There is a huge difference between inexpensive and expensive shoes. How to understand how well the pair you are planning to buy is made and whether it is worth the money they are asking for it
There is a difference whether you plan to spend $100, $200 or $500. Because cost is not an indicator of quality. For example, brands such as Prada, Armani, Hugo Boss and others automatically put a higher price tag on their products, taking into account the popularity of the brand, but not the quality or design of the shoes. At the same time, shoes from less famous and well-known manufacturers of the same quality are often sold much cheaper. Even among inexpensive shoe manufacturers, quality can vary greatly.
There are those who prefer sports or casual shoes and do not want to spend money on formal shoes. Others simply don't see the difference between cheap and expensive.
The only way to understand what quality pair of shoes you are going to buy is to understand the issue before purchasing. Here are a few signs of low-quality shoes for different price segments.
Shoes for $100.
Seams. The first characteristic to avoid is fake seams. Most pairs in this price segment will be distinguished by the presence of a decorative element in the form of a seam on the welt. It is no coincidence that manufacturers add this element. It is typical for expensive shoes and is used on cheap ones precisely for the purpose of misleading you. The sole of such shoes is glued to the top. This is a cheap and unreliable method, so imitation of the seam should create the appearance of reliability for this design. With a high degree of probability, the glue will dry out within a year or two, and you will be forced to regularly re-glue the sole. Very soon the appearance of the shoes will deteriorate, and the most reasonable solution would be to throw them away.
Sole. Sometimes the imitation seam is also noticeable on the sole. Don't be deceived. Take a closer look. The sole may look like leather at first glance, but most likely it is a composite material that is simply meant to look like leather. In fact, it's rubber. Most often, when producing shoes in this price segment, an imitation leather sole is used or the sole is simply rubber. Even if you find shoes with leather soles, they will be of poor quality and will wear out much faster than more expensive shoes.
The first hallmark to avoid is fake seams
Details.$100 shoes often try to imitate the details found on a more expensive pair. But this is done quite crudely. For example, on Johnston & Murphy shoes you will find a seam at the top of the sole. If you look closely, it turns out to be a rubber sole with an imitation injection molded seam. Thus, the manufacturer is trying to deceive you by counterfeiting details typical of shoes in a higher price segment.
Low quality leather. Typically, leather is a fairly expensive material, so in order to sell shoes for $100, you need to make them from cheap materials. This means that second or third grade leather is used to produce such shoes. This leather is sanded and coated with pigment to hide its imperfections. A new pair may look good enough, but as soon as you put them on, they will wrinkle and the pigment will age very unsightly. Over time, it is knocked out of the skin structure, revealing defects that it was supposed to hide.
From small pieces.$100 shoes are often made from a lot of parts sewn together. This happens for several reasons. The low cost of labor in Asia, where such shoes are produced, allows manufacturers to save on the amount of time spent and at the same time use all the purchased leather down to the smallest trim. Seams are often uneven, and perforations and small details are unnecessary.
Unaligned pads. In this price segment, shoes will have a large and square toe, wide overall to accommodate any type of foot. Usually, the last (the shape of the shoe) is one of the signs that reveals the quality of your shoes. You will never find expensive men's shoes with a universal last that suits any type of foot.
Soft interior. The leather on cheap shoes is very hard and unyielding. Manufacturers are forced to add soft padding to make these shoes suitable for walking. When you put on your shoes, they may seem soft and comfortable, but soon the soft lining will wear out and you'll be left with hard leather.
Limited selection of colors. Besides all of the above, you are very limited in your color choices. You can choose black, brown or light brown. And it's all.
Total. $100 shoes are made from cheap materials and won't last more than a year or two. Then you throw them away.
Shoes costing from $200 to $400
The next step up the price range are shoes made from a wide range of materials and manufacturing methods. Since there is too much variation in quality in this segment - some representatives are overpriced and it is better to take a closer look at the shoes.
First of all, pay attention to the skin. Price is not a good indicator of quality. In this price segment, there is a chance of overpaying for the manufacturer's name, but getting shoes made from low-quality materials. At the same time, in the same price segment there are shoes made from excellent materials. An excellent example is the shoes of the American manufacturer Allen Edmonds. At end-of-season discounts, a pair of shoes from this manufacturer can be purchased for about $250. And it's a great deal considering the high quality of materials and workmanship. This also includes the Santoni brand.
$500 shoes.
Comfort. You'll likely end up wearing these shoes longer (or maybe just have them stretched), but they're made entirely of leather. This means that your feet will stomp less. And the soles of these shoes have a cork cushion. It's soft and springy, so even if you're on your feet all day, it won't be a painful day.
