LOOK-ALIKES: The Infamous Cat Smoking Slipper / Smoking Flat / Loafer!

I hope everyone's Sunday is going swimingly. I thought I'd do something a litte more fun and quirky for this edition of Look-Alikes. Every couple years or so I find myself at a website called Urbanog. They have trendy shoes (not so much clothes) for extremely low prices. I wouldn't recommend shopping there if you want truly quality items that will last for years. These shoes will maybe last a season, depending on wear and care. But they're all so cheap I tend to think short shelf life is a reasonable trade off.

Recently, I've noticed the ever-rising popularity of the many-named smoking flat/ smoking slipper / loafer. After browsing the web a bit, I came across these kitschy-chic cat loafers:

British Retro Super Cute Little Cat Boat Flat Shoes, Choies, $116.86

I knew I had seen them before...where was it...ah, yes! The amazingly chic Alexa Chung! She has been photographed (see right) wearing her cat loafers/smoking flats multiple times.

I'm not entirely sure of the brand of her shoes because I've seen at least three high-end designers release very similar-looking shoes. My guess would be the Charlotte Olympia "Kitty Flats," which retail for a whopping 465 British pounds (which means it's even more in American dollars!). They also come in a few different colors and patterns as well.

I personally would never pay that much for a cat shoe that is bound to be so out of trend within a couple years (if that), even as cute as they are (I'm kind of a not-so-closeted cat lady). These are more suited for an Indy-style chick like Alexa, I think. So if you're anything like me, you're admiring the unique-ness of these flats but not really feeling the price (of the British Retro flats OR the outrageously expensive Charlotte Olympia brand OR the Jon Josef G-Cat Loafer here). I present to you an alternative:

Bumper Trinity-01 Embroidered Kitty Loafer Flat, Urbanog, $17.40

Come on, peeps. The shoes don't even cost $20! I was so surprised by the similarity and the price difference! They're practically the same. Yes, you don't get the gold heel and the velvet on the Urbanog loafers, but...THEY DON'T EVEN COST $20!!! I like the fact that the Urbanog loafers are faux leather. To me that says they'll probably hold up better in water. And since it rains about 80% of the year in Eugene, that is an important quality to me. So if you're in the market for a cute pair of shoes that most people don't have, here is an excellent candidate. Happy Sunday, and happy shopping!

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