How many hundreds of times in your life have you picked up shoes, admired their essence, checked out the price and put them (and their essence) right back where they came from?

It’s always been a mystery to me how brands can get away with charging a grand for basic leather shoes. Black. Leather. Plain. It’s crazy. But recently, designers seem to be trying to give us more bang for our buck.

The likes of Prada, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo have gone bananas with shoe embellishments — studs, spikes, zippers, buttons, etc.

Yes, it still feels outrageous to spend $1,000 on shoes. But all the bedazzling makes it slightly easier to stomach. I tried on a pair of particularly blinged-out footwear at Barneys and felt instantly accessorized (I was in a t-shirt and jeans.)

Of course, I could just get a glue gun and a pack of sequins and call it a day…
Photo: Jimmy Choo Karina Heels, $1,295. Courtesy of Jimmy Choo.