Do you follow Andrea Cheong on Instagram or TikTok? If you don’t, you should. She has become the trusted and approachable authority in an arena that many find daunting to step into—sustainable fashion. On her platforms, Andrea breaks it down into easily digestible, bite-size pieces of information to arm you with more sensible shopping tactics. With her wealth of knowledge and very good taste, we just had to knock on her virtual door. In this month’s column, she shares with us the best-quality pieces from Massimo Dutti this season. Read on to discover her picks.
Some of the hottest footwear trends are actually best found secondhand, if you know what to look for. And after reading this, you will. Shoes can be a challenging category to shop preloved but it’s a high risk and high reward kind of game. Most of the time, when they go to resale, they don’t retain anywhere near their original price. It can be good news for shoppers looking for specific styles, there are tons of great value finds to be discovered on resale platforms like eBay, Vestiaire Collective, Vinted and Depop.
But before we get into it, one thing to note. Flaws are fine but it depends which ones. Damage to shoes is more or less expected, especially if the product listing doesn’t describe it as ‘new with box’ or ‘never worn before’. Some flaws are acceptable – for example, a scuff on real leather (patent leather is a no no, it’s very difficult to restore) can be fixed if you’re willing to pay for it. Leather soles are extremely common with designer shoes and often, these need resoling. This is still more affordable than buying a brand new pair outright. You may even come across listings of shoes that have a rubber sole attached to them – don’t be put off, the seller has saved you the trouble! However, issues that are irreversible or would require a specialist to resolve, such as yellowing on plastic shoes, water damage, stretched out shoes (if leather, water and a hairdryer may do the trick but can only go so far), split soles that happen frequently with poor quality plastic moulds or bubbling/ puckering on the surface aren’t ideal finds, no matter how good you think the deal is!
Embellished heels have been having a moment for a long time. Many of the bedazzled styles that have stolen our hearts over the last few seasons have come under heat for simply not lasting very long. One classic shoe that’s both entrenched in pop culture and our wish lists is the Hangisi from Manolo Blahnik. They hit the spot if you’re looking for sparkle and come in a rainbow spectrum of colours. One of the best places to find them are on Vestiaire Collective, where they sell for around half or sometimes less than its near £1000 retail price.
This versatile and possibly one of the most comfortable shoe trends we’ve seen in a while, will always have a place in my wardrobe. They’re also a really great option to search for secondhand, especially if you’re looking for quality over the latest seasonal trend. Pretty Ballerinas, French Sole and Repetto are brands known for their long-standing collections of ballet flats and there are plenty of classic styles up for resale. Chanel is a coveted name in the world of chic slip-ons. Fabric based versions come with a more economical price tag but are also harder to clean. It may not always be worth it if you’re not on first name terms with your local cobbler!
If there’s one shoe trend that my 5’1 self is thrilled about it’s the pointed mule, which is so flattering for elongating silhouettes. It’s also a staple of the 90’s and early 2000’s, where Prada reigns in the secondhand market. From classic leather, eyelets to patterned, the aesthetic is to embrace the vintage vibe, so take your pick. Going second hand with this style is definitely the way to go, with full priced designer pairs from the likes of Amina Muaddi retailing for around £600 and upwards. They’re cute, but vintage is cuter.
Next Up: Shoes Are My Specialist Subject—11 Pairs That Are Key This Year
