You’ve probably noticed that shoes are getting more and more expensive these days. High-end designer shoes have gone from the $400 - $600 range to the $800 - $1,200 range and we couldn’t afford them when they were “cheaper”. Oy! The economy is killing our feet and seriously damaging the shoe dreams dancing through our heads. The Labor Department’s Consumer Price Index shows that footwear rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in October and advanced 3.1%. Women’s footwear has increased 2.2% in 12-month comparisons. We’d prefer the designer version in any case, but when it comes to getting that stiletto high, we’ll take whatever brand we can get. Can you tell the difference between these GUESS by Marciano Women’s Natalia Stappy Gladiator for $167.95 and their designer counterpart from Balmain for $573.60?

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