I always feel like Beyonce doesn’t really know the value of money. Like, I think she’s lived in her bubble of success for so long that she simply doesn’t pay attention to what anything costs. If she wants to pour a $20,000 bottle of wine into a hot tub for a music video, she’ll do it. If she wants to buy Blue Ivy $1 million worth of jewelry, she’ll do it. So it’s no surprise that Beyonce would drop $312,000 on diamond-encrusted shoes. FOR A VIDEO!
Beyoncé shelled out a stunning $312,000 for a pair of diamond-encrusted stilettos to strut around in during an upcoming music video. The fancy footwear, designed by Birmingham, England-based company House of Borgezie, sparkles with a dizzying 1,310 diamonds.
“It’s the ultimate; Beyoncé’s one of those fantasy customers,” House of Borgezie owner Chris Shellis said. “If you want someone to model your creations, you can’t get any better than Beyoncé.”
The high heels, called the Princess Constellation stilettos, are described on the jeweler’s Web site as being “possibly the eighth wonder of the world.” Shellis said that Queen Bee’s people contacted him months ago after reading about the shockingly expensive shoes in an article.
“It’s a sale,” Shellis said. “I’ve been told the stilettos are for her next video.”
Bey’s beautiful curves will be wrapped in an $85,000 gold Basque Belt sold by the same company.
Anita Katzen, a partner at accounting firm Schulman Lobel, told The Post that Beyoncé could receive a tax break on the extravagant slippers because they’re part of a costume and not fit for the street. However, the IRS could argue that expenses need to be “ordinary and necessary,” she said. And they could also be considered a resalable asset, Katzen added.
“The diamonds may not lose their value after the performance,” she explained. “If you bought a Picasso and used it in a video or stage performance, you may have a resalable asset that I would not deduct just because it was used in a performance.”
I want to have a job where I can declare diamond shoes as a business expense. What say you, CB? I NEED DIAMOND SHOES!! Actually, scratch that, I don’t need them – these shoes are absolutely fugly. For that kind of money, why not just fill your closet with… what? 200 pairs of Louboutins and Jimmy Choos.
So Beyonce's new shoes were eye-wateringly expensive… http://t.co/3XshzvRAKB pic.twitter.com/efjiuFN3ps
— Marie Claire (@marieclaireuk) August 4, 2015
PS… It really seem like Beyonce is especially top-heavy these days, right? Hm… so many conspiracy theories.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
You can always count on her to be so gauche.
Lmao who cares how much money she spends on shoes?
She donates so much money to charity and do building programs to help those in need. Her causes are well documented, just look at that centre in Texas that she founded.
The fact that she’s generous with charities, as she can well afford to be, doesn’t stop this from being wasteful and vulgar. It says so much about who she is that she thinks it’s amusing to throw away that kind of money for one pair of shoes and pour out a $20,000 bottle of wine. It’s disgusting, and it makes me ill that people in the country aspire to be like her – rich just so you can show off by wasting money when people are out of work and starving. It’s a matter of values and priorities and what you think is important. And Nev is absolutely right – it is completely gauche.
These threads are so tiresome.
The article is about how much money someone spent on a pair of freakin shoes. Some of us (like GNAT and I) will have a negative opinion about that and find it wasteful. Nobody’s telling anyone how to spend their money (I don’t think beyonce gives a f*ck about what some commenters on a celeb blog have to say) we simply have an opinion about it. I think that’s fair because as I said, it’s the subject of the article. This all seems incredibly obvious apparently needs to be restated because for some reason every time a thread like this comes up people get so angry about the differing opinions.
They are called tax write offs. Many do this, it doesn’t meant they are really altruistic.
House of Bourgoisie is right!
Detest her values.
Gauche ? like the people who spend millions on a canvas covered with paint( art)?
And you really don’t see a difference between a work of art that holds and increases in value, gives pleasure to people for hundreds of years because of its beauty and represents a slice of history, culture and the goodness of mankind and a pair of diamond shoes? Wow.
Well GNAT, that is exactly what B and J are doing. They have a great collection of art and unique pieces from fashion houses are part of that. Therefore these shoes are probably only for the new video and not for her private use.
God, I reread that and it sounds so much meaner than I mean it to. I get all excited about things and I forget to watch my tone, I’m sorry.
Really quite revolting in both the moral and the fashion sense. Some years ago she had an incredibly expensive bag that was made from various bits of other bags. A kind of Frankenstein monster bag. Not only was it a totally ridiculous price, it was hideous and I would not have wanted it for free. Obviously the trend continues….
