how is shoes work

January 23, 2012 8:24 PM

Should I keep these shoes?

I found these lurking in my closet - five-inch gray patent leather proper-looking pumps purchased before I gave up all hope of actually dressing like a lady. They're in good shape, Italian-made (a brand I don't recognise - Cavallini?) and 100% leather, so I'm thinking of selling them, though I realise I probably wouldn't get much.

Except I tried them on, they're remarkably comfortable (seriously - no wobbling or anything, so weird!) and I've got some weddings I'll have to show my face at coming up - would these shoes be appropriate to wear to events like those? Are these even good-looking shoes? what do I wear them with?

Relevant data: these are essentially the only high heels I own, I don't wear heels on a regular basis, though I can walk in them for a short while. Before I unearthed these, I was going to borrow shoes for the upcoming weddings - I wasn't planning to buy new shoes.

Style-mavens of Mefi, help me out!

posted by zennish to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (24 answers total)

Best answer: those are awesome! they are a nice blend of classic and sexy. This askme from a while back asked about a similar pair of shoes, and there's lots of good ideas there
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 8:38 PM on January 23, 2012

So sexy!

Though I am not a style-maven. Still, I say keep them.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:42 PM on January 23, 2012

Best answer: You like them? What's the harm? Learn to walk in them and take them out for a good occasion, or just to walk around the supermarket looking and feeling totally sexy and stylish, because those are awesome.

"I need green beans...in my HOT SHOES!!"
posted by xingcat at 8:45 PM on January 23, 2012 [7 favorites]

These are fabulous! If they're comfy and you can manage a couple hours in them, I see no reason to get new shoes. Although I would suggest wearing them around the house, to the store, somewhere like that for a few hours to test out and make sure you don't find out they're horrible when it's too late. I typically try to do this with new shoes or shoes I don't wear often just to break them in and test drive them, so to speak. =P
As far as what to wear with them...I think anything from a pair of (nice looking or dressy type) jeans and a nice top; a pair of slacks and jacket; a cocktail dress. All would be great. Gray typically goes with any color, although I think it would depend a lot on what colors you're comfortable wearing. Red, pink, and ivory are all personal favorites of mine to match with a neutral color like this.
I think the best idea if you keep them is to take them/wear them to the store and try on a bunch of things while wearing them. You get an idea of what would and would not look right with the particular shade of gray.
(And LMFAO at xingcat...putting this phrase on my grocery list!)
posted by PeppahCat at 8:50 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think these are super sexy, but I don't think they're appropriate for a wedding. Sorry. My two cents.
posted by telegraph at 8:51 PM on January 23, 2012 [4 favorites]

I'm with telegraph.

My initial reaction was "Woah, awesome hooker shoes!" I don't mean that pejoratively--I'm all for sexy shoes. I dated a guy with a serious shoe fetish, the higher and more sexy the better. He would love these shoes.

On second look, they're totally halfway between vampy and businessy. Like what the modern version of what Joan from Mad Men would wear.
posted by mollymayhem at 8:57 PM on January 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Cool shoes, but not for a wedding!
posted by wandering_not_lost at 9:04 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Those are very pretty, but I would not wear them to a wedding. I actually don't know where I'd wear them at all though, so check with your social circle.
posted by freshwater at 9:07 PM on January 23, 2012

I love those shoes! I probably wouldn't wear them to a wedding, because I would probably wear dressier shoes that went better with a dress - these are more like business-y shoes that I would wear with a very long pair of trousers to make my legs look extra long. I would also wear them with jeans and a dressier shirt or black "going out" pants. I would probably also wear them with a work skirt or wrap dress, if I wore skirts/dresses to work anymore.

Super cute shoes!
posted by triggerfinger at 9:23 PM on January 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

You can look ladylike in these shoes at a wedding only if you are very short (like 5'2" or less), not skinny or even really thin, and your dress is modestly cut (no major cleavage, a fingertip length skirt, and cap sleeves at a minimum).
posted by milk white peacock at 9:33 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

I second triggerfinger. They are adorable and sexy. Wear them while you can. I loved wearing high heels but aging feet have me confined to keens. Boo.
posted by cairnoflore at 9:34 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think you can totally wear these to a wedding - possibly depending on location: I'm in SF and have been to two weddings over the past six months at which these would not even get a second look (w/r/t being "hooker" shoes). Also, was at a wedding in southern Spain in October and these would, again, have not even been a question regarding whether or not they were "appropriate" (or not.) Especially if you wear something classy up top.

Very cute!
posted by hapax_legomenon at 9:43 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

They're beautiful and not at all hookery! Jeez I should post some of my shoe pics and calibrate you all on what hookery heels look like.

