Betsey Johnson Serenn Platforms - Lita Lookalikes

Who doesn't like Litas? Yeah, they're kind of becoming a cliché, but admit it - they're pretty cute.

Jeffrey Campbell Lita Platform Boot in Slate Suede, currently $162 at NastyGal.

I'm not the kind of person to spend that much money on shoes, though, so I've been looking around for an alternative and came up with these:

 

Betsey Johnson Serenn Platforms in Gray Suede, currently $29.99 at Street Moda (MSRP $160)

I've never bought anything from Street Moda before, so I was a little apprehensive - the rather eclectic brand collection seemed a bit strange, but they have an A+ ranking from the BBB and a quick Google search turned up a good amount of positive reviews, so I gave it a shot.



I signed up for their text service to get a 25% off code, so I ended up paying $22.49 (with free shipping and no tax). I paid on the 27th, the shoes were shipped on the 28th, and I received them today (the 30th), so a huge thumbs up for fast service!

Their packaging is pretty cool. Original shoebox.

They included some coupon flyers, which is nice (not good for my resolve to spend less money, though). One is for 30% Betsey Johnson shoes - wish I had that code before I ordered. That's a good marketing technique: figure out what kind of things the customer is buying and make those easier to buy...

Shoes are packaged nicely - wrapped in plastic and stuffed thoroughly to keep their shape.

Um...shoes!

This photo is crappy and I don't know why. But you can see that they kind of scoop under the ankle.

This is my favorite part - the leopard undersole and the Betsey Johnson heart! Too cute.

Comparison with Litas

Material
Suede upper, wooden heel. Same for both.

Heel height
The Litas are listed as having a 5" heel with a 2" platform, while the Serenn is listed as having a 5" heel with a 1.25" platform - but I measured it myself, and the platform is just shy of 2", so that appears to be a listing error. Very similar.

Body
The Litas are slightly taller and cover the ankle bone (total height including heel: 9.25"), while the Serenn is shorter and does not cover the ankle (total height including heel ~8"). While the undersole of the Lita is a solid brown that matches the color of the heel, the undersole of the Serenn is leopard-patterned and features a Betsey Johnson heart. Also, the Serenn has scalloped eyelet detail at the the ankle.

Laces
The Litas have a much longer lace-up area, with eight pairs of holes (Serenn only has 5). Also, the Litas have grommets on the holes, which I imagine makes un/lacing easier - it's a bit annoying on the Serenn due to friction between the suede and the cord.

Verdict
Visually, these aren't the best dupe I've seen - TaoBao/eBay/other cheaper stores have copies that are closer, because, well, they're intended to replicate Litas as closely as possible. But for less than $25, the Serenn is a good-quality shoe from a good brand that evokes a similar look, and I'm totally happy with my purchase (and with Street Moda).