Gross. Diamond encrusted foot binders. What we women will do to ourselves in the name of ‘sexy’.
“Sexy” is too much credit to these shoes….
Not to mention that they look incredibly uncomfortable. (Yeah, I know they aren’t intended for a grocery run, but I don’t even think you could stand in those shoes without pain)
ETA: whoops, this was intended to be in response to @NewWester
If I wore a pair of shoes like that I would either get mugged for them or I would step in a fresh pile of dog poo. Ugly shoes
Those?!? THOSE??! I have seen classier shoes on strippers. I cannot, willnot with those. Clear heels?!?!? I’m in apoplexy territory. My god.
yes!
And the little blue bows on the back… I simply cannot
ETA: they’re butterflies. Not as bad. But still fug as fuq. I feel like Mariah Carey is going to sue those shoes for copyright infringement.
Lol, Shambles, you know MC is glaring at her stylist for not getting her those first!
Bravo KRI!!!!!!
Those are the ugliest effing shoes I’ve ever seen.
As a side note, can they even support someone’s weight? Like, can you walk around in them or do you just have to recline somewhere opulent and pose?
This comment is amazing, Wren. One could even say it’s… Fetch.
Normally I don’t give a rat’s ass what rich people spend their money on but that kind of money for shoes? And did you all see how much the belt cost? $85,000, for a BELT!!
I won’t even buy a belt if it’s over $5. But to each their own for sure.
My first thought was that they looked like something I’d see on a dancer at the Crazy Horse in Las Vegas. They look pretty gaudy to be so expensive. How does she do that? Why isn’t Gwyneth helping her?
Well it’s her money so I see no problem with how she spends it. My shade is reserved for the designer of these shoes … so very tacky.
Pretty much this. There are billionaires in this world and I’m not seeing a dime of their money either. As long as you’re not spending it on stupid/illegal stuff I don’t care what anyone does with their money.
I’m not their mother or their financial planner.
You don’t think this qualifies as stupid?
I disagree. I think the Kardashians and the Beyonces in our society have brought back Marie Antoinette style blindness to the value of money. Get rich so you can show off and be wasteful. I don’t care if really rich people buy things that are of value and pay a lot of money for them. But it’s sad to me that young people look up this woman who is deliberately wasteful and thinks that is “opulent.” No wonder kids get killed over a pair of tennis shoes. Money is the only thing that assures her that she is successful. And it’s sad.
If you want to argue that point I’d say it’s more accurate to say they popularized that style for the masses. Rich people spending their money on crazy things has existed since we developed a monetary system. Nothing new or shocking.
What I will say is for many this is appealing. People like to see other people spend their money and buy things (even on cheap drugstore products) so there’s a demand that exists in society for others to fill. If people weren’t so excited to see other’s show off their lavish lifestyles websites like Instagram and YouTube haul videos wouldn’t exist (and surprisingly be some of the most popular videos).
I’m not much for ‘think of the children’. Children who are raised correctly won’t be impressed and blindly follow that lifestyle, children who aren’t have much bigger problems than what Beyonce purchases.
Yes, popularized is a better way to put it, and God, I hope you’re right about children who were raised right. Just to be clear, I have no problem with spending a lot of money on things of lasting value. It’s just spending for the sake of showing off in one video or pouring $20,000 down the hot tub drain that bothers me. I don’t actually have a problem with Beyoncé besides that.
Haha, well I like to think so. I was raised well and I’m often consistently baffled by the blind following of my fellow humans. I’m not a saint, I spend money on crazy things too that make me happy but I just don’t feel the urge to hop on bandwagons and I can only chalk that up to my parents.
It’s hard to know how to say this without sounding mean but perhaps it’s because I don’t consider Jay Z or Beyonce to be especially intelligent that I don’t harshly judge their purchases. I don’t think they’re stupid and they display a great amount of street smarts, but they’re not really well-read. Something to keep in mind in the world is that whether you’re poverty stricken or a millionaire your perception of ‘success’ will be based on your level of education. Someone being wealthy doesn’t always translate to them being aware and informed.
I don’t hate Jay and Bey for buying weird wealthy crap the same way I don’t hate someone of lower income for buying lottery tickets. The knowledge to not be frivolous with your wealth and laud it about isn’t there. Same with the Kardashians, they actively shun education for the sake of being showy compared to someone like the late Steve Jobs who was immensely wealthy but visibly humble.
