Teen Vogue has a slideshow on their site right now of “100 party-ready heels for prom.” Even though we’re well past our prom days, we still love a good pair of heels – whether we’re heading to a formal, going out, or just because. But after a few clicks, we discovered that Teen Vogue’s picks are way out of our price range. Miu Miu heels for $645?! Yeah, maybe when we win the lottery.

What high school girl buys $645 heels for prom? It seems ridiculous, especially when there are so many reasonable alternatives. Sure, Steve Madden is no Louboutin. But if you save a little money on your shoes, you’ll have the money you need to pay for other things. Like, you know, college. Check out the affordable alternatives we found to Teen Vogue’s pricey picks.

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Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. She is “that person” who starts dancing at a party when everyone else is standing around, and if there were a Facebook stalking Olympics, she would be a gold medalist. She also loves cheesy 90s music, and almost died of happiness when Vanilla Ice retweeted her. Once. Follow her on Twitter @garnethenderson.

[Lead image via Kalim/Shutterstock]

Do you ever look back at old photos of yourself as a kid and think, what was I wearing? Luckily, we grew up in the 90s, which is an excellent excuse for horrible fashion choices. So many awful things were happening in fashion then. Plus, when you were little, your parents dressed you. So you can blame it on them.

One thing in particular that little kids get away with is ugly shoes. You know, like how Crocs are horrific on adults but kind of cute on toddlers? So many of the shoes we wore as kids seemed awesome at the time, but were really atrocious. Click through the gallery for pictures of shoes that we think should stay in your past. Meaning that you really should get rid of them if you still have a pair. Read More »

Just when you thought spring-like weather was finally about to peak and unfreeze campus grounds, designers are cranking out fall/winter 2012 collections like it’s going out of style. Collection after collection, trends take on new life and begin their journey to boutiques and department stores. Keeping up with the industry is like running a marathon; as exhausting as it can be, the effort pays off with results of glamorous ensembles and an appreciation for the art of fashion. As the budget stylista, I can tell you first hand that running the fashion marathon is no walk in the park. College budget babes need to put in extra effort to not only duplicate the trend, but to find prices that allow us to look chic and afford rent. Though trends come and go, shoes are forever fabulous. Less strict rules apply to the footwear, and thankfully you can pull them off whenever you’d like. Though I can only dream of one day acquiring a real pair of red bottoms, I’ve hunted down some Louboutin look-a-likes for all the dreamers out there!

(NOTICE: Due to the incredibly high prices of Christian Louboutin’s, prices are not mentioned to ensure that all college budget restrained viewers do not pass out due to shock or astonishment)

Real Deal: Sleek and fabulous. Appropriate for an elegant date night or a wild night out with your girls. Best matched with a solid color, preferably a slimming LBD.

Louboutin Look-a-like: A bit toned down, but still the sexy center of attention. Definitely enough bling for your buck! Aldo Shoes $80

Real Deal: Look but don’t touch. This season, studs and spikes are the mullet-dress of footwear. Seen everywhere, but happiest when attached to a nude pair of red bottoms.

Louboutin Look-a-like: Nude tone to elongate and flatter the calf muscles. These are the edgy hybrid babies of the asymmetrical and sharp stud trends. Vile Broccoli Fur (Etsy) $115

Real Deal: Give your feet a night off from those killer stilettos. These are not only perfect for that lace mini dress you’ve been dying to wear, but pair them with your favorite skinnies and leather jacket to accent a girly touch.

Louboutin Look-a-like: #Twinning! These are the CL flat’s cousin. Just as good looking with a bit of a different hue. If you’re desperate, spray paint the bottom a cherry color– it’ll be our little secret. DSW $44.95

Real Deal: Embrace spring, embrace a pop of color. Pay a little homage to Malibu Barbie with a classic pink pump.

Louboutin Look-a-like : Pink pumps with a RED bottom!? Sign me up. The shape is a bit less vertical, but a bit more practical. Your arches will thank you. Macy’s $79.99

Real Deal:  I’ve always thought wedges were the spring season of shoes. Sleek, chic, and look incredible when paired with any high-waisted maxi skirt, button up blouse, and  blazer finished ensemble!

Louboutin Look-a-like: Same style, different fabric, full wallet. Target $29.99

Our friends have different personalities when they drink. You have the friend that suddenly becomes really funny, the friend that becomes a total jerk, the friend who becomes a photographer. And then there’s that one friend that has the tendency to bolt away from the group and gallivants off into the night without their cellphone, wallet, or keys. You hope to see them the next day extraordinarily hungover, but alive.

