Usually, when we see a lust-worthy footwear style on the runway, we're forced to wait anywhere from four to six months for it to be mass produced and unveiled at a retail store. Just look at Christian Siriano's collection for Payless and how the footwear styles seen on the runway are modified and made more practical (not to mention cost efficient) before their official launch. There's a certain delayed gratification that accompanies this mandatory waiting period, but sometimes it can seem unbearable. Fortunately, lovably eccentric, perpetually cartwheeling designer Betsey Johnson is rescuing all of us antsy runway oglers from being exiled into footwear limbo.
On February 14, Johnson staged her Fall 2011 runway show in New York City, showcasing both her higher-priced "Black Tag" line (worn by models in Pulp Fiction-esque, black, bob-style wigs with straight bangs) and her new "Pink Patch" line, consisting of pieces for girls with "real" body types and bank accounts (all pieces are priced under $100). To accentuate the accessibility of the Pink Patch line, the featured looks were modeled by Betsey Johnson's own employees rather than trained models, all of whom donned layered blond wigs. In true Betsey Johnson form, both lines incorporated tattoo-worthy floral prints, a plethora of animal prints, and '80s-era Madonna lace accents. Even the accessories celebrated Johnson's girls-just-wanna-have-fun ethos — particularly the peep-toe booties shown here. One of our favorite moments, in fact, involved a model carrying a bouquet of red flowers while donning a long-sleeved, slightly sheer, scoop-neck, leotard-like, leopard print top and a matching flouncy skirt worn over sheer leopard print leggings and paired with a red-and-black, linen-and-lace, corseted necklace and the above-pictured lace-up boots in a matching red shade. Throughout the show, the boots kept resurfacing, popping up in shades ranging from black to purple and olive green, styled with a flipped-down tongue or laced all the way to the top, worn over flashy leggings or on bare, perfectly polished feet.
Since making their runway debut, the Lizzzy-L booties, a collaboration between Betsey Johnson and Steve Madden, frolicked over to SteveMadden.com, where they'll be available for a limited time only. Yes, chicas, they're in stores right now — talk about instant gratification!
Available in gray, crimson, orchid, olive, or black, the Lizzzy-L bootie features linen uppers, black laces, a one-inch platform, a 4.5-inch heel, a cheeky peep toe, and a semi-circle cut-out along the heel counter adorned with a curtain-like layer of ruffled black lace.
And while it may be an ankle-length, lace-up style, this is no granny boot — well, unless, we're talking about the hippest, most rock-n-roll grandma out there, one like Johnson herself!
Steve Madden x Betsey Johnson Lizzzy-L Boots, $249.95. Available at SteveMadden.com