Of course we should also keep in mind both people are doing what works for THEIR circles. In Silicon Valley it’s all about the fancy tech and people showing their success through that. For B/J it’s all about overly expensive bottles of wine and shoes. Ironically the more they show off the better for their stock because they can write it off as business expenses and other luxury companies will want to work with them and give them exclusive contracts. See: Beats by Dre.
Yay GNAT…
this! buy what you want, but god, what tacky design.
I am not body shaming here- but Beyoncé looks like she’s picked up weight again, judging from the photo in the floral dress.
Is the vegan diet deal done?
I agree, I think she’s either gained weight because she’s done with that stupid faux-vegan diet OR she’s preggo. Photos of Bey this week:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3184851/Beyonce-covers-figure-laptop-arrival-New-York-Jay-Z-Blue-Ivy-continues-fuel-pregnancy-rumours.html
God I hope its just weight gain. Can you just imagine the Kardashians going into PR overdrive if their most valuable player has to go head-to-head in a pregnancy contest with Beyonce?
She’s pretty strategic with her purse/jacket poses also…hummm….
Somewhere KK is doing the slow slide of sadness down a wall…
I think she pregnant or hiding so work she had done because in the video at the link B is covering her stomach with her laptop and covering her butt with her handbag.✴️
Or maybe she just wants to start rumors.
One of the NY news paper pretty much called her fat in reference to that Hampton pic with the shorts.
I did noticed that lately her boobs are looking bigger. I was thinking perhaps a subtle boob job. I don’t agree that her boobs are bigger due to pregnancy or weight gain because Bey has been pregnant and heavier before but her boobs pretty much remained the same. As for covering her stomach, she’s not covering it in the top photo or the Hampton photos.
@Cara: The Slow Slide of Sadness Down a Wall is the name of a book that must be written.
I’m on the pregnant train. The pic of her hiding behind the clutch looks stupid.
Maybe she’s putting a lot of salt on her kale…I guess Dolly Parton was right–costs a lot to look cheap.
+1. Both outfits look awful. Is Kim Kardashian her role model or what? That dress is several sizes too small.
she looks fuller all over…in that first pic in the mustard-y sweater, it’s the first thing I noticed.
however, hasn’t she said (or it’s been noticed by the press…?) in the past that she sort of “lets go” when she’s not touring?…as in, more decadent foods and fewer workouts?
Yup I noticed it too. Looks like she’s hiding her stomach behind her clutch. Her weight seems to fluctuate a lot. She looks great either way IMO.
It’s her money, she can do what she wants.
Seriously. She can by those shoes hundreds of times over. I don’t think it’s a big deal.
Of all the ridiculous things that people waste their money on, this one isn’t that offensive. Besides, she’ll probably get a tax write-off since it’s for business purposes!
Exactly. As long as she’s not trying to preach to the public how to spend their money than I don’t see what is the big deal about her buying what she wants with her own hard earned money.
Sure, and I can judge her for being selfish, shallow and vapid. Free world. But think how she could have spent that money if she gave a crap,about other humans on the planet. I can’t believe I’m using her as a yardstick, because I really looked at her sideways when she got involved with Pitt, but can anyone imagine Jolie buying 300k diamond shoes?
Vapid, selfish and maybe a little dopey?
And I definitely think she’s pregnant. As an aside, her husband has the angriest resting face I’ve ever seen.
Just because Beyonce and Jay Z don’t flaunt their philanthropy the way that Brad and Angelina do doesn’t mean that they only spend their money on shoes. Your argument here makes no sense since you don’t personally know them and have no idea what they spend their money on. Not long ago there were pictures of Angelina shopping in Saint Laurent, which isn’t cheap sooooooo….
Jolie has her own priorities and that’s amazing, but that’s not everybody.
I’ve got nothing close to Beyoncé money but within what’s reasonable for my finances I’ve been known to spend a crazy amount on something I really want about. Comparatively we’re all like that, if it’s not $200,000 shoes its $78 lipstick or $200 books. I give to charity when I can but I just don’t see much benefit in judging her or other celebrities for putting their huge wealth to their own benefit.
@JIB do you really know nothing about Jay and Bey’s philanthropy? They’re actually extremely charitable. Just because you dislike Beyoncé doesn’t mean you should start making up stories to fit your “Beyoncé doesn’t care about but herself” trope
I’m just going by what I’ve read.Harry Belafonte called them Luton giving very little. Jay Z gave 6400 dollars To his foundation from his more than 43 million made in 2012. Beyonce gave 100,000 to something and everyone applauded he. 1/3 the cost of her shoes.
I stand by my opinion: vapid, selfish and thoughtless. Marie Antoinette.
