Knock it Off: 80%20 Vs. Aldo

Remember the company 80%20 I told you about a while back? You know the ones whose design theory was we tend to wear the favorite 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. Well it looks like Aldo has stolen 100% of 80%20’s look with its Schacht boot. I usually think knockoffs are funny, and even sometimes flattering. However this one is just too much. Since I have first come in contact with the 80%20 line ( long before my first post about them) the chunky hidden wedge has been a the heart of the lines designs and for Aldo to blatantly rip it off along with the rest of the boot is kinda over the top. Not to mention that Aldo didn’t knock off these shoes to make them ridiculously affordable to the masses because they originally retailed for $130.00 (now 89.90 on sale) which is only $58.00 dollars cheaper than the 80%20 original. What's even a little more crazy is Amazon actually sales the original boot by 80%20, as well as the knock off from Aldo. All I have to say to Aldo is KNOCK IT OFF! ( top picture 80%20, bottom Aldo courtesy of Amazon.com)

Knock it off: LnA Vs. Royal Bohemian

photo cred: Shop Intuition and Shopbop

Which is the LnA zipper leggings I featured a few months back and which is the Royal Bohemian brand? I honestly have to say I’m not really picking at this Royal Bohemian brand just for the simple fact that I’m still on the fence on the leggings trend. Truth be told, the Royal Bohemian Zipper Legging ( available at shopintuition.com) aren’t as pricey at but are still few bucks. I personally am going to keep waiting until the zipper leggings go on sale or someone else makes a more reasonably priced version hint hint American Apparel.

P.S. bottom = LnA and top = Royal Bohemian

Knock it off: HSN vs. Swarovski

photo cred: HSN and Swarovski

HSN (home shopping network) the home of elastic waist jeans has introduced there Sterling Sliver Bold Faceted Dome Ring. Funny thing is almost a year and a half ago Swarovski Crystal introduced it's Nirvana Ring. Isn’t it striking how similar they are? I actually fell in love with the Swarovski ring as soon as I saw it, but I couldn't bring myself to pay the $240 dollars for it ( with prices like that no wonder you get copied) and wouldn’t be able to walk down the street with a straight face wearing the 79 dollar HSN knockoff no matter how enticing. I’m all for inspired by looks, but this is just taking it way too far shame shame HSN. By the way the picture with the two rings is the HSN version, and the single ring is the Swarovski just in case you wanted to know.

Knock it Off: Giuseppe Zanotti Vs. Everyone and their mother

photo cred: Piperlime and Newport News

Okay so these Sam Edelman Perrin sandals don’t totally “copy” the Giuseppe Zanotti shoes that I wrote about a few weeks ago, but these are pretty damned close. When are we going to stop making what boils down to the same shoe over and over? I can almost tolerate the straight up knock off that Steve Madden made, but this “inspired” look is taking it too far. I guess this one really gets under my skin because in my opinion the flower trend on clothes as well as shoes is one that I can’t wait to go away. It just makes people either look tacky or like someone threw up a garden all over them. Seriously when Newport News (second photo) is getting in on the trend this is when you know you probably shouldn't be wearing it!

Knock it Off: Steve Madden vs. Giuseppe Zanotti

photo cred: Zappos and Steve Madden

Don’t get me wrong I’m not into knockoffs, I wear the real deal or I don’t wear it at all. Actually I typically go to the latter because the real deal prices aren’t justifiable. Case in point Steve by Steven Madden’s BLOSOMMM sandal vs. Giuseppe Zanotti’s Rose Flat. Both shoes have adjustable straps and leather soles and at the end of the day are simply a pair of flat shiny sandals with no real foot support. Yes of course the rose on Steve Madden’s shoe is a little wonky, but seriously other than the thong straps on Zanotti’s being leather there isn’t any great fundamental difference. By the way the multicolored Steve Madden version (pictured) is hideous, but the all black is totally wearable. Now lets get down to business what really sets the shoes apart is the money one is $ 79.95 and the other is $550.00. Again I don’t think knocking off someone’s work is okay, but I also don’t think overcharging for your name, and the fact that a shoe is made in Italy is enough to warrant charging over 6 times more for a product.

P.S. Even Newport News is getting in on the action