Review: Jean-Michel Cazabat Viena Bootie.

[Warning: Pic-heavy post.]    

from Saks.com

      I have been absolutely OBSESSED with these booties since they first appeared on Shopbop about a month or so ago. They seemed to be the perfect little bootie for fall: A wedge that is not too high so that I can wear them commuting to and from work, but still had enough of a heel to give a little height and some sex appeal. The pointed toe gives it an edgy downtown feel and could see myself wearing them for both work and on my off days. I already envisioned them with dozens of outfits--skirts, denim, trousers, you name it. 

     The original price is $245, which I found a bit hard to swallow given that I need to keep a close eye on my spending. But I managed to snag this bootie for $134 after an 20% Amazon discount for subscribing to their handbag and shoe emails, plus a $63 rewards card.  I really couldn't contain myself when my concierge handed me my package. I tore the box open in anticipation of being blown away. When I slipped on the boot and looked in the mirror, I thought, mmmmm....I'm not sure. 

     I hate it when that happens.

      The suede is beautiful, and bootie is sharp-looking. The problem was the height of the shaft which just seemed to cut my leg line in an unflattering way...although, I suppose that is true of almost all booties.

      Here are some IRL photos of the bootie itself:

Yes, they also come with the cute heart inserts:

      The breakdown:

Quality: The suede looks to be pretty durable. If anything, it needed a little brushing to get the specks of dust and lint that was clinging to it. The sole is made of leather and the upper has patent trim. The seams look well put together and I don't see any glue residue. 

Comfort: The wedge is 3" high on a size 6, which is a very comfortable height, at least for me. I can walk forever in 3" heels. There isn't an amazing amount of padding, but they aren't hard either. The amount of padding under the footbed is comparable to all my other boots, except my Uggs, of course. I usually insert some winter insoles anyway, so it isn't much of a concern.

Sizing: I wear a size 6 in shoes and sandals, but I almost always go up a half size for boots and booties so I can insert a winter insole and thick socks to keep my feet warm during the cooler weather. With both my socks and the insoles  in, I found them a bit snug initially, but the quickly formed to my feet. I would say that these boots are TTS to a bit large, although on the narrow side. I did also try the 6.5 and there was too much heel slippage for me, so i had stay with the 6.

Look: Such a pretty bootie. But when I started wearing them with outfits, I could not get past the shortened look of the leg. I'm not sure why I'm so concerned with it, it's not like I dont already own several pairs of booties that do exactly the same thing.  Here is a  comparison of the bootie with the J.Crew Emmaleigh dress I last reviewed with a photo with me wearing it with pumps:

   See the difference?

    Here is a photo with me wearing it with denim. I couldn't get the jeans to tuck in the bootie in a flattering way, likely due to my super thin ankles. After several attempts at tucking, folding, bunching, and pulling, I realized that there was probably no way I can tuck pants or jeans into these things (no, leggings are not an option). At the moment, it appears that the only way to get these booties to look right with pants is to wear them a bit cropped like so:

   I could have done a better job than above, but you get the idea.  EDIT: After trying on six different pairs of trousers and jeans, I discovered that being able to tuck in the pant leg or letting it sit over the booties is wholly dependent on the pair of bottoms that I wear. That makes me feel better.

   And here, with tights in my attempt to elongate the leg:

Verdict: Unsure, but leaning towards keeping them.  After basically trying on half my wardrobe with them, keep. I just love them. They are a bit more difficult to style than I had originally anticipated. I really thought they could go with just about anything without much effort, but in reality it appears they require a bit of work, but that's OK. I also wish the booties didn't shorten the look of my legs, but I think that is something that can't really be avoided unless you find a bootie with a dip in the front. If you want to try these boots and see how they work for you, check them out here. They also come in a pretty Walnut color.

 What do you think about the booties? Does a shortened leg line influence your buying choices or am I just dwelling on a non-issue?