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.

I thought we’d start strong: I think this is a good looking shoe from Naturalizer, available in a black kid leather, black patent leather, and a very attractive shiny red leather. The platform looks just right here — it’s big enough to make the heel height more walkable, as well as the sole more firm, but without looking stripperish at all. Oh, and the kicker: it has 133 glowing reviews at Zappos. It’s $79.Naturalizer – Lennox

This Nine West pump has a 5-star rating on Zappos (from 90 reviews) — again, I like the shape of the toe as well as the platform. N.B.: it comes in a pinkey “taupe” as well as a caramel-y “natural.” The black is $79 at Zappos. Nine West – Selene (Black Leather) – Footwear

I’m always a fan of Franco Sarto, and this basic pump — with a bit more prominent, but covered, platform — is no different. The black is $89 (and also comes in some more adventurous colors, including “gunmetal metallic” and a leopard print, as well as a muted brown suede). Franco Sarto – Cicero

Cole Haan Air: these are almost such a basic (available in both the 3.5″ style as well as the more manageable 2.25″ heel) that I almost didn’t mention them — but they’re on sale at Zappos so I had to include. The regular Talia was $198 but is now marked to $209; the “mid pump” was $198 marked to $130. Cole Haan – Air Talia Pump

Wow: I don’t think I’ve ever seen one shoe offered in so many shades of black. In addition to the black kid leather (pictured) there is the “black crystal snake,” “black goosebumps nappa,” “black patent,” (and then a brown goosebumps nappa and a navy). They range in price from $176 to $355; the plain black leather kid ones are now marked to $209. Stuart Weitzman – Blog

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

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Can you wear knee-high boots to the office with a skirt? Reader B wonders…

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:

As Rice walked out to greet the troops, the coat blew open in a rather swashbuckling way to reveal the top of a pair of knee-high boots. The boots had a high, slender heel that is not particularly practical. But it is a popular silhouette because it tends to elongate and flatter the leg. In short, the boots are sexy.

Rice boldly eschewed the typical fare chosen by powerful American women on the world stage. She was not wearing a bland suit with a loose-fitting skirt and short boxy jacket with a pair of sensible pumps. She did not cloak her power in photogenic hues, a feminine brooch and a non-threatening aesthetic. Rice looked as though she was prepared to talk tough, knock heads and do a freeze-frame “Matrix” jump kick if necessary. Who wouldn’t give her ensemble a double take — all the while hoping not to rub her the wrong way?

It’s a great article by Robin Givhan and one that has to be read.  To be honest, when I first read it — way back when in 2005 — it seemed a bit much.  My personal delineation line for the “too sexy” boot had always been the knee:  if it hit under the knee you were stylish; if it hit over the knee then hey, at least you had a place to store stuff while you worked the streets waiting for Richard Gere.  But not everyone is on the same page with that delineation.  For example, I remember having a discussion back in law school with a friend of mine (with a tongue ring, mind you!) who asked me if I thought knee-high boots were hooker boots and unacceptable for the office.

Maybe these reactions alone are enough for any professional woman to say, “You know, why chance it at the office?”  In fact, that’s still my advice: wear your knee-high boots all you want outside the office, but really think twice before wearing them in the office.  Even though these two conversations were a few years ago, there are plenty of people who form an opinion on what is and is not appropriate for the office when they start working — so unless your boss has been working for less than 7 years, there’s a significant chance he or she might think tall boots are inappropriate for the office.

But perhaps knee-high boots have come a long way since then. So here’s the question:

I’m curious, readers — what are your thoughts about knee-high boots at the office?

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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Interested in writing something similar for Corporette? Check out our guest posting guidelines.

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!

(L-all)

Interested in writing something similar for Corporette? Check out our guest posting guidelines.

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!

Nordstrom has these simple “Claye” pumps on sale from Nine West. Both the “pink leather” (pictured) and the “off white” could work for different skin tones. They were $79.95, now marked to $39.90 (limited sizes only). Nine West ‘Claye’ Pump

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

For those of us who prefer a lower heel, this 2″ heel from Sam Edelman looks lovely.  I like the leopard-printed fabric lining on the inside footbed, as well as the super teeny peep.  Dillards has the best price ($49.99), but if you’re having trouble finding your size check Endless ($54.45) and Piperlime ($59.99) also. The shoes are also available in black or red patent leather.

Yes, another kitten heel — love the lattice design on the vamp and the gently pointed toe. There are multiple “nude for me” possibilities from this shoe, including the “beige patent” (pictured here), the pink patent, or (only at Lord & Taylor) a brown patent. The shoes were $185, but they’re now on sale: Zappos has them for $105, Nordstrom has them for $91.90, Piperlimehas them for $99.99, and Bloomingdale’s has them for $104.06. Depending on the store, they may also be available in a black and red. Via Spiga – Dolmen (Beige Patent) – Footwear

Pour la Victoire continues to be a strong contender with pumps, and I like these 4.25″ high “natural patent” pumps. (They also come in black and red patent.) This shoe was $250, now marked to $149.90 at Nordstrom (lots of sizes still available). Pour la Victoire ‘Loelle’ Pump

Even Italian high-end shoes go on sale, as with this Giuseppe Zanotti low-vamp pump.  There are very limited sizes left at Neiman Marcus in black and beige, but it’s a great sale: was $550, now marked to $368 plus an additional 25% off, bringing it down to $276 today.  Nice! Giuseppe Zanotti Patent Low-Vamp Pump

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?

