As someone who has spent all of her life living in sunny California, a good sandal has been the number one shoe staple in my closet. And living blocks from the beach has made me somewhat of a flip-flop expert. I don’t know about you, but I like my sandals uncomplicated. I just want to slip them on and go – no frills, no buckles, no adjustment. Flip-flops get that job done. But flip-flops, or “thong sandals,” while easy and convenient, don’t usually have the flash to take an outfit from day to night. Here are some hot sandals that can easily make the transition from beach to club, all under $50.

Rampage Ramira Sandal

A fun thong sandal with edge stitch details and a fun rose embellishment, the fuchsia color has enough pop to liven up a simple spring dress without looking like you’re trying too hard. Available at Piperlime for a cool $45.00.

Diba’s Shana Sandal

Available in black or gold, these sexy sandals have just enough edge to add some toughness and glamour to your pretty pink pedicure. Heels.com will hook you up with these for only $49.99

Wanted Akhet Sandal

These cute sandals feature an adjustable buckle slingback and super fun braided detailing on the straps. I love the two-tone color in the braiding, since black and white match nearly everything. Pair up with some cute short shorts and get outside! Snag them on Piperlime for only $29.99!

Payless’ Scarlet Fringe Sandal

Woah, Payless. You’ve out done yourself. These hot commodities come in black or a ridiculously hot skyblue shade, are only $19.99 and have some really fun gladiator-meets-fringe influence. Grab yourself a pair before they’re sold out everywhere!

Mossimo Supply CO. Winna Hurache Sandals

Ooh, Hurache’s are back? Love it! Being Mexican-American, I’ve worn these my whole life. Target takes them one step further with multi-color details. I own these, and they are so comfortable and so fun. They work with so many outfits and really complement any color pedicure. I may have to buy another pair in white, just in case I wear these out! And at only $19.99 a pop, they won’t break my bank.

When choosing a fictional character to portray via footwear, I automatically took on what I consider the more “exotic” characters of Disney and story telling. I find that I myself am very attracted to all sorts of exotic shoes, therefore making a perfect match! The following choices are options for Pocahontas, Jasmine (from Aladdin), Megara (from Hercules), and Esmeralda (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame). If I were their own personal shopper, they would never pine over the love of a man, but for the love of shoes.

For Pocahontas I’d obviously go the “fringe” route. For what is a Native American princess without her fringe? That said, her bare feet would gladly approve both the Chinese Laundry Scarlett Flat and the Guess Galiena Suede Heel.

For Jasmine I opted for studs and stones. Indian princesses belong adorned in both. Her bare midriff and sea of beautiful fabrics would work perfectly with the Steve by Steve Madden Bianna Sandal and the Sam Edelman Nilla Heel. A princess deserves variety!

For Megara I thought, “lucky lady gets to choose from oodles of gladiator sandals!” Which are VERY in this season. I narrowed down the choices for her though to two pairs I saw fit for a goddess of sorts. Steve Madden’s Croww Gladiator Sandal is ideal for walking amongst much land during the daytime. However if she wanted to jazz things up at night, the Report Barrett Gladiator Wedge will give her some length to the legs and certainly turn heads all through Greece.

Finally, for the gorgeous gypsy amongst the tales, I chose the following for Esmeralda. Gypsys are known for their flare of clothing and accessories, so I wanted to choose shoes that followed along the same line of extravagance. The Charles by Charles David Ecstacy Heel is adorned with sequins and cutouts; ideal for a woman on the go, looking for some evening fun. However, the Report Ellen Sandal is embellished with gold and black stones, which work perfectly with a gypsy queen’s many accents of jewelry.

After the age of 12, Disney movies might not appeal to you like they used to, but being the divine fashionista as you are, you have to look at them in a whole new light! Picture all these fine and fancy footwear options the next time you sit down to capture the magical world of Disney.

Lately I have become uberly obsessive with Christian Louboutin shoes. I have even succumb to the idea of forging over my entire paycheck just for a really nice pair. I am not sure if it’s the sleek lines, the hot designs or the red under belly of each pair, but they draw me in like a moth to a flame. In the world of fabulous shoes, wouldn’t these reign as pure royalty?

However, if you aren’t making 6 figures a year (which I am not), luckily there are some GREAT alternatives to these pointy, round and open toed dreams. I have personally selected 3 different pairs of both Christian Louboutin shoes, and then a more affordable carbon copy. While I would never sacrifice the quality, look and appeal of the Louboutin shoes for a less expensive pair if I could, unfortunately my budget doesn’t wanna hear it, so less expensive is all we have! I think you will HIGHLY approve of the look-a-likes.

The Christian Louboutin Forever Tina Fringe Boot is sexy as it is sassy, but with a $1,575 price tag, we will shake our fringe elsewhere. That is why the Kipp Boot from Chinese Laundry is more our style at $102.99!

If the fringe is a little too wild for you, even at a good price, why not stick with something more traditional and always useful? If you are looking to splurge, than the Christian Louboutin Slingback Pump is what you have been missing. I am quite sure that most of us would in fact be missing $770 from our checking accounts however. If you are one of those people, than try the Millicent Heel by Guess?. How practically identical are these two shoes? Minus the fact that the Millicent Heel costs almost $700 less, at $82.99.

Our last match is something that should probably be in every gal’s closet. A saucy glam pair of sleek and sexy d’Orsay heels. The height of the heel is up to you, but I always say, “go big or go home!” Christian Louboutin’s version of the tradtional black d’Orsay comes with that hefty price tag once more. Although don’t get me wrong, these shoes are so perfect they almost make me want to weep! As does the $755 I would have to lay out for them. Thank goodness there is an alternative. A pretty perfect one at that. Diego di Lucca’s Maddie d’Orsay Heel is gorgeous, lovely and a lot more affordable at $119.99.

If it weren’t for the red insignia under each Christian Louboutin shoe, we bet you’d have a pretty hard time telling his shoe apart from the look-a-likes we found. While I daydream away for a pair of those beautifully crafted masterpieces, I am glad that there are many alternatives available for those of us that can only dare to dream.