As expected, those shoes were waiting for me Friday evening, and I took all weekend to consider their merits and decide which, if any, I was going to keep; and which to send back.
By the way, both shoes came with dust covers. The Apepazzas came with one dust bag for both shoes, and the Borns came with a dust bag for each shoe. And in these reviews, when I say I “walked around” in the shoes I mean indoors, of course. Otherwise I can’t return anything!
Apepazza “Giordana” in Antique Black
- Pros: really glitzy, very sexy, I just love the way these things look. Perfect heel vs. platform height. Perfect for Vegas!
- Cons: not very comfortable. Not horrible, but not soft inside at all. Worst aspect: they have a “thong” type strap that goes between the big and second toe. It’s impossible to see in the pictures (or honestly I’d never have ordered them - I can’t wear thong shoes at all) and it’s quite stiff.
After walking around and trying to decide if I could get used to the toe “thong” thing, I decided that no, I probably couldn’t. Also, while they’d look cute in Vegas, it’s hard to imagine getting much use out of them otherwise. The rare times that I do go out, I have other shoes I can wear; and they’re a little over the top for work.
Verdict: They go back.
Born “Jersey” in Black Patent
- Pros: it’s called patent, but this leather is actually much softer than any patent leather I’ve seen, so the uppers are quite comfortable. The footbed is very padded and soft - it’s like walking on a cloud! Very comfortable. They fit perfectly. And they are really cute and MUCH sexier in person than they look in the pictures.
- Cons: only one con, and that’s that the heel is higher than what I’m used to. Even with the platform, the heel to platform ratio makes them quite high, and while I don’t think it will make my feet hurt (they’re so padded and comfortable); and I can still walk in them (thanks to the mostly wedge shape); I think it puts a strain on my bad ankle.
I walked around in these quite a bit too, deciding if the heel is too high. I really think I can get used to it.
Verdict: I’m keeping them!
Another happy shoe ending, courtesy of Zappos.com. And no - they don’t pay me. I just ADORE the site. To me, it’s exactly what ecommerce should be - amazing selection, outstanding customer service, tons of information about every product, and nearly instant gratification.
(Edited to fix links and add a tag.)