Look for Less: Steve Madden Fringe Booties

I'm totally excited to share today's post with you guys because I haven't done a "Look for Less" in AGES.  For those of you who have been following along, you all know that I'm utterly obsessed with my Shoetopia fringe boots - I styled them HERE not too long ago.  How is this relevant, you ask?  Well, I went window-shopping recently, and I saw these Steve Madden booties at the mall.  I couldn't help but notice how similar they were so here we are!

The SM booties (pictured above) are currently selling for $99.99, while my shoes only cost $36.99 + free US shipping.  Since I've worn both pairs, I can give you guys an accurate breakdown.  The differences between the two are small, but let's discuss them anyhow.  Let's start with color! They're both taupe, but as you can see, the SM version is darker.  Obviously that boils down to personal preference, but in my humble opinion, the lighter color's easier to style.  Moving onto heel height, SM's version is 3" high, while Shoetopia's is 3.25" high.  I go with the latter again - since they're equally comfy, I prefer to have the extra quarter inch.  Note: both have side zips.

The main difference lies in the fringe detailing - which you can see clearly in the shot above and below - and material.  The SM version is made of part-suede (the top segment), while Shoetopia's is faux-suede.  Some may actually prefer the latter since it's animal/vegan friendly, and as a plus, there's fur inside for max comfort and warmth.  All in all, I'd go with the "steal."  The design's equally cute and comfy so I can't really justify spending the extra $63.  That's up to you guys though!  Clicky HERE if you'd like the purchase the "splurge" and HERE to cop the "steal."