If she gave away this kind of money to charity instead of wasting it on conspicuous consumption, imagine what we’d be saying about her then. What a pig. That’s a dig at her spending not her size.
She has several charities, Karen. Instead of sounding ignorant and referring to her as a pig, why don’t you look them up *cough BeyChange cough*. Then in the future not judge someone for what they choose to do with the money they earned.
Since we’re on the topic, what do you do with your money? Have any charities yourself? How much of your paycheck goes to donations?
Oh please. If she’d given that money to charity, people would post how she’s doing it for PR. She can’t win here and everyone knows it. I’m just surprised at the praise that is being heaped on Jolie. Usually she gets knocked for her philanthropy.
@delorb
Have you ever been in an Angelina post on this site? Lol she is not allowed to be criticized ever. These people LOVE her for some reason. PS – I agree with your first part about Beyonce. I don’t even like her that much, but the hate that she gets here is extra so I always feel the need to come in and defend her.
@bns …have you ever been to an Angelina post on this site? She gets criticized a lot and has been criticized for damn near 10 years for stuff that’s so mindless and stupid it blows my mind. And I’m not a blind crazy fan. She’s a mediocre actress and has a lot of growing as a director to do sorry AJ fans. And I’m in agreement with Rudin about Cleopatra being an ego bath. That’s just how I feel. I do have a deep found respect for her humanitarian work. She puts her money where her mouth is. She’s not Emma Watson with her pathetic standards for what constitutes activism.
I detest celebrity worship and I damn near dislike quite a lot of them because so many are fake. Have you heard how people talk about Beyonce in general? Queen Bey, slay queen slay, she can do no wrong, etc etc etc. She’s like Watson. Her mediocrity is so often celebrated that even donating a minimal amount of money inflates her own ego and that of her fans. I highly doubt many of you would be quick to defend any other celebrity if you got wind of their purchase like this. Highly doubt. Gisele Bundchen works hard for her money too. LOL, I’d be WAY harsher with her than with Beyonce. Donald Trump? LMAO. I’d paint him as the devil and everything that’s wrong with this world. I don’t doubt for a second that many people would be defending him for something like this all that much at all.
Idk. They are costume, part of the performance. I mean Kiss had their face paint, Liberace had his furs, Beyonces costuming is diamonds and tiaras. If she was strutting in these on the streets or into meetings, that would be another case.
No matter the price of those shoes, they are tacky as hell. But then again, so is Beyoncé.
Yea she put on some weight for sure. Her legs look like water weight to me
I think she needs to pair these with Goop’s Hov/Shady clutch.
Gaudy, sparkly outfit complete!
Exactamundo!
OMG YES
Somewhere Kayne West is “designing” diamond sneakers for his Queen Kimmy to wear while pregnant with her extremely low carrying baby AKA moon bump
Haha right? The belly button is always a dead give away for a moon bump. Looks like a shallow little pool.
Was there a blind item out there about a artist who spends more than they have coming in. That could be Bey to a tee.
There was a time where she was taking money for anything. I mean, Direct TV, Nintendo. During that time you could not turn on the television and see her.
To just work more than half your life, have an estate of hundreds of millions of dollars and not still have some impulse control.
For all of his faults, her father really knew how to keep the reigns on all things Beyonce. It just seems these past few years have been…sloppy.
I actually don’t hate the shoes that much… If they got rid of the red thing on the bottom of the heel, I’d wear them.
I don’t know why people clutch their pearls with how much money some people spend.
Well today I was talking to a friend exactly about that because well, depending on how much you earn, your views on expenses also change. She’s investing and maybe she’ll keep the shoes and give them to her baby girl, it can pass from generation to generation, be a family jewel, etc etc.
Jewels will always and forever be valuable.
In any case she’s the one who will pay the taxes, she’s the one paying the money, she’s going to make this same amount of money back and then some, and it can be considered an investment.
Please note I am not a member of the Beyhive, I find many things absurd like a gold encrusted toilet seat or nursery, Rappers (especially the ones who CANNOT afford this) throwing/burning money, drinking from expensive bottles, smoking cigars and burning MAYBACHS (I see u Jay Z) but shoes? why not? Aren’t people buying a 1million dollar bra every year from Victoria’s Secrets? I don’t see the difference.
It’s Beyoncé – Answers all my questions. Lol.
I dunno, buying diamond-encrusted shoes seems pretty frivolous when people around the world are suffering greatly and the biggest deterrent to helping them is lack of funding. $1,000 goes far in most of those countries in feeding whole communities, freeing families from bonded slavery or young girls from the sex slave trade.
Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. I’d respect Bey a whole lot more for spending her money on the helpless poor rather than her image.
ETA: Those of us with a whole lot less to give aren’t off the hook, but bear a responsibility to do what we can to help. Small amounts given by millions of people make a big difference. In the end we don’t take it with us, but we can leave a legacy of giving that can transform the lives of many.
Yes but I don’t understand why would you/we assume she isn’t helping people out? She’s very rich, and there are several reports of her charities and philanthropic endeavors, but I don’t see how it relates to this? The few posts on this website that showcased those were poorly commented because it is easier to trash talk Beyoncé when she does something extravagant – like buying these shoes.
I don’t understand the concept that, with all the hard work she does, she must allocate all her earnings to charities. It would be great, but she isn’t forced to. Yet there is Chime for Change, Bey Good, and other things that aren’t mentioned often, yet she goes and buys something expensive and she is the Devil and never helped anyone?
Anyway what I’m saying is I don’t understand why the two are mutually exclusive: She makes a ton of money so she must donate and she makes a ton of money and she can splurge.a
Can’t she do both?
Both of you make excellent points. But like Mimz says, Bey DOES give back. It’s just not mentioned here. She can give back and buy expensive things if she likes. I also feel as if she doesnt spend more extravagantly than any other celeb, but it’s always mentioned how much she spends because she’s seen as a “diva.”
Mimz,
Harry belafonte called her out on being stingy with charities in 2012. And JayZ donated $6400 dollars out of his 63 million dollars earnings in 2012 to his own foundation!!! Cheap jerks!!! BTW, Belafonte said Springsteen was very generous.
http://www.businessinsider.com/beyonce-responds-to-harry-belafontes-claims-she-doesnt-do-enough-with-list-of-charitable-exploits-2012-8
I’m sure she does give as most celebs are known to do (they don’t do it quietly since it’s good PR!). The problem is that wealthy give less of their income %-wise than the lower classes, so while they do give, they won’t give enough to affect their lifestyles and that’s a problem rooted in fear, apathy, entitlement and lack of compassion for the less fortunate. It’s rooted in individualism, not community. It’s a problem that’s not unique to the rich, it just looks more glaring on them. We of the middle class are also guilty.
I think if we’re allowing ourselves to be consistently aware of the needs of the world and how we can tangibly help alleviate their suffering, we will all look at an extravagant purchase and think twice about whether we really *need* it. As our compassion for others is aroused and we feel an obligation to help, it will impact the way we spend our money.
@JIB you really think that’s all the money Jay has ever donated? LOL
As much as I love Belafonte everyone knows he jumped the gun and misspoke. Jay and Bey are very charitable and even though they try and keep it a secret it is pretty well documented
Do you have any idea how much work the diamond industry creates around the world? I mean, if everyone just stopped buying diamonds tomorrow, tons of regular joes would be out of work, including miners in very poor places that rely on those scarce jobs to put food on the table. (And yes, I’m well aware of conflict diamond issues but that doesn’t change the essential point.)
Do you really think that when Beyonce buys a swanky pair of diamond shoes, that money all goes into the pocket of another bazillionaire and stays there? Of course not. I wish people would give two seconds of thought to the economics of these questions before reaching for the smelling salts. Better she spend that money in the productive economy than keep it all in a vault somewhere to go swimming through nightly Scrooge McDuck style.
@sills that sounds like the trickle down theory so many people want to purport works…no it doesn’t really work as well as you wall want to think. The money she paid for those shoes ain’t going in the pockets of the miners, lmao most of that is going to the designer. Rich people staying rich. Like Bey buying these tacky shoes is keeping the diamond mining industry in business.
It’s an interesting dilemma since I believe that part of the reward for being financially successful is having the luxury to spend that extra money how you want. I also think every person within their own finances spends ridiculous amounts on something from time to time (wish I could write off some of the stuff I bought as business expenses).
Yes we have a world where the majority are not wealthy and charities need money but the toll of that should hardly be entirely on Beyoncé.
I think it’s a much larger issue than Bey and her shoes. The idea that we should make as much money as we can and once we’ve fed, clothed and housed ourselves, have the right to spend the extra on ourselves is one that will ultimately destroy all of us, starting from the inside. The needs of this world cannot be met if we think of our wealth as ours, when we’re citizens of the community of humans worldwide many of whom cannot meet those basic needs.
There’s a fine line between rewarding ourselves and feeling entitled. Where people draw that line will be different, but I think it’s something worth asking ourselves and discussing in a larger forum like this.
You bring up interesting points but when I think of this issue from theory to practicing I run into the same reality I always do.
