We’re always a fan of a purple pump, and we like these dark purple suede ones from Bandolino. We like the quarter strap (more flattering than a straight-across-the-ankle Mary Jane, but just as walkable); also liking the chain detailing, provided they’re not too noisy in real life. The price is certainly right — the shoes are $68 at Zappos (also available in black and gray). Bandolino – Signmeup (Dark Purple Suede) – Footwear
Tagged as:
Bandolino,
chains,
heels,
purple,
purple pumps,
purple suede,
quarter strap,
suede,
Zappos
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
I love Bandolinos but I think suede shoes are more of an evening, winter – cocktail function thing than a work thing.
I always thought of Bandolino as sort of a “cheap” brand akin to Nine West, but having read some of the seemingly universal raves about their shoes here, I took another look the last time I was out shoe shopping.
I’m sorry to say my opinion about the shoes’ hasn’t changed. Not trying to rain on anyone’s parade who loves the brand, but all the shoes I saw just looked shoddy: visible glue remnants along the seams, loose threads, obviously plasticky “wooden” heels, cheap looking leather & even cheaper looking embellishments.
Perhaps they’re more comfortable than they look (though it didn’t seem that way when I forced myself to try on a pair), but I would not pay $60 for these. Maybe I could see myself buying a pair at some $15 clearance rack somewhere, but really . . . I don’t see what the fuss is about, and I would probably regret spending even that much (not trying to be snobby — I am not above buying heels at Target if I think they look cute).
I’m honestly not trying to be snarky, either, but they just seemed like such a completely bad deal to me, and the chains & the flimsy looking strap/buckle on this pair does very little other than re-affirm my opinion.
That said, I totally do want a great pair of dark purple heels for Fall!
Nine West and Bandolino have the same parent company and pretty close to the same price point so equating them isn’t far fetched. My thoughts on the quality of both mirror yours.
That said the company owns Anne Klein – while they are certainly not Cole Haan quality several pairs I own fit better than 9 West and have held up well.
I have a pair of purple AK shoes I got the last time purple was in and they are still holding up. I got one pair of Nine West shoes 3 years ago and they looked like they needed to be re-heeled after one wearing. I wore them to take a little stroll around a resort after a graduation dinner.
I actually never run into any trouble with any AK shoes I own — I prefer to buy them on sale when I do buy them, but that’s just because I think their listed price is a wee bit too high considering I have found plenty of Cole Haans (and even Ferragamos) on sale for that amount. But they are generally well made and reasonably comfy. Same with many (not all) Franco Sartros.
I recently bought some BB pumps on sale for about what these cost & am extremely happy with them. I’ve also had very good luck with some shoes from Talbots (super sale!) — bonus, most styles also come in wide & narrow (and unlike their clothes, their shoes are never secretly “boxy”) :)
I’m wearing Nine West deep purple patent pumps that I bought Christmas ’08 on sale (I was, for once, ahead of the purple craze!). I’ve had to get the heels re-tipped, and there are a few small scuffs on the toes but they have held up so well considering the abuse I put them through (I wear them as ‘neutrals’ more often than my black pumps because all I wear is jewel tones). They are also ridiculously comfortable, and have only given me blisters once when I wore them all day straight off a trans-Atlantic flight when my feet were still really swollen.
$30 for a pair of pumps still going strong after 2 1/2 years? I’ll take it.
Dark purple? – check! Cute strap? – check! Bandolino? – unfortunately not quite what I had in mind….
But my hopes were really raised when I saw the thumbnail photo (especially thinking that the chains were just a more standard contrast element). So still looking for reqs if anyone has any.
Several year ago, Bandolino’s were a big deal. I’m sorry to hear the the quality has degraded. Or maybe it was just that at that time, quality wasn’t so much of an issue.
If you are in the market for some higher quality purple suede heels, check out these lovely cole haan ones. I just got a pair, and they are beautiful and comfortable.
http://www.colehaan.com/colehaan/catalog/product.jsp?catId=100&productId=356991&productGroup=356985
Wow. To die for, anon–sf!
