Shoes for teenagers... and me.

I am usually one of the first one to announce that buying quality shoes is one of the top shopping commandments.  I've had my poor feet maimed by deceptively cute shoes from Target, and am always glad to have invested in good quality heels that don't give me blisters.

However, I sometimes make an exception.  I don't like investing in trends until I know they're going to be around a while, and since my shopping budget is $50-100 per month I cannot afford to spring for the $280 version of my favorite styles.  Or any style.  Thank goodness for juniors retailers like Lulu's, where you can find some really cute styles for under $40 (except the the blue wedges).

In a moment of weakness, I ordered the green flats with the gold medallion because they're $18 and I've already made more than that in my eBay auctions.  I'll let you know how they work out!

Where do you stand on cheap shoes?  Do you always go for quality, or make the occasional exception like me?