ effect heel. For a high street alternative, check out this pair from Linea Paolo, which come in five different colour options. I snapped these up in the blush pink and they are every inch as beautiful in person as they look online.
03 | Mari Guidecelli Leblon mules (also available here)
Mules have become one of my favourite shoes of the moment, and I love this modern take from Mari Giudecelli with a wooden block heel. These shoes make a bit of a statement, so if you’re not quite ready to jump on board, then I think this more subtle pair from Country Road is a great starting point. If you want something a little more ‘inspired’, then try these shoes in a blush suede; they have a slightly higher heel, but they’ll give you that designer look for less.
04 | Gucci Jordaan Loafers (also available here)
I bought my first pair of loafers seven years ago, and have had a pair tucked away in my closet ever since. Recently, I’ve been thinking about splurging on a pair of Gucci Jordaan loafers, as they’re one of the most iconic takes on the loafer style, and I love the gold horse bit detail across the toe. Instead of springing for the designer version straight off the bag, I went for a dupe, which I think is just as good. This pair of loafers from Sam Edelman (also here) are a great alternative and incredibly comfortable from the get go. Alternatively, this pair from Topshop have an interesting chain detail across the toe, and I also think that this pair of loafers from ASOS are a pretty near match to its designer counterpart. Finally, I also really like the look of this pair, which have a silver horse bit detail.
05 | Paul Andrew Rhea Slingback Heels & Flats
The final pair of shoes I have on the ‘designer’ list are the Paul Andrew Rhea Slingbacks, which I managed to snap up for more than half off (and brand new) via The Real Real. I absolutely love this chic design, but I don’t quite have the budget to stretch across more than one pair (unless I happen to find more colours pre-loved!). Country Road have a beautiful take on the rhea slingback heels, in addition to this gorgeous leopard print flat version, or if you’re after something a little more budget friendly, this camel pair from The Iconic are lovely too.
I’ve been trying to focus on wearing flat shoes more frequently, and while not quite as heavily influenced by the ‘rhea’ design, I do adore this pair of slingback flats from Everlane which have become a real staple in my wardrobe. I’ve written a full review which you can read HERE if you like. I absolutely adore the look of this petal pink suede slingback flat, which rings in at under the $150 mark and looks like a great alternative to the designer version of the shoe. Finally, I spotted this more modern take from & Other Stories, which has an angular vamp and a thick ankle strap – these would be gorgeous if you’re after a shoe that is a little more fashion forward.
06 | Chanel Two-Tone Slingbacks
Probably the pair of shoes that kickstarted my designer shoe dupes finding mission were the two-tone slingbacks from Chanel. When these were first reimagined, it seemed like a pair were near impossible to track down in stores – believe me, I tried. And in the end, I ultimately decided that for the moment, I couldn’t quite justify the designer price tag, so I decided to track down a more affordable alternative instead. My answer are these gorgeous two tone pumps, which have become such a workhorse in my wardrobe that I recently picked up a second pair. These shoes are comfortable to wear, and in my opinion, have elevated so many of my outfits – case in point HERE. I also recently spotted this pair of pumps, which are a great option if you want something that gives you a taste of that Chanel style, without being too inspired.
07 | Malone Soulier Leather Slippers
You definitely can’t deny that these leather slippers from Malone Soulier are iconic; I just love the contrasting strap detail which wraps around the vamp of the shoe. This pair from Linea Paolo aren’t exactly the same, but I love their take on the style, plus I think that they might be easier to wear. If you’d prefer a shoe that is a little bit more inspired by the designer version, then this pair in a gorgeous black and tan leather will be right up your street, alternatively this shoe is a slightly more luxe take, in a soft black suede and gold.
08 | The Row Coco Mules (also available here)
I’ve had my eye on the coco mules from The Row for a couple of years now, but I’ve never been able to pull the trigger – mostly in part due to the fact that it’s a shoe I haven’t seen in the flesh (except on other people), and I’m a little intimated by their $1000+ price tag. I’ve found a few designer shoe dupes which make a great alternative, and all ring in at under $200, starting with this pair from Linea Paolo which probably has to be my favourite. These do run slightly small so be sure to go up half a size if you snap them up.
For a slightly more classic take, these shoes from Iris & Ink would make a great addition to your wardrobe, alternatively I also love this modern pair from Mango, or if you don’t want to stretch your budget too far you could spring for this pair of designer shoe dupes from Shein. I’ve also seen this style translated into flats, and this pair from ASOS is pretty cute, and I have these suede slip on slides from Country Road tucked away in my closet, which are a fun alternative to the designer shoe.
09 | Chloe Espadrille Wedge Sandals
For a boho spring and summer shoe, these Chloe Espadrille wedge sandals are absolutely gorgeous, and this season’s scalloped detail is a pretty update. For something a little more budget-friendly, I love this option which I spotted at Nordstrom; as far as designer shoe dupes go, it’s a pretty close match to the original style!
10 | Aquazzura Pom Pom Slides
The pom pom slides from Aquazurra are such a fun and quirky pair of shoes that make a real statement. I love this pretty similar take by Seed Heritage, and this magenta pair would also be gorgeous if you were looking for a shoe that was really vibrant, to see you through the warmer months.
11 | Givenchy Black Buckle Boots
I’ve seen a few iterations of the Givenchy buckle boots floating around, and given that the designer version will set you back more than $1500, I can see why you’d want to try out a more affordable pair first. My favourite affordable alternative for these boots are this silver buckled pair from Topshop – they look a lot more expensive than they actually are, and the leather looks like it would be super comfortable on the foot too. Alternatively, you could spring for this pair, which is a pretty close match to its designer cousin.
12 | Proenza Schouler Woven Mules
To wrap up this post on designer shoe dupes, are these gorgeous woven mules from Proenza Schouler. These come in a very different colour ways, but my favourite has to be the more natural/black toned pairs. For a graphic take, these high street mules are a really good dupe, and I love this block heeled pair from Linea Paolo.