Unfortunately, I can’t wear heels that high or I probably would have just had an impulse-buy moment.
Agree with AIMS. I won’t wear Nine West or Bandolino. Fewer shoes of higher quality is my personal preference.
Somewhat on topic, the NY Times just did a puff piece on some female candidates footwear choices. While it is COMPLETELY ridiculous that the article focuses on their fashion instead of their positions on issues (can you imagine a reporter asking a male candidate if his tie was Thomas Pink or Brooks Brothers??), apparently the shoe of choice for female politicians is the Kate Spade Halle (currently on Piperlime for $298). Does anyone own a Kate Spade wedge heel? I’ll be in a very long trial very soon and am considering picking up a pair of wedge heels, so this article is timely for me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/nyregion/24bigcity.html
They’re cute but I don’t think I’d wear wedges with a suit. They seem to casual to me.
I’m one of those always raving about Bandolinos. Virtually all of my work pumps (around 3 – 3.5″) are this brand. I do not commute in them, so they don’t get hard wear on cement etc., and they have served me well. Have had a few pairs for 4 years now; they get weekly wear. I will not claim the shoes are super high-quality, for those that prefer that. And … I have not had the best of luck with Bandolino shoes that contain embellishments, like little buckles (or the chains on the featured shoe). But for a classic pump with no embellishment, they are certainly very comfortable for those who want something cheaper or an expanded closet of fun shoes.
That said, they told me last time I was in the store that Bandolino recently switched shoe makers. So I hope this isn’t a sign of decreasing quality or changing comfort.
I also love Bandolinos. Like MM, I don’t wear them to commute, and I have several pairs that have lasted for years.
I did notice that the last couple of pairs I ordered from Zappos were not as high quality as pairs that I have from last year or several years ago. Maybe that’s a result of the new manufacturer. :-(
I like Bandolinos too. I am extraordinarily hard on shoes (I don’t know how I do it but I scuff the tips and wear down the heels of my heels almost instantly. And I drive to work…). It’s just not worth it to me to buy nice shoes because I tend to ruin them. I find Bandolinos comfortable and like that a lot of their shoes come in reasonable heel heights (I don’t like to wear flats because I’m short but I can’t stand for a 30-minute motion in really tall heels).
I think these shoes are all wrong – sorry! I like the idea of dark purple. But the shape of the shoe, paired with the chain and the leg-shortening strap, no thank you! I find this style to be dated, not classic.
My comment is stuck in moderation but these are the kind of shoes I would wear with an evening dress. It just doesn’t = work for me.
Cute shoe, Kat! I’ve always loved the fit of Bandolino shoes. I have wide-ish feet and they just work for me. The leather is often soft and not stiff (which I’ve found to be true of, gasp, Cole Haans!) and they distribute the heel well, without making them look geriatric. I used to slam Nine West shoes (and probably right here on Corporette!) but recently I’ve had a change of heart. Higher quality, better leathers, and they don’t kill my feet the way they used to. Got these yellow Nine West peept0e pumps and LUVS them to DEATH! http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=4016&vid=1&pid=763578&scid=763578032
Purple and gray do seem to be the big colors this year. I’m seeing both everywhere and they look great together.
Unfortunately, my mother LOVES purple and wears it constantly. I have a very strong association between “Mom styles” and the color. So, no purple for me.
On a slightly unrelated note, as I was shoe shopping today, I was really struck by the huge variety of quality in fake leathers. A couple of nicer brands had really plasticky looking uppers while there were others I would have sworn were true leather but bore the “all man made” stamp. I prefer leather shoes, but comfort trumps material for my chronic plantar fasciitis.
I picked up a pair of black flat slingbacks for $15 as a transitional summer to fall weekend shoe. They are a pebbled fake leather and are really comfy. If they only make it until September 15th, well, the price was right! The brand is Sbicca, which is new to me. Looks like they make primarily casual styles. Anybody have any experience with the brand?
