Giuseppe Zanotti is a luxury brand that is highly coveted for it’s modern, sophisticated styles, but anyone with these shoes on their must-have list must get past their price tag first.  Case in point: the Giuseppe Zanotti E00330 pictured above, which retails for a hefty $695.  Luckily, we’re in the midst of end-of-season sales right now and you can get this pair for just $209.32 at Amazon (in size 6 or 9 only, as of this posting) or for $334 at Zappos.  That’s quite a reduction, but there’s a similar option for those who want to spend even less:

This is the Steve Madden Charmmer and it’s clearly a lookalike for the Giuseppe Zanotti pair, although there are a few differences - particularly in the heel - making it more of an “inspired by” version than a true knockoff.  But, there is quite a difference in price: the Steve Madden version is $109.95 at Stevemadden.com and your total gets even lower when you apply coupon code rmn20f to get 15% off and free shipping.  That adjusts the total to $93.46 shipped and it comes in black or olive.

In last night’s episode of Bravo’s The Rachel Zoe Project, shoe designer Brian Atwood made an appearance to meet with Rachel - who donned her signature white robe for him - and we learned that he’s always wanted to design a shoe for her.  It’s no wonder, since Rachel has long professed her admiration for Atwood’s shoes, namely in her very first Zoe Report.  Fast forward to one-year later and Rachel has her very own namesake pair to die over, literally, for the anniversary of her website: the over-the-knee RZ Boots she and Brian designed together.  We saw a bit of the creative brainstorming process during last night’s episode and, in the end, Rachel decided on an OTK platform boot with chain detail in the back and, of course, a “tranny” heel.  The boot is available for sale now, so let’s take a closer look:

I’m definitely feeling the chain detail (zoom in to really check it out) and it’s certainly a hot style.  We’ve seen Rachel in a lot of over-the-knee boots this season, so I imagine she wouldn’t have any trouble integrating this one into her fab wardrobe.  If it’s a must-have for you and you have $2,900 to spend, you can get the Brian Atwood Chain-Back Over-The-Knee Boot at Neiman Marcus.  (Update: The links I entered that go directly to the product page don’t want to work correctly for some reason, but I updated the link so it goes to the Brian Atwood page.  Right now, it’s the first shoe listed).  For those of us that don’t have 3K to spend (wowza), here’s a less expensive alternative I found that also offers plenty of dramatic detail along the back.  Like the Atwood pair, this boot is perfect making a statement, especially when walking away:

The Nine West Hobbs doesn’t have chains and it’s more like a corset boot with lacing all the way up the back, but the detailing is similar and it’s over the knee with a high heel and platform.  You can get it at Nine West on pre-order for $209 with free shipping.  It’s expected to ship by 11/23.

Photo from Bravotv.com

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I’ve got a shoe crush on a new arrival at Endless and, lucky for me, it’s not waayy out of my budget this time (I’ve been drooling over too many high end pairs lately).  The object of my affection right now is the Two Lips Epic platform sandal, which is available at Endless for $99.95 with free overnight shipping.  It actually reminds me a lot of the $850 Sergio Rossi Scalloped Booties I mentioned before, but this pair offers a hefty dose of sparkle with all-over rhinestone studding and another detail we’ve seen a lot lately (and one that I always appreciate): a lace-up, corset-like back.  Let’s take a look at that:

Now, for me, it’s just a question of black or beige, beige or black.  Decisions, decisions…

Also of note: This shoe qualifies for the 25% off $100 discount Endless is currently offering on select styles.  Since it’s a mere 5-cents away from the minimum (grr), at least one more item from this selection of shoes and accessories would need to be added to the order to get the savings.

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I spotted Claire Danes in head-to-toe Valentino while browsing through the latest US Weekly and I had to take note of how gorgeous she is here.  Claire, who donned this look while in Paris to attend the Valentino show, is wearing a romantic, ultra-feminine ruffled dress and she toughens it up just a smidge with these shoes:

The Valentino Studded T-Strap Pump is a sophisticated pump with a nice dose of edge courtesy of the pyramid studs, which look like small spikes.  This is a great way to apply to current spike trend we’re seeing everywhere, including on shoes, in a much more subtle way for those times when a more elegant look is in order.  You can splurge and get the Valentino pair for $895 at Nordstrom (currently on pre-order), but we also have some similar, less expensive shoes as an alternative:

The Boutique 9 Zola in grey or black for $150 at Nine West.  Shipping is free on $50 or more for a limited time.  Or, get them at Endless for the same price with free overnight shipping.

The Charles David Techie for $138 in champagne or $115 in black (MSRP $230) at 6pm.