They don't seem like wedding shoes to me because of the businessy details of the toe box; but then again, the heel makes a different statement. Not sure about the wedding, anyway, but definitely wear to work, wear to parties, wear to happy hour, wear with long pants, knee length skirts/dresses... lucky you to have them and be able to wear them comfortably!
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:58 PM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

Best answer: These are sexy loafer pumps, and to my eye the 'sexy' is not really overcoming the 'loafer,' so IMO they are more of a business shoe. However, they're sexy enough that you have to pair them carefully. They would look great with more conservative business clothes to give you some edge, but I'd probably stick to pants or a knee-length pencil skirt. They'd look very cute paired with jeans and a top to dress up a more casual look.

I don't like them for a wedding, not because they're at all hookery, but because of their loaferyness. I'd have the same opinion on a shoe like this, which is another sexy high-heeled version of a classic shoe style. I love it for a lot of things, just not a wedding.
posted by gatorae at 10:01 PM on January 23, 2012 [4 favorites]

I agree the loafer styling makes these veer in a slightly business direction, but honestly, unless you're in the wedding no one is going to think these shoes are inappropriate. The high heel and shiny finish does enough to make them dressy, plus that gorgeous grey color doesn't read businessy.

They would look great with a cranberry red dress. I'm imagining something like one of the dresses from J. Crew--I think it's the Sophia? Hard to find and link on my phone!
posted by apricot at 10:42 PM on January 23, 2012

Response by poster: ugh YOU GUYS ARE FANTASTIC

And now I know what they're called - loafer pumps! Shoes are complicated.

I'll be badgering friends for shoes come wedding time - even if a more stylish person could pull them off, it sounds like I ought to err on the side of conservative for a wedding. Thank you!

Though shoes like this are considered sexy? I thought they looked kind of boring, compared to shoes like this - which probably tells you exactly how much experience I have in buying/judging shoes.
posted by zennish at 11:28 PM on January 23, 2012

Best answer: One more person's opinion: I think those shoes could definitely be worn to a wedding as long as it wasn't super formal, especially since it is winter. They've got a heavier, menswear-inspired style that works for the cooler months. Also, the "hookery" platform/stiletto style is so mainstream now, I feel it's become widely acceptable as long as you're not pairing it with a tight miniskirt and cleavage. I would pair them with dark colors, and I'm thinking dark or black tights would keep the look more "appropriate." If you could find a dress in a similar shade of gray, add black tights, and you've got a vaguely monotone outfit that will look pulled together easily.
posted by dahliachewswell at 11:30 PM on January 23, 2012 [4 favorites]

- blog with some good examples
- navy dress
- B & W & silver

I could actually see friends wearing these shoes to a wedding, if it was more chic/hip than pretty/traditional. And with the right outfit. But I'm not really in the super traditional church or fancy-garden wedding crowd.
posted by barnone at 12:50 AM on January 24, 2012

Best answer: Well even with the platform the heels must be a good four inches, and nobody's feet benefit from wearing more than a 3-inch heel. But, they're your feet.

The reason I would not wear these to a wedding is because black shoes really only go with black, white or brown. But if you had an outfit that was a combination of black and white instead of one or the other, they'd look really good. I'd think about how you'd be able to dance in them though.
posted by tel3path at 2:58 AM on January 24, 2012

Though shoes like this are considered sexy? I thought they looked kind of boring,compared to shoes like this -

I consider the former "look at my feet" sexy. The latter seems to me to be "look away! My feet are in a box! What could possibly be in there? What do my feet look like?! Ooh! Look away!" sexy. (Which I do not find sexy).
posted by vitabellosi at 3:21 AM on January 24, 2012

The only thing about those shoes is that they really seem on-trend (or even very slightly dated if you're a shoe obsessive). If I did not plan to wear them much in the next couple of years, I'd unload them while I could get money for them (or hold them for ten years until 2010-2011 is trendy again). That's definitely the kicker (as it were) with women's shoes - unlike men's shoes, there are comparatively few durable classic shoes that are also attractive.
posted by Frowner at 5:11 AM on January 24, 2012

i would totally wear those to a wedding with a black dress!
posted by sabh at 7:19 AM on January 24, 2012

I agree with Frowner; they are just slightly dated. I also would not wear them to a wedding, but my style is quite boring. You could definitely pull it off with some black tights and an above-the-knee dress. However, the dress should be something like a flirty shell or wrap dress that is not a shiny material.
posted by 200burritos at 9:24 AM on January 24, 2012

Response by poster: Dammit, I forgot about the dancing.

These are all fantastic answers - I'm going to sell mine, because it sounds like they're not really an 'all-occasion' shoe, but I'm marking everything off with style advice in case someone else with this style of shoe comes looking. Thanks!
posted by zennish at 3:18 PM on January 24, 2012