Walk a Mile in My Shoes
I’ll admit it – I love shoes! Heels in particular are my fashion vice. A good pair of heels helps me own my posture, ramp up my self-confidence, and turn on my professional poise.
I am surprised by the bad choices women (and men) make regarding footwear in the professional realm. I recently attended an elegant awards ceremony where 20 recipients had to walk across a stage to receive their prize. Quite frankly, it was a shoe disaster!
Most of the women were sporting heels so high that they could not walk well, or they were wearing flats that made them look like they were traversing the aisles at the grocery store. The men were not much better – most of them wore scuffed and worn shoes that did not match their tailored clothes.
As a young girl, I used to sit at the foot of my parent’s bed every night and watch my Dad polish his shoes for the following workday. It was a ritual for him every night to prepare his shoes so they were clean and ready for his next day on Wall Street. The meticulous and professional look was an expectation of his career in the financial world and my Dad assured me that a positive impression was made from head to toe. He was right.
- When choosing heels for work remember, you must be able to walk well in them at all times. Stiletto heels might look great for date night but if you can’t walk with confidence at work, you are in trouble. Higher is not always better – choose a heel height that is manageable and appropriate for your work culture.
- Make sure your shoes are clean and polished. Avoid scuffed and scraped heels and be sure to re-sole if frequent use wares your shoes down.
- Open toe shoes should be reserved for the summer months. But only if you have a great pedicure and an office culture that welcomes this fashion trend.
Lastly – take a tip from this shoe Diva. Bring flats or walking shoes in your bag if you know you have to commute a long distance on foot or travel in bad weather. No need to ruin your dress shoes in transit. Carry a pair of commuter shoes with you for a quick change and save your feet and your back from a full day walking in heels. Your feet and your good shoes will thank you.
January 27, 2014 @ 11:51 pm
Hi Caroline. Thank you for this post. My girlfriend has been having a tough time finding heels for her that don’t hurt after wearing them for an hour, but she tells me the same story about how she has to look good lol. I noticed you didn’t mention any specific brands in your post here, but I was wondering if you had any brand recommendations for her that she can start with?
January 28, 2014 @ 8:28 am
Reggie – your girlfriend is lucky to have you watching out for her! My favorite brands include Sofft and Clarks – both have stylish heels that area actually comfy. Cole Haan is a high end shoe that is also designed for comfort and many brands are looking to design comfort with style so women can be fashionable and healthy. Sounds like it’s time for some shoe shopping.
Zappos online is a great place to start since you can sort by brand and they have a free return policy and great sales.
Cheers,
Caroline
March 24, 2014 @ 11:30 am
If your girlfriend would like to wear good-looking flats (in other words, flats that DON’T look like what you’d wear grocery shopping), I highly recommend Calvin Klein and Michael Kors flats–they are stylish and comfortable all at the same time. I usually wear mine with my dress slacks to go onstage at church (I play piano for worship team) and to do presentations.
March 24, 2014 @ 11:31 am
I forgot to add: I got my flats at Macy’s–I shop their sales and also get online offers and coupons that I can take to the store or use on their website.
March 13, 2014 @ 3:58 am
I so agree about high heels, once I saw a tipsy woman teetering atop an steep San Francisco street. I couldn’t bear to watch. They are really torture of women!