Review of Alice + Olivia For Payless, Spring 2009
There’s no doubt the economic crisis has cast a dark cloud over the fashion world. But when you hear of designers like Charlotte Ronson and Alexander McQueen pairing up with JC Penney’s and Target, you can help but wonder if there isn’t a silver lining to this economic downpour?
The latest retail chain to jump aboard the guest-designer bandwagon–Payless. Yes, Payless, the store you once wouldn’t be caught dead in is now selling your favorite designers.
At the top of the list– Alice + Olivia.
Known for her bold colors and futuristic designs, Stacey Bendet (the designer behind A + O) has been rocking the fashion scene since her entry.
Her latest collection, which features a number of bright mod-inspired pieces, also includes a line of shoes she created for Payless. (See below)
Unfortunately, these bold moves don’t translate as well into shoes as they do in her clothes. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of her clothing line. However, out of the entire shoe line she created, I only slightly liked two of them.
1) Glam Tennis Shoes: Silver sparkles and snakeskin: I think these are totally fun! These shoes can add some spunk to some boyfriend shorts and a KAIN label white tank. The snakeskin is my favorite. I will go bold on some things, and this is one of them!
2) The Gladiator Heel:I have seen this heel in many different stores. Hermes, Steve Madden and Givenchy all do similar styles. Can you guess which one is made by Alice and Olivia?
Ha-ha, well it may be obvious (answer: A), but for $38 they are a pretty good catch!
Besides the two mentioned above, the line is pretty weak. In fact, I’d like to address some of what I saw, like these pink leopard wedges…
What was she thinking with this pair of pink leopard wedges? Not only do they scream “FREAK”, they look very cheaply made. CAUTION: Do not wear unless it is October 31.
Onto her other wedges…
The green ones are very bold and should only be paired with a very simple outfit. I think I could see my reflection in the silver wedges– not very fashionable.
Her flats were a let down as well. I’ve bought about three pairs of flats from Payless, and these simply didn’t compare. Maybe for a younger crowd, but Alice and Olivia is supposed to appeal to the young adult, being sold at Bloomingdales for nothing less than $100.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with the selection from Alice + Olivia for Payless. Although I found two gems, I think there are a better selection of inexpensive shoes elsewhere. However, I’m still holding out some hope that the best is yet to come. (The Payless website says “full” collections arriving May 5th.)
If you get there before I do, please let me know what you think. Send an email to Jess@ineedprettythings.com I’d love to hear what you all think.
Your gal,
Jess