I've spent full days going through the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale inventory. As a personal stylist, I create wishlists and Uber Wishlists for my clients on a regular basis. Each consists of a list of pieces that fill a need for my client right now. Uber Wishlists (20-30 items) are a one time purchase whereas wishlists (8-10 items) are available individually or on a subscription basis. The beauty of each list is that it takes into account my client's lifestyle, budget, personal style, body type AND the pieces she already owns. After all, why start from scratch when you already have a closet filled with pieces. 

While wishlists allow me to recommend pieces from a wide variety of retailers, the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale and Anniversary are times when clients specifically request items from the sale. So, I've been living on the Nordstrom site. 

And, during this adventure I've discovered something thrilling. Nine West is channeling Mercedes Castillo. Seriously. If you haven't heard of Mercedes Castillo, let's start there. The brand is fashion forward, inventive, playful. Mercedes Castillo shoes are often a piece of art. You could just sit in your closet and stare at them. They also tend to run around the $300+ pricepoint, which isn't accessible for everyone. 

However, the good people at Nine West have caught onto this innovative approach and are effectively knocking off the brand and a number of others. The Nine West versions tend to cost a third of the price or so. Of course, the quality isn't the same. But, if you are looking for a fun summer shoe that realistically can only be worn a few months out of the year, this might just be the place you skimp. 

I'm including a few options I'm loving from designers like Prada, United Nude and Mercedes Castillo along side Nine West options. Happy shopping.