There are a few shoe-centric posts scheduled for the next few weeks – I really struggled
this sale season. I certainly won’t be keeping every single pair but
wanted to share my thoughts on them in the event that you too were
considering the purchase.
Having somewhat wide feet, I do my best to avoid pointy toe shoes that typically pinch my toes. However, I can’t seem to get Valentino Bow Pumps out of my mind in spite of their hefty price tag so when I saw these pumps on sale for 50% off on Net-A-Porter (oos) I checked out without giving it a moment’s thought.
I am irrational when it comes to shopping and prepared myself to fall in love with this shoe. However, in person they were unimpressive. There were no sparks at first sight nor butterflies in my stomach. Indifference can be a huge relief for my savings account.
This particular style runs about a size large. In size 37 (I wear 6.5/7 and 37/37.5 in designer), my feet were slipping out of the shoe. The width of the shoe should accommodate someone with medium and medium-to-wide feet. Women with narrow feet might want to size down or skip this altogether.
The color is a gorgeous petal pink – which normally would be a good enough reason to make me want to keep them – but they are missing the all-important it factor.
As I didn’t intend to keep them, I didn’t walk around in them nor gave them a second look before slapping on the return label and sent them back to NAP.
So many gorgeous Valentino bow pumps…in every color, material, and height. I haven’t given up entirely!
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Wait, my saga didn’t end there.
Soon after, I found a pair of Ivanka Trump Fazio Bow pumps on sale for about $30 on Amazon (prices went up again recently) and ordered them for my mom because she also got bit by the bow pumps bug. My mom prefers lower heels so these Ivanka Trump pumps seemed like a solid contender for the spot.
My last experience with Ivanka Trump shoes was not exactly pleasant, so I had my doubts about this shoe. But, Amazon has never failed me with their amazing returns policy so I ordered anyway.
At its retail price of $130, I probably wouldn’t have taken this shoe into consideration but the sale price was so attractive and its qualities (at face value) met the bill. In person, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable they are. They do run slightly big (not a whole size big) but the width is perfect for someone with wide feet. The first time I tried these on I thought they were slightly too wide for me (I have medium-to-wide feet) but saved them for when my mom would return from her trip. However, on the day these pictures were taken my feet were so swollen that many of my own shoes felt too tight to wear comfortably. On a hunch, I tried these shoes on and surely they fit my swollen feet perfectly.
They are a little shorter, at 2.5 inches, than most of my pumps, making them more practical for extended wear. As I wore them to work that one day, I no longer have the option of returning them but I think my mom (who has feet that are slightly wider than mine) would like them.
When I was younger I thought pointed toe shoes look like witch shoes but have grown to appreciate them.
I am intrigued by the two-tone version as well. If you own it, I would love to hear your thoughts.
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| Buy here and here |
Are you in the market for bow pumps?