Louise, Sbicca has been around for quite some time. I remember wearing them when I was in high school and hanging around the surfer crowd in So. Cal w/ whom the brand was very popular at the time. I am in my forties now but I do remember them being very comfortable! Unfortunately, it has been a while since I’ve looked at the brand. Hopefully some one else can chime in with some more recent experiences.
Hey Louise – about the plantars…what do you do besides choose ‘appropriate’ shoes (and, if you are like me, the oh so fun and very attractive inserts the podiatrist gives out)? I’ve had a round of steroid injections (helped, didn’t fix), I do some but not all of the recommended exercises some but not all of the time (life interferes), and I keep a frozen bottle of water around to roll under the (occasionally excruciating – getting old is just h*ll) super painful heels, alternating sometimes with a heat pack. You are so resourceful, what else to do with this awful condition? Thanks in advance :)!
For plantar fascitis, two things helped me a great deal:
1) Strasbourg (Strasburg??) sock–slept in it for better part of a year;
2) wedge to stand on, 10 minutes a day, as many times as you can find time for. 10 minutes when you get up and have coffee, 10 minutes as you dry hair, 10 minues at lunch, you get the idea.
These two things combined finally cured my plantar issues, and I’m a late 40′s marathon runner. ALSO, no heels for awhile. Just get some nice flats (Cole haan has great arch support) and enjoy. You do NOT have to wear heels to look professional ornice.
A relative had plantar fasciitis and tried a pair of my birkenstocks… I never got them back because they bought immediate relief! Not appropriate for work, though some styles may be appropriate for some workplaces).
The exercises are really important to do if you have acute PF. In addition to hamstring stretching, you could also include standing on tip toes and lowering slowly, and also, for want of a better word ‘scrunching’ your feet up tightly and then letting go and stretching your feet as much as possible.
There was a thread about PF last week that I didn’t participate in, because I didn’t want to be the big downer.
Plantar fasciitis runs in my family as a chronic condition. I’ve had it for 25 years. I’ve tried it all: steroid shots, exercises, night splints, Strasbourg sock, stretching, ice, ibuprofen, prescription orthotics. Nothing has worked for me. My feet hurt every. single. day. But! On average, they don’t hurt any more today than they did 25 years ago.
What works for me to keep the pain from getting worse:
1. Wearing shoes all the time. No bare feet, ever. I wear shoes for the 5 steps from bed to bathroom at 3am.
2. Only wearing shoes that fit my orthotics.
3. Calf stretching at least 3 times a day for at least 3 minutes each time.
4. No running. Ever. I suppose I would make an exception for one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, but certainly not to catch public transit.
5. Limit standing as much as possible. Walking is fine, but standing for more than about 10 minutes causes much pain the next day. If I need to do a lot of very slow walking, like what you would do in a museum or in line at airport security, I try to get a wheelchair.
6. This was the very, very, very hardest for me: Accept that I have a mild disability and deal with it. Is it life threatening? No. Can I stay healthy and happy with modifications to my lifestyle? Yes.
I have watched too many dear friends and family members fight against an illness for their whole lives. The fight and the treatment consumes them; everything is couched in term of the battle against their XYZ condition. I don’t want to BE my PF anymore. I let it define me for years and it didn’t make my feet better, but made my mind upset. Now I try to view it like needing reading glasses and having very pale skin: just part of the way my body is.
Have you tried Danskos? I have had PF on and off for years and I do all the stuff you mentioned, but my Danskos are like magic. I love them so much.
I have not bought any Danskos, but might try them. Do you have orthotics, and if so, do they fit the Danskos?
My go-to brands are usually Merrell and Naot.
I was just flipping through the new Talbots magazine for the fall and noticed how many cute shoes caught my eye! I don’t have any experience with Talbots shoes- any thoughts, concerns or feedback would be greatly appreciated!
