The Great Balenciaga Boot Quest

I am about the farthest thing from a brand whore that you can possibly think of. I obsessively FOLLOW designer fashion, yes, but if I can get a knock off for a fraction of the price I would pay for designer, I scoop it up. I'm addicted to Asian wholesale websites (despite their "one size fits Asian" sizing charts), and have acquired some amazing shoes and jewelry from them and eBay over the years.

Because of my obsessive bargain shopping (and the fact that I am a perpetually broke professional writer!), I have a really hard time EVER paying full price for clothes, no matter how badly I want them. I know if I go to Crossroads or thrift stores I can find something roughly like what I'm wishing for if I search hard enough, and there's no feeling quite so delicious as something awesome for a good bargain.

Back in 2006 when the above Balenciaga bootie was released, I felt myself frothing rabidly at the mouth for it. It had everything I've ever wanted in a shoe: a unique shape, textures, buckles, and punk rock attitude. I had a major boner for these shoes, but there was no way I could justify a price tag closer to 1k than 100... and even if I could, I would have had to have lived hand to mouth for about three months to manage it. I knew if I waited long enough, knock offs would happen.

Well, they finally did, in the form of the Sam Edelman Zoe boot which showed up on NastyGal.com a couple of months ago. I juggled back and forth if I wanted to spend $198.00 on a pair of shoes (by far the most I'd have EVER paid for shoes, ever) and by the time I had made up my mind to take the plunge they were out in my size. Ugh. (I wear a size 9 - I'm still debating on trying the 8.5 or the 9.5, which they still have in stock)

Then YESTERDAY I was poking around one of my favorite questionable but cheap Asian wholesale websites, Milanoo.com, and I FOUND THEM. I found my heart jump into my throat - literally. I felt excited in the way a teenage girl feels when she see Justin Bieber tweet back at her. I was almost crying when I frantically clicked on the link and went to select a size, already imagining the outfits I would wear these shoes I have been lusting after for SIX YEARS with. The sizes stopped at size 8. I scrolled desperately, hoping there had been some sort of mistake. Then I emailed Milanoo, begging them to find a way to get me a size bigger. They responded in broken english that they cannot fulfill my request.

I know it's stupid to be utterly gutted over a pair of shoes, but I am. I want these shoes like how I wanted the Pikachu Gameboy Color when I was little. I want these shoes the same way I want unicorns to be real. But 198 dollars is two days of work for me, and I'm just not quite sure if I can bring myself to do it.

Does anyone know anywhere else to get knockoffs that are 100 or less? Ones that actually come in my size? Have you ever had this sort of desperation over an article of clothing?