I overheard a young woman at work compliment another young woman on her four-inch platform pumps. The one with the stylish shoes said thanks, they hurt so bad -- my feet are killing me.
The other woman said, "Where did you get them?" And then they agreed it would be OK if she went and bought them, too.
Meanwhile, my body has rejected heels, and I'm trying to figure out how to wear flats with skirts. I think I've learned a couple of things so far:
- Avoid skirts below the knee -- it shortens the leg and can look dowdy.
- If the toe is square or round, wear a shorter, fuller skirt. Just above the knee is ideal.
- For knee-length pencil skirts, which are narrow at the hem, a pointier toe balances the look.
I'm not into pointy toes anymore than I am into stilettos, but I am finding a nice compromise. An open-toe flat is typically narrower at the toe and gives the illusion of pointiness. The good news is that there are tons of choices when it comes to flats. I find many flats are anything but comfortable, so I am picky. In my opinion, if they don't feel good when you put them on, don't buy them.
One thing I've become less concerned about is padding and arch support. My knees have not yet fully recovered from a sports injury of almost two years ago. I read this amazing book, which has helped propel the barefoot movement. The premise is that the cushioning in modern shoes, running shoes in particular, actually raises the potential for injury. Minimalist shoes mimic being barefoot, and barefoot is better for the body.
I've been ever so slowly transitioning to Vibram FiveFingers for walking and weekends, and so far, so good. I like the feeling of being connected to the ground, and my minimalist flats somewhat reproduce this effect for the office. More to come on my knee journey and my experiments with barefoot walking, but for now I suggest a dressy flat that feels comfortable when you put it on just might work for work.
