Let’s get creative for a minute. Imagine it’s nine o’clock on a Friday night and you’re standing in front of your closet trying to decide which shoes go best with the ensemble you’re wearing. A pair of dramatic sky-high heels or a pair of elegant yet comfortable flats? From my experience, there are “heels” people and there are “flats” people. “Heels” people will always be wearing heels on a night out. Always. No matter how many blisters they have or how far they have to walk. They are wearing those heels. “Flats” people would rather die than trot around in pain all night. They need to be comfortable. Period. And their outfit will just have to deal with it. Granted, there is that population that falls in between the two extremes. Their choice between heels and flats depends solely on what they are in the mood for at the time. So what should we wear? Should we teeter around in pretty heels that make our legs look great and end our evening crying in pain? Or should we sacrifice the extra inches and saunter around gracefully in our sleek flats never needing to carry a secret stash of Band-Aids in our purse?
Now, I’m going to be honest here, I am hugely biased. I have an unhealthy obsession with heels. I would wear heels rain or shine every day and everywhere if it was physically possible. Unfortunately, those great pieces of architecture make my ankles hurt. Badly. However, I can take the pain for several hours because anything that adds a few inches to my 5’3’’ frame is a friend of mine. To me, a pair of heels is the ultimate accessory that can perfectly complete an outfit. They can be the perfect statement piece when six inches high and covered in straps and buckles or in the great bold color of your choice. Or they can be worn undercover, under wide leg jeans to make your legs seem way longer than they actually are. And besides, everyone just looks better when they are wearing heels. End of story, no negotiating. A woman in a great pair of heels demands attention. She looks tall, powerful and, in the words of Tyra Banks, fierce. If I am ever having a bad day, I’ll put on my favorite pair of heels and walk around a little bit and instantly feel better.
On the other hand, when worn incorrectly, heels can have the opposite affect. There is nothing worse than seeing a woman wobbling around in a pair of heels that she just cannot walk in. In this case, even I would advise said person to take them off. It is possible to master the art of walking in heels; you just have to be wearing the right ones. When it comes to gracefully walking in heels, it’s all about the fit. In my opinion, a heel with a wedge, sling back, or strap that fastens around the ankle are the easiest to walk in. When wearing a simple slip on it’s easy for your foot to come out the back, which makes walking a very difficult task. Also, if you’re going to be wearing heels, go all the way. Three inches or more ladies, nothing less. If your foot is larger than a size 6, a short “kitten” heel, can actually make your foot appear larger than it is. And lets be honest, duck feet are not very attractive.
If you are like a certain 5’9’’ friend of mine, you would rather eat paste than wear a pair of heels in public. She is a true “flats” girl through and through. No matter where she is going, she is in flats. A chic pair of flats can add a great amount of sophistication to an outfit. A white shirt, skinny jeans, and a pair of black flats is my go-to outfit when I want to be comfortable but still look classic and chic. Now, my friend’s height helps her get away with flats when heels would have been the better option, but flats go with just about anything. On a night out when you just can’t bear the thought of heels, there is nothing wrong with throwing on a cute little dress and a pair of flats. If you don’t own a pair already, simple black flats are the ultimate staple item that everyone should have in their wardrobe.
So, heels or flats? The choice is yours but with either option you can’t go wrong. If you run into me on a night out, 99.9% of the time I’ll be wearing a pair of heels, but catch me during the day and I’ll definitely be wearing my perfectly worn in black ballet flats.
images from Style.com and Google images
Comment (1)
October 20, 2009 at 12:58 PM
This gives me a much needed look into the psyche of the female, I still can't imagine how you'd put yourself through the pain necessary to have high heels on all night but I suppose if you must be a heels girl though, it doesn't matter - I appreciate the viewpoint and I guess it's a little easier to take your willing submission to discomfort for fashion.
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