Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
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 Franco Sarto – Cicero |
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 Stuart Weitzman – Blog |
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I live in DC and work in the public interest world. I love wearing boots in the winter and when there is inclement weather. I have two very nice pairs, one which is ankle-length and has a nice looping strap and buckle and the other that is nearly knee-high and has a four inch heel and some great detailing. They are both fairly formal looking. Is it appropriate to wear these types of boots to work? Would it ever be appropriate to wear the tall ones with a knee-length or slightly shorter skirt or dress (as opposed to wearing work slacks over them), and in that instance would tights or leggings be appropriate?
Regarding the ankle length boots, I’m going to say that while I’ve heard from some readers who think all ankle- and mid-calf-length boots are hideous (I love ‘em, so I’m not in that group), I’ve never heard anyone say they’re inappropriate for the office. Wear ‘em with pants all you want; I’ve even seem some women successfully pull them off with skirts and opaque tights that matched their boots exactly.
Regarding the knee-length boots, now… that’s a more interesting question. It was only a few years ago that the fashion writer for The Washington Post reacted with horror to an outfit Condoleezza Rice wore that involved black knee-high boots, ultimately calling her a dominatrix. As she wrote:
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If you’ve been ogling designer shoes but aren’t sure where to start (or whether to make the leap!), this post is for you. I’ve been reading Tiffany’s blog at I am Style-ish for a few years now, and I’ve always admired the professional but chic way she incorporates designer shoes into her outfits. She has quite a collection, so I asked her to write a “intro to designer shoes” post for Corporette. Enjoy! — Kat
Hello Corporette readers! It’s Tiffany from I am Style-ish here! I’m so happy to be here while Kat is away enjoying time with her new little one.
I love Kat and Corporette for bringing together so many of us career driven, highly ambitious women. I also love that Kat incorporates a lot of fashion and style in her blog because I know a lot of us still want to look our best while working our way up to the top ;) I’ve never sacrificed style for my career in HR and I don’t believe that you have to. Along those lines, although I’m a very career driven woman, I also love fashion and if there is one thing that you need to know about me is that I love shoes. Not just any shoes, really really tall shoes and preferably with a red sole ;)
a few from Tiffany's collection!
My first pair of designer heels was a pair of Jimmy Choo pumps that I thought were beautiful and when I wore them, I just felt fabulous! I caught the bug for designer heels after that pair and I just haven’t stopped. Even though I worked at a conservative IT Consulting firm, I never felt weird about wearing them, in fact, I got more compliments on my shoes at work than I ever expected! (In my current position as Director of Operations for a consulting firm, I work from home a lot, but my designer heels always come with me when I travel for meetings.)
I get a lot of questions about designer shoes, what to buy, how they fit, how to get them on sale and are they REALLY that much more comfortable so here are some things that I’ve learned.
Different designers fit very differently and you’ll never know which ones you like until you try them on. I very rarely order shoes online unless I’ve tried them on before only because sizing can be so inconsistent. In terms of comfort, my top choices are Miu Miu and Jimmy Choo. For very pretty but not very comfortable shoes, it’s definitely Christian Louboutin. Dior, Prada and YSL all fall into the middle for me. These all have exceptions of course as I’ve found that my Louboutin Simple 85 pumps (pictured below) are one of my most comfortable shoes (although in general, I’ve found that Louboutins are not that comfortable — but that doesn’t stop me from buying them!).
These Jimmy Choos are perfect for the office. I own many Jimmy Choo pumps as I find that they have the most office appropriate styles.
