Besides style cred in spades, what do Lela Rose, Patricia Field and Christian Siriano have in common? They've all worked with Payless to make the ultimate fashion obsession -- the to-die-for shoe -- available to women with just about any shopping budget. The masters of high-low talk fashion realism, below.

WALLETPOP: What's one old fashion rule that's expired?
ROSE: No tights with open-toed shoes.
SIRIANO: There's always been this somewhat dated rule that you can't wear brown and black together. But I think they compliment each other so well, so toss that one.
FIELD: Having to wear high-priced designer clothes and accessories from head to toe.

WALLETPOP: Give us one new fashion rule to take us into the future.
FIELD: Expand your menu. Vary your shopping resources by mixing up a combination of designer, budget, vintage and consignment. Organize clothes swaps.
ROSE: Color, color, color. Color is the future.
SIRIANO: Sculpture and strong silhouettes are so in right now, and, I think, here to stay – power dressing is the future.

WALLETPOP: What's crucial to pay attention to when investing in shoes? What should shoppers look for in shoes of any price to make sure they're getting good value?
FIELD: Quality construction. Good fit. The big losses in shoe shopping are they ones we buy and wear once and never wear again due to discomfort or poor choice of short-lived trendy shoes. Eliminate this problem and quadruple your money.
SIRIANO: The details in the outsole and insole are what really make a shoe. Meaning: if the bottom and inside of the shoe have extra added special details -- labeling, cut-outs, color -- that really means that the brand has spent extra care with the consumer in mind when designing the shoe.
ROSE: Good value can be determined by how often you wear something you bought. When shopping value shoes, like Payless, experiment with color, style and texture. When buying higher-end shoes, I am always focused on heel height. If I am looking to wear something a lot, I know I need something lower and more comfortable. That makes the occasional splurge on a going-out shoe all the more palatable.