Why Sophie Ellis-Bextor invests in her shoes. UK singer and fashion model, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is happy to be “cheap and cheerful” but won’t scrimp when it comes to shoes.

The ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ singer is happy to scrimp in some areas of her life, but would rather shell out on expensive footwear that she knows will last a long time.

She said: “I am happy to be cheap and cheerful with some things, but when it comes to shoes, I buy quality, then wear them into the ground. “There’s a lot of kicking and stomping in my shows. I’ve had Miu Miu and Prada pairs for about ten years.”

And when she’s looking for a bargain, the 39-year-old pop star is a big fan of auction site eBay. Showing off a quirky doll, she told the Daily Mail newspaper: “This Blythe doll is from the 1970s. She has a head the size of an orange and a body like Barbie. “I spotted her in a photo book when I was 18 and tracked her down on Ebay, kick-starting my Ebay addiction. “She wears a replica of the dress I’m in on the cover of my album ‘Wanderlust’.”

Sophie – who has four sons with her husband Richard Jones – also saves money by reusing items and has even incorporated the costumes she wore on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in 2013 into her current stagewear. She said: “I wore this Swarovski-encrusted leotard when I was on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in 2013.

“It’s now one of my tour outfit staples. I put a chiffon dress over it and when I twist and twirl you can see the shimmer underneath.” When she’s away on tour, Sophie likes to bring back “quirky” dolls as souvenirs. She said: “I wasn’t into dolls as a child, and I never intended to be a collector, but I like the fact that these are quirky and come from places I have travelled to; Poland, Ukraine, India, Korea… My children can play with the dolls, but they freak them out a bit!”