Beyond Excited - Design Your Own Shoes

I am BEYOND excited. I love shoes. Beautiful, beautiful shoes. I could have them as ornaments or pieces of art on my walls. I'd have shoes everywhere if husband didn't reign me in where possible. I have a shoe keyring, a shoe fund money tin, display cabinets, shoe shaped bracelet charms... OK you get the picture!

I'm also a collector of all manner of shoes - from Barratt's to Blahnik and everything in between, I don't discriminate! If I like a shoe, I like a shoe. I can't even describe what it is about a shoe that I know will make me fall for it. I AM a sucker for a peeptoe and a smooth silhouette but other than that I can't say for sure if I'll like a shoe by a description I need to see the full thing to see if I like it - the heel shape, the toe, the fabric, the cut... I just can't put it into words but thankfully Mr Louboulush has picked up a knack for knowing what sort of shoe I'd go for and bless his cottons, he can spot a fake designer shoe at 20 paces (he's a keeper ;) )

For the last few months, my passion has admittedly waned slightly. Maybe I've been a bit overkill in my collection. Maybe I've been a bit put out at how expensive some of my favourites are getting and how so many fake designer shoes have flooded into the market. So what could get me more excited about shoes after all these years of shoe lusting? An uber bargainous pair of designer shoes in my size going for a song on eBay? Another pair of beautiful Valetino's in my size at my local TK Maxx? Well yes, I can't deny I'd be pleased with that...

But no, this time it's something a little bit different. It's something I've always dreamed of - being able to purchase a pair of shoes I have designed/customised myself (not just adding the odd rhinestone or bit of glitter myself)! I remember the days of design your own Timberland boots years ago (does anyone else??) and the excitement of finding http://www.styleshake.com/ where you can design your own clothes and get them made. None of these were as exciting as finding http://www.upperstreet.com/ though.

Here shoes start at £180 (plus delivery) and you have lots of options in terms of style, colour, material and embellishments. Some of the fabrics look stunning and satin swatches can be purchased for £1 each plus delivery. As the shoes are custom made - taking about 6 weeks - they cannot be returned but will be altered for free if they do not fit. There is quite a comprehensive list of information on the website (can't see anything about whether the more exotic materials are imitation or not though, presumably not as it doesn't say otherwise...)

So they aren't particularly cheap but I cannot tell you how many times I have had an outfit to wear and find it impossible to find matching shoes for it. Typically I could end up with 3 or 4 pairs of "maybe shoes" for it and end up with none of them matching perfectly and pulling on a pair of other faithful classics instead. The idea that I could get my perfect style of shoe - Ms Platform Peeptoe, I'm looking at you! - in a comfortable fabric with the perfect colour combo has very nearly blown my mind.

The shoes are quite expensive don't get me wrong, but no more so than I'd say some of the higher end high street stores - Kurt Geiger, LK Bennett etc. If the quality is as good as the theory, I think this could be a real winner... I just need to save up some spendy beans and order something fabulous and report back.

All in the name of research of course :D

What do you think? Have any of you used it or are you as intrigued as I am??

LoubouLush x