I think the general idea of us being ‘citizens of the world’ is a lovely one, but one ultimately doomed to fail. Many barriers separate us: barriers of history, time, language, culture and politics. Barriers that will not simply or easily be torn down. We can want, wish, hope, and offer support as much as we want but each country and land will govern itself according to its own system regardless of what we want.
I say this as an African who has seen politician after politician for decades strip my land of its natural resources to sell and fill their own bank accounts. Who ignore the needs of their people to focus on their own comfort. Money and power make the world and even the individual corrupt political figure is often helpless in the sea of the system that has been created.
Money and power rule every country as far as I can see. The only way to achieve safety and security (whether in a 3rd world country or the USA) is by having money and the power that comes with it. Conversely money can not fix everything. It is why many countries within Africa are still destitute and bordering on famine even with so many charitable donations. Regardless of what we give to those individuals living in countries where they can barely afford to eat their system of government and rule is basically untouchable by us. We can only do as much as their own land allows and even then we scratch only the surface.
Look at Russia. A system of government has decided that they will target and punish members of the LGBT and all of us are powerless to stop it. What might eventually cause it to stop? Russia feeling such a crushing blow from its economic sanctions that it tries to play on the level of the rest of the world. Money and power. Have any of us done anything to impact Russia to stop? Or other countries such as China with its newly repelled 1-child rule which still sees babies flushed down toilets?
No. Because we can not. We can do a little but when I see Beyonce or another celebrity buy ridiculously priced shoes or etc. I see the wealthy equivalent of a kid buying a candy bar. In the grand scheme of things the structure of the world is controlled by very few people. It changes, things improve, but I have little faith in any celebrity to actually really impact the world to change.
This is not to say I don’t believe in charity. I do and I give generously when my income will allow. Merely that my own experience and exposure has led me to believe things ultimately change on their own only when the motivation is there by those few in politics who will feel any direct pressure.
The Eternal Side-Eye,
I hear you and feel the pessimism of seeing those in power, using it to hold others down and build up there own “kingdoms”. It is truly rare to find a wealthy, powerful individual who uses their influence and wealth to make the world better. Power is intoxicating and those who have it fall under its self-serving spell.
What I’m postulating is that change should start on the individual level, not the political. While we may not be able to defeat ISIS we can work with organizations that are making a real difference in developing countries around the world. It may not change the political climate of an entire country, but it does make a difference for individuals, families and communities.
For example, International Justice Mission has rescued over 20,000 people from all kinds of forced slavery (sexual and bonded) by partnering with local governments and communities in developing countries, creating a safer place for the people who live there. They help train local police to conduct their own raids on brothels or rice mills where whole families are enslaved. They set up aftercare facilities to provide medical care, therapy and skills training so former slaves can go on to live productively in their new-found freedom. They provide legal services for widows who have been forced off their land by greedy relatives. They bring cases against rapists that previously had acted with impunity due to the broken criminal justice system and get them put behind bars. This is just one organization and there are thousands more who are doing good here in the US and abroad.
My passion is centered on slavery and justice for the oppressed. That’s why IJM’s work means so much to me. Yours may center on another equally important need. Like I stated above, I think the bigger issue isn’t what kind of shoes *should* we should buy but rather, does our compassion for the poor influence the way we spend our excess cash? Because, I’d say that we need to give to the poor more than they need our money. Generosity makes us better humans and promotes peace.
ETA: I love your moniker, by the way…
@The Eternal Side Eye, I’m really enjoying your commentary! It’s so thought provoking.
I find the mainstream perceptions of Beyoncé to be interesting in that I wonder how much racism is at play? She gets derides for her spending which isn’t that different from other singers at her level. Any white pop star that says they are a feminist is taken at face value while she is heavily criticised by main stream white feminist writers. (Disclaimer- I’m white too). I mean I guess it helps that I enjoy her music so I’m disinclined to critique her heavily but I just don’t see her behaving that differently from other wealthy people in terms of economic consumption.
I also think that rather than make pop stars responsible for changing the world maybe governments should spend money on infrastructures that support the poor and needy. Beyoncé is an entertainer not a policitan or a activist.
I agree with you for the most part. Still, I can’t help being taken aback sometimes when figures like this get thrown around.
ETA: Beyonce definitely looks pregnant to me.
I love the bag on the first photo.
The rest is absolute FUG.
I personally don’t care what celebs. use their money for as long as they don’t torture children and animals. She’s still to surprise me with taste though.
Well…take your pick of all the cliques about money, class and fools.