I’ve been this friend before. It happened on Tacky Christmas my junior year. I ran away from my boyfriend at the time. Obviously my drunk self wanted out of the relationship so much that I sprinted around my apartment building just to get away. I like to think it happens to everyone at some point, but I do have one friend that does this all.the.time. Well, problem solved. Read More »

The Brazilian based godmother of the flip-flop industry, Havaianas, is preparing to launch their 2011 fall shoe collection, The Soul Collection. I browsed their look book for the fall season and the company has definitely worked hard to create a line that combines their original design as well as the hottest trends this season.

Relying on the comfy marshmallow sole to keep feet and toes happy all day long, the exterior design of the shoe changes drastically as you move from style to style. Each style showcases a different color aesthetic: color blocking, blending and canvas, as well as Jute fibers that embody the spirit of the Amazonian culture in Brazil.

No matter which style catches your eye, each and every Havaianas shoe is created around the iconic marshmallow sole, which is made to feel like you’re wearing your flip-flops year round! While it sounds too good to be true (uh, who doesn’t want to wear flip-flops all year?) it’s not; traditional Havaianas pricing rages anywhere between $38 to $70 dollars. Read More »

Rules are meant to be broken.

Not always the best philosophy to live by, but it is a pretty good philosophy for fashion. Think about it. The best dressed ladies these days don’t exactly play by the rules do they ? They wear what they want when they want, because they like the way it looks, whether that be a body suit or a blazer.

And while we can’t all be as adventurous as Lady Gaga during our days on campus, we can still break a few fashion rules without looking like fashion victims.

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What do you think ladies? Do you follow the fashion rules or do think think they were made to be broken? Are there some fashion rules we should always follow? Let us know!

How many pairs of shoes are in your closet? 5? 10? 15 or more? Well, even if you are rocking double digits when it comes to your personal footwear collection, you’ve got nothing on Beth Shak: a professional poker player who claims to own over 1,200 pairs of shoes made up mostly of Louboutin and YSL designs. While some may ask “But does she really need that many shoes?,” the answer is yes.

When it comes to shoes, my philosophy is that you can never have enough. Unlike the rest of your body, your foot tends to stay the same size no matter how in or out of shape you are so you’ll never have the problem of buying a pair of shoes and then suddenly not being able to fit into them. This philosophy has made me keep every pair of shoes I’ve ever owned since middle school (minus old sneakers and worn down flip flops) and makes me feel like I have my own personal shoe store when picking the perfect outfit for a night out, a job interview, or a day at the beach.

Sure, there are some pairs in my closet that I’ll probably never wear again (like my 2002 chunky platform sandals) and I’m sure Beth has some pairs that will never see a red carpet or a dirty casino floor again, but we keep them in our closet just in case the early 2000′s come back in 20 years… or just to remind us how much progress we’ve made in the fashion department.

If you’re like me (living off a microscopic bank account), you definitely can’t afford 1,200 pairs of shoes. Lucky for you, there’s only 10 pairs that every girl really needs. Read More »

Wedges: they’ve been around forever, but this year they were an especially big trend for Summer. They’re great because you can easily switch out flat sandals with wedges to instantly dress up your outfit, and they’re more comfortable than regular heels. And what’s more, they look great with everything: jeans and a t-shirt, a cute sundress…even shorts!

While Hollywood celebrities can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on their staple summer wedges, college girls are on a much tighter budget. But I’ve found that there are plenty of great options out there for about the same as a movie ticket! Check out these great finds, each of which is under $20! Read More »

This is super embarrassing, but as a 20 year old woman, I STILL have not mastered the art of walking in heels. Sure, I can do little kitten heels or wedges, but I dream of a day when I’ll be able to walk effortlessly in a pair of 5-inch stilettos without looking like a newborn giraffe.

I know it’s all about balance and distributing your weight evenly between the ball of your foot and your heel, but how the hell are you supposed to even attempt to do that in Louboutin’s new 8-inch ballet heels? Those shoes don’t even have a place to put the ball of your foot! I guess if you were a professional ballerina that’s been walking on her tippy-toes for the majority of her life you’d be able to handle these, but I’m pretty sure professional ballerinas only make up about 0.0001% of the population.

And yes, I get that it’s part of the “Lady Gaga effect” and that designers are trying to create ridiculous clothing that will hopefully make its way into the next big music video, but if these shoes take off and become the next must-have formal accessory, I think I’m screwed.

If you thought those shoes were crazy, check out our gallery of the 13 most uncomfortable pairs of heels EVER. Do you think you could walk in any of them?

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