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Well we did it folks. Two of our intrepid reporters spent a week in heels (graciously furnished by Ann Taylor). Meghan Keane and Drew Grant, both avid flat-footers, spent a week wearing Ann Taylor’s Perfect Patent Pumps. While Meghan used her heels to fancy up formal occasions like her friend’s wedding, Drew spent the week adjusting the rest of her wardrobe to match a more business-casual ensemble.
The test was to determine how easy these heels were to transition into after a lifetime of sneakers, boots, and the occasional snow shoe. We graded them in several different categories on a scale of 1 pump to 5, and took diligent notes. We asked our friends, coworkers, and fashion websites what they thought. And in the end, we may not yet be heel experts, but we had some surprises throughout the week. Read on to see how we, and the heels, fared.
Day One:
Comfort: 3 Pumps
I’ve had terrible experiences with heels before, so I was happy that Ann Taylor’s pumps didn’t leave me with any blisters. They also weren’t painful to walk in, although according to one friend, I looked like I had my “limbs replaced with other limbs.” That being said, I kept walking out of the pumps, which I guess means they were too big. But I noticed that my feet (which are wide) kind of looked pinched at the toe, so I guess they were both too big AND too small?
Functionality: 4 pumps
At first I thought these heels wouldn’t go with anything I owned. The day I got them, I honestly looked like a crazy person. But by mid-week, I was showing signs of improvement in my wardrobe: these shoes made me want to class up. Were they still too decadent to wear to an office blogging job? I turned to the voters over at Fashism.com and asked for their opinion. The results? 84 percent positive rating, with comments like “Black pumps are almost always appropriate.” Brooke Mooreland, Fashism’s creator, also weighed in: “I think they can go day to night, even thought night time is their natural habitat.”
I never got a chance to wear the shoes to a fancy party like Meghan though, but in terms of daywear the only points I deducted were for the extra time and mental effort it took to walk across the room or down stairs without sounding like a horse with a broken leg. (They shoot those, you know.)
Class Factor: 5 pumps
Well, this one is pretty much a given. I would never pick these shoes out for myself, because my personal style has never really been “classy.” But if that’s the look you’re going for, these pumps were like the perfect little black dress I never bothered buying either.
Terrain Mobility: 2 Pumps
I can’t bike ride in these things! And New York was not made for heels, I don’t care what Carrie Bradshaw or her ilk would say. There are too many traps – like actual traps – in the form of sidewalk grates, gaps between the elevators and trains, and stairs (down more than up). I’ve worn wedges before and they’ve been fine, but these heels were thin. Not recommended for novices.
Final Conclusion: I would wear these shoes anytime I had to look professional, like a business meeting or interview. For sitting in a chair all day (especially the way I sit, or perch rather,) thin heels just don’t cut it. And my personal flair is a little more eccentric than plain black heels. That being said, by the end of the week I had basically forgotten I had ever owned sneakers in the first place. And I felt better about myself too: I was dressing nicer, doing my hair (a rarity), and basically strutting my stuff. If you’re the type of girl who finds herself in a sneaker funk, consider trying these heels. They’ll make you stand up straight like your mom always wanted.
(Editor’s note: All products used in the series have been graciously donated by the participating companies for the purpose of this experiment.)
Mid-Week:
Wedding:
