Archive for November, 2008
Heels from Hell
If you think Regina’s shoe pictures were bad, check out these shoes from joe-ks.com
Posted by ShoeGuru on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment
What do we want? Fashion AND Comfort! When do we want it? NOW!
The New York Times printed an article the other day in the Health guide section about properly fitting shoes. Yet, to me, the advice in the article seemed practical only in theory: Purchase your shoes in the afternoon after ‘leisurely’ walking around, so your feet are a bit swollen and you won’t end up buying shoes that fit too tightly; make sure there is 0.5” of space in between the edge of the shoe and your longest toe; Oh! and, only buy high heels if you “insist” on wearing them, and be sure to keep the time spent walking in heels to a minimum! Well, if only we could all have those luxuries! With today’s women’s busy schedules, we’ll be lucky to have the time to order a pair of shoes online, let alone purchase our pumps on Newbury after a leisurely walk around the Boston Commons on a fine fall afternoon. And if Regina’s post is any indication, we’re lucky to even FIND any fashionable, good fitting, high-heeled shoes that aren’t going to cause us major foot problems in the future. The fact is that a lot of women’s clothing styles, especially within business casual attire, are even tailored to fit as if we’re wearing heels. Take pencil skirts for example (or any skirt and jacket suit for that matter) – they all look better when you’re wearing heels. Perhaps we do “insist” on wearing these God-awful, uncomfortable heels, but it’s probably because there aren’t many other options available to us. Can’t we have good fit, good fashion, AND comfort in our footwear?
Posted by ShoeGuru on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Shoe-fficiency.
As I sit massaging blisters that dot the pads of my heels, battle wounds from maneuvering through a Monday in 3-inch St. John calfskin d’Orsays, I wonder if I’ll ever turn into one of those women who bravely marches through the subway sporting sneakers and socks over their pantyhose and under their Calvin Klein suits. I’m reminded of a particular episode of Sex and the City when Miranda, shortly after she moved to the dreaded side of the Brooklyn Bridge (or, Brooklyn) from her beloved Manhattan, complained to Carrie about how sore her feet were after walking a far distance from the subway. Carrie, clearly on the right side of the bridge, asked why Miranda didn’t wear sneakers and carry her shoes like everyone else, to which Miranda replied - and I quote - “Stop. You can take me out of Manhattan, but you can’t take me out of my shoes.”
What is it about our egos that refuses to embrace practicality - L.L. Bean duck boots when it’s cold and wet; Reebok hightops when you’ve got to get somewhere quickly - and instead embrace the idealism of making our way through the day in 3-inch heels with the occasional Band-Aid poking out the back to shield us from abused Achilles tendons? The ancient Greeks had a word for “tragic pride”: hubris. Then again, they typically got around in gladiator flats, and while theirs may have helped build the Parthenon, my modern day version are bejeweled and meant for pairing with twill shorts and a venti soy latte from Starbucks. The truth of the matter is, we affiliate lots with our shoes: our wardrobes; our moods; our plans for the day or evening, and heck - I’ve even gone with a flat over a stiletto depending on how long my bangs are. Shoes can be icing on the cake (us!), and whether that confection comes in leather, pleather, suede or satin, it truly can help a girl put her best foot forward.
Besides, being practical is for your 30s.
Posted by Karyn Polewaczyk on Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 | Boots, Flat, Sandals | 1 Comment
Heels: Why can’t we have sexy shoes we can walk in???
The other evening, as I was walking home from a Halloween Party, it struck me that we fall in love with gorgeous, sexy shoes that we can’t walk in for more than thirty feet; and we sure can’t dance the night away in them. Isn’t it possible to have amazingly beautiful shoes, that make us feel like Cinderella; but have a heel that is, oh, say, 3″ instead of 4-1/2″?
Then I came across this Antonio Berardi shoe and I realized the problem… these designers all imagine us as the Swan Queen! Does anyone else notice the similarities???
Antonio Berardi Heel-Less Shoe (Photo: Etienne Tordoir, NY Times)
Honestly, why can’t we have fabulous shoes that we can dance in which don’t require 14 years of ballet training?
Posted by regina on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 | Platforms | 3 Comments
