"It" Shoes & The Clones We Love

You’ve seen them. You love them. They’re the trendsetting shoes you can’t afford but have to have. Lucky for us, this hysteria-inducing footwear has caused a slew of stylish knockoffs for us everyday fashionistas to enjoy.

First off, the Isabel Marant Otoway boot. The WSJ devoted an entire article to this shoe in January, and months later, the craze is still going strong. The Rosegold Studded Boots ($275) are an uncanny imitation, and we also like Aldo’s version (on sale, $79.98).

We have to give MK Olsen some credit for the Balenciaga ankle boot craze. Even now she continues to be photographed in them all over NYC. Besides the Sam Edelman replicas ($344.95), we weren’t able to find any other brands that made similar shoes. Perhaps it’s because stores keep assuming they’ll go out of style soon, since the originals were from Balenciaga’s Fall ‘06 collection. Not so – these ankle boots have had serious staying power.

The most recent addition to the “it” shoe family? The Chanel Spring 2010 clogs. There are too many imitators to count – Jeffrey Campbell alone makes two versions (the Charli, $148, and the Karl, $135).

Do you long for “it” shoes or opt for styles that aren’t embraced by the masses?