Splurge or Save? Nordstrom VS Target

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Splurge: Marc Fisher EspadrillesSave: A New Day Mules

So I was looking through my shoes the other day, when I realized that about 50% of them came from Nordstrom, and 50% of them came from Target. I either splurge on a pair from Nordstrom, or get a great deal on a pair from Target! I thought it would be a lot of fun to compare some shoes that are currently available from each retailer, and see what dupes I could find!

Not surprisingly, I found quite a few shoes at Target that were very similar to pairs found at Nordstrom. Target is basically the queen of dupes. Here are a few of the pairs I found!

Platform Espadrilles

The espadrilles of the summer! This was one of the most popular styles last spring, and summer. It’s sure to be back in this year’s top spot as well. These Marc Fisher wedges (a favorite of mine, check out my Spring shoe roundup to read more) will cost you $159.95. Their Target dupes are basically identical, and only cost $32.99!

Pearl Slides

My second pair are black slides, embellished with pearls. The first pair are Miu Miu, available at Nordstrom. They retail for a whopping $775! The dupe on sale at Target is part of their “A New Day” line, and they are available for only $22.99!

Perforated Bootie

Next up is a perforated bootie. The first pair is by Vince Camuto. They retail for $139.95. Their dupe is by Target’s Merona line, and is on sale for just $17.48.

Loafers

Both pairs of these loafers look extremely similar! The brand of the Nordstrom pair is “Me Too”. They are sold for $89.95. The brand of the Target pair is “A New Day”, and they are just $22.99.

Woven Mules

These woven mules are a fun twist on a classic shoe, and perfect for summer styles! The Nordstrom pair is by Kristin Cavallari, and are priced just below $100, at $99.95. The Target pair is by one of their newest brands, Universal Thread. They are sold for $24.99!

White Booties

You can hardly tell these gorgeous white booties apart! The same can’t be said for their prices, however. The Nordstrom Pair were designed by Alexandre Birman, and will set you back a whopping $695. Their Target dupes are again, part of the A New Day line. They are one of the more “expensive” pairs of shoes from Target, at $37.99.

Birkenstocks

Ok, who doesn’t love having a comfortable pair of Birks to stroll around in during the summer? I’ve had mine for a couple years now, and I wear them 24/7 as soon as it’s warm enough. I even walked in them all over Disneyland, 14 miles worth of walking to be exact! The name brand Birks available at Nordstrom are currently priced at $99.95.  Their Target counterparts are made by the brand “Mad Love”. They are priced at $22.99.

White Loafers

If I had $680 to spend on a pair of white Gucci loafers, I would be all over these. Their $22.99 dupes by A New Day, are much more my speed. I would probably scuff them, or step in a muddy puddle the first time I wore them anyways.

Western Style Booties

Ok, this is one of my favorite dupes I found. Both booties have a cool pattern that is very very very similar. The Nordstrom pair is by Vince Camuto, and are currently 40% off, at $89.96! Target’s Universal Thread pair are only $34.99, and that’s not even on sale!

Block Heel Sandal

A classic heeled sandal is a good staple to have in your wardrobe. The Kenneth Cole New York pair from Nordstrom is priced at $129.95. The Target dupe, once again from the A New Day brand, are only $24.99!

Rainboots

The last pair I found were these little rainboots. Living in the Seattle area, rainboots are easily an essential! The Nordstrom pair were by Sam Edelman, and were actually only $54.95. Not a bad price if you live somewhere with a lot of rain. The A New Day boots at Target were a little under half of that price, coming in at $24.99!

Overall…

I hope you’ve enjoyed these comparisons! One thing that I like to keep in mind when shoe shopping, is comfort over everything else While a pair of shoes might be extremely affordable, if they aren’t comfortable they’ll never leave your closet. I would rather splurge, and spend $100 on a pair of shoes that I know I will wear repeatedly, than waste $25 on an uncomfortable pair that I will never wear. Take the Marc Fisher wedges I posted first for example. They were more on the pricy side at $159.95, but they are so insanely comfortable that they are well worth that price. They are by far my favorite wedge/heel to wear, just because I know I will be comfortable in them all day long! Birkenstocks are another example of this. As I said eariler, I’ve probably walked hundreds of miles in my Birks over the years. I bought them for $80 (thank you, Nordstrom employee discount), and have easily gotten my money’s worth from them. They show no signs of wearing out, which might have happened had I bought a cheaper pair.

That being said, I still love Target’s shoes, and have found so many great pairs that are comfortable, and long lasting. The oldest pair of shoes I have are actually a pair of sandals that I bought from Target during HIGH SCHOOL.

Thanks for reading, and happy shoe shopping!