Ever wondered whether spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of Manolos buys anything more than a fancy label? Yeah, yeah, we know, Manolos are sexy and stylish. But can shoes from Steve Madden, Nine West, or even Payless come close? To get to the sole of the matter, we had 14 staffers try on a similar pair of black pumps from each (we covered the labels) and asked them which one they thought was the most expensive. Panelists also took a stroll to compare the shoes on fit, flexibility, style, stability, and comfort. Then--are you sitting down?--we cut them to bits to see what they were made of. Here's what the expert in our lab and our panelists reported.


Manolo Blahnik

Price $495
Praise With securely attached heels and cushy leather soles, they were clearly the best made. A heavy metal plate under the arch gave solid support, and high-quality cushioning materials made them feel very comfortable. Many panelists gave them high marks for style; one tester praised the pair's good "toe cleavage."
Complaints Some panelists said their toes felt cramped.





Steve Madden

Price $99
Praise Got the most praise overall for comfort, and tied with the Payless on fit. Our expert said the construction was a notch higher than Nine West's thanks to slightly better leather.
Complaints Our expert said an uneven cut around one heel could have justified an irregular label. The sole is made of synthetic material, and might not hold its fit as long as one made of leather.






Nine West

Price $69
Praise Although the Manolo won for overall best shoe, the Nine West was right on its heels. It eked out the most votes for best style. As one panelist said, "It's definitely the cutest." Many panelists thought it was the most expensive pair.
Complaints Got low marks for stability. Cushioning materials came apart in our hands after we cut the shoes in half.








Fioni (Payless)

Price $20
Praise Although the Payless was the only pair that had no leather whatsoever, it tied with the Madden for best fit. And four panelists gave it top marks for stability.
Complaints It lagged far behind in votes for overall comfort. And because of its all-synthetic materials, it could lose its fit faster. One of our panelists said the shape of the toe box made them look like "witch shoes."