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(Check out other comfortable, work-appropriate shoes in the Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels!)

Reader V has a full-fledged shoe debacle on her hands — and she might be charged with delineating (i.e. narrowing) the rules further…

We are in the middle of the full raging summer shoe debate at my work place. I work at a CPA firm. We have a no flip-flop policy = no shoes that have anything between the toes. We also use a suggested guideline of more shoe than foot. A new rather gutsy administrative professional started wearing decorative flip-flops…. Flats with large flowers decorations. I privately told her that flip flops are against the office policy. She commented rudely about the firm buying her all new shoes and that she was going to appeal it up to her supervisors. She did and they backed the policy but another administrative person suggested that she appeal it further. So now I am charged with researching other professional service policies. This morning I queried my friends at local banks and law firms and they all agree with the no flip flop rule. My question is …. Are we just in a Midwestern U.S. frame of mind? Also… what may very well happen as a result of her “challenge” is that the rule gets tighten even further. We are noticing strappy sandals that are more foot than shoe. One person has suggested we go with just pumps or peep-toes but no strappy sandals at all. Thoughts????

Yowza. I always say “know your office” when we talk about shoes, but I wonder how that really shakes out in the aggregate.  So: perhaps today is the day for a poll.  (For the poll below, multiple answers are allowed, and by “which are not acceptable” I mean “which would you not wear, whether there’s an office policy against it or not.”) (Pictured above: Calvin Klein – Jade (Pink Patent) – Footwear, available at Zappos on sale today for $38.) If your office policy disallows something else, please note it in the comments.

Now the more interesting question here is WHAT the rule ought to be, and why. In a perfect world, we could all just say “we’re all adults, let’s just let everyone use their best judgment” — but, well, there’s always that lowest common denominator you have to legislate for, whether it’s the 20-year-old intern, the “gutsy” administrative professional (as reader V mentioned), or that senior executive who has zero common sense.  So here’s my $.02 for which shoes are NOT appropriate:

- Any shoes that make a loud sound when walking down the hallway. I started my office career in the late ’90s when those Steve Madden slides were all the rage — for those who don’t remember they were a flatform sandal that had a thick black elastic strap (about 3″ wide) for the vamp of your foot. (And, ZOMG, I just realized that they’ve been re-introduced. You can purchase at Steve Madden for $59.95, should you so desire.) My point here is that they were super comfortable, we ALL wore them to work ad nauseum  … and they made the loudest FLAPFLAPFLAP sound you could have imagined while walking down the hallway. Honestly, it boggles the mind to think that none of our superiors took us aside and said something. In any event: I think flip flops create similar problems (loud FLAPFLAPFLAP noise).

- Any shoe made primarily of plastic. This is another problem with most flip-flops — but honestly I’d be hard-pressed to call even a high quality leather flip-flop office appropriate.  (FWIW, though, Bernardo makes some great leather flip-flops — allegedly that brand was Jackie O’s favorite.)

- Any shoe that requires a pedicure to look good. Maybe this is just me, but feet can be gross, yo.  A perfectly pedicured foot is one thing — but without getting into too many details, there are so many, many other ways that feet can look (and, um, smell).  If I were Queen of the Office, I wouldn’t want clients coming into the office and being forced to view feet that were less than perfect — but I’d hate to require (or suggest) pedicures of employees.  So if it were me, I would just ban all sandals, for both men and women.  I think it’s much harder to offend in peep-toes than it is in sandals… but if it were a conservative office I’d just make both men and women wear closed-toe shoes.

Readers, what is the rule at your office (and is it a clear rule?)  If you were Queen of the Office, what would your rules be?

OK. Pink patent heels can be a bit much, even for me — but do you see the heels on these, ladies? Love the striped, stacked heels so much that I’d find a way to make pink work. They would be lovely with otherwise sedate colors — gray, navy, black, possibly even brown — and just think of the fun you’d have pairing these shoes with something like a simple black sheath dress. The shoe comes in two other colors, as well: a linen patent (with black and white stripes), as well as a navy patent (with navy and cream stripes). Love love love. It’s $298 at Zappos Couture. Kate Spade New York – Karolina (Strawberry Patent, Multi Stripe Stack Heel) – Footwear

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For today’s coffee break, I’m in the mood for something bright and colorful — and this vibrant yellow heel from Seychelles quenches that thirst. Love the way the vamp is high enough so you can walk in it, but not so high that it strangles your leg, and love the low, solid heel. It’s on sale at Zappos — was $90, now $72 (also available in seafoam green, a beige “vacchetta,” and black). Seychelles – Aquamarine (Mustard) – Footwear

N.B.: Peep-toes may not be appropriate in every office. Know your office culture!

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Both 6pm and Zappos have great sales on these high-heeled oxford shoes from Gabriella Rocha — and I think it’s a good sign that they have all positive reviews on Zappos.  Suede can be tricky in the springtime, but so long as it’s dry outside and you’re wearing something on your feet (whether it be a pair of tights, knee-highs, or a hidden nylon sock), I think these are still wearable for a few more months. The shoes are available in gray, pictured ($72 at 6pm, $84 at Zappos), a brown “camel” ($60 at 6pm, $69 at Zappos), and black ($48 at 6pm). ( The price difference between the two stores may be negligible considering the free shipping and easy returns that Zappos offers, so I thought I’d list both.)  Gabriella Rocha – Dorell (Black Suede) – Footwear

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