Or these Miu Miu pumps are gorgeous! It’s a 5 inch heel but with a 1 inch platform and perfect for shorties like me that like to feel that we can be a “normal” height sometimes :)
Having a hard time finding shoes in your size or on sale? Befriend the sales associate! This part is very important for a shoe lover like me! When you are trying on shoes, let your sales associate know that you are interested in more shoes that are similar or by the same brand and also if they have a sale on designer shoes, please give you a call. And then every time after that when you walk into their department, ask for them and buy all your shoes from them. It’s a win-win partnership as you get the shoes you want and they get the commission! I’ve had the same sales associate at Nordstrom for the past 4 years and he calls me every time he gets shoes in my size (I wear a size 5 which is a hard size to come by) and he also calls me when they have sales on designer shoes and I get to pick out the shoes before they go on sale to the public. This in itself has saved me hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars! If I had to wait for sales to buy my shoes, I’d be stuck with a lot of styles that I didn’t like or I’d buy a size up and try to put in extra insoles hoping it will fit (it never does, I’ve learned to only buy shoes in my size, no matter how much on sale they are!)
Comfort wise – I think that the comfort levels are different in designer and non designer shoes. I do think that designer shoes are more comfortable because of the craftsmanship. The insoles which are made with leather are much more comfortable and cushion your foot as opposed to non-designer heels which can be made with manmade materials and that are stiff and can feel like you are walking on a piece of wood. When designer shoes are uncomfortable it’s because the arch of the shoe may be a bit too high, which Louboutin is guilty of but that’s also why your foot looks so damn good in his shoes. He does an arch like no other. It’s definitely something that you have to get used to and I usually reserve those types of shoes for evenings when I know I’ll be sitting most of the time. I’m not going to say that all designer shoes are comfortable but with my experience I’ve had very little issues of getting blisters because the shoe is rubbing me the wrong way.
Are you a shoe lover as well? What brands are your favorites?
And if you’re interested in how I store all my shoes, check out my shoe closet video!
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Staying fashionable on the commute is a dilemma for a lot of professional women — and today’s guest poster has the answer! My friend Kai Falkenberg — newsroom lawyer for Forbes and all-around fabulous and fashionable overachieving chick — rounds up some of her favorites for Fall 2011. Welcome to Corporette, Kai! – Kat
For those like me whose commute involves walking – and occasionally running – street friendly shoes are a must. Long ago I decided changing shoes at work was not for me – wearing sneakers with suits looks ridiculous and it requires too much carrying back and forth. So I was forced to seek out shoes that could brave the subway but look stylish in the boardroom. After years of searching, I’ve finally discovered what works – and it’s not flats. Unless you’re blessed with height, women in the corporate world should wear heels. Particularly if you’re in an office of mostly men, it’s important to be eye level with your peers and that usually requires wearing heels. The solution I’ve found…. is wedges. So most days, regardless of season – you’ll find me wearing some version of a wedge heel. When I’m not wearing wedges, I wear stacked heel shoes – thick heels usually 1 to 2 inches high that provide height without altering your gait. For this Fall, I’ve spotted a number of shoes that could walk the distance…here’s a sampling, below.
These kate spade new york ‘dale’ pump (available at Nordstrom for $298) are a rare find. The tortoise shell stacked heel is both stylish and comfortable. Black patent works for all seasons and the detail on the heel makes them really stand out. These are a “must have” on my fall shopping list.
These Stuart Weitzman – Dotsunwedges are from last season but they’re now on sale at Zappos for $275 (down from $325). They would work well with both skirts and pants and the gold studs give the feminine bows a bit of an edge. They’re a great investment and in my closet would get lots of wear.
These “Marli Too” heels from Kate Spade New York are a great go-with-everything wedge. In addition to the rich chocolate suede pictured, Zappos has them in light camel, navy patent and black patent ($275). They’re perfect for pant suits and will still look chic after many seasons of wear.
I’ve never worn Vera Wang shoes but I’m thinking of trying out these “Monique” heels ($250 at Zappos). I find the elastic back exceedingly comfortable. As many have discovered, wearing nude-for-you shoes lengthens your legs – and the patent gives these a little extra oomph. They’d look terrific with a black suit or with a white blouse and a khaki skirt. If pinky beige isn’t your color, Zappos also has them in black.
