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| Beige Trench Coat Banana Republic Factory Store | Pink Polka Dot Portofino Button Down Shirt Express (similar here) | Pink High Waist Skirt Express | Mint Green Statement Necklace Kate Spade | Teal Arrowhead Bracelet and Crystal Bracelet LE TOTE | Gold Wrap Tassel Bracelet E. Kammeyer Accessories (here) | Eat Cake for Breakfast Bracelet Kate Spade | Gold Bow Moon River Bracelet Kate Spade | Teal Cross Body Avery Purse Rebecca Minkoff (similar here) | Custom Teal Suede d’Orsay Heels c/o Shoes of Prey | Le Rouge Fuchsia Irrestible 205 Lipstick Givenchy (here) | |
About a year ago, Shoes of Prey launched their pop up shop at Nordstrom located in the Westfield Mall. Walking in to the opening party made me feel like a kid in a candy store. Not only did I get to meet Janie Bryant, the amazing costume designer from Mad Men, but I had a sneak peek of her shoes from her collaboration with Shoes of Prey at the opening. The highlight of the evening was receiving a voucher to design my own shoes as a thank you for attending the event.
I set up a follow-up appointment after the event since I wasn’t sure exactly what type of shoes I wanted. I created a few designs in store with a helpful Nordstrom employee on iPads setup underneath large flower structures made of shoes. I was really unsure with which shoe I wanted designed, although I knew I wanted classic heels, and left my appointment without placing an order and left to ponder what shoes I needed in my life. I tried thinking about shoes I missed out on because they weren’t available in my size and flipped through magazines for inspiration, but felt like I was back at square one.
The nice thing about Shoes of Prey is that they have plenty of fabric options and sizes (from 3 – 13). The turnaround time is pretty quick too, and are made-to-order and shipped in about 4 weeks. Having too many options became a problem for me and it was tough choosing between satin, suede or glitter. I was inspired by the colors from this outfit post and decided on this turquoise suede with a pop of pink leather on the inside. When building your shoe, you have the option to customize the sole and can even add text (perfect to commemorate the date you get married if you were designing your own wedding shoes.)
These heels had been in their box for a few months and I wondered if I would ever have the chance to wear them or if I needed to ask for them to be remade in a neutral color (you have 365 days to decide on having the shoes remade.) I am glad I didn’t change my mind because these heels have already been paired with more outfits and they really compliment my wardrobe since they are unlike any other heels I own. Their insole is comfortable and are now pretty comfortable since they have been broken in. I matched the heels with my Rebecca Minkoff Avery purse I scored through ThredUp and a statement Kate Spade necklace I found on Poshmark. My top and skirt are from Express and I bought them on sale last year, but I’ve linked similar options above.
I loved that customization experience didn’t just end with me ordering the shoes. I was able to build this outfit from the ground up and it took a little patience, but it was worth having all the pieces fall into place. It really is gratifying to be able to tell people who compliment my shoes that I designed them and that they can do it too! I am already looking forward to designing my next pair and to add shoe designer to my list of skills.
Let me know if you have tried Shoes of Prey and what you’ve designed!
Brandy