Lizzy leopard Pony-Hair Pump

I love shoes and I have a lot of them: boots, flats, wedges, pumps, and sandals, in a range of colors and materials and styles and heights. My favorites are heels. In my personal blog, one of my favorite posts is about The Joy of High Heels (among other things, they help you keep your mojo). But as good as they look, high heels are not always kind to my feet. When I was much younger, I’d suffer through it, often limping home after a long day and night in the fabulous shoes that were killing my feet. I like to think I’m smarter now, so I don’t do that anymore.

Kate Spade 'Bloom' Pump

So when I’ve got a long day ahead I usually have to lug another pair of more walkable shoes with me. Wearing-a-pair and carrying-a-pair is my norm. And I’m not alone; all over NYC, outside office buildings, ballrooms, and restaurants you’ll see women crouching in a one-legged stance, changing from sensible shoes to cute heels before hitting their destinations.

Max Studio 'Macan' Peep Show Pump

This is really starting to bug me. It’s the 21st century. Why is it so dang hard for shoe designers to make seriously attractive shoes that are not ridiculously high?  Actually, I know it’s not that hard; it’s just laziness. A very high heel makes any shoe look more interesting. Designing a “hot” shoe with a lower heel takes a bit more work. Women know that high heels change the “conversation:” the way the outfit flows, the way our legs look, the way we walk, our attitude.  So we buy really high heels and suffer through the pain. But I’m on a mission to make high-ish heels the new black (a much-over-used phrase, I know, but one that’s easily understood).

For the past two or so years, I’ve refused to buy a pair of shoes that’s over 2-3/4” high. I come home from a lot of shopping trips empty-handed. The Barney’s Warehouse Sale has become a joke to me, as the requirement seems to be that all the shoes are 5” high.

Renee Gallen Slingback

Christian Louboutin’s winter collection is fantastic, but seems to have nary a pump with a heel less than 3” high (which is low-ish, but not low enough). Saves me a lot of money, but also makes me a little sad. I wander, flabbergasted, around the entire floor that Saks Fifth Avenue has dedicated to shoes—so big it has its own name and zip code, Saks 10022. It has thousands of pairs of shoes, and maybe two or three that meet my requirements.

I know that flats are in right now, but I’m not talking about flats. I want wearable heels. Cute, sexy, chic, delightful shoes at a sensible height. But I’m not looking for sensible shoes—there’s a difference. A sensible shoe is not stylish. And even the kitten heel–well, it’s getting there but it’s a little timid. And that’s not the point I want to make, either.

Last night, I spent hours online visiting the fashion sites, looking at all the new arrivals. I just wanted to find a pair or two of awesome heels at a level-headed height. It was tough, but there were a few—sadly, only a few.

Stuart Weizman 'Bowling' Pump

It’s ridiculous. I want to blame the designers but I know it’s really our fault. Designers make what sells…and we’re buying high, high heels and ignoring the discomfort, bunions, and ungainly gait. Because what price beauty, ya know?

I would like us to stop it. I would like you to help me. If we demand more fantastic, high-ish heels, they will come. I know they will.

After searching through hundreds of pairs of shoes, on this page are six I found that pretty much fit my qualifications: they’re 2-3/4” high or lower, and stylish…although probably not exactly “hot.”

If you’ve seen some others that make the cut, I’d love to see them. Just post them to the “High-ish Heels” photo album on WVFC’s Facebook page or our Flickr gallery.