The biggest downside to living in New York is receiving packages. I mean, I know some people live in these magical places that have doormen and elevators, but for the rest of us masses getting anything delivered via mail is a bit of a crapshoot. For one thing, I'm not entirely sure my delivery man even tries the door of my building. For another, you never get a "first delivery attempt" notice. They're all "final notices" that somehow imply it's your fault that they weren't able to delivery your package and, threaten you with the fact that if you don't immediately hike over to some random warehouse that you'll never see your precious order.
To be honest, it's probably good for my wallet. Nothing is a bigger deterrent to ordering something on-line than the prospect of spending 45 minutes on the phone with customer service while literally chasing a delivery truck around the West Village. Obviously, it wasn't that big of a deterrent though, because the other day, these three beauties arrived on my doorstep (and by arrived on my doorstep, I mean I had to schlep over to the UPS warehouse and drag three different boxes home, but at least they arrived)
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As you might have guessed, shoes are kind of my cryptonite. (It's not my fault, it runs in my family and, by all accounts, possibly my culture). That said, I was pretty firm in my resolve to only keep shoes that met the criteria of what I was looking for and were comfortable. Given my recent shoe-tastrophes, I would have been happy if even one pair had worked out.
But, guys. They're all perfect . . . and, I mean perfect. They're exactly what I was looking for style-wise and soooooooo comfortable. First off, I was really impressed with the quality. The leather is really soft and pliable--as a proof of that, I get blisters even thinking about putting on shoes and I wore the last two pairs out on two different nights, for more than 3 hours, without any issues. The shoes have a leather sole, and there's a cute (almost tory-burchish) jewel on the bottom that's a fun detail. But, they don't deserve to be lumped together, so here is the breakdown:
1. Cate d'Orsay Leather Platform: Originally, I was going to order the "Perfect Pump," since I'd heard so much about it. But, at the end of the day, it didn't really excite me. I wanted something a little different and the Cate d'Orsay pump delivered. It just took one look at the snake-skin wrapped heel and I was in. The one thing I was a little concerned about was the height. I usually have a 3.5 inch limit on my heels and these are 4 inches. I've had pretty mixed luck in the past with platform pumps. If you're not familiar with platform pumps, the shoe has a hidden platform that gives you more support. So even though it makes you 4 inches taller, it really only feels like you're wearing a 3.5 inch heel. Mind games, but when you're 5'2 and three-quarters of an inch, that feels like victory. The trick though, is that you're still putting a lot of pressure on the ball of your foot and a lot shoes skimp on any sort of padding. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Ann Taylor shoes had a lot of cushioning . . . I don't think I'll be taking a wilderness hike in them anytime soon, but I could definitely wear them to an event or around school all day with very few problems.
On another note, some people feel that a 4-inch heel is not appropriate for an office shoe. Personally, I think it depends on two things 1) the dress code in your office, and 2) the rest of your outfit. Pairing sky-high heels with a really tight, short skirt and a super revealing blouse might send the wrong message (again, depends a lot on your work environment). But, I don't see anything wrong with wearing high heels as long as you tone down the rest of your clothing. It's all about balance.
2. Arlene Shooties: I'd never heard the term "shootie" before and am still not sure what makes this a "shootie" versus an open-toed bootie or a sandal . . . but, regardless these shoes are fabulous. They have a lower heel (3 inches) and also have whatever magical padding Ann Taylor is putting in their shoes. The first time I wore them, I was on my feet for four hours and, aside from the fact that the toestrap started to pinch a bit at the end of the night, they were really comfortable. The best thing about them though, is the versatility. I have a feeling, that of the three, these are going to end up getting the most wear. I wore them out one night with skinny black moto pants and have also paired them with a simple work/school dress and a pencil skirt. FYI . . . I'm a pretty true size 7 in most brands and these run slightly big when compared with the other two. My foot slips forward a bit, though it's not enough to warrant a smaller size. It doesn't bother me, but I may end up putting in an insert just to keep my foot in place.
3. Juliette Ankle Strap Heels: My heart has been set on a pair of ankle strap heels for a long time. But, the ones I saw at Zara, tended to be really high (4 inches and up), and this wasn't a style that really lent itself to a platform. I was excited to see that these were only a 3 inch heel (which was well within my comfort range), though I was concerned I wouldn't get the same, elongating effect. I didn't need to be worried. They were just as perfect as the other two. As a heads up, if you have really wide feet or thicker ankles, you might have a little bit of trouble. The toe box is on the narrower side and the ankle strap isn't particularly long. (For reference, my ankles are 9 inches in circumference at the widest point and I had to go to the second hole. Given how short the strap is, if you had to use the third hole, you might not have enough room to buckle the shoes)
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All in all, this was one of my most successful shoe shopping experiences (and I didn't even have to leave the comfort of my couch). It was fabulous to be able to cross off three of the shoes on my list in one single order! If you're looking for a great pair of heels, definitely give Ann Taylor a chance. (on the plus side, they're also almost always having a 40 percent off sale, which means they're basically free . . . or at least a really good deal). They're flats also look pretty cute . . . but I'm veering into dangerous waters.
Note: I know that everyone has different levels of pain tolerance when it comes to shoes, so my idea of perfectly comfortable may not be yours. Personally, I consider a shoe to be comfortable if I can wear it for at least 4 hours without developing blisters, the shoes don't inhibit my ability to walk or stand, and I don't feel like I'm ruining my feet. That said, if you aren't used to wearing heels all day or a 3 inch heel sounds high to you, you might want to steer away from the Cate d'Orsay pump or try something with more of a kitten heel, like this one)
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