Leopard as a Neutral

One of my favorite classic styles is a great leopard print shoe.  And probably what’s coming into your mind is that woman that takes the look too far – at least for the office – going head to toe with the print.  That’s not what I’m talking about.  I’m talking about a gorgeous crimson red coat with a camel pant and leopard print heel.  Granted that’s a bit of a statement for your average Tuesday wear with the more relaxed office dress code.  

So the new leopard as a neutral is more about a dark rinse denim jean, crisp white button down and a camel jacket and this lovely Elsie pump from J.Crew.  Not only is this a great easy season transition outfit, but its really pretty a much solid choice year round.

The Elsie is just a quintessential classic pump.  It comes in at 3 ½ inches - my favorite height.  For those of us avid heels wearing gals, this is the sweet spot height.  And really what makes it really wearable is the positioning of the heel.  It has a slight curvature which allows the location to be located dead center under your heel.  This gives you optimal balance and weight distribution and, ultimately, stability for the height. 

But, if that’s a little too much for you to rock for a full day’s schedule, the Laney is a great alternative, also from J.Crew.  The Laney has a heel that’s just over 2 inches, technically 2 1/5”.  And it’s a block heel so there’s really no urban terrain that can knock you off your game.  Block heels, regardless of the height, give you the best stability and support.  The block heel is the precursor to the wedge in the evolution of heels. 😊 

Both of these beauties have the sleek pointed toe that adds the dressed up feel up’ing your easy outfit to a more office ready look.  The Elsie is on sale for $208 and the Laney’s priced at $198.  BUT, if I know my J.Crew as well as I do, there will be another great sale soon that makes these babies even more discounted… if they haven’t already.

Show me how you rock your neutral leopard!

*hearts*

Oh Meredith!

Oh Meredith!  You’ve come to my aid!  My adored Banana Republic Donni’s in navy pony hair had to pass on after my numerous resoling life extensions, I was at such a loss.  I had grown to depend on those Donni’s for my go-to neutral not black, go with just about everything, heels.  They had this straight vamp top line that cut across my foot in the most flattering way.  And the pointy toe made them just so sleek and great for pencil skirts, skinny pants, leggings and cigarette pants.  I wore them in so well, that they became too worn in.  And since these babies are circa 2016-ish, it was going to be such a challenge to find them again.  PS, for a little shoe anatomy lesson, read this post.

Enter Meredith. 

Meredith you came along with your 3.5” high heel and supple navy leather.  I was aghast.  You even had an extra plump cushion inside the upper for added comfort.  After having a moment of silence for my Donni’s, I was ready to give the Meredith’s a few laps around the office.    

The verdict, a solid 9 out of 10.  The leather was very supple and has a perfect navy hue that does go well with just about anything.  The straight toe box top line sits perfectly where Donni did before, making my foot look very chic.  The silhouette and shape are quite sleek and do make me look more put together than the effort I made to get dressed.  My only ding is the cushion.  It's wonderful on the balls of my feet but the added cushion adds space in the toe box making it a little snug.  And truly, its only slightly snug.  I didn’t have a line across my feet when I took them off at the end of the day.  It was just snug.  I’ve worn them several times and I feel strongly the leather will stretch a bit over time and the cushion will form itself to my foot.  Maybe I’ll share an update that rates it a 10 in a few more months’ time.  😄

They are a pretty great deal given they are Nine West as a starting point.  They retail at $89 but are currently on sale for $69.99  The full range of colors are only available at Nine West. But you can get the basic colors on Amazon or 6pm for less.  Depending on the color and material, they range from $39.99 to $41.99.  Enjoy! 

*hearts*

What Shoe Made Of?

Some of you have asked what the different parts of shoe, specifically heels, are called.  I thought I’d take the opportunity to give you a little lesson in Shoe Anatomy. 

There are a few parts that do have multiple names, such as the Top Piece, aka Heel Tip, aka Heel Cap, aka the heel, as I refer to it.  Also, the inward facing part of the heel is called the Neck or the Breast.  Do you find it odd that these labels have such an underlying female note?

One other note to take, is that the Vamp is the part of the shoe that goes over the front part of your foot and around the sides.  It’s the parts that keep your foot in the shoe itself and not flying off when you take a step.  Not all the diagrams convey the extent of the Vamp fully.

Now that you’re fully prepped for a Jeopardy Parts of a Shoe category, I did want to make one note of appreciation and recognition to Shoes of Prey.  They are the photo credit for the first photo in this post.  I feel a bit of sadness in that I started this blog when Jodie Fox’s brilliance brought us this fabulous shoe company.  This Aussie’s baby was kind of my dream company.  Designing, well customizing your every dream shoe.  I had a major girl crush on her as she was such an inspiration.

After nine years of major success, the company suffered a major downturn and had to close in August 2018.  But like any survivor, I have full faith in Ms. Fox that she’ll put on her best heels and step forward in a fabulous new venture, stronger than before, shoe’ing us what’s she’s made of. ;)   You can also purchase her book, Reboot: ProbablyMore Than You Ever Wanted to Know about Starting a Global Business, online.  

*hearts*

#LifeGoals: Rothy’s

Many years ago when I started my quest to find office appropriate heels that were comfortable and eco-friendly, the struggle was reeeeeal.  I’m not gonna lie, pickings were slim.  We did have some great brands that were forward thinkers and sustainably minded.  But I’m over the moon in how the selection and most importantly, the comfort of these earth-friendly options have come along in these last few years. 

Enter Rothy’s.