Gosh. How many hungry families could that amount of money feed? How many deserving kids put through college? How many disabled vets a leg up? Maybe she quietly donates an equal amount to worthy causes but something tells me probably not….
I hope you donate a portion of your salary to those causes as well.
I started and operated my own dog rescue for 7 years on a teacher’s salary. I spent every dollar I earned on it and yes, I can call her and her husband out on this. Lots of articles about how cheap they are with anyone but themselves. Just google it.
IMHO, it’s immoral,to,spend money on nonsense when you have so much and there is so much suffering in the world.
But I’ve learned the hard way, some people give until they have nothing left, and others skip merrily past the tragedies, pretending they don’t exist.
@Jib
It’s not “immoral” to spend YOUR hard earned money on the things that YOU want.
@jib nice! You inspire me to figure out a way to improve how I spend my money. I donate right now, but I want to involve a part of my time as well. I’m trying to minimize the things I things I “want” in my life and focusing on the basics. Life is so much simpler then. I once lived my life in just two suitcases and now have a desk and a bed as well. I want things to remain that simple.
@bns yeah sometimes. Although I will judge you if you buy fur and I will judge you if you pay to have your lawn watered to stay green in a drought. Them’s the breaks when you have the luxury of spending money with abandon.
On the whole, most of us who are well fed, clothed and sleeping in warm, safe homes aren’t content. That’s the problem. We spend to find happiness and impress others and a pair of shoes won’t fix the deeper problem. The well always runs dry.
We can’t seem to utter the words, “I have enough”. Wouldn’t it be an amazing thing if people purposely made as much money as they can so they could spend the excess on the poor and the disadvantaged?
Bns, yes, it is immoral. Here in America, 1/4 of children live under the poverty line. Sorry. Those who have much should give much. 300,000 dollar shoes are immoral and soul- searing. Then the very wealthy who live like this wonder why all of their money doesn’t make their lives better. Why they still feel compelled to cheat on each other, do drugs, and get beat up by their sister-in-laws on elevators. , Empty souls, trying to fill them with things, driving past kids who have terrible apartments, and old schools with no computers.
This disgusts me.
I certainly do have my favorite charities I donate to on a regular basis. Leukemia/Lymphoma Society for one (my daughter survived leukemia), St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Little Dresses For Africa, Feed the Starving Children, Haitian relief fund through our church, American Heart Association and a few others.
Good for you! We certainly have a right to judge this absurdity.
Hmm. I expected the diamond shoes to be better looking, but they look like nothing special.
Right? Kinda bummed, those look like a knock-off of a knock-off.
I know it’s crazy and there are hungry people out there but if I were as rich as Beyonce I would probably do the same thing. I’d love to know what it’s like to not have to worry about money.
Wouldn’t we all?
But I wouldn’t buy diamond-encrusted shoes (especially those fugly son-of-a-guns!).
I’d probably travel way way more, le sigh.
She can spend her money however she wants, she earned it. But I still think she’s nuts.
My first thought was, “Way to take Paul Simon to the next level!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I_T3XvzPaM
Me, too. The first two associations I made were of Marie Antoinette and Paul Simon. What a combo.
Perhaps they will appear in the video.
Those shoes better look freaking amazing on a person because on their own they look like something a really expensive stripper or Mariah Carey would wear.
Note: I am not insinuating that Mariah Carey is a really expensive stripper.
1. Her white and diamond strap shoes in the top photo are cuter.
2. She’s pregnant and waiting for a “big reveal” like her first one. There’s too many pics of her covering her belly and her noticeable weight gain.
I could only imagine what that kind of money could do to help a school or other place of need. The school where I work is close to 80 years old. That kind of money could buy us a computer lab we so desperately need for our students. I know it is her money and she can do as she pleases with it, but it just irks me how materialistic she is.
Bey lost me for good when she bought Jay Z a $5million watch. I don’t debate whether anyone “earns” that kind of cash, I just could do without the bragging.
