So I am sure you have by now seen the infamous Marc Fisher Adalyn wedges all over Instagram. And its also likely you have seen the Steve Madden Jaylen dupes as well. But what about the differences besides the price? Which shoe is actually the best for you? Well here is my opinion on the matter and why I, the ultimate bargain hunter, decided to keep the $160 Marc Fisher wedges. (I also included two other types of wedges.)
First and foremost of importance to me is quality. I love bargains but if something is not good quality and I am going to have to replace it soon I take it into consideration. I ordered three pairs (yes three pairs) to try to get a version of the Steve Madden wedge that did not have a flaw in it and every single one did. There were issues in the woven wedge part (numerous in every single pair) and weird discoloration in the suede on two of them. After reading reviews on DSW it seems that some other people have had these problems but not everyone. Granted I also ordered two pairs of the marc fisher and while they were slightly different colors of suede per pair the wedge was not flawed and the suede matched the right and the left shoe perfectly in each pair.
Secondly, the faux leather strap on the Steve Madden wedges was not nearly as comfortable as the real leather strap on the Marc Fisher wedges. To me this was important because I plan on wearing this to a high school graduation, a wedding and to easter so they need to be comfortable enough for all these events. Plus the real suede is more comfortable than the faux suede on the Steve Madden wedges.
Third, I did a little bit of fashion digging and these Marc Fisher wedges have been in for about three summers making them more of an investment piece for me. Even if they are not as popular as they once were in the upcoming years I know that I will still be wearing them come spring/ summer because they are such a classic.
And lastly, I would not be the bargain hunting blonde if I didn’t find a way to get the Marc Fisher wedges at a discount. I received an email from Zappos that I would be getting $25 off if I signed up for their rewards program. So I did that and promptly used the $25 off towards the price of the $160 wedges bringing them down to $135.
| BRAND and STYLE | Marc Fisher Adalyn | Steve Madden Jaylen | Indigo Rd. Airy | Merona- Mala |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICE | $160 | $60 | $69 | $33 |
| SIZING | True to Size | Runs slightly big (I normally need a 10 and the 9.5 was actually the right size for me) | True to Size | Runs small (I normally wear a 10 and had to size up to a 11) |
| PROS | -real leather stap is way more comfortable - way better quality than any of the others so heres to hoping they last longer - suede is great quality - looks the most like the chloe original -more height than the other dupes (which for me is actually a bit of a con but I am a giant) | - very similar to the marc fisher ones - vibrant cognac color | - wedge part was not falling apart/ well constructed - pretty toffee color | - most affordable - cute white stitch detailing |
| CONS | - way more expensive than any of the dupes - already sold out in a lot of places in common sizes | - quality- I ended up going through three different pairs and all of them had flaws in the wedge pair -strap is uncomfortable - weird slit in top of shoe that I assume is to allow your foot to move more but just looks like the elastic will stretch out over time | - well constructed but the materials seem to be of poorer quality then the steve madden | - very uncomfortable (just walking around in them for 5 minutes had the top part of the shoe rubbing a blister on my toe) |
| OVERALL | WINNER. These are my favorite of all 4. The leather strap made them way more comfortable and I found them to be the best craftsmanship. | Not sure if I just got three very bad quality pairs of this shoe but for the $60 price tag I was hoping for better quality. | The toffee is a unique color but in this price range I do think the Steve Madden is a better option | While it is the cheapest option I still think the Steve Madden is the best if your looking for a cheaper option |
| LINK | http://www.zappos.com/p/marc-fisher-ltd-adalyn-natural-suede/product/8743190/color/1758?ef_id=Vpq7EgAAAKc7i2lw:20170320023540:s | https://www.dsw.com/en/us/product/steve-madden-jaylen-wedge-sandal/387593 | https://www.macys.com/shop/product/indigo-rd.-airy-wedge-sandals?ID=4453775&LinkshareID=QFGLnEolOWg-R799MZrpcw.mvVrcH0zaqQ&PartnerID=LINKSHARE&cm_mmc=LINKSHARE-_-5-_-63-_-MP563 | http://www.target.com/p/women-s-mala-shield-espadrille-wedge-sandals-merona/-/A-51743896 |