Flat’s life
Women ditching painful shoes after pandemic
LIKE many women in the pandemic, I got used to the ease of wearing comfortable flats. Since then, I just can’t wear high heels.
Maybe they’re more flattering on the leg but I’m not willing to put up with the discomfort anymore.
So this week I packed my high heels off to the charity shop – including a pair of black boots with a ridiculously high, spiky heel.
As I was bagging them up, I was thinking: “I can’t believe I used to walk around in these all day.”
Aside from the impracticality of them, they’re gone totally out of style. Suddenly, they feel old-fashioned. Heels are not cool.
Recently, I went to a wedding wearing my old reliables – a pair of nude, stiletto courts. I always used to roll them out for big occasions but my feet felt sore and the shoes seemed so dated.
Most women at the wedding were wearing fancy flats, not ridiculous heels.
My heels felt OTT. I lasted one hour before I slipped on a pair of yellow flat mules instead.
According to the data company, Statista, consumer demand for shoes in Ireland will remain slightly below pre-pandemic this year. But the increasing taste for comfort is set to continue.
Athleisiure – casual clothes and footwear that can be worn from gym to office – is still the biggest news in style.
You’ll notice it on the street. There are far fewer women in wedges, platforms and court shoes and far more whizzing around in trainers and snazzy loafers.
These days, it’s quite rare to spot a very high heel.
Doc Martens have made a comeback, and canvas slip-ons such as Vans Classics are cool and chic.
Compare it to just a few years ago when shops were
full of towering
Sine Dunne heels and Christian Louboutins and Manolo Blahniks were the ultimate in fashion.
Now even Victoria Beckham – once the undisputed queen of sky high shoes – is more likely to be floating around in summer sandals. And Sarah Jessica Parker, who fetishised heels in Sex and the City, is known these days for her collection of ballet flats.
Is the high-heeled shoe dead? If so, this is one of the biggest revolutions in fashion.
Women have worn high heels for centuries and the stiletto has been in vogue constantly since the 1950s. Do style experts believe we have stepped into a new shoe era?
According to fashion psychologist Carolyn Mair, many women feel sexy in heels.
Studies show men are more likely to give help and attention to women wearing heels over those wearing flats. Their design makes the wearer’s posture more attractive, increasing t h e pelvic tilt and exaggerating the chest and hips. But she says these days, women are putting their own comfort first, adding: “While many women like heels because they alter our posture, throw the hips forward and lengthen the legs, making the wearer appear more sexually attractive and glamorous, many women are now opting for flats as they make clear that they are dressing for themselves rather than for the male gaze.
“And if flats are more comfortable for the wearer, then they are more likely to look more attractive to observers. Women who wore high heels before the pandemic might find it difficult to go back to wearing them. For these women comfort now comes first.”
Stylist Terri Cooper confirms this is what’s happening on the ground and the catwalk, adding: “Through my work I’m seeing more women choose flats over heels.
“The pandemic and, in particular, working from home, allowed them the freedom to ditch the restrictive shoes
Their feet had a taste of freedom and they don’t want to go back TERRI COOPER YESTERDAY
and now that their feet have had a taste of freedom they don’t want to go back.
“Many of the major designers showcased flats including ballet pumps, loafers and Chelsea boots in their A/W collections and these can be found in high street shops already. From department stores like Marks & Spencer to high-end brands like Cos, retailers have great selections.”
Fashion designer Sonya Lennon reckons towering heels are over but suggests a lower block heel for added height. She namechecks hit
Kilkenny shoe designer Nicky
Hoyne as one to watch in fashion, due to her creative collection of flattering flats.
“A huge amount of women have given up on high heels. Look at the success of the Nicky Hoyne shoes range. They’re like a sweet box of pretty flats, very of the moment.
“I am 5ft 2in and I love a heel. But I will not be uncomfortable and it’s important to choose heels that are comfortable. A heel that is no higher
than 85cm is best and even better if it’s a platform style, as that gives you an equal level of balance and support that creates comfort.
“Wearing a shoe so high you have all the weight on the ball of the foot is not good.”
Entrepreneur Sine Dunne took a break from high heels during Covid restrictions but her heels are now back in action. She said: “Throughout the pandemic, I wore flats. Now I’m back in the impractical, joyful high heeled shoes. Sometimes a Nicky Hoyne flat but mostly something high and shiny.
“Heels are such an emotional thing. Putting on my favourite pair will transform me.
“It’s like lipstick for some. I used to wear flats to fit in. I’m tall so I used to avoid heels and shrink myself. Now I love them again because they make me feel strong.”