The Vine: August 7, 2009
Sars and well-heeled Vine readers,
I have a shoe question. Please help!
I am a month into a fancy new PR job, which requires me to be on my feet and dressed to the nines every day. I walk a lot; I stand a lot; and I am typically on uneven, pebbly sidewalks — the kind with pebbles imbedded in the concrete, you know? Anyway, the result is that my $80 Nine Wests and Bandolinos which have always been fine before are suddenly wearing out at an alarming rate. And, let me repeat, I am only a month in.
I need nice, versatile pumps that look killer but won’t kill the dogs, y’all.
So, here’s where I need your advice. Should I invest in designer brands? Will they hold up better, fit better and last longer? If so, which ones do you recommend? And are we talking $700 shoes or $200? ‘Cause I can probably swing $200 but I am working in state government so that’s pushing my limit right now.
Also, if the brand isn’t so important, should I consider adding something to my shoes like covers at the toes, or new soles, etc? What seems to be wearing out on my current shoes are the soles rubbing through, the heels smashing down and the pointy toes scrubbing off.
Sigh.
And one more thing, as if I haven’t asked enough already — I really don’t like the “comfort” brands. I’m trying to do the power suit thing, show a little leg, work the pointy toe like Stacy and Clinton have taught me, you get the idea.
I would really appreciate your shoe insight!
I asked my husband his thoughts and all he said was “you better not come home with Manolo Blahniks”
Dear Manolo,
Identify the brands that you like — shoes that look chic and fit well.Open searches on eBay for those brands in your size and desired color; haunt the local DSW; stock up.
Also, befriend your neighborhood shoe-repair guy and get his advice.If the soles and heels tend to wear out, it’s not necessarily because the brand or its materials run down faster; you just wear shoes out quickly, and the shoe-repair shop can advise you on replacement materials with longer lives.
Unfortunately, though, this is now a necessary expense in your working life; your best bet is to buy up a bunch of pairs of the moderately-priced shoes you already dig at a discount, because there isn’t really a robo-pair that will never wear out in the specific fashion you describe.Some premium brands hold up better on the inside than, say, Rocket Dog, whose inner soles last maybe two wearings before shredding — but it sounds to me like you mean wear to the parts that come in contact with the ground, and short of parking your tootsies on a desk whenever possible, there’s only so much you can do about that.
Go online to Martha Stewart or another similar site and look for tips on taking care of your shoes when you aren’t wearing them.Try to be mindful of gravel and other harsh walking surfaces, and route around them when you can.Ask your repair guru if he has a tougher (or rubberized) heel tip that allows more miles put on it.But…this is the life you have chosen.Heh.
My readers may have insights that I, living in Birks and Old Navy flip-flops from May to October, do not.Readers?
Tags: Ask The Readers Manolo Blahnik retail Rocket Dog
Doc Marten do formal shoes and those are generally pretty great. I have a pair of black Jennas which have enough of a heel to be smart, look nice on, but I can still wear all day and walk back home in.
Seconding the Franco Sarto recommendation – though their sizing can be a little irregular (even within the same style of shoe).
Also, Etienne Aigner makes the best, toughest leather (but still stylish) heels I’ve ever had. I had one pair last me six years – they even survived after I had to walk a mile in them through a flood. You will have to break them in a little more than most shoes, but they are absolutely worth it.
They aren’t cheap, but Cole Haan G Series shoes are very comfortable and built to last. They use Nike technology on the soles. And, they make cute, pointy toed heels, perfect for work.
GEOX! The best, and not too expensive!
Seconding the Cole Haan recommendation. They are seriously tough. i’ve also had good luck with Kenneth Cole & Kenneth Cole reaction.
You can also have your shoe repair guy ‘beef up’ your shoes *before* they get battered. They can add a better heel cap, treat the leather, and put in better soles, for example. I had the heels reinforced on one pair where they got a bit wobbly. There might be more they can do too.
