When it comes to accessories, every fashion girl falls in one of two camps – shoes or purses. We all love both, but that love is never equal. And as much as I love a beautiful handbag, shoes stole my heart when I was still in Velcro. I’ve never looked back.
I bought my first pair of “designer” shoes in university. The word designer needs to be in quotations in this particular story because they were a truly hideous pair of brown suede Kenneth Cole wedges that cost less than two hundred dollars. But at the time, they felt like an investment – in hindsight, I know they were a wasted one, since I lived in Vancouver at the time. Suede and rain do not mix, which means those shoes never left my closet until I donated them to charity years later.
That was just the beginning for me. My shoe closet is always bursting, and I buy from all kinds of brands at all kinds of price points. But my designer collection has grown over the years to feature some truly fabulous, and even iconic shoes. An iconic shoe comes with an equally impressive price tag, so for anyone who might be considering investing in a particular pair, I’ve decided to share my thoughts on some of my favourites… starting with a pair I bought myself as a birthday gift last year.
Five Inch and Up, my favourite blog about shoes, recently called Jimmy Choo’s Bing mules a future classic. I couldn’t agree more. The style is only a few years old – if I’m not mistaken, it debuted as part of the 2019 Cruise collection – but it’s already a firm favourite among shoe lovers everywhere.
For me personally, there were two things about the Bing mules that really pulled me in. The first was the fact that they come in a patent leather finish that somehow doesn’t look over-the-top. Patent shoes are tricky – but the Bings pair perfectly with a great pair of jeans and never look fussy, despite the crystal-embellished strap which, on any other shoe, would scream New Year’s Eve.
The second was the fact that they are, well, a mule, not a slingback or traditional heel. I love the ease of slipping on a pair of mules, but so many of them are flat. Don’t get me wrong, a great pair of flats is an essential in every wardrobe. But when I’m buying special shoes, flats are not, and never will be, what I’m looking for – at 5’2″, the only statement I can make in flats is, “Look, I stopped growing when I was in seventh grade!”
I’ve owned my Jimmy Choo Bings – not my first pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, but the only pair I’ve loved enough not to resell – for about a year now. They’ve been on heavy rotation ever since, often worn in my apartment just because lockdown is not a reason to give up on fabulous footwear. I’ve worn them as casually as can be, and dressed them way up, too. I truly can’t imagine ever tiring of them.
If you’re considering adding a pair of Bings to your shoe collection, these are the things you really need to know.
Fabrics: Patent, glitter, mesh, plexi, suede
Colours: Black, ballet pink, red, linen, dark blush, clear, leopard
Heel heights: Flat, 65 mm and 100 mm
Sizes: 34 – 45 EU/4 – 15 US
Price: $1050 to $1375 CAD from jimmychoo.com, but many other retailers offer more competitive prices for Canadian shoppers – I bought my Bings from Farfetch for $1115 CAD, including duties and taxes.
