My friend Joey recently started a new job. At our last girls night we were discussing it and she informed us that one of her goals at her new job is to step up the professionalism of her wardrobe. Included in this plan would be a goal of wearing heels…every day. Well to me this just sounds like some bad scene in Saw 5 that I saw last weekend (the heels part… not the dressing up part). Of course I am a bit jaded when it comes to my feet. As I’m sure EVERYBODY knows because I complain so damn much I’m such a good communicator I had that wicked foot surgery last December…which has rendered me unable to wear heels until about 2 weeks ago or so. After hearing Joey rave about how good she felt about her having, in fact, been successful at meeting her goal thus far of dressing up every day - well…I felt inspired. And let’s just be clear about one thing. I’ve NEVER been a heels kind of girl. And I probably never will be. However, hearing Joey talk about how powerful and just, well, different she felt wearing heels every day, it really made me think that this kind of mind-altering state could be achieved by anyone in heels. And Joey is tall….like probably 5′9 or something…and one of my major reasons (aside from the pain) for not wearing heels has always been that I am already tall- 5′ 6 1/2. Add a good sized heel to that and I feel freakishly tall. For the record, I’ve seen Joey’s heels, and they are the kind of 4 inch stilettos that make my toes curl. I’m lucky if I can walk down the hall in a pathetic-excuse-for-a heel 2 inchers. Anyway, 2 weeks ago when I put a heel on for the first time in 10 months I felt so proud, so powerful, so professional, so TALL. People looked at me different, people treated me different, people spoke to me in a different way. And I bet 5 people asked about why I looked so tall and/or noticed immediately that I was wearing heels. When I got home I ripped those suckers off so fast and threw them…wishing the guy who invented heels was standing in my living room so I could bash him in the head with them. Well…he wasn’t, so I was forced to get my relief from laying on the couch vowing to never wear heels again, reminding myself why I never really wore them in the first place, and realizing that my new found “inner ego boost” was just going to have to come from somewhere else. This was just simply too painful. Fast forward to 2 weeks later when I can’t find anything to wear to work with my long brown editor pants…if I wear flats the pants will be too long and I will look like a slob and I am trying to look professional. Darn it. Back to the heels. Fast forward to 3:15 and yes, my feet are tired…but frankly, as Tyra would say, I feel fierce, and TALL, and I really am quite amazed at how differently people respond to a very tall woman. This is a good feeling, and although I know I will never put on the 4 inch stilettos….I simply do too much walking at work….I will definitely be including my heels in my morning shoe selection. I will try to view my heels, without prejudice, as just another shoe choice next to all the pathetic oh-so-flat shoes in my closet. Thanks for your inspiration, Joey.
4 Comments, Comment or Ping
Erin
Em, If I have learned anything from the hours I’ve spent watching What Not To Wear, and from our sister, it is that good shoes should not hurt. Perhaps you need to go out and buy some new ones! I know my Nine West heels are very comfie, but they are just kitten heals …
Either way, I think Clinton and Stacy would be very proud of us.
October 31st, 2008
Tanzie
Thank god looking professional as a stay at home mom does NOT include heels!
October 31st, 2008
Allison
I have always wanted to start a shoe line for tall women with large feet called “Intimidators”, as a woman who stands 5′10″ with no shoes at all heels always put me over the 6′ mark…and I love it. There is a certian amout of self confidence and pride I get from wearing my heels, as a tall female we are often shunned from wearing them as young women thinking men will not find you attactive if your too tall. When I finally got to the “I don’t care what ppl think of me” phase of life adding heels to my wardrobe was excilerating. I couldn’t do it everyday, but a good pair of heels is like a secret work weapon.
November 3rd, 2008
Joey
I am so proud of you Emily!! These days, when I put on my 2 inch heels, I almost feel like I am wearing flats and, I am so used to the “tall boys” that flats, like ballarina flats feel incredibly weird to me. I love my teva’s and being barefoot more than anything, but heels are a confidence booster that I just cannot deny. The fact that I “inspired” you is awesome! I don’t think I have ever done that for anyone! Three cheers to Heels and Strong, Confident, TALL women!
November 3rd, 2008
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