Oh. My. God.  So few things feel this good, especially on your feet.  It’s utterly mind blowing that they are made out of recycled plastic water bottles!  Granted the merino wool thread probably makes them feel so dang yummy, it’s still so green!  The insoles are that foam that you feel bounces back when you lift your foot.  And stays that way!  Plus, they’re just so light, and incredibly soft, inside and out.  Imagine your best tailored cigarette pant as a shoe, and that’s this flat.

In reality, I had these on my radar for quite some time but it wasn't until I saw one of my coworkers sporting them around the office one day.  And you know me, inquiring minds wanna know... I immediately interrogated her about them.  She raved about them. I was sold.

These babies come in all colors and hues of the rainbow, with some special collections periodically.  And they have rounded toe, their original shoe, The Flat, or pointed toe, The Point, and classic loafers, yes, you guessed it, they’re called The Loafer.  They like to keep it simple. 😄 

They have just debuted a brand new style, The Mary Jane.  It’s like The Point but with adorable thick straps you tie into a bow. And true to the brand, all styles come with the signature blue halo.

The thing that really sets Rothy’s aside, is that all their styles are machine washable.  All you do is take out the insoles and throw them in with your shoes into your cold water delicate cycle and air dry.  That makes your dollars go farther and it helps reduce landfills of those single use plastic bottles. 

Rothy’s is also reinforces their sustainable focus by humanely harvesting the merino wool they use for their thread from an Australian farm (still standing after the fires) and then crafted at a sustainable Italian mill.  The insoles are made from bio-based castor oil and recycled materials.  Their outsoles are made of either carbon-free rubber or luxe vegan leather.  They’re shipped in their boxes so there’s less waste in the shipping and packaging of your new kicks.  Good for the earth, good for fur friends, good for your feets, TERRIFIC all around.

Sustainability and quality do cost some cash though.  Rothy’s range in price between $125 and $155 depending on the style and special collection.  BUT your Working Girl has got you a hook up with $20 discount!  Use this link to get $20 off your first order.

So get out there with your new Rothy’s looking fabulous and feel super knowing you are doing your part to save the planet one step at a time.

*hearts*

Heels for Flat Feet

I know it's been a minute but we're still all working girls first. 😇

One of my good friends has struggled with her love affair with high heels.  Unfortunately, her flat feet syndrome keeps her from being able to really enjoy the happiness wearing high heels brings us.  She’s asked me to help her find heels for flat feet.  PROJECT! 😁

So, not being flat-footed myself and not being an orthopedic doctor, or trained in that field in any way, I’ll give this my best shot.  In the research I’ve been able to find, it seems there is no cure at the moment.  There’s lots of stuff being done for a pill in the future but as for right now, I’m sorry ladies, it’s just not in the cards.  Some say that wearing heels makes it worse, and some even say that it’s the cause of flat feet.  There’s no research that really shows that, and most people have it since birth.  It’s possible your arches can fall over time, but that isn’t always attributed to wearing the fabulous heels. 

The other thing too is that there are no existing heels for flat feet situations.  This news totally bummed me out.  I actually do feel sadness when someone wants to bask in the glamorous splendor of beautiful heels.  I understand that joy and happiness.  I really do…. So someone being physically denied that, well just makes my shoe-filled heart sad.  But there is hope.  

In accepting the challenge, and really wanting to help my girl, I think that there is a combination of things that can help.

Firstly, I think that these foot massages you can give yourself are a great idea, even if you DON’T have flat feet, this looks and feels yummy when I tried it. :) I think doing some type of this stretching and massaging at your desk in a rather discreet way during the day will help you be able to make it through the “walking parts” of your day.  Also, getting custom-molded inserts is another helper.  I know you all probably already have them, so I’m likely preaching to the choir here.  But again, I’m not saying it’s going to get you doing the marathon 14-hour work day in them but just that it will help tolerate them better.  The other thing is that you’re going to have carry around your flats with you so you can switch them out.  

Those lovely red pumps in the top photo are a solid and comfy
option.  They feature memory foam insoles, which sounds super dreamy.  The 2.3 inch heel comes with a pillowy soft feel cushion.  And they boast an A+ arch support.  My favorite part here though is that they're super cute too!  

None of these suggestions will make your pains of wearing heels with flat feet go away, but I really think that they will give you a little less pain, or at least a little more tolerance and more of a real opportunity to wear them. If you have any better suggestions, I’d love to have you share!  😄

*hearts*

Ode to Kate Spade… My Sole Mate

Dear readers,

I know we’ve not “seen” each other in a while, but like true good friends, when we do connect, its like time has not passed.  Its just like that feeling you had when you first laid your eyes on a Kate Spade for the first time…..

This past week’s tragic events including the untimely passings of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain has really hit home for this Working Girl.  I have a hard time believing that anyone doesn’t remember their first Kate Spade.  She came at a time in our life where our extra cash was given the fancy globally envied term “disposable income” making us financially significant.  And while she started her company behind the guise of purses, it was her shoes that made me a lifelong junkie.

Ironically, it was her utterly practical patent wedges, the Halle, that put her on the national radar with the New York Times article about campaigning in three-inch heels.  *swoon*  UMMMMM, you had me at Hillary.  This work-smart appropriate shoe choice drew out the whimsical love of and for fashion we all had inside of us through all of Kate’s imaginative designs.

And it was this exact playful design eye that made all of us working girls start to push the fashion envelope in the conservative office environment allowing us to use fashion more as an extension of our personality while still being professionals. 

Kate evolved from Spade to Frances Valentine to show evolution and maturity, while still holding on to the fanciful and youthful spirit all women have inside of us, no matter our age.

Rest in blissful fashion wonderful Kate.  You will be forever in our hearts and your shoes will be hard to fill.

*hearts*