Own a Fabulous Pair of Designer Shoes

“And then, something inside me snapped: I was doing it. Emily burst into applause. I closed my eyes as I handed over my debit card, hand shaking. The salesman swiped it like a sword being drawn for battle. How does one breathe again? He handed me my new shoes, all wrapped up in the beautiful Dries Van Noten box, with a giant smile. I exhaled for the first time in 20 minutes. Those booties were all mine—I’d never felt so alive!!!”

“But there they were, the most beautiful boots I’d ever seen. “Dries Van Noten,” the salesman cooed, watching me quiver with joy as I ran my fingers across the funky iridescent stitching. I tried to play it cool, stealing a glance at the price sticker, but I lost all control of facial expression when I saw the number. And then I realized that this number was the markdown price—a 70 percent discount from the original four-figure cost. Emily told me to try them on anyway. [...] I slipped them on, audibly sighing. They were dreamier than any man, ever.”