I ordered flats and there was 100% toe cleavage. Also I’m a 9.5 but ordered down to a 9 and the shoes were still too wide and long.
I’m a consistent 8.5 across brands including Talbots. That said, I have very comfortable shoes from there (heels, like 3-inch, and kitten heels, like 1.5 inch) and one pair of horrendously painful shoes (kitten heels). No explanation for the difference in comfort. They do have very nice accessories. I never had the shoes be too wide or long but my feet are fully flat (fallen arches) so it’s possible I wouldn’t notice if they were too wide. I’ve never had them be too long.
I love Talbots shoes and have had great experiences with them, wearing them to death over 3-5 years. I think that they are very comfortable and good quality. At one time, they were made by the company that makes Van Eli and Sesto Meucci (sp?) but I don’t know if that’s still the case. I also have Van Eli, Anne Klein and Cole Haan, and think that they’re similar to the Van Eli and AK.
At the Talbots outlet last month, I got black patent leather 3″ dress pumps for $8.75! I don’t go above 2.25″ for work, so these are for going out but was I happy!
I’m another who won’t buy or wear Bandolino or Nine West. NW’s last (the mold that shoe makers use) is not compatible with my feet…not sure why.
I don’t wear flats but none of my Talbots shoes have toe cleavage except sandals.
I’ve worn Talbots for years. Good quality for great prices, ifyou can find them on sale. They run a teeny bit on the long side; sometimes I still wear a 5.5 in them. In everything else, I take a 6.
Cons–not much arch support.
I am in LOVE with some of the bootie styles, and I generally HATE booties. I have several pairs of Talbots shoes, and the quality is really good. I also find them to be generally very comfortable. For me, they seem to run a little tad bit narrow – particularly in the flats. I have slightly wide feet and am generally happy with their wide sizes in flats or low wedges and a regular in heels.
I’ve had mixed experiences. I have ordered about six pairs from them over the years. I have some things I have loved and then some things that have not worked at at all. I usually wear a 10, and out of this last red sale I ordered two pairs of shoes – some Vachetta leather sandals in an 11 (the only size they had left) and some silver flats in a 10. The size 11 sandals fit perfectly, and I mean perfectly – better than most of my 10s from any brand fit. The size 10 flats were way too big; they felt more like 11s. I have also had problems in the past with Talbots heels being unwalkable even if the heel is not that high – I can handle a 3″ heel in Cole Haan but I got a pair of 3″ heels from Talbots a couple of years ago that got returned because I was in agony just walking across my bedroom. My recommendation is don’t buy any Talbots shoes that are “final sale” and not returnable. The manufacturing just seems too inconsistent.
Talbots–forgot to say, no toe cleavage on any I have.
They do make narrow sizes, and some wide sizes.
what’s wrong with toe cleavage? I kind of like it.
The reason the shoes remind Louise of her mom is not because they are purple; it is because they look like something that all of our moms (well-dressed, but of another generation) would wear! I love purple, but the style is like what my Barbies wore back in the day.
I don’t like the look of toe cleavage – just looks odd to me.
Agreee with some who feel negative about the style and color. I think a very substantial shoe, whether with or without a lot of heel, looks great just now – not a flimsy look. To me, a purple shoe could never be neutral, although I once had a pair of wine colored shoes – pretty subdued shade of leather – which did seem to go with several different outfits pretty well, as well as with a dress of the same color.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3097027?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=shoes:women:pumps&cm_ite=sofft_'fiorella'_pump:299741&cm_ven=Froogle&mr:trackingCode=EF4A5DAF-1A91-DF11-9DA0-002219319097&mr:referralID=NA
This is a beautiful and comfortable purple heel by Sofft. The Nordstrom shoe guy sold me on it at the Anniversary Sale, but unfortunately, they were TOTALLY out of stock and so I am now watching to see if it goes on sale somewhere soon.
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