Fall Splurge

Stuart Weitzman 5050 Boots

I have been watching these Stuart Weitzman 5050 boots since last fall and have been in love with them! But these boots retail for $595!

These over-the-knee boots are sleek and timeless. Thanks to the flat heel, these boots are sexy and confident without going too far. The 5050 boots are constructed with soft napa leather, and are appropriately named as they are 50% leather and 50% elastic. The elastic helps the boots to perfectly hug my calves, where most leave quite a bit of room, and allows them to avoid the use of hardware like a zipper. The lack of embellishment adds to the versatility of the boots. It's no wonder so many celebrities have been photographed in these!

Nonetheless, I was still worried about the price tag. After a stop into the Stuart Weitzman store I learned that they were featuring the 5050 boots again in their Fall 2012 collection, and in fact expanding on the color options (they are even adding a cheetah print!) which meant they weren't going on sale any time soon. I hoped trying them on would put them out of my mind--that they would fit terribly, be uncomfortable, or just look horrible on me.

Except they were very comfortable and looked amazing on! Thankfully, I was able to find them on eBay at a great price of only $253, although still a huge splurge for me. Now I can't wait for them to get here and put together some great outfits with tall boots!

I know this was a long post but I want to wrap up with a few guidelines I use when making a splurge purchase:

        1. Take some time:
               A bit of time puts my purchase into perspective and really makes me sure I love it  
               before splurging.  It also helps make sure this is something that will last well past   
               this season. A good friend once taught me the 24 hour rule: If you're not certain you love
               something in a store, splurge or not, pass on purchasing it that day. If it's still on your
               mind 24 hours later, give it a second look.

        2. Be persistent:
               Persistence is the best way to get a piece on sale. This goes hand-in-hand with taking
               my time though; I have to be persistent in searching but willing to wait. Online
               shopping opens up the number of stores you are able to keep up on and eBay is a great place
               to search as well. It is important to check these sites often to
               catch a sale before your size is gone, particularly if you're a size six shoe like me! I
               always check the fabric and quality in person, and try on for fit before
               purchasing online.
              
       3. Make sure that this is worth splurging on:
               This is probably the most important of these three tips--you absolutely need to make sure
               your splurge is worth splurging on and that it not only matches your current wardrobe, but
               will outlast much of it. Another great way to be sure is to read customer reviews, which
               allows you to check that previous buyers love it too. Your splurge piece should be timeless
               so you can enjoy it for seasons to come!