5.20.2013

stylehacker: en pointe

lesantimodernes // stylehacker: en pointe

i'm really, really glad that we're swinging back around to the realm of 'single-sole' heels, though i've always loved this classic style. i see platform-fronted skyscraper heels and can't help but immediately think "anklebreaker/Real Housewife/cab-to-curb-only", in that order.

recently, i came across this NYC shoe survey from Racked – and the numbers are fascinating. 43% of women splurge on a cab because their heels are too painful. and 14% have actually walked barefoot in the city?? 


inspired by the 43%, this stylehacker find is a hybrid of the Parisienne spirit but grounded in the New Yorker's sensibilities; these are heels that are sleek and chic for work and play, but don't require a car service for either. they're by my favorite affordable shoe brand, Corso Como (i have a pair of round-toe Chanel-esque pumps from last year that i love). the all-leather construction with a cushiony insole checks off all the quality and comfort boxes. elegantly elongating point-toe without straying into witchy territory. 3 1/4" heel, perfect.



lesantimodernes // stylehacker: the parisienne pumps
the affordable Parisienne heels (currently on sale!)
P.S. they run a little small so go up half a size.

what do you think? 

18 comments:

  1. I love the idea of a 3.5 inch heel but if I'm going to be walking all over the city, I need a serious pair of flats. I just can't manage anything over 2 inches if I need to be moving around and working.

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  2. I walk a lot and far too much so flats are my preference although I have a pair of 2.5" heels that are very comfy. By far that's the best heel height for me. The Corso Como heels you picked out look good though. Yet to try their shoes.

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  3. i love the look of 3.5 inch heels, but i have to say, i think strangely enough, the shorter you are, the lower the heel should be, otherwise you just look like a short person on top of high heels. Proportionally, taller women look fine in very high heels (in my opinion) which is so unfair because short girls like me are the ones who need the extra height (i'm 5'1)... i don't know if i'm making any sense. Anyway, I think 3-3.5 inches is perfect for any height. :)
    also, i just want to say - emmanuelle alt can do no wrong...

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    Replies
    1. haha! i like your visualization of proportion vs heel height. i love the way classic icons like Audrey Hepburn wore her heels, back in the kitten heel's heyday. she wasn't short, but i think there's just an elegance to a realistic 2-3.5" heel.

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  4. I tried on a pair of heels as I was browsing a shop after work. They're just not me. I do admire women who can wear heels and still go about their business as normal but that will never be me - I can trip over my own shadow.

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  5. I prefer the single sole heel, although I did have a brief love affair with the platform, one which when I look back on photos, I entirely regret. I've just picked up a great pair of low heeled pumps (black suede) from Topshop - absolutely perfect for everyday! Ah.. and pretty sure I would have walked barefoot from sore feet at some point.

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    Replies
    1. i remember having to walk home barefoot once in college from horribly uncomfortable shoes. never again! lesson learned.

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  6. all of the heels that i brought with me when i moved to Paris have been sorely neglected. i take them out of their dust bags to wear around the house when my boyfriend comes to town.. its a LOT easier to buy lower walking heels in Paris than it is in the US.. nice to see that the sensible yet feminine options are coming back into vogue...

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  7. I've never been a big fan of platforms, as they tend to emphasize the skinniness of my calves. Those CC's are lovely!
    That said, even single sole pumps are nearly too much for me these days. Arthritis plus a more frenzied lifestyle in general means flats are my go-to walking shoes, and the heels rarely make it out of the closet.

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    1. i hear you - i doubt i'd wear heels for all-day walking around city streets, but for the daily commute/work i feel like the 3" height is just right.

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  8. Yey to the return of the single-sole heel! I've never been a fan of the platform, I didn't understand why you would willing wear something that makes your feet look clunky.

    I bought two pairs of Massimo Dutti pointy pumps that I've blogged about a while back, and I must say they are better than I expected them to be. Leather uppers, interior and soles (which I had soled with Vibrams, following your recommendation) and cushioned insoles. I am klutz on heels, but I've been able to work comfortably and presentably in the 2.75 inch ones and also in the 3.5 inch ones. They are now my go-to work shoe, and I've been trolling their site for new colors ever since.

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  9. When it comes to shoes, I'm always willing to invest. I do love our Corso Como Chanel-esque pumps. They were such a pleasant surprise. To find a show of that quality- hand assembled & chic at that price is unheard of. And to know that the company has a conscience when it comes to the social and environmental issues that plague the fashion industry is of most importance to me.

    The shoes that you picked look great and an elongating pointy-toe is really flattering on most.

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    Replies
    1. indeed. i first discovered CC back in 2007 in a little nyc boutique, and have been a fan of their shoes ever since.

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    2. That's how I discovered them too. My friend's mom used to have a shoe boutique and she used to stock them 8 years ago or so. I don't remember them being in department stores then. I do like that the quality hasn't changed.

      We still need to do our coffee meet up;)

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  10. Yes! As a large footed lady, I love how (relatively) dainty my feet look in a classic pump. I pretty much sat out the whole frankenshoe era for that reason (and also just because the look does not appeal to me).

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  11. I can't manage to walk around town and chase after a horde of monkeys, I mean kids in anything higher than 1.75". My wedge sneakers are approximately 3" with an inch platform. I can comfortable do those only because there's a cushioned insole. A 3" heel will snap my ankle in a nanosecond here with all the cobblestones everywhere. So far, the only things that work are chunky heels and wedges.

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  12. these are so beautiful and affordable! thanks for sharing them. i probably need them for my internship this summer! so yeah doubly thanks!

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    ReplyDelete

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