The Shoes of Evil

It's the same every day in every city and I loathe to see it. The lovely woman in a beautiful suit...and tennis shoes. Inevitably white with ankle socks. I look at these lovely women and I wonder: Where have American women gone wrong?!? I am not saying these women are bad, but sometimes smart women make bad shoe choices and this is a classic example. The pairing of the sporty running shoe with a board room skirt and suit jacket is like mixing Granimals. It's the fashion equivalent of putting the lion with the giraffe. They don't go together for a reason. This look doesn't work with pant suits either, though I've been fooled a few times by the pant-suit-black-running-shoes combo. It's like stealth bad taste.

Perhaps they are a club or, more likely, a cult. Perhaps they are all Nike investors. Perhaps they have all watched Working Girl one too many times. Take off your tennis shoes! You deserve more! You can do better than that!

Please pardon my being very opinionated about this. Honestly, I'm not trying to criticize these women but to point out to them that they are doing something that does not reflect them in the best light. You are a smart, savvy woman; don't make this shoe mistake!

My friend Nique, who has traveled internationally quite a bit, agrees. You don't see this is "chic" countries, her word for France. Has our practicality overwhelmed any sense of style on the street? Have these women simply been unable to find comfortable business pumps to free them from their tennis shoe prison? More people are likely to see you in the street in a tweed suit and Reeboks than will see you in the board room. Is that what these women are depending on? Their anonymity? Do they think no one will see them or do they simply not care? On the contrary, the tennis shoes are like a beacon. I am not proud of this fact, but if I saw a woman on the street in a smart skirt and blouse but white tennis shoes, I wouldn't want to trust my retirement portfolio to her. My logic would be "If she makes shoe choices like this, who knows what she'll chose to invest my money in! Reebok probably!".

I believe that for the money they spent on a pair of business shoes that are, presumably, too uncomfortable to walk a few city blocks in plus the money for the tennis shoes, they could have found a pair of comfortable heels that they could wear everywhere and not look like these otherwise stylish women have lost all fashion sense. I can hear many women saying that such shoes do not exist. The Manolo myth perhaps. But I can assure them that I found the holy grail of business footwear and if I can do it I know others can. I actually found a pair of stylish, COMFORTABLE shoes that are both functional and fashionable. Open toes sandals with a 2 1/2 inch heel. Simple but chic and sexy. I got them in black because I wear the most black and it will look nice day or night, but, if my checkbook were fatter, I would have bought the red pair too. Check out the selection at The Walking Company when you get the chance or visit their website. Normally I don't like many of the shoes there ( A little TOO outdoorsy for this previously-country-but-now-city-girl), but they DO have cute ones, you just have to keep your eyes peeled and be prepared to pay a little extra. Consider it an investment purchase. Take care of these shoes and they will take care of you.

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