Before I post my opinion, let me state that I fully understand that this is Beyonce’s money to spend however she wishes. I am giving my opinion on the situation as though I am in possession of massive sums of money like Beyoncé is (which, sadly, I am not…)
I would much rather donate $312,000 to an animal shelter, to feed, shelter and care for unwanted and neglected animals. It is such a large amount of money and could really do a lot of good, whether it was for animals, children, the elderly, veterans, homeless, etc. If I had unlimited wealth, like Beyoncé seemingly does, I would be extremely mindful of those less fortunate and not flaunt my wealth in such an obnoxious manner. Would I live comfortably? Of course. But by comfortable, I mean small condo with a great city view, not a McMasion filled to the brim with expensive crap. I’m not a clothes horse either so I just stick to the basics. I do enjoy travelling and taking care of my loved ones, so I would probably spend a few dollars in those directions. However, I could not go to sleep peacefully each night knowing there are others suffering – be it human or animal – and not do everything possible to eliminate the suffering. If that meant forgoing $312,000 shoes to do it, so be it. They’re tacky looking anyways. LOL! Seriously though, I give what I can though I am below my area’s poverty line and live a fairly simple/meagre existence. I am a lot better off than some and less fortunate than others. I just think we should care more and give more, no matter what our wealth level is, instead of showing off.
The journey from materialism to contentment is one I’ve been on for a number of years and I can attest that I’m much happier spending less on me and more on the poor. I fill myself up with beautiful things like hiking and running on wildflower-strewn trails, drinking in the views from the tops of mountains, listening to my kids read a good book, enjoying a groupon date with my huz, having a friend over for tea and conversation, strolling through the museums on their free days, watching theatre online for $5 instead of paying $50 to see it live. There’s so much happiness to be had that doesn’t require spending a lot of money.
With many things (like spending) there isn’t a dichotomy of good and bad necessarily. Rather it’s usually between choosing acceptable, good, better and best. I don’t want to do something just because i can and it’s legal and doesn’t hurt anyone. I want to make better choices. Which is better, the diamond shoes that show the world you’re in the 1% or helping others have a better existence in the world??
You have a beautiful soul!
Yeah this.
People always throw around the “if you had money you’d do it too!” as a defense of ostentatious displays of wealth. Um, no. I can unequivocally say I would not spend my money on 300K shoes. It’s just an observation of how people choose to spend their money and I think it’s ok to say “hey this celebrity has different values than I do”.
*shrugs*
Amen! I ran a dog rescue until it almost put me into the poor house, but I don’t regret a penny I spent or a dog I saved. I think our culture is just awash in materialism and showing off, and celebrity worship of vacuous, silly people. Beyonce is just one of the many who sadly think $$ will keep her husband from wandering and make her soul full. But it doesn’t work that way. Giving of yourself, living your life’s purpose, these are the things that count. Not tacky 300,000 shoes.
Would you really give 300k to animals while knowing that their are starving and neglecting kids out there? I mean it’s hard to take the moral high ground when your first go to is an animal shelter for the cute animals instead of homeless shelters.
I would like to send her a copy of The Lost Art of the Dress and highlight the part that talks about shoes.
Well, when you make the kind of money she does, you have to spend it on something
she’s looking a lot like Miriah Carey, and not in a good way.
Hope she’s pregnant with a boy this time, cause she does look fuller, her $$ and she’ll spend it🎭
Good for her, though I wonder what impact Tidal will have on shoe money in the future.
Maybe each of us is able to make the transition from wanting to needing in different ways. For me a sick child (and when that happens nothing else is important )and a life full of material things that I worked hard for but ended up losing most of them.I learned many things especially that often the most generous people who offered to help are people who have struggled financially all their lives. I also realized that 95% of the clothes,shoes,technology and other crap I didn’t need and after the fact I feel freer. Of course you need to pay for the basics and there is nothing wrong with enjoying the extras that you can afford. But I am also acutely aware of the power of genorosity and even a little bit benefits the giver as well in unforseeable ways. Now although my financial situation has improved a bit we no loner waste or buy everything we only want at that moment that will do nothing to truly enhance our lives. The extra food goes to the homeless shelter and give what we think we are able to plus a little more. The thing I regret is it took many years to get to that place. Like it or not young people look up to Beyonce and other celebrities and with the internet and social media it seems that we always know what they are doing and spending and not doing forthat matter. Being a good role model could do a whole world of good.And my friend and I went to Fredericks of Hollywood for a bachelorette party and saw those shoes there.
they look so delicate… won’t they collapse, when she wears them?
Donate or don’t donate.
GAUCHE.
She looks so pregnant in the last pic.
Nope, I don’t believe this for a moment. Beyonce is too grounded to be so frivolous – look at the way she runs her private life. Nope
The shoe is not attractive or appealing to me. That is all..
So gauche, but they are beautiful.
I can’t help it. When I see someone rich blow enormous sums on something frivolous it makes me sick to my stomach. I don’t care if it’s “their money”. To my mind that’s like sitting down to a feast while starving people watch. Nasty.
If she really decides to wear them, her orthopedist will be very rich.
That’s a lot of money for really ugly and cheap-looking shoes.