Shoes Worth Wearing
I remember shoe shopping with my mom when I was in college, and as I contemplated a pair of peep-toe, red heels, she told me, “Wear ‘em while you can because you may not be able to once you’re my age.” I filed the advice in the back of my mind but did not take it to heart until I reached my 30th birthday. Nothing noteworthy happened when I hit 30 but it was at that time I accepted heels could be, and often were, painful so I threw away anything above a 3” heel.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love wearing heels. I’m only 5’ 6” so I enjoy a couple extra inches in height, the way heels elongate my legs and correct my posture, and the stylish departure from flats. I wear almost exclusively 2”-3” heels to work, but it’s been a challenge to find heels that are both comfortable and stylish (no one wants that granny-orthodic look). However, over the past year I’ve found several brands and styles that deliver both.
Clarks: I discovered Clarks when I visiting a friend in England who had a cute pair of their pumps, but I’ve really taken to their boots and have had three pair over the years. I bought this pair of low-heeled booties last fall to wear to work. At the time, I walked to work and wanted something I could walk in that wasn’t a sneaker or tennis shoes. Clarks are perfect for walking! Even with a low heel, I can still put some serious mileage on them. I drive everywhere now and prefer to wear heels, but these are still great boots that I reach for on the weekends or when I travel.
Burgundy suede block heels by Naturalizer
Naturalizer: Until this fall I’d been on the fence about Naturalizer. On one hand they are very comfortable, but on the other hand they drummed up images of clunky Mary-Janes paired with corduroy (a big hit among librarians at universities) which isn’t my style at all. Naturalizer must have realized it needed to expand its clientele beyond libraries because they put out an entire line of stylish footwear, including these suede, block heeled pumps. They are comfortable and pair well with a lot of pieces in my closet. I may break my own rule and wear them for work and weekends.
J.Crew: I love J.Crew! If I were to ever rack up some credit card debt, a good portion would be attributed to that store. Last spring when I was on a shopping diet, I bought a pair of leopard print, kitten heels fromm J.Crew Factory (all diets are meant to be broken, right?). Aside from the fact that they were adorable, they were comfortable. As in wear them for eight hours and put a couple of miles on them, comfortable. After a summer of running around in these heels, I bought a second pair in a more versatile, neutral color. P.S. if you’re scared of heels, kitten heels are a good place to start and J.Crew makes a mean pair.
A line-up of my favorite shoes
What shoes do you wear?