My Hunt for Comfy Chappell Roan Lookalikes
Okay, picture this. I spotted these gorgeous Chappell Roan heels online, absolute stunners. You know the kind – tall, strappy, kinda bold? Perfect for this fancy birthday party I had coming up. But, and it’s a big BUT, I knew from past experiences I can’t wear his specific style for long. Gives me blisters like crazy. Plus, let’s be real, the budget wasn’t feeling those designer vibes that week.
So, mission accepted: find me shoes that look like Roan’s signature style but won’t murder my feet or my wallet. Started simple – just straight-up googled variations of “shoes like Chappell Roan heels” and “similar styles to Chappell Roan.” Got a bunch of listicles, some fashion blogs mentioning lookalikes. Wrote down a few brand names that popped up again and again: Steve Madden, Public Desire, ASOS Design, Schutz, Lulus. Good starting point, I figured.
Armed with my list, I hit the stores. First stop, my usual mid-range haunts. Popped into Steve Madden first. Scanned the shelves quickly for anything strappy and platform-y. Boom, spotted a few pairs that immediately reminded me of Roan styles – thick ankle straps, chunky block heels, even saw some in that classic patent black. Tried a pair on instantly. Ugh. Looked cute from afar, but the ankle buckle dug right into my bone. Felt like it was grinding after two minutes walking around the store. Hard pass.
Next, headed over to ASOS (online and the physical collection store nearby). Filtered hard: platforms, block heels, ankle straps. Sooo many options! Scrolled and clicked for ages. Found a stunning metallic pair from ASOS Design itself. Added it to cart. Then I hunted by brand names I’d noted earlier. Found a Schutz lookalike on sale, but still pretty steep. Saved links for later comparison. Physical store had fewer choices, but did try one glittery pair that actually felt okay… but looked way more club than birthday party. Wrong vibe.
Feeling a bit stuck, I got more specific in my searches. Instead of just “similar,” I tried “strappy platform heels block heel” + “ankle strap”. Added “comfort” as a keyword too. This actually got me closer! Filtered my ASOS basket heavily based on that comfort keyword, which knocked out like half the options instantly. Scrolled through Zappos, filtering similarly (but skipped checkout). Also peeked at Nordstrom Rack online – found a pair of Chinese Laundry sandals that had that Roan-esque thick ankle strap and block heel! Price was right, but worried about quality. Saved the link anyway.
Then I remembered Lulus. They have decent dupes sometimes. Hopped over. Searched “platform heel,” “chunky heel.” There it was! A pair called the “Rumoured” sandal. Tan suede, wide ankle strap, block platform heel. Nailed the silhouette. Read the reviews carefully. Most people raved about comfort for events, said they wore them all night without wanting to cry. Done deal. Clicked buy before they could vanish. They arrived two days later. Pulled them out, held my breath. Slid my foot in. Solid. Walked around my living room. No immediate stabs of pain? Sold.
Wore them to the party later that week. Looked sharp, felt a million times better than the actual Roan ones usually do. Got tons of compliments, told everyone they were my great find. Feet survived the night! Mostly. Okay, my feet were done by 2 AM, but that’s just heels, man. At least they weren’t bleeding! Mission accomplished. Found my love without the designer tag or the agony.
