A tale of two satins

I’m not very good at haggling, so while wandering through markets is always fun I am quite capable of coming away empty-handed, pursued by the cajolery or heckles of unsatisfied vendors. However, weaving through Mumbai’s Fashion Street last Saturday, I had to make an exception for these adorable little satin ballet flats. The stylised leaf-print is very Orla Kiely, but the price (eventually agreed on) was less than that of an Orla Kiely shoe lace. 

Satin shoes are wildly impractical. I always forget this and wear them to weddings, where they get ruined by wine stains, grass stains, or – pointy heels in particular – sinking into damp lawns. But, butterflies of the footwear world that they are, while they last they are just so charming and winsome. They appeal to my (quite deeply buried) ladylike streak.

Of course, not all satin is ladylike. Satin has its own trashy side, as evidenced by the 5-inch (12-cm) stilettos below. Frankly speaking, these are – how shall I put it? – stripper heels.

I bought them in London back in July, in a process that was even more hassle than haggling with a Bombay street trader. I first spotted them in Debenhams in Westfield, excellently discounted in the sale, but it took two visits before I could actually score a shop assistant to er, assist me. And then it turned out that the second shoe in the pair was missing. The apologetic assistant took my number and promised to call me if/when she located the missing shoe. No call came. But there is nothing like being denied a left foot to summon forth a shoe lovers fighting spirit. Cue a mission to the Oxford Street branch of Debenhams, a whole new bunch of shop assistants to harass, and, finally, triumph.

The strippers are from Dune’s Head Over Heels range, a label I’m a big fan of (below: check out the blue zebra blue ponyskin zebra-print numbers I bought at HOH in July 2010,  which interestingly prefigure Balenciaga’s 2012 collection.) 

Left, blue zebra-print pony skin heels Head Over Heels by Dune, summer 2010. Right, blue zebra-print heels by Balenciaga, summer 2012. 

I am looking at the stilettos in the flesh (as it were) right now. The fabric is matt-finished satin, with this gorgeous pattern of pink and forest green fronds and feathers. The moment I saw them I was smitten, not least because they are perfect with W.I.C. “Toronto” by Herôme, my pedicure colour of the year. I had to have them, even with nary a wedding on the calendar. (And anyway, who wears stripper heels to a wedding?)