Anyway, I'm going to be in a wedding this October. The bride has requested we wear vintage-style dresses in jewel tones with heels that are a different jewel town than the dress. I bought this gorgeous dress on second cut (plus an additional 30% off) from Anthro:
Pretty!!
I was unsure about what color shoes I should wear until I saw these lovelies in a Facebook ad:
These Sierra heels are sold through Sole Society, a website I'd heard of but dismissed as a shoe club - you know, those sites where you are charged a monthly "credit" unless you opt out. I'm kind of over that whole structure since I forgot to opt out of Jewelmint in January and felt forced into a purchase. Blech. However, Sole Society is no longer a "shoe club." You can just make a purchase, and you're not obligated to purchase again. They won't charge you unless you make a purchase. Armed with that knowledge, plus a $10 off code, I bought these lovely shoes in a size 10, not knowing how they ran. Sole Society's selection is all "Sole Society" brand. They are the same company as HauteLook (affiliate link, or just go to HauteLook.com), the flash sale site, and HauteLook sometimes runs cross promotions.
However, when I received them (free shipping - got them within 3 days, but that may be because the company is based in Southern California), I discovered that:
a) The shoes were a bit big
b) If I chose to return them for money rather than store credit, I'd be charged a $7.95 restocking fee.
I wanted to buy the 9.5s and try 'em - just to see if they fit better - but I wasn't about to pay $8 to try on a size. I spoke to the Sole Society live chat help, but when I didn't budge about wanting my money back rather than a store credit, they recommended I call customer service. I did so, and they thankfully waived the fee. I mean, if they want me to re-purchase from their site, I need to figure out what size I wear in their brand, right?
I still don't feel like I should've had to jump through hoops to avoid that restocking fee, but I'm glad customer service was ultimately helpful. However, I am going to lose that $10 off code in the process of this whole thing. Alas - the 9.5s were the better fit for me. Here's a few IRL pics of the shoes:
The shoes are quite pretty. Both pairs smelled heavily (almost nauseatingly) of plastic, as they were wrapped really thoroughly, but the smell dissipated with time. The color is rich. They have a supportive platform under the toes, and the heel is 3 inches - about as high as a heelphobe like me can go.
Some toe cleavage, but not an unacceptable amount.
The bows are a little limper/less shapely than in the product photos.
Overall, these are quite cute, and $59.95 seems like a decent price (made better if you can find a discount). I like the other colors, too, and think these will be versatile. They were fairly comfortable - for heels - though the soles are not super padded, and I'm not sure how well they are attached to the base of the shoe. The lining looks to be curling ever so slightly near the toe. The slingback stayed up nicely on the 9.5s. It slipped on the 10s, as they were clearly a bit too big. The Sierra Slingback also comes in a cobalt/grey combo and a yellow/nude combo, both of which are really stinkin' cute.
For now, I'd give Sole Society a 7 on the Awesome Meter. I do like cute shoes with modest heels - and they have cute flats, too - as opposed to the skyscraper, edgy heels I see on ShoeDazzle. I like that it's not a shoe club, so I don't have to stress about opting out each month. The shipping was fast (and free!), but the restock fee bums me out. Customer service was good, but I'm used to Modcloth's amazing service now. The quality of the shoes seems about right for the price.
If you see something you like on the site, you can use my affiliate link here to sign up. If affiliate links skeeve you out, you can just sign up at SoleSociety.com. Make sure to check RetailMeNot.com for coupon codes before you buy!