My favorite work shoe comfort brands are: Clarks, Franco Sarto, Anne Klein and Joan & David. I’ve heard good things about Naturalizer but I haven’t tried those personally.
Other tricks I live by are: 1) go half a size up 2) stay under 3″ and 3) wedges, wedges, wedges! (you get the height of pumps but the stability of flats… plus, your heels won’t get stuck in pebbled sidewalks)
I also tend to feel more comfort all day in boots than most other shoes; I don’t know why that is. Maybe it’s because you can add cushioning with socks? Maybe it’s just me…
I think the trouble is more with the style of shoe you’re choosing. Whatever Carrie whatserface wore walking around New York, pointy toes, thin soles and stilettos are not up to the longterm challenges of pavement and little pebbles, no matter how expensive they are. If you want that kind of footwear, you are committing to, at the very least, a close and intimate relationship with your cobbler.
Say what you will about the “cartoony” Fluevog Minis, but mine have held up through all-day marathons through Old Montreal (cobblestones!) and still get compliments after four years, which is more than I can say for any pair of Clarks I ever owned. But I can certainly see that the ‘Vog is not for everybody, and as it happens, fashion currently favours the girl who wants to walk outdoors in heels.
Look for those platform soles (modest ones, not the hefty Venician-courtesan-patten wannabes), rubber bottoms, and either a chunky heel, or as Style Bard says, a wedge. They are all totally in right now, and have the double advantages of both looking hot, and being easier to walk in on uneven ground than any teeny little heel. There are a lot of brands doing all of these right now at various price points, and you can probably find some perfectly awesome ones at Nine West. (check out the Mane http://tinyurl.com/oeme5e and the Zoey http://tinyurl.com/mzpygb). (although suede is probably not your friend either)
Just do your shoe shopping with an eye to “pebbly concrete” rather than “oatmeal-coloured wall-to-wall carpet” and you should be fine. And do replace the heel taps when they start to wear. I prefer solid heels for that very reason; I land on my heels, and once the heel tap goes, the entire heel can go with it. But I’ve had cheap and moderately-priced shoes that lasted for years, and fairly expensive (c. $300) ones that self-destructed after mere months. Once you eliminate the obviously cheaply-made or deliberately flimsy ones, and get into the real leather (whatever the vegans say, nothing lasts like a side of cow) it’s more in the details than anything else.
Ow. I have to say, I would not recommend wedges and especially platform soles for uneven ground (chunky heels are fine). I’ve worn high heels of all possible varieties for ~15 years, and sprained my ankle several times before I realized that platform soles are TEH EBIL. If you step on something or put your weight down too heavily on the outer side of the foot, the platform will tilt and give way under your foot, thereby causing your ankle to bend.
This just does not happen with thinner soles, and I’ve never had any other balance problems with stiletto-type heels either.
I’ll second the Fluevogs. I’d always heard they were ‘teh awesome,’ and after breaking down and getting a pair of minis when my 10-year old black boots died earlier this year? Well, I’m now up to three pair.
A lot of their styles are funky, but there are quite a few that are wearable in all kinds of situations like these: http://tiny.cc/nX30v Even my conservative mom likes them– and she’s usually pretty dismissive of my entire wardrobe.
Comfortable? I kind of feel like I’m floating a little. Stylish? People at work and out on the town– total strangers!– compliment me on them. Durable? The mini sole is sturdy enough for me to spin fire in across a yard strewn with all kinds of hazards. (Yes, I work a very corporate job, but I’m a burner at heart.) Reasonably priced? Weeellll, they are more in the $200 range, although you can find frequent sales. Their website is currently holding the “John Fluevog Thinks You’re Awesome” sale, which has me leaving my credit card at home to subvert temptation. I also scored when a local boutique who carries a few of their models had a half-off everything sale, and I got a pair for $99.
Congratulations on the new job and bonne chance!