Friends of mine have sworn by the Cole Haan heels with the Nike Air technology and this Fall I’m taking the plunge. I have a worn out pair of black patent wedges with rubber soles that are my equivalent of sneakers. I’ve decided to swap those out for these Cole Haan Air Talia wedges which are very reasonably priced (just $178 at Zappos) given that I’ll practically be living in them. They’re also available in black suede
and lantern patent
(which might be good for fire drill days in my role as fire marshall).
I’ve included two splurge choices which I’d rationalize as worth it given the amount of use you will get out of them. These Jimmy Choo ‘Moore’ pumps are made of snake embossed patent leather. They’d look great with a pencil skirt or ankle length pants. They’ve got just the right amount of bling to accent your outfit without overdoing it. At $495 from Nordstrom, they’re a lot less than most other Jimmy Choo heels.
Another worthy splurge — these Salvatore Ferragamo “Flo” wedges are a new take on a classic ($490, Zappos). They are timeless and work for women of any age. They’d be a perfect choice for a business trip – and would complement a wide variety of outfits from grey pinstriped suit to a beige tailored shift dress.
Found other street-friendly shoes to add to this list? Share ‘em here!
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Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
We covered beige pumps back in February when they were first appearing in the stores — but since so many are now hitting the sales racks (and there’s still two months of good weather for them) I thought we’d revisit. Readers, let us know if you’ve found any great shoe sales (especially in nude-for-you colors) in the comments!
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 Mesh shoe accents get mixed reactions on this site, but I like these very low kitten heels from Ellen Tracy. I like the preppy bow, as well as the fact that your heel is covered a bit. The pumps were $99 — Lord & Taylor have the pumps for the best price ($47.99), but very limited sizes; also check Endless for more sizes (at $70.95). Ellen Tracy Women’s Kylie Pump |
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Like this feature? Check out other recent installments! Also, don’t forget to check out The Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels!
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Are Louboutins appropriate for the office with those sexy red soles? Reader J wonders…
What do think about wearing Louboutins in the office? Is the red sole too sexy?? I have a pair of Simple 85s, which are not high at all. They’re conservative, black kid leather, round toe, surprisingly comfy, but they have this in-your-face scarlet sole. I’ll be working at a bank that has a reputation of being somewhat laidback, but I don’t want to make the wrong impression… Help please?
When I was a first year associate I was completely jealous of another first-year associate who had done some serious shopping during her bar trip — LV bags, Hermes scarves, and Louboutin shoes. She had a classic kitten heel Louboutin, with the trademark red sole. This was before Louboutins were quite as “big” as they are today, so the red sole really stood out, and I thought, looked fabulous. So for my $.02, yes, simple Louboutins are appropriate for the office.
Reader J has a slightly higher heel — the 85mm version, which is just over 3″. Even this I don’t have a problem with — it’s a classic, gorgeous shoe, and so what if there’s a red sole. (Pictured above: Simple 85 Pumps, available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $595.)
Update: I’m seeing a lot of chatter on Twitter and in comments about whether Louboutins are appropriate for assistants or interns. Does it shout “I’m not here for the money” the same way a Birkin bag does? To me, a $600 pair of shoes and a $10,000 bag are in entirely different leagues. I suppose my rule would be that if you can buy it in one paycheck, it’s appropriate for any woman of any level. My guess is that Reader J can swing a $600 pair of shoes in one paycheck given that she works at a bank — my answer might be different for the unpaid intern. (But even then I see so many teenagers walking around with Louis Vuitton bags (which generally cost around $1000)…)
But this isn’t to say that ALL Louboutin shoes are appropriate for the office. For example, I would say that any of the platform shoes pictured below are pushing it for most conservative offices — the office hallway, alas, is a far cry from the red carpet. (Fun question: can you guess which pair below is the most expensive?)
Readers, what say you? Is the Louboutin red sole appropriate for the office?
(Check out other comfortable, work-appropriate shoes in the Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels!)
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