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| Yes | 41% | 110 votes | Total: 268 votes | |
| No | 59% | 158 votes |
Yes
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We place value on things. Its what makes us human. Since the dawn of bartering, paying a premium for something that has a cheaper equivalent has been a topic of intense debate. We all instinctively have our biases towards one side of the argument or another. Some of us will pay a premium for better quality or the perception of it. Some of us will not pay that premium and be happy with something that does the same thing, or at least is believed to do the same thing.
Its the same debate with designer shoes. Shoes, by their very place on our body, can be a plainly functional item. They are the closest contact with the ground, they cushion the repetitive fatigue on our joints and bones, and they keep our little toes warm when its cold out. They are an item that can become dirty and well worn. Yet, why do men and women alike see it fit to pay exorbitant amounts of money to buy premium or designer footwear when another shoe can do the same thing?
The answer isn't so simple. Disregard shoes built for a functional purpose like steel-toe boots or basketball high-tops. While there are premium work boots and premium basketball shoes, these can be worth the money since they have a direct relation to someone's well-being than a shoe made strictly as a fashion or designer item. Imagine telling a construction worker to take a shoe that can't withstand the weight of a dropped brick, or a basketball player to buy a shoe that does not protect him/her from rolling an ankle. Surely these 'needs' are different from wanting to be the first on the block with designer shoes.
Or are they? Maybe not. Ultimately, people will pay a premium for things that will allow them the most success or minimize risk to some aspect of themselves. In this case, its a pair of Jimmy Choos that are valued as keeping up someone's self-image, but it may as well be a BMW or a Gucci bag.
So the question of worth depends on how much someone values what the latest, greatest fashionable shoe does for their image, let alone actually function. We all instinctively place value on things like this or choose to economize and spend the money on other things. This is what capitalism allows us to do, and human nature directs us to do. Expensive or designer shoes are indeed worth it to the people that buy them, because we all define value and and worth on the items we buy.
Learn more about this author, E.P. Ventura.
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No
Definitely not! While buying these designer shoes, you are basically paying for his or her brand name. I am not saying that such shoes are not of good quality, but in most cases they are overpriced. But, there are many people with different tastes so I am not judging anybody. If somebody wants Jimmy Choo's shoes, that is OK with me. But they are too expensive.
There are many fine shoes at reasonable prices that you can afford. Women tend to buy shoes partly because they have a name behind it and they would cash out a fortune for a name. It goes without saying that quality goes hand in hand with such sky-rocketing price, but occasionally this is not the case. You are paying the name. I understand that you want to represent yourself as fashion-conscious if you buy designer shoes. Probably a woman who wears them is sending out the message: Look at me! I am somebody!
On the other hand, there are really wealthy women who buy them naturally. It is their way of life so expensive shoes go with their lifestyle. They know that they are paying too much but they can afford it. It does not automatically mean that expensive shoes are also beautiful. I have seen many examples of such ridiculous shoes with poor design that women wear proudly. They are unaware that they look silly because the shoes are expensive and therefore - beautiful! Again - wrong!
The streets are full of such walking disasters! Sometimes I think that designers are trying to make them as ugly as possible! You can see that in fashion magazines. And not a dead threat would let them admit that the shoes are ugly! Simply because they drag a name underneath!
There are also beautiful shoes that are not expensive as these. This is my world. I am lucky that I want nice shoes but with reasonable, affordable price. I manage to find such a pair of shoes whenever I am looking for something.
We are lucky that there are so many different kinds of shoes for all of us. Everyone can find a nice pair of shoes without robbing a bank!
Very often the price of designer shoes does not live up to your expectations! There is always something you would find over a period of time. It is maybe because we expect too much of a such a pair of shoes, we have to admit it! After all, these are only shoes! Not a miracle worker! We pay a fortune so we want too much of a such a pair of shoes.
In my opinion, whatever you buy, you have to feel comfortable and satisfied with the design. That is the key to the good pair of shoes.
Learn more about this author, aurora97.
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