Luxury lives! At least when it’s on sale.

Today’s Manolo Blahnik sample sale brought out New York fashionistas looking for fabulous shoes on the cheap, and given the woeful state of the economy this year, they need it more than ever. The sale is typically held twice a year and is not widely publicized. 

Shoes that typically priced from $545 to over $1150 for tall suede boots were on sale from $100 for a simple pair of pumps to $400 for over-the-knee boots. Manolo Blahnik sends out an e-mail to their best customers and press friends, such as Vogue editors, who then tell their friends, and thus the word gets out.

Most shoppers at the sale told us they will still buy luxury items like expensive shoes. But they are being more cautious and buying less these days.

Cynthia Tabet of New York City said she buys new Manolos “every year,” but this year bought fewer pairs. “You’re tempted, but not as much” since the stock market tanked, she said.  Tabet’s still on the fence about holiday purchases and is waiting to see if the economy picks up before buying.

Picking through the piles of Manolos, Maria Jaqez of NYC also said she was “more cautious than usual,” but expected her holiday shopping to be “the same as last year.”

Throwing caution to the wind was Tina Rich, also of NYC. The Cartier employee said she didn’t care about the ups and down of the stock market. “I’m just a little person, it doesn’t effect me!” she said cheerily, as she scooped up several pairs of pumps. “I wear Manolo’s and Dolce, that’s it.”

(Photo/Reuters)