Leather quality. The pores of the leather are not clogged during painting, resulting in a beautiful material that develops a unique patina and looks better over time. Some shoes in this price range are hand-painted, creating a unique, one-of-a-kind design. The lining of the shoes is also made of genuine leather.
Pads for toes and heels. On high quality shoes they are made of leather. On cheap shoes they are often plastic.
Appearance. Typically, shoes with a price tag of over $500 look sophisticated and elegant. Their last is precisely calibrated and will look good for many years after purchase.
Details. The perforation is more accurate, and overall the shoes look “cleaner.”
But at the same time, shoes that cost more than $500 also vary greatly in quality. Let's say the high end Santoni is a great shoe. The same can be said about Bontoni, Stefano Bemer, Church’s, Carmina. These manufactories do not give up a centimeter in the struggle for the quality of their shoes. But there are also those who skimp on details, which means that the shoes are no longer worth the money that the manufacturer charges.
Therefore, pay attention not only to the cost. Try to understand what quality of shoes is hidden behind a particular manufacturer's name. Having a basic understanding of how and what shoes are made from, you can buy really worthwhile things. Before you pay for a pair of shoes, ask yourself a few security questions: what quality is the leather, how is it dyed, what kind of sole is on these shoes, how are they made, what am I paying for in this particular case.
In this article, we will not consider the question of how to distinguish real shoes from fakes, but will consider how expensive branded sneakers differ from Chinese consumer goods. And when it’s worth overpaying for a company, and when not.
Comfort of shoes
We can firmly say that comfortable shoes can be for 300 rubles or 5,000. It is important that you do not experience the slightest discomfort when purchasing. Otherwise, the very first run will turn into the torment of the little mermaid, from the work of the same name.
The most common problem with shoes is calluses. Choosing the wrong sneakers will guarantee you them. And there is no difference in price or quality. If you rush into a purchase, rushing for a discount or beauty, and buy shoes that don’t suit your feet, your feet will feel uncomfortable in either expensive or cheap sneakers.
Sometimes new shoes do not fit so well that pain in the ankle joints begins to appear.
The main thing to understand is that first of all you need to look not at the price, but at how the sneaker sits on your foot. Get dressed, walk around the store, jump, if possible, run a few meters. You shouldn't notice that you're wearing shoes. This is the feeling that should arise when making a choice. And here it often happens that price and convenience are not directly proportional.
Therefore, the comfort of shoes does not depend on price. Except when the sneakers are made to order.
Quality and strength
At this point, it’s hard to disagree that branded sneakers are much stronger and more reliable than their Chinese counterparts. Here, too, you need to understand that it’s not about the price, but about the manufacturer. Because buying Chinese sneakers for 5 thousand rubles, which the seller will pass off as real, will also not turn out to be anything good for you.
Branded sneakers can withstand loads many times greater than regular cheap ones. You will feel this when you start running regularly. For example, Chinese sneakers costing from 300 to 1000 rubles are usually “killed” in 2-3 months. And branded ones can last a couple of seasons. Of course, depending on the regularity of training and the running surface, the figure may differ, but if we take the average, then branded ones usually last 4-5 times longer than Chinese ones.
And here the question arises, which is more profitable, because branded ones are 10 times more expensive. Here you need to look at your financial capabilities. If you have the money to buy real Nike or Adidas sneakers, then go ahead and buy them – you won’t go wrong. If not, then take cheap Chinese ones. For one year you will have to buy 2-4 pairs, but their cost is so low that it is still several times cheaper than one pair of branded ones.
The only problem is that every time you have to look for and choose new sneakers for your feet. And this is not the easiest task.
Appearance
Buying fashionable felt boots is not the same thing as buying new fashionable sneakers. Valenki are initially comfortable shoes. And you don’t need to run in it, so you can buy simply by size and type.
With running shoes, things are much more complicated. People often buy for the appearance of shoes, forgetting about their quality, comfort and price.
As mentioned above, first of all, the sneaker must fit perfectly on the foot, only after that you can think about its appearance.
If you are going to run in sneakers and not walk, then do not focus on appearance. Most modern sneakers have very beautiful designs.
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How many times have you, like Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's, licked your boots from well-known brands? But when they saw the price, they closed their eyes and ran to the store near their house for simpler shoes? So, perhaps you not only didn’t make a mistake, but also won...
The enormous research work of Roskachestvo experts refutes old beliefs: they say you can’t save on shoes! So, we need to answer...
So, what did you find out?
Photo by Getty Images
Chinese shoes are of high quality
Let's start with the fact that 30 brands of men's shoes made of genuine leather from the most popular brands in Russia were selected for laboratory testing, including Ralf Ringer, Pazolini, Pierre Cardin, Chester, Ecco, Francesco Donni, Geox, Mascotte, Baldinini, Rieker, "Paris Commune", Salamander, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Marks&Spencer, Aldo, Zenden and Tomas Munz.