The Pour La Victoire Danya in whiskey on sale for $104 (list price $285.95) at Amazon.  This pair doesn’t have spikes, but the t-strap design and raised pyramid studs make it a viable option.  It’s also available in black or red and the price depends on the color/size combination selected.

Image from peoplestylewatch.com

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Drew Barrymore has always been a fave of mine.  She’s fun to watch on screen and seems totally cool off-screen too, plus she has a great sense of style.  Case in point: her recent appearance at the Nylon magazine party, where she opted for high-low dressing in her $25 vintage dress from a Texas thrift store and her YSL Tribtoo suede pumps in taupe.  I couldn’t find the exact shoes online, but they are similar to this $795 patent version at Bergdorf Goodman.  These are the kind of go-with-everything shoes that make a closet staple sexy, but those of us who can’t splurge on YSL might take a cue from Drew (and her affordable, fabulous dress) by trying out a less expensive style.  Here’s one that looks very similar:

The Zigi Soho Staple Pump in beige or black is a great alternative and you can get it for $59.95 at DSW.  If you have a free DSW membership, login and apply coupon code SHOECRAZY to get 13% off regularly-priced orders through today 8/13/10 (see, Friday the 13th can be lucky!).  That drops your total to $52.16.  You can also apply coupon SHIPR for free shipping on $35 or more until 9/12/10.  Now, if only I could score a dress like Drew’s for $25 at my local thrift store…

Photo from Peoplestylewatch.com.

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I received an email from fellow shoe lover Rebecca, who is on the hunt for a lower-priced version of the Jimmy Choo Quinze, which can be found for $1,795 at Nordstrom in nude and for the same price at Jimmy Choo in black.  This is an absolutely gorgeous shoe, but it’s definitely a toughie to find anything that compares to it and I had to put my magic shoe wand on full throttle to find anything that even comes close.  So, are there inexpensive alternatives for the Quinze?  Unfortunately, after doing an extensive search I didn’t see any mesh, crystal-adorned booties for less.  That doesn’t mean we won’t see an inspired-by version at some point (I’ll update this post if I see one), but if anyone knows of something similar, please help Rebecca out.  In the meantime, I’ve found some shoes that incorporate at least some of the same elements of the Quinze and are viable options, at least for the time being:

There’s no mesh in sight, but the Badgley Mischka Forrester has a string of bling across the vamp that reminds me of the Quinze.  Get these for $215 with free overnight shipping at Endless.

Similarly, the Pelle Moda Favilla has beads and crystals running all they way up to the ankle strap.  Endless has this pair for $188.95 with free overnight shipping.

The Steve Madden Fanfair comes in black or blush and features plenty of jewels in various sizes along the t-strap.  Get it for $99.95 at Stevemadden.com with free shipping using code SMFREESHIP or for $89.96 with free shipping at Zappos.

The Boutique 9 Denya doesn’t have jewel or rhinestone detail, but it is a mesh bootie adorned with pretty flowers.  Get it for $129.95 at Shoebuy and 15% off with coupon code FIFTEEN for a limited time.

Get some serious sparkle for much less with the Celest Hana-08 for $28.50 at Urban Originals.

To get an even closer lookalike for the Quinze, you may have to take matters into your own hands…literally.  Get a plain mesh bootie, like the Aldo Schade (pictured above) for $44.98 or this super-cute tie-back mesh heel from Americlubwear for $27.99.  Add some super glue and loose rhinestones and go to town on the black piping for a creative DIY project.  I’m not quite sure how this will turn out, but it might just work for the crafty among us.

Any more suggestions for Rebecca?  Let us know in the comments!

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Fans of MTV’s The City will surely remember those standout Nicholas Kirkwood garbage bag shoes (pictured above) that were featured in the episode where Olivia Palermo helped style pop star Kei$ha for Elle.  While I’m not sure where these shoes can be purchased (or for how much), I couldn’t help but immediately think of them when I came across this pair:

The Petula Rose Platform Sandal isn’t what I would call a knockoff, but it certainly appears to be inspired by Nicholas Kirkwood and is presumably way more affordable.  There’s no mention of the floral accents being crafted from actual garbage bags, which unfortunately eliminates the ”green” recycled factor of the Kirkwood pair, but the frayed roses do convey a very similar look.  Plus, the neutral colors make this style much more wearable while still retaining the overall drama factor.  I’m loving it and, if you love this pair too, you can find the Petula at Topshop for $200.  It’s still a splurge, but definitely a fun one.  Shipping adds a flat rate of $15.

Photo from MTV.com

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