Aren’t these shoes amazing?!
When it comes to shopping, I am a hunter always in search of the best deals. These shoes are one of my latest finds. Originally these Bourne shoes retail for about $270 +. Now as much as I love fashion, I don’t like paying full price ever. Its against one of my cardinal rules. I found them on yellow tag discount at TJ Maxx. (Now for those who don’t know Yellow Tag Discount, this is marked after several red tag discounts. This if in good condition, is a steal beyond a steal) The shoes were white but in bad shape. They had several dirt marks yet all Swarovski crystals were intact, and the heels were in perfect condition (no scuff marks). So for $10, yes $10 I purchased them. Lesson be learned even if sale items look pretty beat up. Look again all you need is a great tailor or in this case a shoe dying genius.
And with that here is my new find in Grand Rapids:
Charlie’s Shoe Repair : Located downstairs in the Monroe Center @ 146 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids, MI. (616) 451-8016
Peggy is the owner of Charlie’s Shoe Repair. There are not enough kind words to describe how wonderful she is. I came in with the Bourne shoes hoping to have them dyed Sapphire Blue. The reason for the specific color, these are my WEDDING shoes =)
Peggy, simply put, is incredible! I couldn’t decide between a few of the colors. Peggy could have just walked away but she didn’t. Instead she said she had a white satin swatch and we can test out the colors. I came back picked the perfect shade. But as Peggy and I started to inspect the shoes we discovered it would not be as easy as dipping them in the dye. To prevent the dye from spreading, tape would need to be put inside and on the entire bottem. She said this might take her bit longer to complete.
A couple of weeks later, Peggy called saying the shoes are finished. I went the very next morning, and my mouth almost hit the floor. To say they they stunning is not enough. They are INCREDIBLY STUNNING!! Through conversation I discovered she spent over an hour just taping the shoes. I couldn’t believe it.
The only problem, I don’t know if they can be my wedding shoes. They are so beautiful. They just can’t be hidden. These shoes are meant to shine. So in order to give them proper respect, I am thinking rehearsal dinner dress. It’ll be short =)
Til next time.
-Kitten In The Mitten
kitteninthemitten 