Let’s immediately make a reservation that five of the tested specimens were produced in Russia, 11 in China, four in Italy, three in Germany, two in India, two in Portugal and, finally, one sample each from Cambodia, Romania and Turkey.
Bravo! No toxic shoes found
Roskoshestvo tested all shoes for toxicity, quality of tailoring, flexibility, strength, deformation, and also found out whether they were really made of genuine leather.
Bravo! No toxic shoes were found, and all shoes turned out to be genuine leather. And yet, four brands of shoes are recognized as high-quality goods. And here the palm branch is held by such brands as Paris Commune (made in Russia), Zenden (China), Hugo Boss (Germany), Clarks Tilden Plain (India).
Photo by Getty Images
And then the heel... flew off!
Various types of inconsistencies were identified in only 11 cases out of 30. Experts’ comments are mostly related to the quality of tailoring, fastening of the sole and heel, color fastness of the lining and flexibility...
Now attention! The heels of the two most expensive brands - Baldinini and Aldo - are less durable than required. Also, the sole of Ionessi, Francesco Donni, Alessio Nesca, Chester and Calipso is not well attached.
The strongest seams of the upper parts are found in samples of Freccia by Tervolina, Pazolini, Chester, “Paris Commune”, Zara, and the weakest in comparison with the analogues presented in the study are found in Francesco Donni, Ralf Ringer, s. Oliver, Pierre Cardin and TJ Collection. The lightest boots were a pair of Ralf Ringer, and the heaviest were Tomas Munz.
Photo by Getty Images
Expensive shoes are also painted
Eight pairs under the brands Baldinini, Pazolini, Chester, Salamander, Calipso, Ralf Ringer, Ionessi and Pierre Cardin have dyed linings. However, the latter, according to experts, is a sore point for many manufacturers.
However, the experts themselves rushed to defend these brands. As it turns out, it is normal for the lining to be painted.
“If the lining of shoes stains socks and feet, this does not mean the manufacturer used cheap, low-quality paint. The fact is that the sweat secreted by the feet destroys the dyes. Shoemakers have been dealing with the problem of color perspiration for a long time, but so far it has not been solved,” says Alexandra Andrunakievich, General Director of the Russian Union of Tanners and Shoemakers.
And finally, during the study, the myth about the naturalness of the so-called eco-leather, often found in the vocabulary of shoe sellers, was dispelled.
“Eco leather”, “pressed”, “collagen leather” is just a marketing ploy, synthetic materials that do not have the properties of leather. This is a deception of buyers that needs to be fought,” says Andrunakievich. According to her, good leatherette for shoes, of course, exists, but it is quite expensive and is used in expensive shoes.
If you consider yourself an avid fashionista, then it's time to talk about shoes. It's no secret that one of the important attributes of a complete beautiful look is shoes! Women should be able to choose elegant shoes, comfortable sneakers, and sandals made of quality materials so that their feet can breathe. But what about pricing policy?
Of course, shoes should not be cheap, because the price often hides the guarantee of quality. And yet, can you guess which of these pairs of shoes is more expensive, the first or the second? Don't rush to read the description under the pictures if you don't want to find out the answers ahead of time!
1. Where does it shine more?
The first pair from Topshop costs $71, but the second pair costs much more! Marni brand - $1370.
2. Playing with colors
Under number 1 are shoes from the famous Christian Louboutin brand - $675. The second pair is the “Go Jane” brand - $17.
3. Sports high cost
Shoe 1 from the Vans brand costs $55, and shoe 2 from the world famous brand Dolce & Gabbana costs $2375!
4. Wild West?
The first shoe from Saint Laurent costs $995, which makes it more expensive than the second option, which belongs to the Lulu brand and costs $36.
5. Which black looks more convincing?
Shoes number 1 are from the Dsquared2 brand and cost $1,655. Shoes number 2 are Forever 21 for $35.
6. Ease in everything
The first option from Giuseppe Zanotti costs $550, and the second from River Island costs $100.
7. Is simplicity the key to price?
Tabitha Simmons' first shoe costs $545! The second one is from Sole Society and costs $70.
8. Will you choose red?
The first elegant sandals belong to the Paul Andrew brand and cost as much as $980! The second option belongs to the QUPID brand and costs only $39.
9. Do they seem strange to you too?
The first option again belongs to the legendary Dolce & Gabbana brand and costs $2395! The second option for $200 is named Maria BK.
10. Amazing wings!
The first option from the Tree CCC brand costs $35. The second option is from the Sophia Webster brand and costs $575.
How many correct answers did you give? If more than 6, then you are a real fashionista and spender!
